C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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The Pentacon Six TL (1956 onward, "TL" version 1968) is a 6×6 medium-format SLR built by VEB Pentacon in Dresden, East Germany. Hand-holdable — significantly smaller than a Hasselblad or Mamiya RB67 (1.7 kg vs 1.7–2.7 kg respectively). **P6 mount** accepts Carl Zeiss-Jena lenses (Biometar 80/2.8, Flektogon 50/4, Sonnar 180/2.8) — many of which are excellent. Mechanical focal-plane cloth shutter to 1/1000s, interchangeable waist-level or TTL CdS prism finder, no AE.
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Recommended film stocks for the — format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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Kodak Portra 160 is a professional C-41 color negative film with fine grain, soft contrast, and natural color.
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Kodak Ektar 100 is a fine-grain C-41 color negative film with saturated color and high sharpness.
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About this camera
East German 6×6 SLR. Carl Zeiss-Jena lens system, hand-holdable, the Eastern bloc alternative to a Hasselblad.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 120 (12 frames 6×6 cm) |
| Mount | Pentacon Six (P6) |
| Years | 1956–1990 (Pentacon Six / Six TL across multiple sub-versions) |
| Shutter | 1s – 1/1000s, mechanical focal-plane cloth |
| Flash sync | 1/30s |
| Meter | TTL via TL prism finder |
| Modes | Manual |
| Weight | 1,700 g |
| Battery | None (body); PX625 mercury in TL prism |
The line started 1956 as the Praktisix (Ihagee Dresden), evolved into Pentacon Six (1964) and Pentacon Six TL (1968). Production continued through East German political changes until 1990 when the Pentacon factory closed alongside East German camera production. The mount continued in different bodies (Kiev 60, Kiev 88) using P6-compatible lenses.
For 2026 buyers, the Pentacon Six is the cheapest entry into 6×6 medium-format SLR with Carl Zeiss-Jena optics. Used at $200–500 — a third of a Hasselblad with comparable image quality. The CZJ Biometar 80/2.8 is sharp, the Flektogon 50/4 wide is excellent, and the 180/2.8 Sonnar is genuinely great for portraits.
The trade-offs are East German build quality (variable; some bodies are well-made, others have issues), the cloth focal-plane shutter (slower flash sync), and parts availability (limited, though P6 lens prices are still reasonable).
P6 mount: Carl Zeiss-Jena Biometar 80/2.8 (kit), Flektogon 50/4, Sonnar 180/2.8, Sonnar 300/4. Soviet/Ukrainian Arsenat (Volna 80/2.8, Mir 26 45/3.5, Vega 12B 90/2.8). Pentacon 75/4.5 economy. Interchangeable: waist-level finder, TTL CdS prism (TL), magnifying chimney finder. P6 lenses adapt to medium-format digital backs and to Pentax 645 / Hasselblad H-systems via specialist adapters.
BW
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
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Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
View profile →Pentacon Six TL
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