[Kerrowdown]

Bring fingers to lens from the front not the top and bottom

But there's only so many images of the palm of your hand, you can actually use in life...

[Matt_Dodwell_UK]

So, after many weeks of umming and aaahhh'ing, I have succumbed and bought a Pentax M 40mm 2.8.

My MX came back from CLA last week and it's just so compact it's great. I have the 50mm 1.4 and 28mm 2.8 (can't yet find a good condition copy of a 35mm lens yet) but I have decided that I could fit the camera body in a couple of my jacket pockets if I put the 40mm on it.

I am considering this my general carry around lens as it will be a fit in my pocket combo, and when I am doing something more specific I'll put the 50mm 1.4 on it.

[Kevin B123]

Congratulations!, it will certainly make a neat and small combo.
Here is my version of it and the FOV is very nice

[LensBeginner]

Congratulations!, it will certainly make a neat and small combo.
Here is my version of it and the FOV is very nice

Mmmh... extremely sexy!

[Matt_Dodwell_UK]

Congratulations!, it will certainly make a neat and small combo.
Here is my version of it and the FOV is very nice

My 40mm is the original M version as I have it mounted on a MX. That DA version looks like it has great reviews, but as it doesn't have the aperture ring I can't use it on the MX.

Which are Pentax's decent film SLR's with AF and in camera aperture controls? Did they do anything that rivals the Nikon F100 or F4 or the Canon EOS3 of 1V?

[aslyfox]

My 40mm is the original M version as I have it mounted on a MX. That DA version looks like it has great reviews, but as it doesn't have the aperture ring I can't use it on the MX.

Which are Pentax's decent film SLR's with AF and in camera aperture controls? Did they do anything that rivals the Nikon F100 or F4 or the Canon EOS3 of 1V?

Under " cameras " above you will find reviews of various Pentax camera bodies

https://www.pentaxforums.com/camerareviews

[Kevin B123]

My 40mm is the original M version as I have it mounted on a MX. That DA version looks like it has great reviews, but as it doesn't have the aperture ring I can't use it on the MX.

Which are Pentax's decent film SLR's with AF and in camera aperture controls? Did they do anything that rivals the Nikon F100 or F4 or the Canon EOS3 of 1V?

As far as I am aware, most if not all SLR's from the Super A had a program mode and can control exposure for those lenses without the aperture ring. Not all are full frame though. The DA 18-55 is FF from 24mm though so there is an instant wide angle lens in most people's bag.
Optically the M and DA are assumed to be the same, that is FF compatible and of course a similar size so the package is about the same except I only have program on that lens.

[pschlute]

Which are Pentax's decent film SLR's with AF and in camera aperture controls?

In the 1990's i used the Pentax Z-1. The flagship of it's time. Autofocus was good for it's time. For shutter/aperture control you will be familiar with the front and rear wheel system which was introduced with this camera. It also was the first Pentax to feature the "hyper" programs in P and M mode.

[builttospill]

I have owned the M 40, 40 Limited, and 40 XS. I sold the Limited, and happily kept the other two. I keep the M 40 on the MX or ME Super, and the 40 XS on the Super Program and K-1. Both are great little lenses.

Which are Pentax's decent film SLR's with AF and in camera aperture controls?

The question of which film bodies can control aperture gets asked quite often, so I put together this list in another discussion: aperture controlling bodies? - Page 3 - PentaxForums.com

Edit: there are some plasticky film bodies I'm personally not a fan of, but they may serve you well. Generally, the good film cameras with full aperture control would include the Z-1/PZ-1, the Z-1p/PZ-1p, the MZ-6/MZ-L/ZX-L, and the *ist. These are all auto-focus and offer direct aperture control. The manual-focus Super Program has aperture linkage, but doesn't offer direct control. This means you have shutter-priority shooting and the camera sets the aperture for a correct exposure.

[boriscleto]

Did they do anything that rivals the Nikon F100 or F4 or the Canon EOS3 of 1V?

The closest to a pro AF body Pentax ever made was the MZ-S. It was also the last Pentax SLR with a non-crippled mount.

Pentax MZ-S - Pentax Autofocus Film SLRs - Pentax Camera Reviews and Specifications

The Z-1/PZ-1 had a higher maximum shutter speed than the MZ-S, but only 1 point AF vs 6 point for the MZ-S.

Pentax Z-1/PZ-1 - Pentax Autofocus Film SLRs - Pentax Camera Reviews and Specifications

[LesDMess]

So, after many weeks of umming and aaahhh'ing, I have succumbed and bought a Pentax M 40mm 2.8.

My MX came back from CLA last week and it's just so compact it's great. I have the 50mm 1.4 and 28mm 2.8 (can't yet find a good condition copy of a 35mm lens yet) but I have decided that I could fit the camera body in a couple of my jacket pockets if I put the 40mm on it.

I am considering this my general carry around lens as it will be a fit in my pocket combo, and when I am doing something more specific I'll put the 50mm 1.4 on it.

The MX + 40mm pancake is a fantastic combination and will not lack for anything in quality of results. The well known benefit of the MX of course is it's size but personally I really appreciate the largest viewfinder magnification among any SLR except for the LX. And since it can use the LX focusing screens, it also happens to be the brightest. This of course is a great advantage when trying to achieve critical focus even in the darkest situations.

BTW, another excellent lens in a small package is the 17mm f4 fisheye in an M42 mount which of course will require an M42 to K adapter.

[johnha]

The M40 is a good lens, very small & compact, fast enough and gives a more pleasing angle of view than a 50 (IMHO). It's not the greatest lens optically but it works if you're looking for this kind of lens. The 43 Ltd is way sharper (as you'd expect), the 50/1.4 is faster - especially important with film as you don't have SR and can't simply bump the ISO up for one shot. I shot loads of Kodachrome 25 & 64 with mine and never found anything to complain about optically.

In use the thin focussing ring can be awkward, and sticking a UV filter on the front to protect adds a significant proportion to it's length. I was my favourite lens on my Super-A, with the Motordrive-A attached, it hardly protrudes beyond the motor drive.

[abruzzi]

Congratulations!, it will certainly make a neat and small combo.
Here is my version of it and the FOV is very nice

Sorry for the off topic diversion, but I’ve wanted to find a film camera that would work with a number of my newer lenses without aperture rings, but the size and build quality of the later AF film cameras has turned me off. That super A looks perfect—metal construction, reasonably small size. Is it possible to set aperture on that camera when you don’t have an aperture ring?

[Kevin B123]

Is it possible to set aperture on that camera when you don’t have an aperture ring?

Not directly.
In manual mode, activating the meter by a half button press I can set the Tv value. As the lens is automatic for the aperture the camera acts like it is in hyper-manual mode on a DSLR and reciprocates the aperture value.
The body is not coded either so I can over or under expose. In practise then yes the aperture can be controlled. Neat .

[clickclick]

Sorry for the off topic diversion, but I’ve wanted to find a film camera that would work with a number of my newer lenses without aperture rings, but the size and build quality of the later AF film cameras has turned me off. That super A looks perfect—metal construction, reasonably small size. Is it possible to set aperture on that camera when you don’t have an aperture ring?

Check this thread from the other day - it lists cameras and has links to more resources. I think you want the Z-1 or PZ-1 for best use with lenses without aperture rings:

Thinking about getting a film SLR. Suggestions? Requirements within. - PentaxForums.com