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LX vs ME super vs KX vs K2

johnha
Posted 19/04/2015 - 12:53 Link
Jonathan-Mac wrote:
johnha wrote:

KX: one of mine has a problem with the metering circuit or switch (the wind lever needs to be 'offset' for the metering to work)

This is normal, all KXs are like this. I was out shooting with mine this afternoon for the first time in a while and I found I'd forgotten how annoying this little "feature" is.

Hi Jonathan, Yep I know this is a 'feature' but the problem I have is that the meter doesn't work even with the lever in the stand-off position. I think there's a problem with the switch. My previous comment may not have been very clear.

John.
ChrisPlatt
Posted 19/04/2015 - 22:04 Link
John, it sounds like your KX is the ideal candidate for the advance lever interlock switch bypass hack...

Chris
Bring back the latent image!
laurencea
Posted 20/04/2015 - 22:08 Link
STOP IT!!!!

i have a stash of Pentax film cameras now and this is just making the itch worse.... hmmm, an LX you say?

anyway, i don't know enough about the various models, i came into Pentax film cameras via the digital age - in the days of film i used Olympus.

i have an MX, which is a nice little thing, except it tends to have the mirror jam. otherwise it's fine.
ME and ME Super. both are dead easy to use and i've only used the manual part of the Super a few times. these have become the default SLRs in my bag now.
P30 - the first Pentax film camera i bought - maybe 6 months ago now. very simple to use, but i came unstuck with the auto film speed as i was using some Lomo stuff and it didn't register. otherwise a nice little camera. i now have 2. almost feels too small to be a SLR.

i also have an MG, but that only works on the 'manual' film speed, the auto functions are defunkt.

there's some later auto ones, but i've yet to try these.

most came in a box of 'sold as seen' on ebay. i guess i should get rid of some, but i like the little things!

shame Pentax didn't make a Twin Lens Reflex.
Pentax k1000, MX, ME Super, K5iiD 18-55, Tamron 70-300, Tamron 500 mirror, pentax 10-17, 50 1:4, a manual 28, some extension tubes and a bagful of memory cards. That's all i need... and a load of film cameras too... that's it, honest.
Posted 22/04/2015 - 19:53 Link
ME Super all the way!

So what if its a boring point and shoot "auto" camera it just goes
Learn how to live and you'll know how to die; learn how to die, and you'll know how to live.

Check out ones photographs on Flickr!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/awprentice/
Jonathan-Mac
Posted 22/04/2015 - 22:20 Link
I love my ME Super, I don't find it boring at all
Pentax hybrid user - Digital K3, film 645 and 35mm SLR and Pentax (&other) lenses adapted to Fuji X and Panasonic L digital
Fan of DA limited and old manual lenses
laurencea
Posted 01/05/2015 - 15:11 Link
another vote for the (not) boring ME Super. the more i use it, the more i love it.
Pentax k1000, MX, ME Super, K5iiD 18-55, Tamron 70-300, Tamron 500 mirror, pentax 10-17, 50 1:4, a manual 28, some extension tubes and a bagful of memory cards. That's all i need... and a load of film cameras too... that's it, honest.
michaelblue
Posted 01/05/2015 - 18:43 Link
....and another vote for the ME Super, I liked mine so much I took it apart and resprayed it (metallic blue),
no pictures here, they're in England, but it looks GREAT!
Regards,
Michael
lxmike
Posted 05/05/2015 - 20:49 Link
I would go with the Lx every time, a legend of a camera and quite affordable in today's current climate
johnha
Posted 05/05/2015 - 22:25 Link
lxmike wrote:
I would go with the Lx every time, a legend of a camera and quite affordable in today's current climate

I daren't admit how much I spent on a used LX in the mid '90s, since having it repaired I haven't used any 35mm film camera (and I have a lot to choose from).
Cuthbert
Posted 25/05/2015 - 00:16 Link
boudou701 wrote:
hello,
i am sure this has been asked MANY times but couldn't find the right answer, been doing some research but it's not that straight forward.
I would like to find a SLR that produces some nice photos (who doesn't!), and looks like the one listed above could be some good alternative.
I know the LX is supposed to be the best but I am not even sure I would be good enough to use it.
I have a Canon A1 and would like something similar in terms of controls.
I also want something fairly small and light (!) to carry in the city.
any tips please let me know, then it will come to finding a good deal on ebay! also if there are things to look out for when buying second hand old camera let me know, my Canon A1 needs to be re-sealed for example..
thanks!

Easy game: LX wins. It's a camera much better than anything else in this list.

After it if you want small and light and aperture priority the ME Super is another good candidate, it's not as strong as a K2 but it's very small, watch out that the mirror goes up and down when you fire the shutter because if the hydraulic dumper is busted you're gonna spend more than what you spent for the body.

K2s and Kxs are sturdier but bigger and heavier.
fwcetus
Posted 08/06/2015 - 05:27 Link
stu62 wrote:
may i just throw a spaner in the works and say the mef which a lot of people forget about

Yes indeed. The MEF is sort of like a "Super 'ME Super'" -- it has the same controls, plus some additional ones that allow for "primitive AF" with one lens, the AF 35-70/2.8. However, with any other MF lens (K, M, A) (or even with AF lenses focused manually), the AF circuitry can be used for "focus confirmation", which is (methinks) a bit of fun to use (and sometimes it's even downright useful). Furthermore, since the MEF was released some time after the ME Super was first released, used MEF copies are ,on the average, not always as old. Plus, unlike with the ubiquitous ME Super, you'd be using a piece of genuine photographic history.

My two favorite film Pentax bodies are the MEF and the LX, and, as others have suggested, since the LX is not unlike the A1, that might make for a good transition to Pentax, too...
Fred

If you saw a fellow drowning, and you could either save him
or photograph the event . . . . . . . What lens would you use ?
Edited by fwcetus: 08/06/2015 - 05:36
ChrisPlatt
Posted 09/06/2015 - 01:11 Link
I own a fully-functioning Pentax ME-F. I have never been interested in the dedicated AF lens.
I bought it for focus confirmation with manual focus lenses, which is indeed quite useful.
Alas the ME-F does not have depth-of-field preview, so I seldom use it.

Chris
Bring back the latent image!
fwcetus
Posted 09/06/2015 - 01:46 Link
ChrisPlatt wrote:
Alas the ME-F does not have depth-of-field preview, so I seldom use it.

Yes -- I think that the MX is the only M body with DOF.
Fred

If you saw a fellow drowning, and you could either save him
or photograph the event . . . . . . . What lens would you use ?
Algernon
Posted 09/06/2015 - 08:41 Link
The ME-F was great for focusing where you had nothing really to focus on such as the ground, grass, sand, gravel etc.

I never could understand why people moan about lack of DOF preview You can't even see when the image is in focus never mind the point where it's just going OOF. It's unlikely that it would be the same as the calculated DOF for a 10x8 print.

With a 28-35mm lens at f/8 everything is in focus with the lens on INF so no need to consider DOF.

You can fake DOF preview on any camera by releasing the lens and turning slowly (removing it) until it stops down then lock it back again.

--
Half Man... Half Pentax ... Half Cucumber

Pentax K-1 + K-5 and some other stuff

Algi

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