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Pentax LX

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39 252,238 Sat March 16, 2024
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Recommended By Average Price Average User Rating
95% of reviewers $411.38 9.58
Pentax LX

Pentax LX
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Pentax LX
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Pentax LX
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Pentax LX
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Pentax LX
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Pentax LX
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Description:
The Pentax LX was introduced in 1980 as a system camera for the professional photographer. It is the only Pentax 35mm SLR to feature an exchangeable viewfinder - a total of 8 viewfinders were available together with 12 focusing screens. A large array of other accessories, hereunder a 5 fps motor drive and a 250 exposure film back were available as well.

The LX has Av auto exposure as well as metered manual.

The built-in exposure meter is very sensitive being able to meter down to -6.5 EV in auto exposure mode. In manual exposure mode the meter goes down to 1 EV. The meter reads the light reflected off of the first shutter curtain or off of the film during exposure. Manual metering as well as auto exposure are available no matter which view finder is being used.

The set shutter speed is shown in the viewfinder. Some of the viewfinders show the aperture as well via a window that projects the aperture value from the aperture ring into the view finder.

Manual exposure is set by adjusting shutter speed or aperture until the LED indicating shutter speed matches the needle of the light meter. When shooting in Av auto exposure mode a +/-2 EV exposure compensation is available but no exposure lock.

The camera can be operated without batteries in the mechanical shutter speed range 1/75s - 1/2000s.

The camera body is light but rugged and sealed against dust. The Pentax LX was produced through a time span of more than 15 years.

LX
Year introduced
1980
Mount
K
Meter range
-6.5 - 20 EV (auto exposure)
1 - 19 EV (manual exposure)
Meter pattern
Center weight
ISO range
6 - 1600
DX ISO range
No DX coding
Exposure modes
Av, M, X, B
Exposure compensation
+/-2 EV
Exposure memory lock
No
Shutter speeds (auto)
125s - 1/2000s
Shutter speeds (manual)
4s - 1/2000s
Shutter speeds (mechanical)
1/75s - 1/2000s
Self timer
Yes
Mirror lock-up
Yes
Auto bracketing
No
Multiple exposures
Yes
Winder
External winder 2 fps, motor drive 1-5 fps
Built-in flash
No
TTL flash
Yes
P-TTL flash
No
Sync speed
1/75s
Flash exposure comp
No
Autofocus
No
Autofocus sensitivity
Not applicable
Power zoom
No
Viewfinder
Exchangeable. FA-1: 95% (hor.) x 98% (vert.)
Viewfinder type
Pentaprism, waist level, action finder, magni-finder
Diopter correction
Yes
Exchangeable screen
Yes
Depth of field preview
Yes
Image size
24 x 36 mm
Panorama format
No
Battery
2 x S76
Battery grip/pack
No
Size (W x H x D)
144.5 x 85 x 50 mm
Weight
570 g


Also pictured is the LX2000 along with the SMC Pentax-A 50mm F1.2 Special lens. Other rare versions of this camera were produced, such as the LX Gold and the LX Titanuim Silver/Black.
Price History:



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New Member

Registered: March, 2024
Posts: 3
Review Date: March 16, 2024 Recommended | Price: $450.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Excellent viewfinder, metering, handling, film advance.
Cons: Sticky mirror issue

The Pentax LX was a camera that I lusted over when I was a teen - my parents gifted me a Pentax ME Super in 1983, and you can bet that I poured over camera magazines (remember them?) and brochures and dreamed of owning some of those expensive Pentax primes and of course the LX.

Honestly I this camera is probably overkill to most people, since unless you want to shoot waist level or make use of the more accurate metering you probably are better off with the ME Super, or if you don't need 1/2000th of a second, the MX.

That said I love the LX so much I have two - the first one I got had the dreaded sticky mirror issue. A local repairer (Vanbar in Melbourne Australia) fixed it for me at significant cost. I did end up with a second model from Japan which is a much later serial.

They are a wonderful camera to shoot - superb viewfinder, excellent metering, and just a precision tool to use.
   
New Member

Registered: March, 2013
Location: Carcassonne Aude
Posts: 5
Review Date: January 1, 2024 Not Recommended | Price: $300.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: petite beauty, light, very complete possibility
Cons: for an argentique: none

Yes i am French, excuse my bad American language by advance. But i think Google traductor is here.
I bought two LX, and i can shot with all the K lens what i have since longtime.
The first paid 300, euros in 2005 special lezard dark brown covered, good condition.
The second paid 275, euros in 2010, normal covered, good condition.
No problem during longtime but actualy maybe a cla servicing will be better.
Here it is several LX specialists, i hope to choice one good...
Facility is the better word for using that little lovely.
A real pleasure to handle, the viewfinder is fabulous!, better than that of my Leica m3.
The shooting night is very well....mutch quality even in long shots.
The better Argentique that i had by far
   
New Member

Registered: January, 2020
Location: Oregon
Posts: 3

5 users found this helpful
Review Date: March 4, 2022 Recommended | Price: $350.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Handling, Viewfinder, Reliability, Quality
Cons: Expensive to Buy, Expensive Repairs

With the MX being such an excellent, more affordable, and more plentiful camera, why bother with the LX in this day and age?

For me, it was a bit of just wanting to know what the absolute best Pentax had to offer in the manual focus SLR days was like. Other than the obvious difference between this an the MX (AE, faster top shutter speed, modular, etc.), the most substantial difference for me lies in the handling. The LX handles smoother than any other camera I've owned or used. With the A grip, it fits in my normal-sized hands perfectly. The shutter releases in a smooth, linear manner. There's almost no shutter recoil or mirror bounce, to the point where I've gotten acceptably sharp results down to 1/15th with a 35mm lens. The film winds with a constant and effortless throw. Every tactile interface feels solid, but smooth as can be. It's the kind of experience that makes you want to go out and take pictures just for the sake of using the camera. But what is all of that without a good way to see what you're doing? Well, fortunately, the LX also happens to have the clearest and sharpest 35mm SLR viewfinder I've ever had the pleasure of using. This is also the only film camera I own that I would confidently take up to the mountains with me. Nothing really seems to bother it, not even sub-freezing temperatures. Not bad for a 40 year-old camera. Oh, and it's also smaller and lighter than the F1n or F3. Heck, it's even smaller than my FE2 was.

It's not all sunshine and rainbows, though. Professional manual focus SLRs aren't really the best buys in general these days, but the LX especially. It's more rare and collectible than its plentiful Canon and Nikon equivalents, which makes it more expensive. That also means parts are harder to come by, and repairs are more expensive. It's also been well-documented that an LX will eventually have some sort of problem and need servicing. Personally, I don't care. I'd pay the money to keep this thing going as long as possible, just like people do with their classic cars.
   
Site Supporter

Registered: February, 2017
Posts: 1,990

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: January 8, 2022 Recommended | Price: None indicated | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: Build quality and overall feel and handling
Cons: cost, sticky mirror

One of my dream film cameras which I was only able to acquire recently. Mine came in very good condition with intact covers, all plastic protectors, but no strap lugs, and a winder for £400. This camera was designed for professional use way back when and as such it has a load of features which are really no longer relevant in this day and age - like interchangeable finders and screens winder and motor drives, so I will be reviewing it as what realistically it is going to be used as - a high quality film camera for handheld use. As such, the price and the fact you will probably get the sticky mirror syndrome at some point, which will also add to the cost (mine came complete with SMS but fortunately Ffordes fixed it for me for no extra cost), and in my case a further £70 for some genuine strap lugs* make this a luxury item which any sane and rational analysis screams "DON'T BUY". Everything you are likely to want this camera to do can be done far more cheaply by many other Pentax models. However once any gremlins are sorted out, in your hands you will be holding a piece of sublime engineering excellence. I have or have owned Canon F1 (old and new), Nikon F3, Contax S2. Fine cameras though they are, in terms of feel and handling they just do not come close to the LX. I have only ever held one other camera which may surpass it in this regard, a Leica R6, but that was several years ago and my memory may not be fully accurate in this regard, and in any case Leica R's have a very limited and expensive lens selection. Put your favourite lens on the front and your favourite film inside and every time you pick your LX up you will be glowing. Press the shutter and wind the film on and you will smile at the sound and smoothness. Of course I can take equally good pictures with my MX or whatever, but I will not get the same sense of joy doing so.
In summary this is a camera for those who wish to spoil themselves and are not too worried how much it is going to cost. As such it does represent good value for money, but if you just want a camera that takes film other options will save you a whole load of money.
*Regarding those strap lugs, three points for connection. Hooray! I can have a strap side mounted, by far my favourite way.
   
New Member

Registered: December, 2021
Location: London
Posts: 3

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: December 12, 2021 Recommended | Price: None indicated | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Compact, tough, versatile
Cons: None

I bought an LX new in the early 80’s after a Pentax rep showed me one that was cut away; it looked so solid I decided that was the camera I needed. I still have it and it is still gorgeous, it’s been everywhere and made a hell of a lot of exposures, it has just been serviced for the second time in its life and it feels like new again, thanks to Harrow Technical for keeping it going. I think the LX and the Nikon F3 were probably the best film SLRs ever made.
   
Seeker of Knowledge

Registered: August, 2016
Location: Topeka, Kansas
Posts: 24,563

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: January 16, 2021 Recommended | Price: None indicated | Rating: N/A 

 
Pros:
Cons:

this thread may be of interest to those who own or are thinking about obtaining a LX

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/8-pentax-film-slr-discussion/419204-sour...ml#post5190436

_________________________

I have recently acquired an LX with with the FB1 system with all 3 variations for it, FC-1, FD-1, and FD-2.

FB1 System Finder This Pentax exclusive viewing system accepts any of three optional viewing eyepieces for the ultimate in viewfinder versatility. Each eyepiece attaches easily to the viewfinder with a bayonet mount. Exposure information is clearly displayed in the viewfinder.

FC-1 Action Eyepiece Offers a high eye-point at 60mm and a full 180° rotation for total flexibility in viewing angle from waist level to eye level.

FD-1 Magni-Eyepiece A magnifier eyepiece with built-in diopter correction from - 4.5 to +3.5 plus a convenient 45° viewing angle.

FD-2 Standard Eyepiece Provides a convenient 45° viewing angle ideal for microscope use, copy work or general photography.

the screen installed is SC-21 Split-Microprism. A standard screen featuring a central split-image spot with a microprism collar on a matte field.

and additional screens:

SD-11 Clear Surface with Central Cross Hairs. Similar to the SD21 but without matte surface for a clearer vision.

SG-20 Matte with Crosslines. Similar to the SE-20 but with etched cross lines in 6mm squares. Excellent for architectural subjects and multiple-exposure composition

I haven't had the chance to try it out yet but

I have, using as a source OEM manual for the view finders, updated the information about diopter adjustments for the various view finders in the accessory section of the forums
   
New Member

Registered: May, 2019
Location: Milan
Posts: 8

5 users found this helpful
Review Date: December 8, 2020 Recommended | Price: None indicated | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: exposure meter, viewfinders
Cons: None, except for periodic maintenance of the mirror supports

1980-2020 The LX turns 40!








Sincerely
   
Junior Member

Registered: January, 2013
Location: Sturtevant, Wisconsin
Posts: 48

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: April 3, 2018 Recommended | Price: $283.99 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: The feel, viewfinder,
Cons: None

I've always wanted one, to me no other camera compares to it as far as I feel. But I have only had mine for two weeks. Mine is a later model of the LX. It feels so great in your hands, and it's has a smooth operation. I love that you switch viewfinders anytime. I was showing to a friend who became a Pentaxian in 2006 with a ISTD, he said it would be nice if the DSLR's had a interchangeable viewfinders and I agree with him. I've owned Pentax cameras from 1983 with a ME-Super and now 35 years later my dream has come true. I just got a Winder LX on Monday and tried it out today, all can say is wow. Mine has none of the LX problems so far. I'm using a Pentax-M SMC 50mm F1.7 with it.
   
New Member

Registered: December, 2016
Location: Reinholds, Pennsylvania
Posts: 17

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: January 25, 2018 Recommended | Price: None indicated | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Weather resistance
Cons: the vinyl exterior peeled away

I loved my LX! I purchased it new in the early 1980s and took it everywhere, most notably on many a backpacking trip - including most of the Appalachian Trail. A lot of sweat fell on that body but it never flinched. I still have it, sadly it sits idle.
   
Site Supporter

Registered: November, 2010
Location: California
Posts: 2,223

3 users found this helpful
Review Date: January 23, 2018 Recommended | Price: $550.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Everything including the viewfinders
Cons: High Price

I just got this camera and love to use it with the FB/FC viewfinder. It is almost as good as my Spotmatic and my Pentax SV, very close to my Asahiflex IIa. Everything they said already, I repeat. Nice camera, it is a keeper. Price includes CLA by Eric. Here are some samples of my first roll of film:


Pentax LX by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr

No More Newton's Rings by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr

Pentax LX by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr
   
Senior Member

Registered: October, 2008
Location: Great Plain, Hungary
Posts: 204

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: October 2, 2017 Recommended | Price: $80.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: This is THE camera
Cons: none if you consider its age

This is THE camera for me. To be honest I can't really tell if it is my LX or MX I love more. Both have their personalities, but probably the LX is the ultimate SLR for me. I have had classic Nikon cameras in my hand and few other makes, I have the Leica M4 which is considered the ultimate M, but the LX is just the perfection in the SLR world.
Nice, small package that is just a beauty of design and reliability. No frills or brick like appearance, just the pure experience of shooting a great camera.
I have two of them in use, the second one just getting a full, well deserved CLA that keeps it running for another 20-30 years, probably outliving my K-1. Sad but true...
   
Pentaxian

Registered: September, 2017
Location: South Wales
Posts: 2,899

3 users found this helpful
Review Date: September 18, 2017 Recommended | Price: $600.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Quality construction, fully featured, professional grade.
Cons: Sticking mirror fault (with age), no AE lock, not "imposing" enough for some situations.

The LX was launched in 1980 as a serious attempt by Pentax to break the dominance of Nikon and Canon in the professional market. It is robustly made and weatherproofed, yet significantly smaller than its intended rivals - the Nikon F3 and Canon F-1n. As befitted that conservative market, it was produced for 20 years, almost exactly in parallel with the Nikon F3. The layout of controls was entirely conventional for the time and it has the features which that market would have expected. A large range of accessories, including data backs, motor drive, and no less than seven interchangeable viewfinders, was launched at the same time; these were not generally interchangeable with other cameras in the Pentax range, except of course the K mount lenses.

It uses TTL metering off the film and shutter surfaces, so it is measuring light during the exposure and not beforehand, which allows it for example to control its own dedicated flash units whatever the lens aperture, and to cope with long exposures in low and changeable ambient light. The meter range was very wide for its day.

It has aperture priority auto exposure, and a manual mode with shutter speeds from 1/2000 to 4 seconds (there is no upper time limit with auto). All speeds from sync (1/75 - shown as an "X" between 1/60 and 1/100) to 1/2000 are mechanical when manually set, so in normal daylight and for flash it can be used without batteries.

The viewfinder has full information, including aperture via a Judas window, and a small red flag to warn of exposure compensation. In Auto the shutter speed is indicated by a long row of tiny (they had to be) LEDs, and in manual they continue to recommend a speed while a movable blue flag shows the actual speed selected by the user. There are about nine different changeable focussing screens.

I find the LX very intuitive and straightforward to use, without thinking or looking at it, despite its full features for its day - a far cry from today's nested menus and 4-way buttons. Even now I tend to use a DSLR in aperture priority auto mode most of the time. The LX viewfinder information system is superb, superior to its Nikon and Canon rivals. Today of course, many of those special accessories can only rarely be found, if at all, and any LX is likely to need its sticking mirror return seeing to.

Pentax never made much inroad into the professional market. Most press reviews at the time of its intoduction praised the LX to the skies, but added sadly that most professionals and serious amateurs were already locked into Nikon or Canon systems, depite their strange quirks (the Canon F-1s at the time were, frankly, contraptions). I believe that another reason is that the LX's smallness compared with its rivals counted against it in some fields, such as commercial photography and weddings. where a big camera helped to project a professional image to the clients. Nevertheless I consider the LX the best 35mm film camera ever made, and it still retains a following of almost a cult nature today.

There follows a picture of the viewfinder view, and of an LX with Motor Drive (up to 5 fps) and Pistol Grip. The pistol grip contains the motor drive batteries, but there was an alternative battery box of similar size and shape to the drive itself that fitted beneath.



   
Veteran Member

Registered: October, 2006
Location: Belgium
Posts: 476

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: May 14, 2017 Recommended | Price: $200.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Build, ergonomics, quality
Cons: No Tv or program modes

I started out with an MX, but when photography really got under my skin, I always longed for an LX. However, I never could get myself to buy one because of the money and eventually changed to other systems (Olympus OM, later Canon EOS...) I bought a K-5 and was looking for a film camera to shoot some rolls B&W or slide film, so the LX came on the horizon again and today I am the happy owner of one. Charged a Velvia 50 and went for a stroll...

What rally amazes me is how simple this camera is. There is no button too much. Everything is cristal clear, in other words: a joy to use!

Now to figure out where I can get B&W film...
   
Pentaxian

Registered: May, 2011
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Posts: 3,234

10 users found this helpful
Review Date: April 18, 2017 Recommended | Price: $250.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Many . . .
Cons: Not available in chrome . . .

In early 1980 both Nikon and Canon came out with their anticipated third generation pro camera models while Pentax released their first interchangeable viewfinder 35mm camera just in time for their 60th anniversary and appropriately designated the LX.



But unlike it's interchangeable viewfinder peers, it's size was more in-line with the new smaller form factor cameras.



In fact, Pentax clearly went all the way back to the original Asahi Pentax for it's good looks!



And provided it with the most comprehensive choices of viewfinders ever - or since, in a camera. It has a wide selection of viewfinder magnifications - from largest to most eye-relief and most of them have built-in diopter control.



The elegance in it's design can be seen not only in what was included - great build and weatherproofing, but also what was not. It doesn't need a viewfinder blind as any light coming though the viewfinder will not influence the meter. It doesn't need a separate multiple exposure control but yet you can multiexpose any frame - forward or backward. It is completely operational and usable without a viewfinder attached. When the very long lasting batteries die, it will still allow you manually fire the shutter from sync speed to max 1/2000.

The single most defining feature for me is that in aperture priority mode, it is the only camera ever (past or present as of this review, by any brand or model) that will autoexpose a scene for as long as it takes (or batteries die) - all the while monitoring the scene in real time, and adjusting exposure accordingly.

Most all aperture priority capable cameras can autoexpose a typical daylight scene. This one using the LX with Lomography 100 film.



Most can even expose a scene seconds long. This one on Fuji RVP50.



However, autoexposure measuring minutes long and you eliminate most cameras. This one >10 minutes on Kodak Portra 800.




For autoexposures longer than 40 minutes, I am not aware of any other camera - beside the LX, that can do this. I don't believe you can even do this using an external meter. This one using Kodak Ektar 100.



For this scene - taken using Kodak Gold 100 with the LX in aperture priority mode, I pressed the shutter button about 9pm and sometime after 3am it finished.



After a few of these extremely long aperture priority autoexposure shots, I had to figure a way to more conveniently determine when the exposure was done. Otherwise, I am having to look through the viewfinder constantly. So I devised an LED/battery connected to the X-sync terminal that lights up when the shutter is open and turns off when it is done.



For these dark scenes that require such long exposure, it helps greatly that the viewfinder is extremely big and bright!

No doubt that Pentax LX is a fantastic camera. Truly a one of a kind.
   
New Member

Registered: August, 2016
Location: Pittsburgh
Posts: 5

3 users found this helpful
Review Date: September 14, 2016 Recommended | Price: None indicated | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Outstanding built, reliable.
Cons: None

I own three, and I must have shot 20000+ negatives with them. I also own a Nikon F3 and an Olympus OM-4T and a couple of expensive rangefinders. There was no competition, really. The LX was just a little bigger than the OM-4T and did not burn batteries. The Pentax outfit was much lighter than the Nikon. I always carry one in my bag, most often with a 35mm or a 40mm lens. Never had a camera I liked better.

My first LX was from one of the earlier releases; I bought it in the mid-80's and cost me a fortune. The last two I purchased 6 years ago from the estate of a local pro. Paid $250 for the pair, both of them in great condition with only tripod marks on the base plate.
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