efix
RF user by conviction
After owning a Pentax ME Super many years ago, I recently re-joined the ranks of SLR users, inheriting my dad's Pentax ME plus two lenses.
I had owned my granddad's ME Super in the early 2000's, and sold it a couple years ago when I wasn't really using it anymore. I had been shooting mostly digital back then, and though I'd never want to use it again. Well, here's proof again never to say never ...
I then switched to rangefinder cameras, first with a Yashica Electro 35, then a Leica M8 and recently a Contax T. Sadly, my Yashica broke down a couple weeks ago. I was looking for a replacement, or even to get it repaired (which is still an option), when I rememberd that my dad used to have a Pentax as well. I asked him, and as it turned out he wasn't using it anymore, as he had completely switched to digital by now.
So he gave it to me as a replacement for my broken-down Yashica, together with a 28mm f/2 and 50mm f/1.4 lens (both third-party lenses). The 50mm is FULL (and I mean FULL) of dust, and the 28mm has some scratches on the front element. The camera itself is battered and beaten, and you can see the gear has been used. Technically, though, the camera is working fine, and I just finished a first roll and am anxious to see how the lenses are performing.
Even though the stuff is old and looks dirty, this setup means so much more to me than a shiny CLA'ed ME + some lenses that have been kept in a shelf for twenty+ years. This setup has actually been used for years by my dad, and I remember that when I was younger, he always used to carry it with him. So I'm glad I can put it to use again!
So here I am, an SLR user again, finally after almost a decade. I thought I wouldn't enjoy using SLRs anymore after experiencing the Leica, but I must say that ME is an absolute joy to use. Size-wise, there's no difference between it and my M8 or my Yashica 35 GT. The lenses are slightly larger, but not by much. The real difference is the LOUD mirror slap -- I wasn't expecting that, being used to an almost silent shutter on the Yashica 😱😉
The viewfinder is AMAZING, and this is what makes using the ME so much fun. It's almost life-size with a 50mm lens, and manual focusing using either the ground screen, microprism ring or the split-image indicator in the center -- or all three in combination -- is almost as fast and as accurate as using a rangefinder.
Yes, I'm having a fun time! Just wanted to let you know 🙂
I had owned my granddad's ME Super in the early 2000's, and sold it a couple years ago when I wasn't really using it anymore. I had been shooting mostly digital back then, and though I'd never want to use it again. Well, here's proof again never to say never ...
I then switched to rangefinder cameras, first with a Yashica Electro 35, then a Leica M8 and recently a Contax T. Sadly, my Yashica broke down a couple weeks ago. I was looking for a replacement, or even to get it repaired (which is still an option), when I rememberd that my dad used to have a Pentax as well. I asked him, and as it turned out he wasn't using it anymore, as he had completely switched to digital by now.
So he gave it to me as a replacement for my broken-down Yashica, together with a 28mm f/2 and 50mm f/1.4 lens (both third-party lenses). The 50mm is FULL (and I mean FULL) of dust, and the 28mm has some scratches on the front element. The camera itself is battered and beaten, and you can see the gear has been used. Technically, though, the camera is working fine, and I just finished a first roll and am anxious to see how the lenses are performing.
Even though the stuff is old and looks dirty, this setup means so much more to me than a shiny CLA'ed ME + some lenses that have been kept in a shelf for twenty+ years. This setup has actually been used for years by my dad, and I remember that when I was younger, he always used to carry it with him. So I'm glad I can put it to use again!
So here I am, an SLR user again, finally after almost a decade. I thought I wouldn't enjoy using SLRs anymore after experiencing the Leica, but I must say that ME is an absolute joy to use. Size-wise, there's no difference between it and my M8 or my Yashica 35 GT. The lenses are slightly larger, but not by much. The real difference is the LOUD mirror slap -- I wasn't expecting that, being used to an almost silent shutter on the Yashica 😱😉
The viewfinder is AMAZING, and this is what makes using the ME so much fun. It's almost life-size with a 50mm lens, and manual focusing using either the ground screen, microprism ring or the split-image indicator in the center -- or all three in combination -- is almost as fast and as accurate as using a rangefinder.
Yes, I'm having a fun time! Just wanted to let you know 🙂
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