My Favourite Pentax

I do think that the standards of engineering of some cameras can be absolutely superb - I would puit forward the Voigtlander Bessamatic and the Zeiss Ikon Contarex as prime examples, and of course the Pentax cameras as well.

So which Pentax cameras do we think are the pinnacle of pure manufacturing quality? Even (even?) the modern Pentaxes exude a feeling of quality of design and manufacture - I was pretty impressed with the *istD, for example.

However, I am going to vote for what I consider to be a unique and exemplary design - the Pentax Spotmatic. Innovative in its day and of the highest standards of manufacture, it is as useable now as it was in 1964. If you look into the new issue of PENTAX USER you will find my piece on going back to Spotmatic photography, which was a pure pleasure.

But perhaps there are other opinions out there, so I pose the question: what is your classic Pentax design? And why?

I'll be very interested to see what anyone suggests.

I have an MX, ME-Super and an MZ-6. Of these I consider for me the MX has to be the classic design (although I got the ME Super years ago) and only obtained the MX recently.
I could well understand anyone who voted for the LX but I have had no personal experience of this.

I well remember the thrill of getting my Spotmatic SPII in 1973. Although I sold it years ago to finance a K2 when they came out, I recently bought another SPII just out of nostalgia.

The ME was a lovely little camera in its day, and I was very fond of both it and the ME Super that replaced it. The Super gave way in turn to a Super A, which was truly marvelous, and I kept that for twenty years.

Meanwhile I had also been using the formidable Z1-P (recently sold) which has just about every feature you could conceive of, and many you couldn't. Another superb machine, which I would have kept if digital had not come along.

I have also had a K1000 and a couple of the very solidly-contructed SPXs, purchased as job-lots on Ebay.

And now I have a *ist D. As JR says, the quality is most impressive. I have never owned one of the recent cheapy Pentaxes, so my only experience has been of well-made equipment.

I have enjoyed every one, though probably the one I found most practical was the Super A, which was small, robust and very flexible. It had all the essentials, and no inessentials, as far as I was concerned. The Z1-P, by contrast, had all you could ever want, and quite a lot more.

I regret never having had an MX or LX, but I do like to use both auto and manual exposures modes.

So, I rate the Super A my favourite, just, with all the others close behind.

G

I've voted for the Z series as I currently own a Z1-P and believe it to be near perfect.
Perhaps not as solid as earlier metal bodied cameras but pretty robust all the same.
I suppose my vote is more for the overall concept and package than anything else - highly sophisticated, supremely capable, favourably competitive in terms of price when released and still exuding renowned Pentax quality.
The Z1 was awarded the Japanese industry award for harmonious design (if I remember correctly) for it's ergonomics and blend of useful features.
The original concept was basically to produce an 'intelligent' system that could intuitively reflect the photographers intentions, and I believe Pentax succeeded!

I already voted for the 'K' series, the KX in particular. Sometimes it is hard to quantify why you would put a KX above an MX or Super A, the build quality is wonderful for all of them. With the KX it is just a feeling I get from handling it and using it, part 'throw back' to the Spotmatic but with the 'K' mount instead of screw mount. It feels great, just like a classic camera should but aesthetically it is also a beauty. Form over function or function over form, well with the KX I feel that both are well balanced and that is why I rate it so highly.

I have not used a Spotmatic... yet.

Regards
Simon

I cut my photographic teeth on an ME Super; I started Photography 'O' Level (remember them?) at school and badgered my parents for a decent camera - at the time it was a toss-up between the MES and the Olympus OM10, but the Pentax won on points. I loved the form and features of the MES, whilst secretly lusting after the LX - though it was way beyond my budget (or rather my parent's budget).

My enthusiasm for photography eventually had to make room for a growing interest in women, lager and fast cars. But then, about two years ago, my interest was rekindled. By now my MES had given up the ghost, so I tracked down a used LX, just to see what all the fuss was about.

I cannot praise the LX highly enough; everything it does, it does perfectly. And it does everything.

The LX gets my vote.

Let's just say first that I have used the K1000, P30, ME Super, MZ-50, MZ5n, *istD, P645.

Of them all, I of course loved the P645 and would love to get one. In terms of clever thinking I think my *istD tops them all. In terms of robustness, I threw my P30 10 Metres once, and it went underwater very quickly once too...and it's still going strong. It's my camera for daring and stupid photography spots!

I've limited experience of the pentax camera bodies but this is what i've experienced.

My first SLR was one of the first Pentax MZ-Ms. I opted for pentax because i felt so good in the hand and extremely light.
I tried other camera bodies in the shop and they felt flimsy and some acctually flexed when twisted.

I've found the MZ-m superb as a learning camera body as it goes from fully manual to programme and everywhere imbetween. In time i used it fully manual all the time.
MZ Durability does concern me. The film advance mechanism/motor, as i wore it out after 40ish rolls of film. Correct me if i shouldn't have such high expectations for this camera body. I later had it reparied by pentax for £50ish. My other concern is for wear on the plastic lens mount. Whilst at Brimmingham Rocks i dropped the MZ-m about 3m onto a rock below. Still going strong, which i suppose that is a big plus, but not big enough for my vote.

During this time i got my hands on an MX, maual operation only. This gets my vote hands down. Minimal battery dependency, smaller than the K-1000 (overated in my opinion), DOF preview and feels soild. It is the second body only when i can't be bothered, or have time to, wind on.

I figure for me the MX makes a better photgraphic experince, like driving an old car, you just feel the driving experience more. Air-con and power streering removes the drudgery of driving, like film advance and built in exposure meters do in photography.

I've read about the LX and really the only thing it had over the MX is the builtin spot meter. MX and LX are pretty much the same in my view concidering the number of shared accessories.

As mentioned earlier, i've not handled that many pentax cameras like the P series or spotmatics and perhaps i'm jealous of LX owners as there's no way i can afford one, let alone one in a reasonable condition.

Dominic

Poll-taker –
I've used an MX for a dozen years and love the feel and heft and relability, I've also been using an MZ-5n for over a year (a bit slow to adopt these here new-fangled autofocus gizmos…) and love it. It has all I reckon I'll ever need, except that silly 'panoramic' letterbox. If they'd only missed that out and put the wide-area/spot focus switch there it would be perfect. It's even better with the battery grip (better, firmer grip for left-eyed users and the longer-fingered). If I had to use only one it would be the MX – it'll still be going strong long after I've given up the ghost – an heirloom!)
gus

I love the MX, and it would be a very strong contender if I could only have one camera.

The MZ5 can be used in a very similar way, as can the MZ3. I do actually like the panoramic function for slides - it can be useful when a cropped format enhances the picture.

I don't think I've ever used the panoramic function for prints, but like you John, I frequently use it for slides in both my Z1-P and 280-P compact.
I think of it a little like widescreen tv - great for landscapes and group shots but devotees of APS cameras can muck about with print sizes if they like.

My top five best ever pentax cameras are:

K1000
K1000
K1000
K1000
and
K1000

in that order.

I was photographing a wedding once using a P30 and a K1000, and one of the guests came up to me while I was doing the group shots and tried to buy the K1000. She could have had the P30, but I wouldn't part with my beloved K for love or money.

Steve

http://www.siblingmedia.com/
http://www.sibog.co.uk/

Does this mean you think it's five times as good as any other Pentax, or you have five of them?

I suspect you like the K1000.....

I also suspect he hasn't had too many other Pentax cameras!

G

Oi,

I've had plenty of other pentax cameras, thank you, up to and including the istD. The K1000 is certainly five times more reliable than the latter. Mine is twenty-odd years old and only ever needed a repair once, when I dropped it off a mountain. The istD had to go back within six months.

Will I still be using the istD five years from now? Almost certainly not. Either pentax will bring out a lovely new next-generation D-SLR or I'll be forced to buy a N****.

Will I still be using the K1000 ten years from now? Almost certainly. (I'll make sure to buy up a job lot of film before they stop making it of course.)

Steve

http://www.siblingmedia.com
http://www.siblog.co.uk