Best SLR with M42 mount ?

[ruby.monkey]

Fuji X-T2 with a Canon-FD Metabones Speed Booster ULTRA and M42->FD adapter.

 

[ruby.monkey]

I'd go for a Pentax Spotmatic. They're indestructible, inexpensive and easy to have repaired, last forever, and are plentiful and cheap to buy.

I'd take the SL instead. All the good bits of a Spotmatic, without the unnecessary electronics. 😀

Fuji ST801 is a hard one to beat, though.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Even the greatest are not perfect though, cf my SV.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Alex Krasotkin]

Pentax Spotmatic

 

[oftheherd]

I would have to vote for the Spotmatic if you have Pentax m42 lenses as they're made for each other. I bought a Fujica ST 801 a few years ago ($45 on eBay, one of my luckier buys) for the few Pentax lenses I've accumulated. It's a superb camera, but it gets my second vote because it won't allow stop-down metering with the Pentax lenses. You have to meter by setting the aperture then simultaneously pressing the DOF button and half-pressing the shutter button. This is tricky as I find that I sometimes trip the shutter accidentally before getting a meter reading. The Fujica cameras are best suited to the superb Fujinon EBC lenses in my opinion.

For other lens manufacturers you don't just hold down the DOF button, you push it all the way in and turn the DOF button (clockwise iirc) until it locks. You can even compose and push the shutter release if you can see enough to compose. You can also pull up on the shutter ring and turn it until it locks (again clockwise iirc). Pretty nifty on the DOF, not all SLR have a lockable DOF unless it might be lockable with a stop-down-aperture metering.

You are right on about the Fujinon (not the Fujikor) EBC lenses. I don't have experience with Nikon or Canon, but they were the equal of Contax, at least the 50mm f/1.4 lenses I have for each. Frankly, I thought they were better than the Nikon and Canon I saw others use (putting on my flames suit).

If you really liked the ST 801, you should try the ST 901. The auto exposure is right on. It uses a silicon blue cell so no memory, and EV -3 to 18.

EDIT: I used to live in ebay's Fujica camera and lens sections, but I not only don't have the opportunity to shoot like I wish, but pretty much have everything I want camera and lens wise. But in the lenses, I was surprised to see the prices coming down. (Nick Troup may be doing us a favor in his latest post. 😀). The only sad thing is that the M42 lenses stopped being made over 40 years ago. Who knows what shape they may be in now. Really sad. Some of the lenses and cases I saw looked like they had been ridden hard and put up wet.

 

[p.giannakis]

Even the greatest are not perfect though, cf my SV.

Cheers,

R.

Gorgeous camera.

 

[Sumarongi]

Alea iacta est! The CE II Memotron is the next M42 camera Im going to buy. Incredible features and I think I can live the rather large body.

Thanks for your input... but keep em coming if you want to 🙂

Where did you find it? Willhaben?

 

[dmr]

I must agree that with all other things being equal, the Pentax Spotmatic is probably overall the best example of, and the most likely to find a well-working one, of all of the late 60s and early 70s M42 SLRs.

However, may I introduce and note one that was given to me which I am learning to like more and more as I run rolls through it. It's the Mamiya 1000 DTL, the one on the right in the photo below. I have a soft spot for Mamiya, as my first real camera was a Mamiya (but a RF, not a SLR) and this one is easy and fun to use. It's very intuitive, very, uh, Spotmatic-ish in shooting. 🙂

The lens below is the normal prime lens but I mostly shoot it with a Vivitar 28.

If you can get one of these cheaply or as a hand-me-down, it would be a good second choice to the Spotmatic. 🙂

 

[santino]

Where did you find it? Willhaben?

Haven't found one yet... its on my wish list 🙂

 

[Roger Hicks]

Gorgeous camera.

Indeed. And better made than the SP. But still, alas, not perfect.

Cheers,

R,

 

[Roger Hicks]

. . ,Some of the lenses and cases I saw looked like they had been ridden hard and put up wet.

Well, yes.

Cheers,

R.

 

[johnf04]

The pragmatist doesn't look for perfection - just something which will do the job, which is why I like Zenits. Mind you, I prefer the 3m, which doesn't have an M42 mount.

 

[Barry Kirsten]

For other lens manufacturers you don't just hold down the DOF button, you push it all the way in and turn the DOF button (clockwise iirc) until it locks.
...
If you really liked the ST 801, you should try the ST 901. The auto exposure is right on. It uses a silicon blue cell so no memory, and EV -3 to 18.

Thanks so much for this, oftheherd. Although I've had this camera for some years and read the manual, I obviously hadn't read it closely enough. The lockable DOF button is a winner; I don't recall ever seeing this on another camera. Knowing about this will greatly assist me in using the camera with my Pentax m42 lenses. And yes, I think I'll look out for a ST 901. Thank you again.

 

[charjohncarter]

I got my Spotmatic in 1969, I few years ago I did a CLA with Hendicks. It was really for a meter problem, now I have a light leak. I found it (miracle); light was coming through the flash ports. I've had so many SLR failures over the years and still the 'Spot' keeps going. Besides, it feels like a camera.

 

[ChrisPlatt]

Soligor TM, not that anyone's ever heard of them...

Made by Miranda. I own the Miranda badged version Miranda TM.

My favorite M42 camera is the humble Pentax SP1000.

Chris

 

[Deleted member 65559]

Pentax Spotmatic. The 50mm 1.4 is a killer lens with great character wide open