[tonyzoc]

How about an ME-F. It's basically a ME Super with focus assist. It will beep when you're in focus. It also has a split image focus screen. And if you find the 35-70 zoom made for it you have auto-focus. It has Aperture priority mode or full manual control with speeds up to 1/2000th. LEDs on the left side are hard to see with glasses but I usually shift the camera to see them, then recenter for composing and shooting.

[Papa_Joe]

Ricoh XR1?

I did not know that one. But it has no DOF-preview, does it?

EDIT: Seems to have one. Nice camera.

[pres589]

I did not know that one. But it has no DOF-preview, does it?

EDIT: Seems to have one. Nice camera.

I carry the follow-on model, the XR7, quite often. It adds a few features over the XR1 but they're largely similar. The XR1 has the needle light meter display that you're asking for so I suggested that one. I like the XR7 quite a bit. The only issue I've had with it really is that the meter in mine seems a bit optimistic about how much light it is getting in low light situations leading to underexposed shots. Dance club or dusk & darker situations I use my own judgement and try to get as much light as I can to the film and don't use the automatic exposure function.


This may be endemic with these sorts of cameras? I kind of want to compare a few cameras now to see which one does best with this...

[Astro-Baby]

Should have suggested a Chinon CE5, that would allow you to use Pentax lenses, has a DoF, aperture priority auto, Seiko electronic shutter with speeds up to 2000th, VF is very bright and LED display is easy to read, smooth wind on, not much to dislike apart from its a bit plastic but it gets the job done.

[pres589]

Should have suggested a Chinon CE5, that would allow you to use Pentax lenses, has a DoF, aperture priority auto, Seiko electronic shutter with speeds up to 2000th, VF is very bright and LED display is easy to read, smooth wind on, not much to dislike apart from its a bit plastic but it gets the job done.

The Chinon CE-4, -4s, and -5 all seem like great cameras but they do not have a match needle or similar light meter display. OP specifically called out LED's as not his thing. There's also something about the CE-5 that makes its plastic top deck more fragile which I think is down to the AF lens contacts which the others do not have. My CE-5 became a parts donor after it was in a bag that fell on the floor which further cracked the top deck and rendered the camera basically inoperative. The other issue with them is how they are not easily serviced.

And yet I like them so much that when I recently went camera shopping, I ended up buying a CE-4 for a song. I also have the CE-5 donor and a Revue AC 3 which is a rebadged CE-4s with a funny rewind knob. The Revue is especially nice looking. All of them have nice feeling controls and are nice to shoot with (the CE-4 is still in dry dock getting some cleaning and new seals before it sees action).

[Astro-Baby]

Yeah I knew about the OPs match needle thing but he said his eyeballs were having trouble seeing the MX LEDs, I have the same problem but found the CE5 a bit easier to cope with.

I liked mine but sold it on recently as it didnt really fit with my collection. It was a nice camera though, god knows why Chinon put such a duff plastic into its top and bottom plates.

[Autonerd]

I would second the Ricohs. KR-10 has a match-needle meter like the KX, split-image focus (diagonally arranged, which is super sensible), and an automatic exposure mode as a bonus. The KR-10 does not have a DOF preview, however some of the XR models might. And they take all of your Pentax lenses. I have two Ricohs (KR-10 and a Sears-branded KR-10 Super) and am very pleased with them. And they are dirt cheap. A little less refined than other cameras but very good.

I would suggest avoiding the Ricoh models that have the big rectangular button to the left of the lens (as you face the camera). Those have an LCD meter that is hard to read even with good eyes.

KX remains my favorite Pentax but no split-ring. Well, it might be tied with the ME Super but I don't think the meter in that camera will do what you want.

Aaron