[murrelet]

I recently acquired a pretty good copy of the Pentax MX Achieve the Impossible brochure. Here are downsized scans of the brochure. Here's a link to full sized PDFs.

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[LesDMess]

Thanks

[kb244]

:P I need to find one of these physically to go with my MX I currently use.

I wonder if they ever published ads in those larger 11x14 magazines...

PS: Thanks for the PDF option, I see that's where the meter coverage graph came from.

I've always wanted to try the Data backs that could record shutter aperture etc on the corner for more Technical assignments/etc.

Edit

Ok, that explains a lot. Apparently GPD meter is completely insensitive to infrared light, so popping on an R72 would show -2 Red LED always regardless of the exposure. I wonder how I would meter for it then (I can't remember how many stops an R72 might be... though it is kind of tricky seeing as it's not in the visual spectrum).

[pathdoc]

More cruelty for the GAS sufferer!

(Actually the various screens are sort of tempting.)

[tlong423]

I recently acquired a pretty good copy of the Pentax MX Achieve the Impossible brochure. Here are downsized scans of the brochure. Here's a link to full sized PDFs.

Excellent! Thank you!

[asahi67]

I have that brochure in my collection of Pentax booklets, what gave me a giggle was the unprofessional shot of the girl on roller skates with the lamp post growing out of her head!

[monochrome]

Neat brochure. All those accessories - almost LX.

[ChrisPlatt]

Neat brochure. All those accessories - almost LX.

For awhile the MX was offered as the Pentax pro model camera.

I would love to try a (working) Motor Drive MX on my Pentax MX.
Of course the Winder MX is no slouch...

Chris

[leekil]

Ok, that explains a lot. Apparently GPD meter is completely insensitive to infrared light, so popping on an R72 would show -2 Red LED always regardless of the exposure. I wonder how I would meter for it then (I can't remember how many stops an R72 might be... though it is kind of tricky seeing as it's not in the visual spectrum).

The brochure talks up the superiority of the gallium diode over the silicon one -- the LX has the silicon diode.

[kb244]

The brochure talks up the superiority of the gallium diode over the silicon one -- the LX has the silicon diode.

Though the silicone meter in the LX is used differently from most cameras, it doesn't meter off the screen but rather reflectance off the grey shutter curtain. (though I'm not entirely certain what makes that better, and in what situations where it hurts. Seems like metering grey off the curtain might be more beneficial for a true averaging of the scene, versus one point of light overpowering the rest).

I have to admit though the blurbage does make me feel all warm and fuzzy about the MX especially touting about it's resistance to climate conditions lol.

[beachgardener]

cheers thanks mate

[pathdoc]

Though the silicone meter in the LX is used differently from most cameras, it doesn't meter off the screen but rather reflectance off the grey shutter curtain. (though I'm not entirely certain what makes that better, and in what situations where it hurts. Seems like metering grey off the curtain might be more beneficial for a true averaging of the scene, versus one point of light overpowering the rest).

I have to admit though the blurbage does make me feel all warm and fuzzy about the MX especially touting about it's resistance to climate conditions lol.

Remember that the thing the LX is famous (though IIRC not quite unique) for is its ability to take night exposures lasting forever (in automatic mode). Part of that was the fact that it did meter off the film - the mirror being up and acting as a natural eyepiece curtain certainly helps with that. The rest of it was the way the circuitry was arranged; why can we not duplicate this today? Now that we have direct light input to the actual recording medium (the sensor), it should easily be solvable in firmware.

Getting back to the LX's longer exposure capability, I reckon a slower-responding diode is probably better for that (in some abstruse way I do not understand).

[LesDMess]

Remember that the thing the LX is famous (though IIRC not quite unique) for is its ability to take night exposures lasting forever (in automatic mode). Part of that was the fact that it did meter off the film - the mirror being up and acting as a natural eyepiece curtain certainly helps with that. The rest of it was the way the circuitry was arranged; why can we not duplicate this today? Now that we have direct light input to the actual recording medium (the sensor), it should easily be solvable in firmware.

Getting back to the LX's longer exposure capability, I reckon a slower-responding diode is probably better for that (in some abstruse way I do not understand).

The LX is not the only camera with off the film metering. Canon and Minolta did research and filed patents for this but never released a product using it as far as I know. The Olympus was first to release a product using this metering system with the OM2 then with the OM4 which added spot metering. The Pentax LX was second to the OM2 and improved on the OM2's metering by having the ability to expose for as long as it takes - or batteries die, all the while monitoring the scene for changes in lighting and adjusting exposure time accordingly. To date, it is the only camera by any brand - past or present, that can do this. Both the OM2&4 react to changes in lighting of the scene but have considerably limited aperture priority autoexposure times compared to the LX. All other cameras meter at the time of shutter closure and have varying autoexposure times.

As far as digisensors are concerned, it is not only firmware that will address it. Having power for that long and keeping the sensor cool are just some problems. Even for short exposure times in the seconds, there are already some additional overhead in processing times - practically doubling the time to record. Likely there are other reasons but also is there a demand for it?

Regarding photodiode reaction time to light changes, the silicon and gallium types are essentially the same and considerably faster then the previous selenium and CDS types.

[pathdoc]

Thanks for clarifying that - I'd completely forgotten about the sensor cooling issue with digital SLRs. I'm pretty sure the LX had an external power option, so someone who KNEW they would be waiting hours for a result had the option of plugging into the mains, but the impromptu shooter who found such an opportunity was of course well advised to put in fresh batteries before pushing the shutter button on a shot like that!!

There possibly isn't a need for it today, especially since modern DSLRs can get results at 3200 or higher that film shooters operating with colour film at such ISO could only dream of. Million-ISO pics are currently garbage, but give it another few years and who knows what will be possible?

[btnapa]

Pentax MX

The first camera I ever bought with money saved from a summer job. It was stolen a few months after I got it. I miss my MX. One of these days, I am going to get one.

Thanks for sharing.