Pentax MX, cuter than a button

I was a big Pentax fan in the mid 70s through the early 80s when I was working for newspapers. Bought an LX when it first came out and it was a total piece of junk. Meter/electronics problems out of the box. Sent it back to Pentax three times under warranty and it never worked right. The warranty ran out and I called Pentax hoping they would either replace or repair for free but they refused. I was stuck with it. Am I bitter after 26+ years? Not really, but I vowed then to never buy any Pentax product and to share my experience with everyone I could. That's all a consumer can do.

Hope you guys enjoy your Pentaxs and never have any problems.

Regards,

Charlie
 
nikon_sam said:
That black body Pentax MX that I loaned out to a young photo student about three years ago was returned to me today...
Current Pentax count...2 black & 1 chrome MX's and a ME Super...
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Like getting an additional camera, I expect! Nice that the loanee was honorable in bringing it back after an extended loan. Is it in as good shape as when loaned?

So, your pentax count is now an even number, balanced... Interesting, as I have 1 black and 1 chrome MX and two ME Supers (chrome), pairs as usual... :)
 
Charlie said:
Hope you guys enjoy your Pentaxs and never have any problems.
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Thanks, Charlie! Nothing quite like bad customer service to stick in the memory like a thorn. I've been using Pentaxes since about 1964 and have never had any chronic service problems. Repairs mostly related to misadventure by previous owners (including my wife who has "used up" a few), never any issue with new gear.

Not to say I can't complain about what I think are design flaws... like the ISO dial around the lens mount on the K2 (it gets sticky, hard to change on both of mine), and a slip-clutch in the film-wind takeup spool of an ME Super that cannot be adjusted for tension except by swapping out the assembly.

With about 24 Pentax SLR bodies in 4 film formats (and I'm fond of them all), (oh, and one that doesn't use film) probably normal to run into a few problems.
 
Thanks' to Doug's fomenting G.A.S. involving Pentax SLRs I was forced to purchase this LX. Much nicer then my Super-Programable Pentax I bought new 22 years ago. JimG :•]
 

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Doug said:
Is it in as good shape as when loaned?
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From what I can remember...Yes!!!
I was impressed with the fact that the normally brassed corners where the straps mount weren't brassed...I thought they might have been...
Lens cap and manual are back too...
It just might need a little cleaning here and there...:cool:
 
JimG said:
Thanks' to Doug's fomenting G.A.S. involving Pentax SLRs I was forced to purchase this LX. Much nicer then my Super-Programable Pentax I bought new 22 years ago. JimG :•]
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Congrats, Jim! The LX is very special, and from what I can see that looks like a clean one. Has the JCII Passed sticker in the same spot as the LX I got recently. Guess you found a lens for it too. :)

nikon_sam said:
From what I can remember...Yes!!!
I was impressed with the fact that the normally brassed corners where the straps mount weren't brassed...I thought they might have been...
Lens cap and manual are back too...
It just might need a little cleaning here and there...:cool:
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This speaks very well for the borrower, a responsible party who I hope got some good pics using it.
 
wintoid said:
From my limited experience of antique SLRs the MX is the one I like the best. That said, it makes a lovely pairing with an ME Super :D
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Ha, I have an mx and me super (both chrome) - both need a CLA though. Does anyone know of a good person to send them to for that?
 
I really love my MX and can't help sharing pictures taken with it. The SMC-M 1.7/50 is a wonderful lens, sharp and contrasty but not to much, and with a pleasing bokeh! I don't understand how a $50 lens from 1977 can resist flare much much more than the $500 Summicron.
Somes pictures from my last rolls:

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And a couple more (sorry I didn't photoshopped them, just resized them, so there are a lot of dust):

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The ME Super is every bit as worthwhile as the MX too, if you like aperture priority.

Marc-A. said:
The SMC-M 1.7/50 is a wonderful lens, sharp and contrasty but not to much, and with a pleasing bokeh!
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This lens is seeing a lot of use from me too at the moment. I have the 1.4 and 1.2 50s as well, so the 1.7 (which came with a camera) sat at the back of the shelf for ages, but has now been "discovered". What a lens!
 
The MX, along with the ME, was Pentax' response to the Olympus OM1 and OM2 - smaller, lighter, pro/semi-pro bodies with a new range of small lenses.The MX was a system camera: motor drive, interchangeable focusing screens, interchangeable backs, new LED metering system etc. The ME was the first aperture priority only model.

The K1000 was one of the last of the larger K series cameras and did not have the system ability of the MX, nor self-timer, and also had older CdS metering. The K1000 and MX have focal plane cloth shutters with 1 -1/1000 sec range. Both are equally capable cameras in the right hands and of course both have the Pentax K mount.
 
I got two chrome MX's. A friend of mine had an MX kit lying in his closet for many years and he offered to give it to me for free. He wasn't that much of a photographer. He used it mainly for bird-watching so he mostly used it in conjunction with a Soligor 500/f8 mirror lens. The body has some scratches and a dent. The mirror lens has lots of cleaning marks. However, the SMC-M 50/1,7 and SMC-A 28/2,8 were in absolute mint condition. The body had a really bad focusing screen and needed a replacement. I went on ebay to try to find one and I ended up purchasing a second MX body in great condition that went through recent CLA.

The MX is a great camera. I love that its compact and the viewfinder is terrific. I only wish that the shutter was quieter. For a cloth shutter, I find it quite loud even when you don't take the mirror slap noise into account. I've added a 8/f3.5 Peleng Fisheye, 85/f1,5 Helios 40-2, a SMC-A 70-210/f4 zoom and a Vivitar 2x macro-focusing teleconverter to the kit. I'm looking for a SMC-A 20/f2.8 but they are bit expensive and I'll probably opt for a CZJ 20/f2.8 Flektogon instead.

Recently, I've been thinking of upgrading to a Pentax LX.
 
Some of my MX photos:


MX + SMC-A 70-210/f4 Zoom


MX + 85/f1.5 Helios 40-2


MX + SMC-M 50/f1.7 and Vivitar 2x Macro-focusing Teleconverter


MX + 8/f3.5 Peleng Fisheye
 
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