Any Pentax DSLR owners need a fast prime?

[Jeremy Z]

I just got finished prowling ebay for 4 hours. I came across a couple of potentially good deals. (both of them Buy it Now, too!) I also came across dozens of bum deals. Some of those folks really assume we're stupid...

Anyhow, here you go:

Pentax MG with SMC-M 50mm f/2:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA:IT&ih=006

This is an M lens, so no shutter priority or program modes, and the aperture won't show in the viewfinder. The MG would make a good backup-film body, though it only has aperture priority, X-sync, & bulb. Exposure compensation can be dialed in through the use of the ASA dial on the left. This is one of Pentax's slick little 35mm SLRs from the 70s or 80s.


Pentax P30T with a couple good lenses, a questionable lens, (Albinar??!!) two auto thyristor flashes, and a couple of junky bags. I had a P30T once; it was a fantastic camera. P, S, A, or M modes with A lenses. DoF preview, electronic self-timer, and electronically-timed shutter. This one was much better, electronically, than the ones from the 70s, such as the Super Program and ME Super. This outfit could be purchased, and the 50mm and telephoto zoom saved for use with a DSLR, and the body & normal zoom sold back on ebay. Or save the body as a nice film camera or backup.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA:IT&ih=002



What did I end up with? 'Glad you asked. I bought an apparently lightly-used K1000 with bag, SMC-A 50mm f/2 and air brush for $90 shipped. I have fond memories of my K1000 from '95. Now I'll have it again, for nostalgia & a possible backup to my K100D. Or maybe I'll just feel like shooting film again some day.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MakeTrack=true

Well, I hope that helps someone at least.

[TPF Sponsor]

[mysteryscribe]

I shot pentax for years and loved them.... The h1000 even before the K... It was all about the glass though. Some was great some just so so...

[burtharrris]

So can I use the old manual focus fast Pentax lenses on my *istSD? I usually do manual focus anyway.

[Don Simon]

Yep. But if there's no "A" on the aperture ring you'll have to stop down for metering.

[burtharrris]

Are these called K mount?

[Don Simon]

They are indeed. Variously known as K, PK, PK-A etc.

[burtharrris]

And last question, I swear!

I know that the K-mount is different from the screw mounts. I see Pentax screw mounts on ebay, are all the old screw mounts compatible with one another (Leica, etc)?

[Don Simon]

Nooo. Pentax or other "M42" SLR lenses have a screw fitting 42mm in diameter; other lenses like the Leica ones are 39mm in diameter and most are designed for rangefinder cameras so they are not really compatible. Many different companies used one or other of these mounts or made lenses for both however, and so brand is not always a good way to tell them apart.

[usayit]

IMO, the M and K series were the last of the great Pentax cameras (next to the wonderful LX). Two favs of mine are the K1000 SE and ME SE in brown leather (I like the brown leather .. don't know why).

I recommend the 40mm f2.8 "Pancake" lens to be paired with an M-series SLR. The combination makes for an extremely nice street shooter... great focal length and the camera fits right into your pocket.

By far the most complete website on the history of these cameras:

http://www.aohc.it/indexe.htm

Oh how I would love it if Pentax released a K1000D. A reproduction of the original K1000 with a non-LCD digital back... not a mainstream camera but it would be so neat. That and actually release the 645 digital MF (they showcased a prototype) for professionals that can't spend the 10s of thousands it takes to get into a Hasselblad digital system

[usayit]

Took a bit of digging in my bookmarks but here is the other link I visited extensively for Pentax info:

http://kmp.bdimitrov.de/

[Jeremy Z]

Oh how I would love it if Pentax released a K1000D. A reproduction of the original K1000 with a non-LCD digital back... not a mainstream camera but it would be so neat. That and actually release the 645 digital MF (they showcased a prototype) for professionals that can't spend the 10s of thousands it takes to get into a Hasselblad digital system

While we're dreaming, I'd like to see a no-frills digital SLR. Exposure would have to be set manually. Hopefully, it would read the apertures from rotating an aperture ring, instead of just displaying 'F--'. It would also have a shutter speed dial where it "belongs", with the speed displayed in the viewfinder.

Side note: the only feature I *really* missed on the K1000 was the display of aperture & shutter speed settings in the finder. However, after I shot with it a while, I did remember where the shutter speed was set, and which direction to turn the dial to speed it up or slow it down.

I could live with autofocus, since there are those who cannot physically focus any more.

Thanks for the links, usayit, I'll look into them and brush up on my Pentax lore.