KX blues

I am hoping it will be a good choice for taking informal available light portraits on the K10D (although probably a bit short on the LX). Definitely out of my comfort zone but something I'd like to get better at, and less intimidating than the 50-135mm

I play with a good old fashioned SMC-M f1.7 50mm around the house.

It's amazing how clear the pictures are in poor light, that's on my K200d.

Maybe I'm cheap but I can't bring myself to part with the cost of a modern Ltd lens.

I resisted for quite a while but once I had one in my hands I knew "resistance was futile..." I seem to have a plethora of 50/55mm lenses, and now I have a M42 to K adaptor I can even fit my Takumars to the K10D. One day I'll set up a shot and work my way through all the 50s, the 43, and the DA* 50-135. I know it has been done before but it will be interesting to try myself. I could even do the same with a selection of 135mm.

Lots of possibilities, limited time. I really must get out and photograph the snowdrops in the local wood before they get past their best, then it'll be the daffodils in another wood, and then bluebells and wild garlic, and the lovely purple spotted orchid.

Cheers, Kris.

Maybe the comparison shots could be a project for next winter when it's cold and dark, you could use all the lenses first, then all your flashes and then.......

Dear Kris,

Sorry you had such bad luck.

I recently found a KX in very good order at a "Junk Shop", cheaply, and it has worked very well.

I am now looking at an MX.

I see hefty1 has an MX. I wonder what he (and anyone else with one) thinks of them?

Don't get him going, you will never shut him up

One of my favourite 35mm cameras. Just lovely...

+1 on the MX.

Did somebody mention my name and MX's?

Can't recommend them highly enough - best manual 35mm camera I've ever owned (and there have been quite a few). I have a fetish for all-mechanical cameras and the MX reminds me of a high grade Swiss watch. It's got a tiny body, a huge viewfinder and something that just makes me smile whenever I use it. Buy one!

Thanks, hefty1,I'll be looking closely at the MX this afternoon.

BTW, I see you have some Olympus Trip 35s. I have two: one with the silver metal shutter release button and the other with a black plastic button. Both work a treat! The metering is spot on and the lenses put "luxury" DSLR lenses to shame for sharpness.

The Olympus Trips are great little cameras. Funnily enough, I've been doing some slide-copying experiments in the last 24 hours and the slides I've been using as tests were all taken with Trips (because of those razor-sharp Zuiko lenses) so I had one of them out yesterday for a play.

Having said that, an MX with a FA43 is still sharper - but not by as much as the price might suggest!

The MX does trump all others in the sheer pleasure-of-use stakes though.

It certainly does!

Dear Hefty1,

Well, I'm still on the lookout for an MX.

I thought I may have found one last weekend, but the item on offer was rather too battered (it had been dropped at least once or twice- dents in the prism housing and gouges in the body on the left shoulder, and some missing trim- and the asking price was about three times what I would be prepared to pay for one in such a condition.

Just have to wait for one to turn up, I guess.

Anyway, I still have my other toys to keep me busy (including the KX), so no worries there!

I've got a silver one, fancy a swap? Poor thing looks outta place next to the black 31mm and 77mm!

Now that is a tempting idea... Not sure how we'd work the warranty but I guess we could sort something out!