What is t?

Browsing ebay I came across thislink and was wondering what it was,(no snide comments please!) Is it a rebranded/copied P50? Or have Centon done something original? Thoughts please

Centron k200 & k400 was this not Jessop's ? own brand of film camera made in China using a pentax K mount ?.

Merlin

Yes, the K100 was based on the K1000, so I'm told, so were these based on Pentax bodies as well?

Don't know about being based on Pentax bodies, they look more like the old Nikon f (f301 etc.) bodies to me. K100 based on K1000 ? can't see any possible likeness between those two !.

Merlin

That's only what I've been told, but what about the k200/400 models? are they Pentax copies/ clones/ modifications? Or are they an older "other manufacturer" model?

They have the K mount but are own-brand models distributed by Jessops in the UK. The origin could be the same as the Vivitar K mount SLRs, but as for who made them, perhaps Cosina, perhaps someone else entirely.

I tried a new Vivitar version once in the shop and the K mount was so inaccurate that lenses would not lock into place reliably. Dreadful quality and even at half the price of an equivalent Pentax model, just not worth buying.

So Centon cameras don't seem too good then, know what you mean about the Vivitars John.

It may also be worth pointing out, just in case anyone gets any ideas about buying a Centon that not all the Centon SLR models sold by Jessops used the Pentax mount, I seem to remember that one of them used a Minolta's.

If you were looking for a cheap K-mount film camera, I would suggest this one.

I had (still have actually) a CE5 which was essentially the same thing, and it worked perfectly, gave good exposures (or at least predictable ones), and felt great in my hand with the winder attached. Had all the features I needed (depth of field preview, Av mode, cable release socket), and I loved it. Even had a little 'judas window' to show the aperture set on the lens in the viewfinder.

Used it in preference to my MZ-5n.

Dan

P.S. Buyer beware and all that, I have no knowledge of the seller etc.

OUCH!

All I can say is that your fortunate vigilantes and lynching partys are illegal

It was a time before I became an official 'PentaxUser'. I just found the MZ-5n a bit too small for me, the Chinon with the winder felt so nice.

Dan

Don't be too harsh, after all it was me who was interested in 'other' brands! I have to admit I still have my old Zenit 12XP, a commie brick, built like a T34 and just as rugged! Still...
I much prefer pulling out one of my Pentax bodies and playing, any lens and body will do!

The Centon with the Minolta mount was the DF300, based on the Minolta X300, available from Jessops in the early 1990s. I had one when they first came out to replace an aging Practika (couldn't afford a Pentax then), and to be honest, if it was not pushed too far, it was quite a decent little camera, good for learning. Operated as fully manual or apeture priority.

So if the DFxxx are Minolta clones does that mean the K200/400 are the same with just a K mount?