Testimonial regarding the repair performed by Asahi Photo to Rick's father's 1980s Pentax MG film camera.
Posted: 12/11/2024 - 08:43
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The Pentax MG was launched in 1981, back then I would have been 11 years old when my father was using this essentially entry level film camera with its default ‘kit’ lens, the Pentax-M 50mm f/2.
Let me start by saying I hold my hands up, I don’t really remember the MG from back then (or may be I did), my father didn’t take photos of the family as such, family photos and events were primarily recorded by my Nan’s camera with semi-explosive flash cubes that smelt great. The photo albums left behind by my father are full of photos from his travels, primarily around Scotland featuring views of lochs and mountains, interspersed with the occasional photo documenting something local to where we lived, events like restoration of buildings, something to justify the frame.
Left: On his travels scoping for eagles - Right: A couple of photos that fit the era of the MG
I’m sure some of the regulars on Pentax User have probably experienced this, the scramble you face when you’re sadly clearing out your parents house to put it up for sale. With your siblings, in my case my sister you start divvying up your parents possessions. Back then in the early 2000s was before my new found interest in photography had occurred, I’d dabbled with film in my late teens which I soon abandoned, followed by a massive void of zero photography until getting a Pentax DSLR in June 2011. Consequently I didn’t ‘bag’ the MG, instead it went to my sister’s loft in Stoke-on-Trent.
Fast forward 20 years from my parents passing and my sister is on the move, trying to thin out her own possessions and asks “Would you like Dad’s camera?”, this time I was really interested, I’d been using various Pentax DSLRs for about 10 years with some vintage lenses so was excited to see what would arrive. When she dropped it off in 2023, I immediately recognised the thin green nylon bag was it was in, since I remember that around my father’s shoulder, but the camera inside was a surprise and I was overjoyed to discover it was a Pentax!
On first inspection the MG looked in fairly good condition, in fact some of the patina gave it character and proved that it had definitely been put to use. The more I handled it, then the issues started to reveal themselves. The obvious one was the rewind handle was completely missing, but then looking through the viewfinder, nothing pure black. Disengaging the 50mm lens, I could see that the mirror was fully locked up, pressing the shutter or winding-on made no difference, it was all locked up, unusable.
As you’ll have seen recently on Pentax User we’ve been running some promotions for Asahi Photo, namely the Free Health Check and followed by Solenoid Repairs. While putting the content together for these articles been in email exchange with Peter at Asahi Photo, the subject of my father’s camera came up since I’d taken a photo of it to use within the articles. Without hesitancy Peter said send it my way I’ll take a look, even after me listing the potential issues, Peter followed up with “No worries, I love a challenge”.
So I boxed it up, recorded delivery to Asahi Photo, Peter confirmed its arrival and within three days reported back that the MG had been fixed, boxed up and its way back tracked delivery. Not only was I amazed by the turnaround, but Peter had also sent photos of the MG in its dismantled state, I was astonished by the complexity in there, way more electronic elements than I was expecting alongside the plethora of cogs and levers.
The Fixed List
- Repaired Mirror Box
- Reset Shutter
- Replaced Mirror Damper
- Replaced Light Seals
- Replaced Battery
- Checked Exposure
- Replaced Rewind Knob
- Fixed loose glass in viewfinder
Back in my hands even the relatively simplistic ability to look through the viewfinder and see the metering for the first time was a joy in itself. Mentally what’s reassuring is that it’s been checked over thoroughly, seals fixed so no light leaks and the exposure tested, so I can confidently put a roll of film in it and snap away.
As I intimated earlier the MG wasn’t an overly sentimental item, but very much is now. I’m not sure how many rolls of film I’ll pass through it, since I’m so used to the instantaneous digital world, but the plan is to permanently have a film in it and take photos of those occasions that count alongside my digital efforts.
What if subconsciously the Pentax brand was embedded in me at an early age due to my father’s choice and the fateful day in Argos 2011 while there shopping for something else, that digital Pentax K-x gleaming at me in the glass cabinet which just looked so perfect which I immediately bought was just meant to be, turning me into the Pentaxian I am today - Rick
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