[Hilo]

On all of these (KX, K2, K2DMD and MX) with the advance lever in the out position partially depressing the shutter release
momentarily will activate the meter, which should then stay on for a short period; 30 seconds perhaps? I've never timed it.

Chris

My KX just stays on, for sure three minutes and then I stopped counting (with the wind lever out and having depressed the shutter release once, slightly)

[TomB_tx]

Or they might all stay on indefinitely; I'm not sure.
I always stow the lever when not actually shooting.

Right: on the MX and KX the shutter button actually locks part way down to turn on the meter, and it pops back up when stowing the lever. So it's a simple switch with a mechanical interlock.
On the stock KX the switch must be part of the button interlock mechanism, while the MX must be on the button travel itself, since the interlock doesn't need to activate for the meter to work.

[gofour3]

I too own all three and prefer the KX as well.

The KX is simpler and more straightforward to operate than the K2DMD.

The KX has better ergonomics than the overminiaturized MX.
I prefer the KX match-needle exposure meter over than MX LEDs.

Chris

Yep +1

Phil.

[gofour3]

I could finally check the KX in question, the one which had, eh a, hmmm, the change . . .

With the wind lever pulled out it takes one light push of the shutter release to activate the needle. After that, as long as the wind lever is pulled out, it remains activated regardless of yes/no slightly depressing the shutter release. That is contrary to Chris' story quoted which says that, with the three mentioned cameras, the wind lever must be pulled out AND the shutter release partly depressed for the meter to remain active. I guess the KX does that part different than the cameras mentioned.

Then, with the wind lever in it's not pulled out position, my KX needle becomes activated by pushing the shutter release. And it goes off as soon as I stop pressing the shutter release. That's it.

No news yet re how it was done.

As Chris mentioned, the KX, K2 and K2DMD meters on/off functions operate the same way. You press the shutter release half way to turn it on after moving the film advance, after that the meter will stay on after pressing the shutter and advancing the film.



Phil.

Attached Images

 

[stevebrot]

Yep, I just confirmed it with my KX. The meter stays on until the wind lever is stowed against the body OR the shutter lock is engaged.

It should be noted that the shutter will still fire even when the wind lever is in the stowed position, so as long as the photographer is not having to constantly adjust settings, the camera may be quite happily used with the lever in that position.

FWIW, I also gave left-eyed shooting a short try and have come to the conclusion that a person would have to have incredibly close-set eyes to be poked by the lever. My eyes are pretty close-set and the lever pokes the bridge of my nose when my left eye is at the viewfinder. The tip, after all, has only a few millimeters gap from the side of the prism housing.


Steve

[Hilo]

Steve, it is more about the glasses that keep getting touched or pushed by the wind lever. I did not phrase that correctly before. I remember with the Nikon it really was the eye or very close to it . . .

What you say made me realize what it is really about for me: I find one of the nicest things in photography to quietly look through the finder and see whatever is happening out there. It is about looking, composing, shooting, talking to someone, looking again, shooting again... an endless repetition of moves that makes photographing natural for everyone who is there, myself included. It is that process that gets disturbed for me, hence the solution to bypass that function of the wind lever.

[TomB_tx]

I don't have any problem with the KX and left-eye use, even with my glasses. Now the real problem camera for left-eye users was the Leicaflex SL that I bought in 1968. The meter switch was the wind lever, and it had to be out at 90 degrees:

This was enough of a problem for people (especially without glasses!) that they came out with "version 2" of this model with another switch position on the lever, so it would pull out less than 1/4 inch to turn on the meter. Of course, then people wouldn't notice it and leave the meter on to run down the batteries. Great camera though - maybe the best-built SLR of all time.

[Hilo]

It is a funny idea that you guys are pressing your noses and eyes and what else against the wind lever of the KX, basically to tell me (and the OP) to "get the correct diopter if required and learn to shoot right-eyed".

Has it ever occured to you that what may be for you can be different for someone else? Chris, I got the diopter and tried shooting right (since around 1978 for about the fifth/sixth time and yes, including the Leicaflex SL). It is not for me. So, I have found a nice solution to be able to use, professionally, one of the finest cameras ever built. Could it be that Moe (the OP) has given this a good deal of thought as well? It is what I assume. I always do.

[Moe49]

I'm looking into this 'KX bypass surgery' for three reasons:

1. I am a creature of habit. A simpIeton maybe? Definetly believe in K.I.S.S. .

I mostly shoot in this sequence: frame/compose, focus, check metering, fire. I have a half dozen cameras (K2, ME, LX, ESII, K7) where the check metering part is a simple shutter button depress. The K1000 is even simpler, the light meter is always on.

Then there are my KXs:
Frame/compose, focus, check metering, ???, check metering, ???, #$*!%)@... , pull out film advance lever, hope 'the moment' hasn't passed, re-frame/compose, focus, check metering, fire.

2. I am a 'glasses wearing' right eye shooter. Nearly all of my camera's film advance levers, if not tight against the camera body, occasionally snag the backside of my glasses' lens.

3. I love the images I get from my KX (recently out-fitted with a split image ), and would shoot it a heck of alot more often if it's metering operation were more like my other Pentaxs.

It is beginning to sound like the 'KX bypass surgery' is as simple as replacing it's shutter button/film advance lever assemblies with K2 parts.

[gofour3]

I'm looking into this 'KX bypass surgery' for three reasons:

1. I am a creature of habit. A simpIeton maybe? Definetly believe in K.I.S.S. .

I mostly shoot in this sequence: frame/compose, focus, check metering, fire. I have a half dozen cameras (K2, ME, LX, K7) where the check metering part is a simple shutter button depress. The K1000 is even simpler, the light meter is always on.

Then there is my KX:
Frame/compose, focus, check metering, ???, check metering, ???, #$*!%)@... , pull out film advance lever, hope 'the moment' hasn't passed, re-frame/compose, focus, check metering, fire.

2. I am a 'glasses wearing' right eye shooter. Nearly all of my camera's film advance levers, if not tight against the camera body, occasionally snag the backside of my glasses' lens.

3. I love the images I get from my KX (recently out-fitted with a split image ), and would shoot it a heck of alot more often if it's metering operation were more like my other Pentaxs.

It is beginning to sound like the 'KX bypass surgery' is as simple as replacing it's shutter button/film advance lever assemblies with K2 parts.

The meter on/off function on the K2 is the same as the KX. These are from the K2 manual.

Phil.

[Ratmagiclady]

Yes, and that changed with my KX to how the K2 works. But what I had not realised is that the wind lever possibly still plays a role: pulled out = permanent metering / pushed in = short metering. I will check tomorrow, but I have the idea it is exactly what I have seen happening, I just never gave it another thought.

I'd consider leaving it that way, then: it's actually better than having the meter active all the time, anyway.


One of the best things about old cameras is when you can actually keep your thumb hooked behind the advance lever all the time, anyway. (One thing I like about old Canons is that this never interferes with the winder function, either, and even if the batteries go at an inopportune moment, you can just crank manually without missing a beat.)

If you need the lever in and it'll still meter on a half-press, why mess with it. It seems you'll be keeping that crank-lever switch in a closed position while shooting, anyway.


(Edit: Oops. I missed a page. If the KX won't work the way you like with lever-in, the bypass *should* in fact be quite easy. (As long as none of the pieces are ridiculously-delicate, and as long as the connections aren't buried under other. more intricate things, there should be nothing beyond basic wiring about it. I haven't been into one of those, but the wires in question ought to be on top once the top cover's removed. ) So why not. )

[Moe49]

We can speculate endlessly.
Someone interested in actually having this modification performed should contact Eric Hendrickson.

(refer to post #1 & #4)

My KX is currently at Eric's getting a new top cover, new bottom plate, and new film door installed (new parts sourced from nice fellow in Canada).
I have asked Eric to perform the 'KX by-pass' surgery I had heard about here at PF, while he has the top of the camera removed.
It is Eric who is asking how this is done. Apparently, I am the first to ask this of Eric (?)
Up until now, the only 'reported' KX by-pass surgeries have been performed in Europe?

K2 & KX meter operation is not the same in this way:

The K2 meter circuit can be activated by depressing the shutter release button only. If you want the meter to stay 'on' without holding the shutter release down, then the film advance lever also needs to be pulled part way away from the camera body.

The KX meter circuit CAN NOT be activated by depressing the shutter release button only. To activate the KX metering circuit, the film advance lever has to be pulled part way out from the camera body, and then the shutter release button has to be depressed slightly.
Depressing the shutter release button only on a KX will not activate the KX metering circuit.

[gofour3]

(refer to post #1 & #4)

My KX is currently at Eric's getting a new top cover, new bottom plate, and new film door installed (new parts sourced from nice fellow in Canada).
I have asked Eric to perform the 'KX by-pass' surgery I had heard about here at PF, while he has the top of the camera removed.
It is Eric who is asking how this is done. Apparently, I am the first to ask this of Eric (?)
Up until now, the only 'reported' KX by-pass surgeries have been performed in Europe?

K2 & KX meter operaion is not the same in this way:

The K2 meter circuit can be activated by depressing the shutter release button only. If you want the meter to stay 'on' without holding the shutter release down, then the film advance lever also needs to be pulled part way away from the camera body.

To activate the KX metering circuit, the film advance lever has to be pulled part way out from the camera body, and the shutter release button has to be depressed slightly.
Depressing the shutter release button only on a KX will not activate the KX metering circuit.

The function you are describing on the K2, to move the meter needle, is more of an undocumented anomaly than a useful feature. In the end and according to the KX, K2 & K2DMD manuals, the meters are turned on/off exactly the same way by cocking the rapid-wind lever.

Phil.

[Jonathan Mac]

It occurs to me that the average human nose is far longer than the KX advance lever standoff position.
I simply can't get my left eye close enough and centered on the eyepiece to focus and compose.
IMO except for disability one should get the correct diopter if required and learn to shoot right-eyed.

Chris

It's not about diopters. I'm a glasses-wearing, right-handed, left-eyed shooter and due to astigmatism I see better with my left eye than with my right, and that will always be the case. Good design works around what's comfortable for people, not vice-versa.

Anyway, as I've stated, having the lever out doesn't bother me in the slightest, it's just something I have to remember with the KX, like having to remember to switch on the camera when I use a P30 or to wind the film before, not after, a shot with the SP1000 (no shutter lock).

[stevebrot]

1. I am a creature of habit.

May I suggest that "check meter" is not usually needed during a sequence of shots? Unless the light changes significantly, there is usually no need to change the exposure.

Just a thought...


Steve

(...shoots with a number of meterless cameras...)