New Kid on the Block

Abbazz · 11-29-2006, 12:32 AM

Hi,

I am Abbazz, a long time Pentax user. I got my first Pentax in 1980, it was a superb MX. After six months time, I was so happy with the MX that I bought an ME Super as a backup

26 years later, I have used quite a lot of different cameras. Nowadays, I shoot mainly with MF and LF gear, but I still have a very nice old Pentax SV. This is an M42 mount camera which is more than 40 years old. I bought it last year and it is working perfectly. I use it a lot, because I like the smooth quiet release (it has a textile FP shutter, like a Leica) and the solid feel in my hands. I also have an *ist D that I use to shoot candids and for lightproofing. One of these days, I plan to buy a Pentax 67; they have never been so cheap and IMHO you can't beat a 6x7 slide, except with a $$$ MF back.

Cheers,

*Ivan Glisin* · 11-29-2006, 09:48 AM

Welcome!

Interesting: I was using ME Super and owned ME and MX and I was never able to tell which camera is really better! Although small, MX feels more robust (like it is scaled down K1000), ME and ME Super seem to be made with more precision and designed in a bit more modern way. Is your impression similar?

foxglove · 11-29-2006, 09:49 AM

New kid, indeed! Maybe new on this particular block, but it sounds like you've got plenty of photography experience. Welcome, I'm looking forward to seeing your work!

Julie

GregNS · 11-29-2006, 12:27 PM

Oh goody!
Another experienced photographer from whom I can learn

Please post lots . . . oh yeah, and welcome!

Abbazz · 11-30-2006, 01:29 AM

Thanks everybody for the warm welcome.

Originally Posted by i.glisin

Interesting: I was using ME Super and owned ME and MX and I was never able to tell which camera is really better! Although small, MX feels more robust (like it is scaled down K1000), ME and ME Super seem to be made with more precision and designed in a bit more modern way. Is your impression similar?

At that time, I liked both cameras: the ME Super for its ease of operation in AE mode and the MX for its superior handling in manual mode. The MX was almost a "pro" camera: it had interchangeable screens and lens aperture was reflected on top of the display with a small prism overlooking the lens. It had solid brass top and bottom covers, while the ME Super had plastic with a metal finish. After a few years, the two small buttons used to adjust the shutter speed on the ME super ceased to function -- but the camera was still usable in AE mode. From that point on, I began to use more and more the MX and it quickly became my favorite camera. After more than 10 years of intensive use in wet equatorial climate, I eventually had to dump both cameras as well as a bagful of lenses, because the gear was ruined by fungus.

Cheers,