which pentax film body to get?

My other half is hankering to take photos the old fashioned way. with film.

now while she's looking at really old fashioned fixed lens camera bodies, the old style vertical with two lens built in stuff, I'm trying to persuade her to go for pentax,

for a start we can share old lenses and I've got a 50mm M 1.4 she can use for starters.

but I know nothig about pentax film bodies. what's a good one to get?

there happens to be a camera shop in leeds that is selling a number of different pentax camera bodies for £60 down plus has a nice selection of lenses. but I don't know anything about the bodies.

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Pentax K3, DA 18-55 WR, Sigma 50-500 EX DG HSM, Pentax M-50, a bucket load of SD cards, some lights and a lightbox

K1000 is, IMO, the best option for such a venture.

I'd recommend Super A or ME Super (I used to have both).

Not knocking the legend that is the K1000, but metering is a lot more convenient with the later bodies. The ME Super in particular is a very good compromise between very basic, and convenient metering.

Make sure the seals aren't perished.

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Pentax K-3, DA18-135, DA35 F2.4, DA17-70, DA55-300, FA28-200, A50 F1.7, A100 F4 Macro, A400 F5.6, Sigma 10-20 EXDC, 50-500 F4.5-6.3 APO DG OS Samsung flash SEF-54PZF(x2)
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The mx is lovely - it is small, has good metering in the viewfinder but keeps the feel of an old slr - I like the me super and super a, but if she's really into old style form, then the mx is well worth a try.

Or the LX, of course.

My brother used to have one, and he still tells the story of when he dropped it on a rock, and it was the rock that broke.

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Pentax K-3, DA18-135, DA35 F2.4, DA17-70, DA55-300, FA28-200, A50 F1.7, A100 F4 Macro, A400 F5.6, Sigma 10-20 EXDC, 50-500 F4.5-6.3 APO DG OS Samsung flash SEF-54PZF(x2)
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If you just want here to get on with it, then I'd suggest a P30 or P50. If you want a classic and are prepared to perhaps have light seals replaced, then go for the MX

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Alan


PPG
Flickr

+1 for the mx. If she is looking for something classic, and fully manual, that would be my choice.

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Giorgio

Pentax Photo Gallery

P30 gets my vote....well it would because I've got the P30n. Can be fully auto or fully manual, whatever floats your boat.

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David

The P30n or P30T are preferable to the earlier P30 (P3 in the US) because they also offer aperture priority (they all have manual and program), they're later cameras too.

There are a lot to choose from, the most obvious/available options are (with available exposure modes) K1000 (M), MX (M), ME-Super (M,Av), Super-A (M,Av,Tv,P), P30n/T (M,Av,P) LX (M,Av) - all manual focus bodies. There are autofocus options too.

It depends on what you're after (Super-A & ME-Super have buttons rather than dials which some people don't like).

John.

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PPG Flickr

Although not Pentax I'll add Ricoh XR-X to that list too

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Alan


PPG
Flickr

I've got a MG, A3 and P30T bodies sitting here unloved, which you can have for the price of the postage. Can't guarantee what the light seals are like but the mirrors seem to flip up and down and the shutter moves Take your pick.

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Flickr Stream

Pentax Program A, or the much better Super A(aperture and Shutter priority)

I have a good quality programme A surplus to my requirements. PM me if you are interested.

Dave

I think we need to know the level of automation she wants, and if size and weight are important.

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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

i've just got back into film and haven't a clue about Pentax film cameras and any tips of what would be a good, simple camera would be greatly appreciated.

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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.