LX and Lenses in this year's box-o-stuff!!!

troika · 06-24-2021, 05:51 PM

Originally posted by LesDMess

You didn't say what eyepieces you got with it but most of the LX viewfinders have a diopter adjustment . . . hopefully it's just an adjustment . . .

You can contact Eric at https://pentaxs.com/

Thanks for the link on Eric.

The eyepiece is eye level one (FA-1). It came with a spare on, but one of them was pretty trashed.

I focused on something with the split circle thingy, the adjusted the diapter until the image was clear to my eye. Is that the right process?

It's dusty. The local camera guy said the speeds were off a bit and some of my shots were blown out. I've had Eric service things before, he certainly does a nice job. I'll reach out to him and see what he has to say.

LesDMess · 06-24-2021, 06:12 PM

You pull the vf out enough to put a tiny screwdiver to adjust focus on the prism such as the shutter speed numbers- no lens.

**aslyfox** · 06-24-2021, 06:35 PM

According to the OEM paper instructions, diopter range is adjusted by

Quote:

1 finder release lever is moved counter-clockwise

2 gently slide finder away from the body until the diopter adjustment screw is visible [ photo indicates it is on the underside of the finder ]

3 with finder in this position, point camera toward light colored surface or wall

4 use the tool provided with Finder [ which I don't have ] turn screw until border lines of the center lines come in sharp and crisp

5 remove tool and push finder into position

Phyllis · 06-24-2021, 07:35 PM

[/COLOR]

Originally posted by troika

There are advantages to "being the guy who shoots Pentax". This is the 2nd time in the last few years that a friend has said "hey, I've got an old Pentax film camera and some lenses in a box, do you want it?"

This time it's an LX with 2 eye pieces! It seems to be in great shape, but a bit dusty. Shutter seems crisp, the battery is still good.

The lenses are also dusty, but I don't immediately see anything that makes me think of fungus.

There is a Tokina AT-X 28-70/2.8 AF, which I didn't have and it fills a nice little spot for me.
There is also an intriguing Spiratone 18mm prime in there. The widest I currently have for film is 35mm, so that's a nice jump.
And an older Tamron 90mm Macro that I probably won't keep, because I've kind of settled on my macro(s).

There is an M 50/2 and a few unremarkable zooms which I'm happy about because I have been wanting to gift a body from the last box to a friend, but I didn't have a lens for him. Now I can put a nice kit in his hand next time I see him.

But the LX is MINE! I'm going to clean it up, skim the manual and put a couple of rolls through it right away. When I get it cleaned up, I'll post a few pictures of it here.

This should help with my patience on the K3iii. :-)

Congrats on the box. I may be interested in Tamron 90mm macro if you decide it’s worthy to sell. PM me if you decide to let it go please.

Last edited by Phyllis; 06-24-2021 at 07:44 PM. Reason: Multiple posts of same comment

troika · 06-25-2021, 09:35 AM

Eric has a list of camera that he can service on his site and the LX is not listed. I emailed and he replied that he could not get parts for them, so I'm just going to have to clean it and use it.

andrewd · 06-25-2021, 02:06 PM

Harrow technical has a nice list of potential faults on their web site.
Pentax Camera Repair Specialists - Typical Faults - Harrow Technical

I think ‘Viewfinder infinity focus inaccurate caused by worn or missing mirror rubber’ could be the cause of your focus problems.

Robin still has the seal kits needed to service LX’s. The seals need to be replaced every time the camera is opened up. He has many spare parts, but not all. He is based in the UK so it would work out quite expensive after shipping both ways to USA.

**aslyfox** · 06-25-2021, 02:32 PM

this might be of interest

https://learncamerarepair.com/downloads/pdf/pentax-lx-service-manual.pdf

Huss · 06-25-2021, 04:38 PM

Originally posted by aslyfox

this might be of interest

https://learncamerarepair.com/downloads/pdf/pentax-lx-service-manual.pdf

I think the OP is missing pieces off his camera, so he needs more than just the service manual.

**aslyfox** · 06-25-2021, 04:46 PM

Originally posted by Huss

I think the OP is missing pieces off his camera, so he needs more than just the service manual.

could be

but if the missing parts are found, the manual can show where they go

**pentaxus** · 06-27-2021, 04:38 PM

Pentax made the LX better than the F3. Still, people just weren't/aren't familiar with Pentax products. Everyone was sure the Nikons are better. A photog I knew had an LX and it fell off his motorcycle and needed repair. He was sure that an F3 wouldn't have broken. I'm pretty sure it would have but there was no convincing him. I will take an LX any day.

andrewd · 06-28-2021, 02:32 AM - **1 Like**

With current used prices it is possible to own all of the dream pro SLRs of the era. I own the F3, LX and New F1 amongst others. They are all awesome.

I don’t think the design brief for any of these cameras included the ability to withstand a fall from height on to a hard surface. Instead I think the focus was more on the ability of the internal mechanisms and electronics boards to withstand temperature extremes, vibration, dust and moisture over many years with hundreds of thousands of exposure cycles at high speed.

I think the test of time has been kinder to the F3 than the LX. The F3 electronics circuits and mechanical components have been proven to be extremely durable, whereas Pentax made poor materials choices in the mirror damping system, and the electronics circuits are less reliable than the F3. I think the camera with the highest chance of surviving a fall from height would be the new F1, but it pays the penalty by having the highest weight. The extra weight of this camera also helps with mirror/shutter damping where I think it is best in class.

The LX is still one of my favourite cameras, but I don’t think it is a fair assessment to call it more reliable than its peers.

LesDMess · 06-28-2021, 04:53 AM

Originally posted by andrewd

The LX is still one of my favourite cameras, but I don’t think it is a fair assessment to call it more reliable than its peers.

With regards to reliability, we probably have anecdotal evidence that provide personal opinions one way or the other. Short of a full teardown and full environmental reliability testing, it is all opinion to claim one over the other in this respect.

Back in the day, they used to do full stripdowns as in this - Olympus OM-4 Lab Report

troika · 06-28-2021, 07:20 AM

I'm probably going to clean it as best I can, maybe play with the diapter a bit and then just use it in A node now and again. It's a nice camera, but there was nothing about my MX that I was trying to improve upon.

Huss · 06-28-2021, 05:29 PM

Originally posted by LesDMess

With regards to reliability, we probably have anecdotal evidence that provide personal opinions one way or the other. Short of a full teardown and full environmental reliability testing, it is all opinion to claim one over the other in this respect.

Back in the day, they used to do full stripdowns as in this - Olympus OM-4 Lab Report

Hmm. After I sell my beautiful tartan LX I'll give my opinion. Until then I can equivocally state that the Pentax LX is the best, most reliable and frankly the most beautiful camera known to human kind. To own one is to be a better person.

troika · 06-28-2021, 05:38 PM

Originally posted by Huss

Hmm. After I sell my beautiful tartan LX I'll give my opinion. Until then I can equivocally state that the Pentax LX is the best, most reliable and frankly the most beautiful camera known to human kind. To own one is to be a better person.

I'm pretty sure that I'm exactly the same person I was before this LX came into my life, but I am happy that I have it.

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06-24-2021, 05:51 PM	#31
troika Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Seattle, WA USA Posts: 1,753 Original Poster	Originally posted by LesDMess You didn't say what eyepieces you got with it but most of the LX viewfinders have a diopter adjustment . . . hopefully it's just an adjustment . . . You can contact Eric at https://pentaxs.com/ Thanks for the link on Eric. The eyepiece is eye level one (FA-1). It came with a spare on, but one of them was pretty trashed. I focused on something with the split circle thingy, the adjusted the diapter until the image was clear to my eye. Is that the right process? It's dusty. The local camera guy said the speeds were off a bit and some of my shots were blown out. I've had Eric service things before, he certainly does a nice job. I'll reach out to him and see what he has to say.

06-24-2021, 06:12 PM	#32
LesDMess Pentaxian Join Date: May 2011 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,235	You pull the vf out enough to put a tiny screwdiver to adjust focus on the prism such as the shutter speed numbers- no lens.

06-24-2021, 06:35 PM	#33
aslyfox Seeker of Knowledge Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Topeka, Kansas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 24,581	According to the OEM paper instructions, diopter range is adjusted by Quote: 1 finder release lever is moved counter-clockwise 2 gently slide finder away from the body until the diopter adjustment screw is visible [ photo indicates it is on the underside of the finder ] 3 with finder in this position, point camera toward light colored surface or wall 4 use the tool provided with Finder [ which I don't have ] turn screw until border lines of the center lines come in sharp and crisp 5 remove tool and push finder into position

06-24-2021, 07:35 PM	#34
Phyllis Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Tennessee Photos: Albums Posts: 181	[/COLOR] Originally posted by troika There are advantages to "being the guy who shoots Pentax". This is the 2nd time in the last few years that a friend has said "hey, I've got an old Pentax film camera and some lenses in a box, do you want it?" This time it's an LX with 2 eye pieces! It seems to be in great shape, but a bit dusty. Shutter seems crisp, the battery is still good. The lenses are also dusty, but I don't immediately see anything that makes me think of fungus. There is a Tokina AT-X 28-70/2.8 AF, which I didn't have and it fills a nice little spot for me. There is also an intriguing Spiratone 18mm prime in there. The widest I currently have for film is 35mm, so that's a nice jump. And an older Tamron 90mm Macro that I probably won't keep, because I've kind of settled on my macro(s). There is an M 50/2 and a few unremarkable zooms which I'm happy about because I have been wanting to gift a body from the last box to a friend, but I didn't have a lens for him. Now I can put a nice kit in his hand next time I see him. But the LX is MINE! I'm going to clean it up, skim the manual and put a couple of rolls through it right away. When I get it cleaned up, I'll post a few pictures of it here. This should help with my patience on the K3iii. :-) Congrats on the box. I may be interested in Tamron 90mm macro if you decide it’s worthy to sell. PM me if you decide to let it go please. Last edited by Phyllis; 06-24-2021 at 07:44 PM. Reason: Multiple posts of same comment

06-25-2021, 09:35 AM	#35
troika Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Seattle, WA USA Posts: 1,753 Original Poster	Eric has a list of camera that he can service on his site and the LX is not listed. I emailed and he replied that he could not get parts for them, so I'm just going to have to clean it and use it.

06-25-2021, 02:06 PM	#36
andrewd Senior Member Join Date: May 2021 Posts: 238	Harrow technical has a nice list of potential faults on their web site. Pentax Camera Repair Specialists - Typical Faults - Harrow Technical I think ‘Viewfinder infinity focus inaccurate caused by worn or missing mirror rubber’ could be the cause of your focus problems. Robin still has the seal kits needed to service LX’s. The seals need to be replaced every time the camera is opened up. He has many spare parts, but not all. He is based in the UK so it would work out quite expensive after shipping both ways to USA.

06-25-2021, 02:32 PM	#37
aslyfox Seeker of Knowledge Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Topeka, Kansas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 24,581	this might be of interest https://learncamerarepair.com/downloads/pdf/pentax-lx-service-manual.pdf

06-25-2021, 04:38 PM	#38
Huss Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Posts: 629	Originally posted by aslyfox this might be of interest https://learncamerarepair.com/downloads/pdf/pentax-lx-service-manual.pdf I think the OP is missing pieces off his camera, so he needs more than just the service manual.

06-25-2021, 04:46 PM	#39
aslyfox Seeker of Knowledge Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Topeka, Kansas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 24,581	Originally posted by Huss I think the OP is missing pieces off his camera, so he needs more than just the service manual. could be but if the missing parts are found, the manual can show where they go

06-27-2021, 04:38 PM	#40
pentaxus Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Central Coast, CA Posts: 1,313	Pentax made the LX better than the F3. Still, people just weren't/aren't familiar with Pentax products. Everyone was sure the Nikons are better. A photog I knew had an LX and it fell off his motorcycle and needed repair. He was sure that an F3 wouldn't have broken. I'm pretty sure it would have but there was no convincing him. I will take an LX any day.

06-28-2021, 02:32 AM - 1 Like	#41
andrewd Senior Member Join Date: May 2021 Posts: 238	With current used prices it is possible to own all of the dream pro SLRs of the era. I own the F3, LX and New F1 amongst others. They are all awesome. I don’t think the design brief for any of these cameras included the ability to withstand a fall from height on to a hard surface. Instead I think the focus was more on the ability of the internal mechanisms and electronics boards to withstand temperature extremes, vibration, dust and moisture over many years with hundreds of thousands of exposure cycles at high speed. I think the test of time has been kinder to the F3 than the LX. The F3 electronics circuits and mechanical components have been proven to be extremely durable, whereas Pentax made poor materials choices in the mirror damping system, and the electronics circuits are less reliable than the F3. I think the camera with the highest chance of surviving a fall from height would be the new F1, but it pays the penalty by having the highest weight. The extra weight of this camera also helps with mirror/shutter damping where I think it is best in class. The LX is still one of my favourite cameras, but I don’t think it is a fair assessment to call it more reliable than its peers.

06-28-2021, 04:53 AM	#42
LesDMess Pentaxian Join Date: May 2011 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,235	Originally posted by andrewd The LX is still one of my favourite cameras, but I don’t think it is a fair assessment to call it more reliable than its peers. With regards to reliability, we probably have anecdotal evidence that provide personal opinions one way or the other. Short of a full teardown and full environmental reliability testing, it is all opinion to claim one over the other in this respect. Back in the day, they used to do full stripdowns as in this - Olympus OM-4 Lab Report

06-28-2021, 07:20 AM	#43
troika Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Seattle, WA USA Posts: 1,753 Original Poster	I'm probably going to clean it as best I can, maybe play with the diapter a bit and then just use it in A node now and again. It's a nice camera, but there was nothing about my MX that I was trying to improve upon.

06-28-2021, 05:29 PM	#44
Huss Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Posts: 629	Originally posted by LesDMess With regards to reliability, we probably have anecdotal evidence that provide personal opinions one way or the other. Short of a full teardown and full environmental reliability testing, it is all opinion to claim one over the other in this respect. Back in the day, they used to do full stripdowns as in this - Olympus OM-4 Lab Report Hmm. After I sell my beautiful tartan LX I'll give my opinion. Until then I can equivocally state that the Pentax LX is the best, most reliable and frankly the most beautiful camera known to human kind. To own one is to be a better person.

06-28-2021, 05:38 PM	#45
troika Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Seattle, WA USA Posts: 1,753 Original Poster	Originally posted by Huss Hmm. After I sell my beautiful tartan LX I'll give my opinion. Until then I can equivocally state that the Pentax LX is the best, most reliable and frankly the most beautiful camera known to human kind. To own one is to be a better person. I'm pretty sure that I'm exactly the same person I was before this LX came into my life, but I am happy that I have it.