A praise for the MX

I've been entertaining the idea of getting a fully mechanical SLR for some time. A bit of research and the MX was quickly the solution for me: small but sturdy, has specs but is fully mechanical, lots of praise for it.
Yesterday I had the chance to have one in my hands. Its from a colleague at the Photography society from the Uni. Edinburgh.
I loved it, the camera was a like tatty unfortunately, so I dont know if I'll buy it (he has another one and an LX :&). The camera really is smaller, the viewfinder is like nothing I've ever seen, and I found this lovely detail I didn't hear about: you can see the aperture ring from the viewfinder. So you can change setting without taking your eye off it (do it more easily I mean). I dont knwo why but I tought: "that's Pentax for you", it really seemed like a thing Pentax would do...
Am I becoming fanboy or do you agree?...in which case we might all be fanboys.
I must say, with cameras like my K10D and the MX its hard not to be...

I've completely dismissed the idea of getting the ME because its cheaper (just for me... the ME is nice as well!).

I had a new MX which I bought in the early 1980s soon after they were introduced. It was a lovely little camera and for it's time very technically advanced. It never let me down. I still regard it as a classic.
david

You can see the shutter speed in the viewfinder too. great features for a manual camera that will work perfectly even without batteries.

At a time when the Olympus OM1 still used CdS metering and a meter needle in the viewfinder, the MX was a revelation. Small, sturdy and superb ergonomics.

Of course in terms of function it offers exactly the same facility as a Spotmatic.

I only came to the MX party last year and I have to say I'm very pleased I did! Lovely camera to use and there's something about all-mechanical designs that inspires faith in their longevity, like a well-made Swiss watch

I bought my first second hand in the summer of 1993. I was smitten. Sadly, it was stolen along with various other items (my 135mm, my 28mm, my wife's Olympus...) on the Paris metro. I replaced it about four years ago with an ebay purchase but sadly it hasn't seen as much use as my LX which I got at the same time.

I've been using my newly serviced ME-F over the last couple of days which is basically an ME Super with the focusing stuff added. (The MX and one of the ME Supers are going for a bit of TLC in a couple of weeks.) I don't really use the focus thingy but using an ME Super equivalent is so second nature to me I am rather enjoying it. In fact, this week I have left the K10D at home and just been carrying the ME-F around with an A series 50mm f/1.4 lens on it.

Due to John's recommendation I will soon be in possession of a SPII. I hope it is in as good a condition as the advert suggested! It is coming with a SMC Takumar 55mm f/1.8 and a Cimko MT series 28-80mm zoom. I know nothing about the latter and unless it proves interesting will probably donate it to the local charity shop.

Cheers, Kris.

You won't be disappointed. The MX is a thing of beauty. I bought mine when they first came out in 1976 ( I think ). . . . . . . and it is still going strong!

Well, few Spotmatics had bayonets.

G

Very true - a major advance. I'm glad you said "few" so that the pedantic amongst us can let that pass without further comment!

Another MX fan here.

Mine was revived after being bought in a box with some other cameras. I find the camera easy and pleasant to use.

If you get the chance of a cheap one get it edumad, they seem to go on for ever!

Which 'spotty' has a bayonet mount John? :

I'm stretching the point to include cameras that never made it into production....but you could claim that the Pentax KM was a Spotmatic F with a bayonet mount.

Makes sense, I always thought that the K series looked very much like the Spotmatics.

As does the MX from the top, but that's where any resemblance ends.

To my mind the Pentax K1000 was the Spotmatic with a bayonet mount.

However, for me the Pentax MX had a far better and more accurate meter than the K1000. This was very noticable when using red filters.

Back in the days of film, I used to use a Pentax LX for slides and a MX for MonoChrome. These were fabulous cameras and I still have them.

Graham

Pentax MX, SMC Pentax 24mm f2.8 lens or SMC Pentax-M 20mm f4 lens, Kodak Tri-X, Red filter, Paterson FX39 developer and Agfa black and white paper.

Happiness for many years!

Er, yes John.

I never got around to developing my own film, it's something I may try at some time in the future when the kids have left home permanently.

Until then it's just colour film, a good Pentax body (preferably my MX)and a photo lab.