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09-06-2012, 05:44 PM   #1
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Antique Store Pentax MG vs Flea Market Film

While shopping at an antique store a couple weeks ago I came across a clean Pentax MG with a mint condition Pentax A 50mm F1.7 and a couple other do-dads and trinkets all for the price of $45. I tested out the body with some even cheaper film from a flea market that I got for ~$0.25...age unknown ISO400 Fuji or Walmart film.

The good (A50/1.7@F1.7):
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(with a little fixin')
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The bad (M135/3.5w/fungus@~F8+light leak):
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The ugly (not sure on the stats of this one...maybe Gemini 28/2.8@F11+flash+bigger light leak)
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I think I'll have a good camera once I fix the light leaks. The A50/1.7 is awesome on my KX DSLR.

09-06-2012, 05:50 PM   #2
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The A50/1.7 was worth the price of admission. Good find.
09-06-2012, 07:27 PM   #3
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Congratulations, nice photos with the tech challenges. I agree, you'll be fine with help. Amazing really...
09-09-2012, 02:48 PM   #4
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I've got the Pentax MG and it's an odd camera, it has many good points but no manual mode. But in it's aperture priority mode I've always found it accurate and very quick and easy to use. In many ways it should have been a huge success but the opposition were selling cameras with aperture priority and manual.

09-09-2012, 04:33 PM   #5
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As I recall it was in quick succession ME > MV > MG (1981) and all were "Auto shutter" with +/- exp comp dial.
In Australia in 1980 the ME was $269.90 with the f1:2 50 mm and the new ME Super, which had full manual shutter control by little raise/lower buttons was $359.90 with the f1:2 50 mm.
They got a good premium for ME super's manual control, as the "all electronic" buttons were talked up at the time.
We held the ME Super to the eye with a finger on each button like a claw grip and photos of that holding method were not in the manual!
Anyway Pentax later went back to the conventional manual wheel (P30T MZ-5 etc)
Correct me if wrong, -it was not really possible to adjust shutter speed thru VF after the ME super... until the e-wheel.
I just tried on MX- very difficult. On Rikoh KR-5 -impossible
09-10-2012, 12:42 AM   #6
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Are the light seals completely disintegrated?
You'll have a nice set once it's up and running.
09-10-2012, 12:04 PM   #7
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I had to put new light seals in mine, they were a really sticky mess.

And don't forget, you can gain some control over the shutter speed by using the ISO / film speed dial

09-10-2012, 08:31 PM   #8
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The seals actually look pretty good, but looking more closely, the rear cover may be over-so-slightly bent. The fit isn't symmetrical if I look at how the rear cover protrudes from the body while closed from the bottom view of the camera....if that makes sense.
09-10-2012, 09:18 PM   #9
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The MG was the first Pentax camera I ever owned. It was a great camera and I think it's what is responsible for my over use of Aperture Priority still to this day. I think the A50mm 1.7 would have been worth the purchase price alone. Great find.
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