To be honest I don't like much the LX, even if there's a cult around this camera because supposedly it's the most sophisticated mechanical Pentax ever made.

The one I have is in pretty rough shape, the viewfinder is very dirty and in cold weather the mirror gets stuck, I assume it needs some CLA...normally on this camera I use another 55mm f1.8 that IMO is a great lens in Takumar or K mount.

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I feel a little guilty because I didn't use my KM much, unlike the K1000. They are the same camera but the KM does have a self time and DOF preview, plus there's a film reminder, it's a sort of K1000 deluxe but it's not very popular so I can be found for little money.

Here there are some shots of Verona (Italy) with Portra 160 and a K55mm f1.8, step up version of the lens available for the K1000.

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In 2013 I was able to find an early K1000, one of those made in 1976-79 with the serial number on the top plate, the writing "Asahi Company, Japan" that were sold with the SMC Pentax K 55 mm f2.0 ( the old Takumar 55mm f2.0 of the SP500 and SP1000 repackaged in K mount), it has become one of my favourite cameras and I shot at least seven rolls with it.

I'd like to share some of the pics taken with it in the last year and half in the UK.

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Power plant in Dagenham, night shot taken at f2.0 and 1/30s, hand held. I was surprised to see it came out.

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Boring flowers to check out the colours with Portra 400...as far as I remember with the lens wide open.

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Self portrait taken in Oxford street, Ilford HP5+. Notice the grain...I heard the last digital sensors simulate it because people like it, when I need grain I shoot this film.

[IMG]http://i60.tinypic.com/154wr40.jpg[/IMG]

Statue inside the Tate Museum, also shot at f2.0 and 1/30s, same film as above.

[IMG]http://i59.tinypic.com/15hhmoi.jpg[/IMG]

Festival of the ancient instruments, Greenwich Navy academy...the light was scarce and I used Portra 160, so the picture is a little soft but I don't dislike it because it's naturally lighted and looks a little bit like an oil paint, a pity that the elbow on the upper right corner ruins the picture.

[IMG]http://i57.tinypic.com/o5rw3n.jpg[/IMG]

Same roll, in the Midlands, good light (a little overexposure on the top) and good sharpness.

[IMG]http://i61.tinypic.com/2m3s7wm.jpg[/IMG]

Everybody knows this bridge in London, for this shot I used the small M28 f2.8 and Ilford XP2, which is a very fine grain film..unfortunately I didn't a yellow filter 52 mm with me so the sky is a little too milky for my taste.

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I printed this pics taken with a Zenit 12XS at Asda for my ex landlord in London and the kid was astonished to find out it was a film shot, he asked me how many pixel my camera had and said he couldn't stretch it more but it could have dealt double the enlargement he had made.

I agree that film photography is a risky and expensive process in comparison to digital, but I think it pushes me to be a better photographer: each click counts (and costs), I can't see the result, I need to think fast and do my best to achieve the result...this is especially true if you use a camera like a K1000 or K series where you have to set up time, aperture and focus in few seconds or you'll lose the "magic moment".

These are not my best shots, if I am allowed I'll open a thread for any Pentax camera I have in order to show what these old mechanical jewels can do still today.

Is Maldonado still racing?

You guys are making me feel a old geezer with a old camera shooting B&W film expired 20 years ago...OK here there are some colour shots to prove I'm not a fossil.

[IMG]http://i57.tinypic.com/31322jn.jpg[/IMG]

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Most of them are shot in aperture priority, no PP.

Chris, let's face it: you are the only one on Earth who sold a LX and feels no regret.

The last pic is the best one IMO. I like B&W, especially because outdoors you need to find the right day with the right light.

Actually the Mods in picture 3 were probably around in the 60s with the same Vespas and Lambrettas, but now they look like a little "seasoned"...

However I also pics in colour in the case you guys would like top see them.

Yes that was a bokeh study to see the performance of the 85 mm (that is considered a faboulus lens) wide open.

Here there are others:

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The black spot on the lady's face was something dirty on the scanner, the negative is clean.

I understand this is a mostly digital forum but I'm an old school film photography student, and I would like to share some pics from the last roll of XP2 I shot with my LX, I don't know if somebody will find it interesting but here we are: I also used a Pentax Y2 filter and most of the pics have been taken with the M-85 mm f2.0, but some also with the M-50 mm f1.4.

[IMG]http://i61.tinypic.com/11jrzpx.jpg[/IMG]

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Not the best the camera can do but probably the best the photographer can.

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