[brendans]

Hello,

I'm a really big fan of Cosina (Voigtlander) camera equipment. A few years ago I happened across a cheap used copy of their Voigtlander 58mm 1.4 in K-Mount. Most of the SLR Voigltander gear is in Canon EF but I didn't mind for this lens as this design was never in EF (design not conducive to electronic apertures I believe).

So I purchased a ZX-5n I found cheaply and it was all going great... Until the 5n died this week.

So I need a new K-Mount film body for for shooting a manual focus lens and I'm a bit lost. I'm hoping you all can help.

Here are my ideal requirements in order of most important to least:

• Really good viewfinder
• Spit prism screen or can be fitted with one
• Spot metering
• Shutter dial
• No obscure batteries (especially no mercury)
• Aperture Priority
• Shutter Priority
• Preferably manual focus and manual advance
• Program Mode

I kind of settled on the Voigtlander VSL 43 but they are very hard to find.

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance
BrendanS

[Eyewanders]

Hello,

I'm a really big fan of Cosina (Voigtlander) camera equipment. A few years ago I happened across a cheap used copy of their Voigtlander 58mm 1.4 in K-Mount. Most of the SLR Voigltander gear is in Canon EF but I didn't mind for this lens as this design was never in EF (design not conducive to electronic apertures I believe).

So I purchased a ZX-5n I found cheaply and it was all going great... Until the 5n died this week.

So I need a new K-Mount film body for for shooting a manual focus lens and I'm a bit lost. I'm hoping you all can help.

Here are my ideal requirements in order of most important to least:

• Really good viewfinder
• Spit prism screen or can be fitted with one
• Spot metering
• Shutter dial
• No obscure batteries (especially no mercury)
• Aperture Priority
• Shutter Priority
• Preferably manual focus and manual advance
• Program Mode

I kind of settled on the Voigtlander VSL 43 but they are very hard to find.

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance
BrendanS

You could skip the in-betweens and go straight to the MZ-S or Z1-P, the two most loved late-model Pentax SLR bodies by most account. It's largely a matter of handling preference between the two. I prefer the MZ-S but many prefer the other. Both are more than capable, better built than the other late model varieties, and they each check all your boxes... though not as bright of finders as earlier non-AF bodies. The Super Program would suit as well, manual focus only, older body.

---------- Post added 04-07-18 at 08:12 PM ----------

Incidentally, I was looking for that lens specifcally a couple years back but never found one, then lost interest (or rather my interest was diverted to some other shiny thing...) Beautiful piece of glass.

[twilhelm]

Sounds like you want an LX. Aperture priority, Shutter priority or Program mode. Manual focus with manual advance. And any and every type of focus screen you can dream of (and some you may not know existed).

But be aware, you can get sucked into the accessories available...

[Adam]

I'd say the Super Program- can't go wrong!

Adam
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[abruzzi]

There are a number that do aperture priority, but I believe the LX and the ME Super (two perennial favorites) don’t do shutter priority or program mode. The SuperProgram (also called the Super-A) can if your lens has an “a” setting on the aperture ring. I use a SuperProgram and love it. It is manual focus, I believe it has center weighted metering. It’s compact, and feels well built. The focusing screen works well and has a horizontal split screen surrounded by a micro prism ring. It does require a battery, but they’re easily available and last a while.

I’m sure if you jumped into the AF cameras there are a bunch that would satisfy your requirements, but some have build issues, and I don’t know them well.

[leekil]

I recommend the Super Program as well. It has the standard basic controls of the classic film SLRs, though the shutter speed is set with up/down buttons rather than a dial, if that is important to you. It does not have spot metering, but I don't think any Pentax manual-focus cameras with programmed exposure have that. There is also the MZ-M, which has a few more modern features, but it is also plastic (which could be a plus since it is lighter) and has auto film winding, not manual.

FYI, I believe that only the manual focus Pentax cameras come with a split-image focusing screen. It is possible that some autofocus cameras may be fitted with one, but those are third-party items and I'm not sure how available they are.

[nickthetasmaniac]

Sounds like you want an LX. Aperture priority, Shutter priority or Program mode..

LX does not have shutter priority or program mode. Also doesn't have spot metering (as per OP's requirements).

That said, it's a gem and would be wonderful with the fast 58mm

[Eyewanders]

LX does not have shutter priority or program mode. Also doesn't have spot metering (as per OP's requirements).

That said, it's a gem and would be wonderful with the fast 58mm

This is correct and why I didn't recommend it; the auto mode of the LX is aperture priority only. If the OP can live with that, it'd be my first recommendation because I've never had a 135 camera that I found easier to manually focus with. That viewfinder is a thing of ridiculous LX beauty.

[pentageek]

I recommend Super Program, even despite lack of spot metering. Its other drawbacks are very small external display and shutter speed buttons which are pretty hard to operate when wearing gloves. Other than that, it's fine camera, small and light (especially when paired with A 50 or F 28), very nice blend of classical SLR and relatively advanced electronics. It takes standard LR44 batteries, so you don't need any exotic adapters. Last, but not least, it costs much less than LX.

[Wasp]

As an LX owner and long time user, I can confirm that it a good viewfinder. Focusing screens are interchangeable. You can even change the viewfinder. However, it does not have a spot meter, shutter priority or program mode - aperture priority only. The other problem is that they are all pretty old now. Finding a good one might not be easy. As wonderful as the LX is, they are kinda notorious for breaking down in weird ways, being hard to maintain and having spare parts made from unobtanium...

As a former Super Program owner, I can recommend it. It doesn't have a shutter speed dial but adjusting it with the buttons was never a hardship. I used it as a second body with the LX. The only advantage of the LX is its ability to measure exposure using light reflected off the film while the exposure is made. Absolutely wonderful for low light landscapes but of little value otherwise. The Super Program (or Super A in some markets, what mine was actually) is a good choice - one of Asahi's best IMO.

[Skodadriver]

You could take a look at the Ricoh XR series cameras. What can you do without?
The XR-X had spot metering I believe but you could not manually advance the film.
It all depends on what compromises you might make.
Otherwise I have and like the Super Program so another vote there.

[twilhelm]

LX does not have shutter priority or program mode. Also doesn't have spot metering (as per OP's requirements).

That said, it's a gem and would be wonderful with the fast 58mm

That was my mistake. Of the 20 or so film bodies I have, it is my most used and favorite. Followed by my MZ-6, *ist, and then my ME.

[ChrisPlatt]

In my experience as some of those many automatic features listed
were added the quality and reliability of camera bodies declined.

In my opinion you should reconsider some of those requirements.
This will open up more choices of better quality camera models.

Chris

[johnha]

You could take a look at the Ricoh XR series cameras. What can you do without?
The XR-X had spot metering I believe but you could not manually advance the film.
It all depends on what compromises you might make.
Otherwise I have and like the Super Program so another vote there.

The XR-X is probably the only manual focus K mount body with spot-metering, it has Program & Shutter Priority - but only with lenses with the 'Ricoh pin' (often described as a PK/R mount or similar).

In my experience as some of those many automatic features listed
were added the quality and reliability of camera bodies declined.

In my opinion you should reconsider some of those requirements.
This will open up more choices of better quality camera models.

Chris

Exactly, you're going to have to pick a manual focus camera and drop the spot metering, or pick an AF camera and drop the split-image focussing and manual frame advance. Unfortunately the Pentax options all miss something from your list.

[brendans]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I gave up on the Tv and spot requirements and settled on the Pentax p30t