recommendations for solid M42 mechanical body

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

This feature is handy when I use my 21mm f/3.3 wide lens.

For those who have never used this lens, it is outstanding...

Yes, I'm fairly certain that the mirror lockup feature was provided primarily so that the 21mm f/3.3 lens could be used with its dedicated accessory viewfinder. When I purchased my last TL Electro, a black ITS model, the seller very kindly included a copy of Yashica's own 45 page glossy booklet "Yashica TL Electro-X The Creative System of Photography" in excellent condition. It goes into some detail about the 21mm lens and its use. It's an eight element lens in four groups and protrudes substantially into the mirror box when mounted (quite close to the film plane from the look of its side profile).

Cheers
Brett

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

I know the OP wants an internal meter, but I find them to be much over-rated unless you're letting the camera take over on "auto" anyway.

One of the few cameras I regret selling forty years ago was a Spotmatic SL, the meterless version of the SP. It was a tank, well made with a superb fit and finish, and no meter to break or worry about batteries for. I really wish I still had that old body and a couple of the early SMC Takumars from that era. IIRC, I had an 85mm f/1.8 SMC that was absolutely stellar for portraits.

I prefer using a hand held meter 90% of the time myself so I appreciate your sentiments, however it depends on what sort of imaging one wants to do. In the case of the Electro X its features make it an ideal platform for macro photography, so any example I purchase must have a fully functional meter, as I really couldn't be bothered calculating bellows compensation factors manually. And courtesy of the illuminated meter arrows, you can actually see the meter when a bellows is attached making it more useful than some of its competitors designs.
Cheers,
Brett

 

[jamin-b]

Thank you all for your insights. I don't know why the Spotmatics don't excite me. However I hadn't considered the Pentax SV and even though I strated thinking I want the spot meter option the size and build of the SV, together with just forgeting about whether the meter is accurate and batteries up to speed seems quite alluring...

 

[farlymac]

My favorite is my Black Asahi Spotty. Just because she is so damn good looking and I've taken some great images with it. It needs an overhaul though.

An often overlooked camera is the Sears TLS made by Ricoh (the singlet).
I have a black one and a chrome one. Think of it as a M42 mount Nikon F !
Copal Metal Shutter. Heavy strong build. Removable cold shoe.
The two I have have never been overhauled and the shutters and meters are still spot on.
Advance is geared and zippy smooth. It's a surprising performer.
I suppose you could look for the original Ricoh badged version as well. I like the ensignia on the Sears model.
They came with a Tomioka made f1.4/55mm that is a brilliant lens.

pic from a photo.net article (check it out)

Ah, my very first SLR. Great camera, but some of the Sears lenses I had for it were somewhat suspect, and then the meter went out on it when it got damaged in shipping. So I traded it in. Bought another one a couple of years ago (forty years after the first one) for nostalgia sake, and it worked just like new. The Sears lenses were still crappy.

PF

 

[nikon_sam]

Try a Vivitar 400/SL...uses a more modern battery and has a brighter viewfinder than the Spotmatic...metering is easier too...made by Cosina...only came in black body...so it takes professional pictures...

 

[Greyscale]

This thread inspired me to take my Spotmatic out for a walk this afternoon. I did use a Yashinon lens on it, though.

 

[Dwig]

I've never had a true M42 mount Pentax, but I like shooting them on my Pentax MX with an adapter.

Actually the MX and the somewhat scarce KX are both excellent options when using only m42 lenses. Once the adapter is in it can be left in and the body is in effect an m42 mount body. Otherwise, my vote goes to the Spotmatic F. All three are solid well built bodies. The K-1000 is also good, but not quite in the league of the other three.

Other than their light and decidedly not rugged lens mounts, the earlier non-metered Sv (aka H-3v when distributed in NA by Honeywell) and sans-selftimer sibling are sweet jewels to use and very reliable. My nearly 50 year old H-3v still works perfectly.

 

[nikon_sam]

Using an MX with the Adapter works but you have to use Stop-Down Metering where you have to flip the M/A switch on the lens to Manual to meter and actually shoot the picture as there is no linkage to the Aperture Pin on the backside of the lens...
I have the MX and Adapter but haven't used that set-up in a long time...

 

[peterm1]

If you can work without a meter I would second those who have proposed an Asahi Pentax Sv (or s1, s1a etc). All of these cameras have a feel in the hand that is reminiscent of a Leica LTM camera with the obvious addition of a penta-prism. The only thing that gives the game away a bit is the "clacky" sound of the shutter mechanism - but then again some models of LTM Leicas are much louder than Leica Ms anyway.

The range of lenses is sublime and while not perhaps quite as technically good as most Leica glass they are plenty sharp enough and better than most people can shoot. In this respect my vote goes to the 28mm f3.5, the 50mm f2 or f1.8 or f2.2 - all variations on a theme) the 50mm f1.4 of course, the 85 mm f1.9, the 105mm f2.8, the 135mm f2.8. These and others are all good lesnes that produce nice results in colour and in mono.

Here is an image of one of mine with a couple of its Leica cousins.

 

[leicapixie]

Best, the Spotmatic.
Even better if meter working and accurate.
Next K-1000,KX,KM,MX( a beauty).
All later cameras require an adapter.
Stop down metering,like the Spotty.
The Fuji is great but not brighter than a Pentax.
It's metering reminds one of loading a Leica.
You need three hands..
One has to push the meter on to read.
Hold it in and try turning shutter dial or apertures.
I cannot do it well.
I load old Barnacks easy.

 

[jarski]

One of the few cameras I regret selling forty years ago was a Spotmatic SL, the meterless version of the SP. It was a tank, well made with a superb fit and finish, and no meter to break or worry about batteries for. ...

SP meter works like in Nikon FM. if battery dies, meter dies too but camera is still usable. my SP came as a bonus when I bought Takumar lens. never tried if the meter works, but camera shoots just fine.

 

[c.poulton]

Using an MX with the Adapter works but you have to use Stop-Down Metering where you have to flip the M/A switch on the lens to Manual to meter and actually shoot the picture as there is no linkage to the Aperture Pin on the backside of the lens...
I have the MX and Adapter but haven't used that set-up in a long time...

You can use an adaptor with all the K-mount pentax (and other makes of) camera. I have used my M42 Takumar lenses on my Pentax Super A (Program) SLR's with great results. Yes, it does take a little longer to focus, stop-down, meter, compose and then shoot, but you soon get used to it and after a while it does become second nature.

Otherwise I second the Pentax S1a, which I prefer over the spotmatics, if you want just the bare essentials...

 

[tester]

I can recommend you only one SOLID m42 body which I'm using for almost 10? years. Very cheap (30$) but heavy - 760g body, Chinon CE2 Memotron or his licenced brother RevueFLEX 5005. Solid like hell. Never let me down.

 

[Austintatious]

Very cheap (30$)

The sellers on evilbay are reading this. There is a nice CE2 on there for $164 Buy it Now.
Not so cheap any more 🙁

 

[oftheherd]

As always, a plug for the Fujica ST901. Continuously variable auto shutter speeds from a little more that 20 seconds to 1/1000 second, and open aperture metering as well. No mirrow lockup as there was special dampering on the mirror so it wasn't considered to be needed. I did not find lack of lockup to be a problem when I used it in macro photography. For macro, focusing and then closing the viewfinder shutter alows the auto-exposre to take over, and it is always good unless there is great contrasting light. Can be used in stop-down mode for non-Fujinon lenses, where it retains its auto-expusure. Depth of field preview. Bright viewfinder. Small, about the size of an Olympus OM10, just a miliemeter or two difference, but definately heavier, so feels more rugged. I have had mine for something like 38 years and taken thousands and thousands of photos, and despite trying to be careful all the time, have managed to bang it around some. It still works like when I bought it new.

My first SLR was Yashica TL Super. The meter doesn't work any more so I haven't used it in a long time. But I have some 3 TL Electros that still have working meters. Hard to beat them and as someone mentioned, the Yashinon (not Yashikor) lenses in good shape, are much under rated by most people who haven't used them.

It's worth looking around at other M42 cameras. Many were made and many of those that were had good features and some now sell for peanuts.

 

[oftheherd]

The sellers on evilbay are reading this. There is a nice CE2 on there for $164 Buy it Now.
Not so cheap any more 🙁

You are so right! I often give advice on cameras or lenses by PM, just for that reason. Although I am a fan of captalism over socialism, it bugs me to see sellers jack up prices after a recommendation on a forum. If buyers do based on recommendations on a forum, so be it.

 

[Greyscale]

You are so right! I often give advice on cameras or lenses by PM, just for that reason. Although I am a fan of captalism over socialism, it bugs me to see sellers jack up prices after a recommendation on a forum. If buyers do based on recommendations on a forum, so be it.

Well, let us all continue to sing the praises of the Yashica TL Electro X, then, as I seem to have a surplus of them at the moment. 😀