Pentaxians... Any out there?

[titrisol]

Aye aye cap'tain!
A few of us here like the good old pentaxes... they used to be the bopttom feeder prefeered cameras, as lenses and cameras used to be bought for next to nothing
The beauty of these is that the lenses fit in almost any pentax camera.

I grew up with the Spotmatic, and stil have a few of those, then played a bit with the Ms and left the fold.
Years later I rediscovered bty Spotmatic and got a few more pentaxes from the M, P and K series
Actually my first AF camera was a Pentax MZ7 that I bought in 2007 in order to acquire lenses for my father in law 🙂

 

[elmarman]

I went on a 100th Anniversary of WWI Battlefields Tour around Ypres in Belgium and took three Pentax bodies, Color C41, Color E6 and B&W Fuji Acros
P30N + 24mm f2.8 SMC Pentax-A, Fuji Acros in FX15 formula, Y/G filter

Great War 22 by pentaxpete, on Flickr

MZ-5 + 24mm f2.8 SMC Pentax-A, 2009 dated Kodak Colorplus 200 rated 125 ASA, Vivitar 283 flash, scan from print

Great War 13 by pentaxpete, on Flickr

1975 KX + 24mm f2.8 SMC Pentax-A, outdated Fuji Sensia 100, a German machine gun bunker on Hill 160

Great War 34 by pentaxpete, on Flickr

 

[jondotkom]

Finally Got One!

Finally Got One!

My first good camera "small-kid time" was a K-1000, but I eventually strayed towards NIkon SLRs, and have used RFs exclusively for the last decade or so. But I always wanted an MX--and finally got one!

50mm 2.0

Been great fun re-discovering the SLR experience.

 

[Wulfthari]

I didn't notice this thread, my bad...I've a spotmatic F, an SP, all the five Kings (K1000,KM,KX,K2,K2DMD), an MX and one LX.

Some shots here:

 

[rjbuzzclick]

K1000, 100/2.8, Fomapan 400@800 in Rodinal:

 

[lynnb]

^^love that portrait, Reid.

I've just bought a MZ-5 and a Pentax-M 50/1.7. Nice camera - lightweight and good ergonomics, KAF2, MF/AF, M/AP/SP exposure modes, +/- 3EV compensation dial, spot/centre-weighted/matrix metering.

 

[rjbuzzclick]

^^love that portrait, Reid.

I've just bought a MZ-5 and a Pentax-M 50/1.7. Nice camera - lightweight and good ergonomics, KAF2, MF/AF, M/AP/SP exposure modes, +/- 3EV compensation dial, spot/centre-weighted/matrix metering.

Thanks Lynn. How do you like the MZ-5 in use? I've never used one but have a lingering interest. I generally prefer more mechanical cameras but found that with a Canon ELAN 7e I have, I get on better if I stop trying to force it to act like a manual camera.

 

[rodt16s]

SPF - 35/3.5, 35/2, 50/1.4 and 85/1.9... just finished a roll of APX100, but the SPF doesn't get used often enough

The collection has grown, since this last post.
A house clearance find of someones collection
I must stop being a home for strays

SPF, SPII
24/3.4, 28/3.5, 2x 35/3.5, 35/2.3, 35/2, 2x 50/1.4 (8 ele), 50/1.4 smc, 55/2, 85/1.9, 105/2.5, 135/2.8, 200/4

 

[kuuan]

to my shame I don't have photos that I have taken with any of these cameras, but while collecting Pentax, specially Takumar lenses I also came to own a few Pentax bodies and still would call myself a Pentaxian.
I call my own:
cameras: Asahiflex IIA, a few copies of the Pentax AP or "Original Pentax", 2 SVs, S2, ESII, Pentax ME Super, MX and a MZ-5.
and lenses, now used on digital cameras, of those I could show samples
M37: Takumar f2.4/58mm
preset M42: Takumar f2/58, Macro Takumar f4/50, Takumar f2.8/105 ver.I and ver.II, Takumar f3.5/135 ver.I + ver.II, Takumar f3.5/200, Tele-Takumar f5.6/200
Auto Takumars: f2.3/35, f3.5/35, f1.8/55 verI + ver.II, f2/55, f1.8/85, f2.8/105
Super Takumars: f2.8/24, f3.5/28mm ver.I, f3.5/35, f1.4/50 ver.I + ver.II ( + one 'hybrid' of the two ) f1.8/55, f1.9/85, f2.8/105mm, f4/150mm
S-M-C Takumar: f3.5/28, f1.4/50, f1.8/85, Macro Takumar f4/100
SMC Takumar: f1.4/50
Pentax K: 2.8/24, f2.8/30, f1.4/50
Pentax M: f1.4/50, f2/50
Pentax A: f2.8/24, f1.4/50
Pentax FA: FA35 f2, FA43 ltd. f1.9, f4/28-70
( some had been sold, it was time I once wrote down the list at least of those 'remaining' 😉 )

the oldest:

Asahiflex IIa with Takumar 2.4/58 by andreas, on Flickr

the youngest:

Pentax MZ-5 + FA43 ltd. by andreas, on Flickr

oops, and younger still I got the digital Pentax *istDs and K-x

 

[rbelyell]

somehow, this thread has eluded me as well! way to stay hidden in plain sight--how very pentax! ):

anyway, i love the rf experience and leica glass. i also have worked with sony, fuji, oly, 5ds etc etc each at least a year. each had good features, but also some aspects that i just didnt want to cope with longterm. one of the main issues for me was coming close to that 'leica look'. dont wanna debate it here, but you either see it or you dont. i did, but ultimately for me, rf hardware just wasnt at the level of dependability and versatility i wanted as my main system.

so on a lark, i picked up an incredibly cheap, new, weather sealed ks2 and WP 20-40/2.8-4. the camera itself is i believe the smallest, lightest slr out there, and zoom to match. given, it is heavier kit than im used to, but if youre going dslr, ya cant get smaller. yet it feels like pro gear--totally solid, substantial and sealed piece of kit for under $1000 total!

anyway, i was expecting nothing, but was actually kinda blown away, not only by the ergonomics, but by the IQ. honestly, and i dont wanna start a debate here as it is a subjective matter of what i personally see, but this was the closest look to leica that i had seen or personally achieved. there is just a warmth and glow about the files. plus, for me, the files are in my sweet spot of 20mp. have had more; dont need or want more.

so i picked up the very well regarded, and incredibly small!, hd ltd 77/1.9. holy cow, what they say about those ltds is true. not only is it tiny tiny for such a fast tele (where are the 'laws of physics' guys when you want them?), but it renders like an older lens: great charachter wide open, bitingly sharp as you stop down. renders much like a summarit, though almost a stop faster and less expensive. then i picked up a native 'hollywood' distagon, perhaps one of the most singular lenses ive ever used. stupendous! this camera plus 3 super lens kit cost me a total around $2200. i get the look i want, weather sealing, great-feeling responsive top level kit at the price of a little more bulk than i want. anyway, heres a sample with the hollywood


http://streeturchinimaging.zenfolio.com/img/s11/v30/p1030493901-5.jpg

 

[Arbitrarium]

Yup, ME Super + SMC 50mm 1.4 is my standard everyday setup. I dabble with rangefinders and am constantly buying and selling but if I'm honest with myself, the Pentax takes better pictures than any of the RF's I've tried.

 

[splash_fr]

I own (and use) a Spotmatic F with 28,35,50,55,85 and 135 Takumars as well as a 6x7 with 55, 75AL, 105 and 200 Lenses. They are a joy to use and still produce nice enough pics!

IMGP9134.jpg by Gerd Plescher, auf Flickr

IMGP8965.jpg by Gerd Plescher, auf Flickr

K3GP1353.jpg by Gerd Plescher, auf Flickr

K3GP1351.jpg by Gerd Plescher, auf Flickr

rgds,
Gerd.

 

[SaveKodak]

Pentax is so under-rated! They don't get any respect in digital world but the K-1 and K-3 are fantastic cameras. The Limited lenses favor rendering over MTF charts and with that in mind they are capable of creating some really beautiful images. If I didn't need Nikon's pro support and larger pool of general availability I'd be a K-1 shooter for sure. I absolutely keep a Pentax 6x7 (which I just had fully overhauled) and the 55/4, 105/2.4, and 150/2.8 for landscape and portraiture. That camera has fully taken the place of 4x5 for me. Works great with the Lee system and modern emulsions have resolution in excess.

 

[kuuan]

..so on a lark, i picked up an incredibly cheap, new, weather sealed ks2 and WP 20-40/2.8-4. the camera itself is i believe the smallest, lightest slr out there, and zoom to match...
..anyway, i was expecting nothing, but was actually kinda blown away, not only by the ergonomics, but by the IQ...

oh, very interesting to read your assessment Tony!
I remember when you had been in the search for the best RF experience, and you sure remember how difficult my stance had been in another forum when I was a stout Pentax dSLR + Takumar user. That time the holy grail for manual focus lens users was a Canon 5D and some users could not stop being condescending to any Pentax user. They never were able to fathom that our decision to use a Pentax was a very conscious one, that the smaller size, lighter weight, much better handling and even output of our cams made us very happy.
Good to know that Pentax makes you happy too 🙂

 

[taemo]

another pentaxian here, I started with the ME Super with M 50mm f2, then I bought the M 28mm f2.8, K 55mm f2, M 50mm 1.4

then my buddy gave me his old collection of Pentax bodies, ME Super w/ winder, MX and K2, with the later in good condition. ME and MX are rough but still sort of usable. would like to get a LX next.

 

[Arbitrarium]

On the LX, I had a look at one in my local camera shop and it felt very... loose. The finder prism bit moved around. I assume this was merely a poor example?

As a general rule I distrust tech with interchangeable parts because it's just one more thing to go wrong and break. What exactly makes an LX better than an ME Super for example? Aside from the interchangeable stuff which doesn't interest me.

While I'm here, is there a Pentax body that has exposure lock? It's the only thing my ME Super lets me down on.

 

[taemo]

unlike the ME Super, the LX can operate manually without battery and AE with one.

love the ME Super more than MX because of the shorter throw needed to advance the film. does the LX have a short throw or is it going to be like the MX?

 

[Michael Markey]

Still a firm favorite with me .
Recently picked up a nice black MX and even more recently a 50/1.2.
I had a 50/1.2 some years ago but sold it thinking that I`d stick only with RFs.
I was wrong

 

[unixrevolution]

My introduction to cameras was via my Dad's Pentax Me SUper, which I still have.

I got into a K1000 in 2009, and it's grown from there. I have had a large number of Pentax cameras and lenses.

I have a full Auto 110 kit, minus the 110 super body. They are awesome little snapshooters, and their lenses are great on Micro 4/3.

I have a Pentax K-mount setup: K1000 in Red Leather, MX, ME Super (formerly Dad's), Two LX's, a ZX-7 and ZX-L, and a K-5 digital. The Two AF film cameras get to fight for dominance, I don't really intend to keep both.

My lens inventory for K-mount:

Sigma AF 17-35mm f/2.8-4
Pentax-F 17-28 f/3.5-4.5 Fisheye*
Sigma 24mm F/2.8*
Sigma AF 24mm f/1.8 EX DG Macro
Tokina AT-X AF 28-70 F/2.8
Pentax FA 35mm f/2
Lensbaby 2.0 50mm f/2
Pentax FA 50mm F/1.4
Quantaray 70-300 f/4-5.6 LDO **
Pentax FA 80-320 f/4.5-5.6 **
Tamron 90mm F/2.8 AF Macro
Tokina AT-X 100-300 F/4 **
Sears 135mm f/2.8

* Selling to make room and funds for the 24mm f/1.8
** Comparing, and will definitely keep one, and possibly two, of these. The 70-300 and 80-320 are both about the same size and both have AF, and I will keep one of these two plus the 100-300 if the 100-300 is significantly sharper.

Only the 100-300 and 135 are manual focus at this point. I am doing "Equipment Distillation" where I take my kit down from many, many things to a few, very exceptional things. I'm nearly there with the Pentax gear.

I used to have a screw-mount setup, but as much fun as they were and as pretty as they were, the K-mounts made them redundant. I let them go to better homes.

In addition, I had a Pentax 645 kit, but I dumped it when I went 6x7. My 6x7 is of course, a Pentax as well 🙂

 

[rbelyell]

oh, very interesting to read your assessment Tony!
I remember when you had been in the search for the best RF experience, and you sure remember how difficult my stance had been in another forum when I was a stout Pentax dSLR + Takumar user. That time the holy grail for manual focus lens users was a Canon 5D and some users could not stop being condescending to any Pentax user. They never were able to fathom that our decision to use a Pentax was a very conscious one, that the smaller size, lighter weight, much better handling and even output of our cams made us very happy.
Good to know that Pentax makes you happy too 🙂

hey carsten, nice to hear from you! hope youre well. yes, i remember your *ist experience well. what are you shooting now in pentax? are you happy with it? right now i do not think i can do better/get more leica like results with any other than M gear. the three pentax mount lenses im shooting now are literally among the best lenses ive shot in any format, including medium format. i will put the zeiss hollywood and pentax 77 ltd against anything in their categories except the 75 lux. the 20-40 ltd has such a sweet and lovely rendering that i often hope for bad weather so i can use it! happy holidays to you!
tony