M42 Camera Body options (excluding Pentax)

[Trask]

see https://cameraquest.com/slr42ae.htm

That said, my favorite M42 camera is the Canon T90 with a M42 to FD adapter. Manual aperture operation, but it has SOOOOO many features I love.

I second this suggestion — I’ve made some fine photographs with M42 lenses on my T90/Canon “P” Lens Mount Converter. Outstanding metering in spot mode. I’ve also used M42 lenses on my Mamiya NC1000S with P-Adapter. I’d like to try a Chinon Memotron because IIRC it reads the light through the lens and sets the shutter speed in the instant after the aperture closes and the mirror starts to rise.

 

[ruby.monkey]

You say no Pentax, but how about an SL? You get the look and feel of a Spotmatic without any of that effete electronic nonsense, and the mount is about as standard as one can get - a hole with a screw thread and a stop-down paddle, and that's it.

 

[MrFujicaman]

As my nickname shows, I like Fujicas. I have other M42 cameras also. That being said...
The SMC lenses WILL work on other M42 bodies-you just lose full aperture metering.

With the ST-801 and ST-901 and AZ-1 , you must use Fujinon lenses with the tab to get open aperture metering or aftermarket lenses marked for Fujica. Avoid the AZ-1-unless you have Fujica type screw mount lenses, you choice of shutter speeds is very limited. The 705W has manual speeds from 1 to 1000-but the cap for the motor winder is a weak point-the lugs that hold the cap to the winder are weak and break.

I went to Fujica bodies in the 1980's as Fujica's had a much brighter finder than Pentax.

If you want auto exposure with any M42 lens, the Chinon Memotron and Memotron II and later CE-3 are the way to go. The Chinons were among the first to use the faster responding Silicone Blue metering cells and meter once the shutter release has fully closed down the lens aperture and sets the shutter speed before the shutter fires. The Memotrons-both the plain Memotron and the Memotron II were also sold as the GAF LE-S and the LE-S II and by Sears. A little know feature of the Memotrons was that in "auto" the shutter speed could reach a unmarked 1/4000th of a second.

If you want a smaller camera, the Vivitar XC series is about the same size as a Olympus OM-1. The XC cameras offered a add on auto exposure device that worked by plugging in a gadget that used a motor to set the shutter speed dial to the needed speed. The big problem with that is only about 1 in 4 of the XC-A adapters works anymore. Of the XC's the most interesting one is the XC-2-it offers both averaging and spot metering. The XC-3 and XC-4 are averaging metering only.

 

[splitimageview]

One day I need to try a Memotron...

I’ve had the Fujica 801 and 901, nice viewfinders, larger body type.

These cameras work with M42 lenses that don’t have the Fujinon tab on the aperture ring, but in stop down mode.

Because of this I’d probably opt for a later model smaller/lighter camera and use an M42 adapter.

Perhaps a Contax 139 or 159, or an ME Super.

 

[shorelineae]

Thanks all for the valuable replies. I neglected to mention that I wanted to maintain open aperture metering. The Chinon series seems to be the way to go.

The alternate was a Pentax LX with an adapter but then I would only get stop-down metering with non-Pentax lenses - that's what I gathered so far.

 

[David Murphy]

Not sure why you don't like the Pentax's, the Spotmatic is one of the best M42 SLR's every made in my view and inexpensive these days. I think their TTL meters (if working) can take a modern battery of some sort too and still give good readings (I forgot which one). The Spotmatic was considered a pretty high end pro-grade camera in its day - often used by free lance journalists as an alternative to the very expensive (back then) Nikon F.

Some other pretty good M42 cameras I own and use on occasion: The Ricoh TLS (often rebranded) and the Chinon CS.

If I had the money and was going heavy in the M42 direction, I'd also consider a Voigtlander Bessaflex TM. It's a very fine modern camera with a bright viewfinder and a reliable modern TTL meter. Unfortunately they are now hard to find for less than about $450 or so these days - pricey!

 

[Greyscale]

Minolta X700/570/370 with an M42 adapter.

 

[johnf04]

The M42 mount that is different, is that of the Edixa series of cameras. If a Pentax lens is screwed onto an Edixa, it has the index mark past the vertical position. The lens/film distance, though, is still standard. Most M42 Yashica cameras used the Edixa mount.

 

[Swift1]

There is also the somewhat uncommon Olympus FTL.

 

[David Murphy]

Well as long as we are veering more into the obscure, the Rolleiflex SL 35 with an M42 adapter is one of the finest SLR's made that takes this mount with an adapter. Unlike other bayonet mount systems with M42 adapters, this camera provides full auto-iris action with its M42 adapter and preserves infinity focus. The TTL meter also works with M42 lenses, assuming one uses a Wein cell or 1.5 -> 1.3 battery adapter. The SL 35 is a fairly modern, fairly small, and fairly light camera too, and well made. The native QBM mount lenses made for it are also just fantastic. The SL 35 is moderately priced too (but not cheap), and the M42 adapters are easily located and inexpensive.

I admit though that I also like the better specified Fujica M42 models - at least the ones with purely mechanical shutters (I think one of them has an electronic shutter). They are nice to handle and fairly modern. Many need service these days however. The Olympus FTL mentioned about is also a really nice camera, but sad-to-say getting expensive now as it's become a collectible.