OT: Pentax screwmount SLRs

[Jan Brittenson]

I just bought a Pentax *ist DS and a M42 adapter for it. I'm sitting here right now, getting ready to go out with a Meyer Gorlitz Oreston 50mm f1.8, a Helios 44-M 58mm f2, Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 80mm f2.8, Meyer Optik Gorliz Trioplan 100mm f2.8, and a Pentax Super Takumar 35mm f2.

Ooh, you've got some neat stuff there I've only read about. How is the Meyer 100? Been considering a Pentax 35/2 also... but they're not that cheap on ebay.

 

[Jan Brittenson]

for me the Fujica ST605N is the best kept secret of M42 SLRs

A very nice camera... I got one on ebay (ST605) for $20, but it turned out the meter is dead, the prism is full of crud, self timer doesn't work, and the first time I blew canned air into the mirror box all the foam came flying out. Looks nice though.

 

[Doug]

A very nice camera... I got one on ebay (ST605) for $20, but it turned out the meter is dead, the prism is full of crud, self timer doesn't work, and the first time I blew canned air into the mirror box all the foam came flying out. Looks nice though.

So, uhh, got any pics from it? 😀

 

[Jan Brittenson]

So, uhh, got any pics from it? 😀

No, and I probably won't use it. It's just too decrepit. Would like to find one in working condition though.

 

[Heath]

I have a nice little M42 mount kit. All up I have probably spent less that $100 to build this kit (not including the 500mm reflex lens). This is what it consists of:

Bodies;
Praktica MTL-5
Praktica LB
Fujica ST605N

Lenses;
Yashica Auto Yashinon DS-M 50mm 1:1.7
Hanimex Automatic MC 35mm 1:2.8
Hanimex Auto "s" 135mm 1:2.8
Hanimex Automatic 135mm 1:2.8
Auto Makinon 28mm 1:2.8
RMC Tokina 70-105mm 1:3.8
Soligor 105mm 1:2.8
Hanimex 500mm 1:8 Reflex (mirror) Lens
Meyer-Optic Gorlitz Primotar 180mm 1:3.5
Meyer-Optik Gorlitz Domiplan 50mm 1:2.8

Tele Convereters;
Kent-Sankor 2x Converer
Argus Auto 2x TelXtender
Hanimex Auto 3x Converter

I am still running the first rolls through the Prakticas and the Fujica needs new light seals. The meters are working in all 3 cameras and the MTL-5 is in absolutely wonderful condition. The leather is like new on this baby.

Heath

 

[oftheherd]

Heath - Sounds like a nice kit! None of those lenses should be slouches. I know from personal experience that the screw mount Yashinons were great. The Yashikors would be a different story. Optically the Yashikors weren't so bad, but they didn't have the multicoating the Yashinons had. How do you like the Meyer-Optics? Were the Hanimaxs made by Tokina also?

 

[titrisol]

YES, spotmatics work with 392 or 395 [the 395 fits best] batteries perfectly. The batteries last years and yes you can expose Ektachrome !
The metering circuit is a bridge so the .15V difference is compensated and exposures are perfect.
I've compared mine to a Minolta Spotmeter and there was less 1/3 stop difference or less in shadows, highlights, etc.

....snip..... and would you believe I put in a 392 watch battery with a little shifting around and I get perfect exposures with color print film. I wouldn't try Kodachrome, though.
Kurt M.

 

[doubs43]

Heath - Sounds like a nice kit! None of those lenses should be slouches. I know from personal experience that the screw mount Yashinons were great. The Yashikors would be a different story. Optically the Yashikors weren't so bad, but they didn't have the multicoating the Yashinons had. How do you like the Meyer-Optics? Were the Hanimaxs made by Tokina also?

I believe that the Hanimex lenses would have been made by CZJ or Pentacon in many cases. The "Auto-S" 135mm is almost certainly a "Sonnar". The E. German optics are generally above average and compare favorably to the better Japanese lenses.

My "normal" kit when I take out one of my Prakticas includes some combination of these lenses:

28mm f/2.5 Auto Vivitar
29mm f/2.8 MC Pentacon Electric
55mm f/1.4 Mamiya-Sekor
50mm f/1.8 MC Pentacon
50mm f/1.8 Pancolar
50mm f/1.8 Meyer-Gorlitz Oreston (I have four or five of them)
135mm f/2.8 MC Pentacon Electric
200mm f/4 Jupiter-21A (Pre-set) I also have the 21M auto but it's much larger & heavier.)
300mm f/3.5 Tair-3S Semi-auto
500mm f/6.3 Vivitar T2 Pre-set

I've recently added a 105mm f/2.8 Takumar "Auto" (semi-auto, really) and a 105mm f/2.8 Vivitar T4 auto. A Vivitar 24mm f/2.8 T4 lens should be here soon.

In general, I load the Prakticas with B&W while I use the Spotmatic II for color film. The Spotmatic meter is accurate but I use a hand held meter for the Prakticas.

IMO, the M42 cameras are one of the best buys/bargains on the market today. The Fuji and Prakticas in particular.

Walker

 

[Rob]

Thanks for bringing up another camera kit I should not have sold!
Pentax Spotmatic F (mint from Ebay $80)
Pentax 28mm F3.5 SMC with hood and case (flea market $10 mint)
Pentax 50mm F1.4 SMC with hood and case (flea market $10 mint)
Pentax 135mm F3.5 SMC with hood and case (flea market $10 mint)
Pentax 55mm F2.0 SMC (very sharp,like it better than F1.4 lens)
Pentax 85mm F1.8 tak (bought cheap from pawnshop, sold for a bunch on Ebay)

 

[Duncan Ross]

I am still running the first rolls through the Prakticas and the Fujica needs new light seals. The meters are working in all 3 cameras and the MTL-5 is in absolutely wonderful condition. The leather is like new on this baby.

Heath

If you haven't used a Fujica ST605N before be ready for the brief oh-my-god-I-forgot-to-put-film-in sensation when you rewind.

 

[Kim Coxon]

Hi,
The prices on Fleabay are getting silly for Pentax M42. I was in London today and as luck would have it picked up a very nice 32/2 Super Tak, One of the earlier ones with 67mm filter for a lot less than they go for on the net and it has a 6 month warranty. In fact most of the Pentax stuff, I have bought recently has come from dealers rather than the net.

For a long time, the prices on the net were tumbling and the dealers were asking silly prices. Now that the prices have gone up again, they have woken up to the fact that they weren't selling anything and have dropped their prices. No doubt in another 6 months they will catch up again. In the meantime, I am looking in every shop I pass before they do!

Regards
Kim

Ooh, you've got some neat stuff there I've only read about. How is the Meyer 100? Been considering a Pentax 35/2 also... but they're not that cheap on ebay.

 

[doubs43]

Hi,
The prices on Fleabay are getting silly for Pentax M42. I was in London today and as luck would have it picked up a very nice 32/2 Super Tak, One of the earlier ones with 67mm filter for a lot less than they go for on the net and it has a 6 month warranty. In fact most of the Pentax stuff, I have bought recently has come from dealers rather than the net. Regards Kim

Prices do seem to be on the rise but being watchful can land a bargain still. I recently bought a 105mm f/2.8 Auto Takumar (semi-auto, really) in mint condition for $59, shipping included. Then I found a pristine Vivitar 105mm f/2.8 T4 mount lens in my local shop for $30. I can use it on my M42 cameras or my Exaktas or my OM as I choose by swapping adapters. Today I received an "Aus Jena S" 135mm f/4 lens in Exakta mount and in perfect condition for $50. The Vivitar 24mm f/2.8 lens in T4 mount I'm waiting on was $13.49...... shipped!

While the first three may not have been "steals", they're all excellent buys IMO and certainly worth more than I paid.

My list of lenses that I really want has gotten pretty short. About the only thing I'm missing is an 85 or 90mm and I'd like to find a T4 mount Vivitar or Soligor so I can swap it between cameras. IMO, the jump from 50mm to 105mm is just a bit too much and I'd like a lens that falls between them.

Walker

 

[Heath]

I forgot to mention another M-42 mount camera I have in my collection. It is a Yashica TL-Electro. It is in full working condition. The only problem with it is the focusing screen is in bad condition, so I have relegated it to my display shelf.

The Meyer-Optics seem to be great lenses, with the 180mm being a preset lens. It is HUGE but very easy to use. The Soligor is also a preset and is quite small in size.

All 3 Hanimex lenses were made in Japan, but I suspect that their designs were 'borrowed' from German designs. Hanmex was also the main distributor of the Praktica range for many years, so it is no wonder that their name appears on a range of M-42 mount lenses. They also released their own cameras that were 'badge engineered' for them. In other words they just put their name on cameras made by other companies, usually ones they had the distribution rights to.

The biggest bargain of my M-42 kit was the MTL-5. I paid less than $20 AUD for the body, including postage. I was prepaired for a camera that was in need of a major overhaul, but when it arrived I was pleasently shocked. This thing was in close to mint condition. The leather was perfect, the chromework was not marked, except for some slight marks on the base you would have thought this body just came out of the factory. Best part was the light meter works and I suspect it is quite accurate. It looks boxy but I just love the feel of it.

Duncan, I have to ask why you get that feeling with the ST605N? I can't wait to get a light seal kit (one of Jon Goodmans, of course) so I can give this body a run. I like the rather compact feel of it as well as the larger Prakticas.

Talking of small SLR's, I bought a Ricoh KR-5 Super II for a friend to replace her Pentax K1000 which had died. The Ricoh is a very small camera. I think it would be great for a young teen or anyone with small hands.

Heath

 

[Sonnar2]

See new English version of my page: http://www.taunusreiter.de/Cameras/Pentax_MX_e.html

no need to babblefish it any longer 🙂

cheers, Frank

 

[oftheherd]

I forgot to mention another M-42 mount camera I have in my collection. It is a Yashica TL-Electro. It is in full working condition. The only problem with it is the focusing screen is in bad condition, so I have relegated it to my display shelf.

...

Yep, those are good too. I don't like the plastic lever that activates the meter, but then they seem to hold up. I remember seeing them when they came out, and comparing them to my TL Super, which I thought seemed sturdier. Still, when I had a chance to get a couple Electro-X's on fleabay at something like $15 or so I jumped. On one the film counter didn't work as advertised, but it was a simple fix to glue the counter window back in place and all worked well. I have always believed the Yashica TL line was much better than it got credit for.

 

[Heath]

I agree, the TL is a great camera. It feels good in the hands (unless you have very small hands). The body is just a fraction larger than the Praktica LB and quite a bit larger than the ST605N. One thing I have noticed about this model is if you happen to have a flash synch cable attached the plug is in the way of the meter switch. Just wish the focusing screen on mine wasn't scratched to buggery. I wonder how easy they are to get and replace?

Heath

 

[jorisbens]

Does someone have a takumar 85mm 1.8 or 1.9? How does it perform? Is it as good or almost as good as the 50 and 55mm takumars? I'm very interested in the 85mm takumar, but they are rather "expensive" on the bay, so I tought I'd first ask about its performance.

Joris Bens 😎

 

[Sonnar2]

There are 3 versions: SMC 85/1.8 has 6-lens whereas the Auto 1.8- and Super 1.9- has 5 lenses. All quite compact (ca.350g)
According to this test: http://www.takinami.com/yoshihiko/photo/lens_test/pentax_tele.html
the last SMC-T 1.8/85 was superior to the later SMC-M 2/85. But also the older lenses received high credits.
cheers, Frank

 

[jorisbens]

Thanks Frank for your comments and the URL, so I'll be getting on the lookout for one with a reasonable price. 😉

Joris Bens 😎

 

[Wayne R. Scott]

One of my favorite screw mount lens is a Vivitar Series 1 135mm f2.3. It is heavy and solid, focuses closer than any other telephoto that I own with out extention tubes. Very sharp. I like to use it for portraits.

Wayne