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11-10-2013, 02:31 PM   #1
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pentax A3?

i have read good things in the past about the A3. i am just using it in a casual/amateur way.

i also recently bought a sun telenet model EE lens and am wondering about the easiest way to marry its 55mm threads to my 49mm threads. help

11-10-2013, 02:44 PM   #2
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There are 49mm to 55mm step up rings such as this one -> Amazon.com: Pro Optic Step-Up Adapter Ring 49mm Lens to 55mm Filter Size: Camera & Photo
11-21-2013, 07:48 PM   #3
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Slow reply, but it's the film photography section, we're used to slow :P


The A3 is a nice camera to use, but doesn't really have any stand out points over many of the other Pentax bodies.

It's main standout is the motorwind being built in, and powered by easy to obtain AA batteries.

It does aperture priority and full auto (manual focus though), but no manual shutter speed.



Overall, it's a good camera, but not a standout. Grab one if it's cheap.
11-23-2013, 06:21 PM   #4
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thanks for that. I knew it wasn't a great camera from the start, only about US$20 off the NZ version of eBay.
i was used to working with a fully manual old spotmatic, and hope to get another one soon.

any suggestions for film types for the A3? or should an everyday sun/flash film do the job

11-24-2013, 11:35 PM   #5
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35mm film cameras are really all much the same when it comes to what film to use, remember that the body does very little in a film camera (assuming the shutter speeds are all correct, and the metering if used is reading correctly)

I pretty much exclusively use daylight balanced negative film in my cameras, and find it works well for my uses.



As for the spotmatic, also remember that the SP500 and SP1000 were bsaically the same camera as the spotmatic, but being newer and less known, they are often both cheaper and better condition.

There's also the K1000 which is basically a K mount version (well, close enough anyway)
11-25-2013, 09:54 AM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by hks_kansei Quote
As for the spotmatic, also remember that the SP500 and SP1000 were bsaically the same camera as the spotmatic, but being newer and less known, they are often both cheaper and better condition.
SP 500 = SPII minus self-timer, hot shoe, and 1/1000s shutter speed

SP1000 = SPII minus self-timer and hot shoe

As with almost all vintage camera gear, condition is usually a factor of the care given by previous owners, not the age of the gear. In some ways 40+ years new-in-box is worse that 50 years of careful use with regular maintenance.


Steve
11-27-2013, 01:17 PM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by hks_kansei Quote
Slow reply, but it's the film photography section, we're used to slow :P


The A3 is a nice camera to use, but doesn't really have any stand out points over many of the other Pentax bodies.

It's main standout is the motorwind being built in, and powered by easy to obtain AA batteries.

It does aperture priority and full auto (manual focus though), but no manual shutter speed.



Overall, it's a good camera, but not a standout. Grab one if it's cheap.
I have one, though it's out of commission - the motorwind seems broken. Also needs CLA, so it's probably not worth fixing... but one thing about the camera that I did find a standout compared to other bodies, is how nicely it handled in my hands. The motorwind turns it into a wider camera, which makes it a pleasure to hold. If I find one that has been CLA'd and is in excellent working condition I might buy it for that reason alone. The K1000 I had, and the ZX-M I currently own, don't handle nearly as nice. Of course that's subjective but I haven't had a film camera in my hands that has felt as nice - though the only ones I've held have been Pentax, Minolta, Olympus and Kodak...

11-28-2013, 11:32 AM   #8
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I have an A3. I use it mainly for b&w, in that respect it is wonderful! It's been a very reliable and functional tool.
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