Analog Therapy/The Tried and True: Pentax 645N – FA 75mm f/2.8 – Cinestill 400D.

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I really like this camera. In my original post I called it a practical impractical camera and I stand by that. The Pentax 645N paired with the FA 75mm f/2.8.

Pentax 645N

Why practical?

You have access to full manual control, but set everything to the green A, turn on AF, and you have yourself a point and shoot medium format film camera that rarely takes a step wrong.

Why impractical?

Arguing that a medium format film camera is needed is a stretch.

That being said I echo a comment from my last camera post:

I would put this camera up against any camera regardless of price point.

Also of importance is that this is a camera that I thoroughly enjoy shooting with for any occasion. Any TTL Pentax flash will work with it. As mentioned above you can take control just as much as the finest all manual medium format film cameras and then turn around and use it as the mother of all point and shoots. It is a tool that can meet almost any medium format film need.

And that is exactly why I took it for a spin recently.

The film of choice this day was Cinestill 400D (A recent favorite).

Cinestill 400D - Fujifilm Superia X-Tra 400

…which was developed at home with Cinestill CS41.

Cinestill 400D - Fujifilm Superia X-Tra 400
Cinestill 400D - Fujifilm Superia X-Tra 400

Here are all 16 (The 645N always squeezes out one additional exposure.) of the images taken.

Pentax 645N - FA 75mm f/2.8
Pentax 645N - FA 75mm f/2.8
Pentax 645N - FA 75mm f/2.8
Pentax 645N - FA 75mm f/2.8
Pentax 645N - FA 75mm f/2.8
Pentax 645N - FA 75mm f/2.8
Pentax 645N - FA 75mm f/2.8
Pentax 645N - FA 75mm f/2.8
Pentax 645N - FA 75mm f/2.8
Pentax 645N - FA 75mm f/2.8
Pentax 645N - FA 75mm f/2.8
Pentax 645N - FA 75mm f/2.8
Pentax 645N - FA 75mm f/2.8
Pentax 645N - FA 75mm f/2.8
Pentax 645N - FA 75mm f/2.8

A fine bit of analog therapy.

Happy capturing.

-ELW

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