Pros | Build quality, size |
Cons | No meter |
Rating | 8 |
Price (U.S. Dollars) | $400 |
Years Owned | 3 years |
I can recommend this camera: Yes
Value, Features, Performance & Size
"Rating" and "Value" will be somewhat subjective to what someone is looking for. This is a legendary camera and very special to own, but obviously it won't outperform many of it's newer counterparts. Asahi Pentax cameras from this era were all small and well balanced. Regarding performance, the winder is smooth, all shutter speeds are reasonably accurate, and the shutter fires solidly.
Camera Review
I hadn't gone looking for this particular camera, but instead came across it and it looked to good to pass up. The camera looked new, came with the original case, zebra 55/1.8 Takumar lens and caps, so I probably paid a bit of a premium.
From the pictures it looked like a nicely made camera, but being a 50+ years old, I expected it to be a little "clunky". When it arrived, I was pleasantly surprised. The viewfinder was bright and clear and everything worked so smoothly. The next morning I grabbed some film, used my ME Super as a light meter and shot a roll. I presumed I would have ruined half of the roll, but not one shot was under or over exposed. It's a great little camera.
Here is a shot of the camera, and another from the camera.....