[Jimfear]

Yes I was out walking, taking night shots and testing the cameras functions. Quite chilly evening with a little below zero degrees and lot of wind.

First I have to say that I was amazed by the build quality, I was expecting it to be like the KX or MX (which both are very good) but this thing took me by surprise. Every moving part moves smoothly and nothing sits loose.

I can't say I fully understand the LX yet. It does things I that I don't expect it to do...

From what I have understood it should not take any longer exposures than 125 s. in auto mode... but still it does... can anyone that has been using this camera explain this?

It also (from what I have calculated) overexposes a little, but that remains to be seen when the roll comes back from processing. Any ideas on why it would do this?

Here's a picture of the beauty itself for all you drooling camera addicts

Attached Images

 

[Canada_Rockies]

When you say only 125s - are you thinking of 1/125? The LX will autoexpose to 2 minutes or so. In manual mode, you are restricted to bulb and 1/60 and up, if I remember correctly.

[Jimfear]

When you say only 125s - are you thinking of 1/125? The LX will autoexpose to 2 minutes or so. In manual mode, you are restricted to bulb and 1/60 and up, if I remember correctly.

No I meant 125 seconds, that is as you say around 2 minutes. I timed some exposures to get an idea if it was exposing right and the longest one of them was a little over 5 minutes, in auto mode. I've read somewhere that it will expose for longer than 125 seconds in auto, don't know for how long though.

I manual mode you have all times on the shutter dial but without batteries only bulb and 1/60 up are functional.

[Magnus W]

No I meant 125 seconds, that is as you say around 2 minutes. I timed some exposures to get an idea if it was exposing right and the longest one of them was a little over 5 minutes, in auto mode. I've read somewhere that it will expose for longer than 125 seconds in auto, don't know for how long though.

I manual mode you have all times on the shutter dial but without batteries only bulb and 1/60 up are functional.

That's right. I've had exposures around 5 minutes also, and I recall someone who had a 22 minute exposure. It seems like "125 seconds" is a very conservative statement.

And the LX is a sweet, sweet piece of equipment.

-- MW

[Jimfear]

That's right. I've had exposures around 5 minutes also, and I recall someone who had a 22 minute exposure. It seems like "125 seconds" is a very conservative statement.

And the LX is a sweet, sweet piece of equipment.

-- MW

I wonder when the batteries deplete when taking very long exposures in auto, the light meter is on all the time if I have got this right. And there's a little red led in the viewfinder that is blinking the whole time.

Speaking of blinking, are the led’s in the viewfinder supposed to blink all the time? On my MX they light and keep lit, but on the LX they blink like crazy. Is there something strange going on with this one or do all LX's do this?

[baldeagle21b]

If it's the shutter speed LED flickering it is an indication that your battery is weak. You can download a scanned copy of the LX manual from Pentax Imaging - Home in the customer support section.

[Jimfear]

If it's the shutter speed LED flickering it is an indication that your battery is weak. You can download a scanned copy of the LX manual from Pentax Imaging - Home in the customer support section.

Oh... that's new to me... must put in a couple of new batteries... does low battery effect shooting in any way or is it just to tell you that you should change batteries?

I have read some in the manual but must have missed that...

Thanks for the info

[baldeagle21b]

Refer to pages 8-9 of the manual, they tell you what you need to know. Manual says that exposure is controlled mechanically from 1/2000 to X and electronically at 1/60 and longer, so it seems that low battery could affect longer exposure times. I need to get out more often with my own LX to get more experience with it.

[GaryML]

Refer to pages 8-9 of the manual, they tell you what you need to know. Manual says that exposure is controlled mechanically from 1/2000 to X and electronically at 1/60 and longer, so it seems that low battery could affect longer exposure times. I need to get out more often with my own LX to get more experience with it.

Faster shutter speeds are mechanically timed in manual mode ONLY. In aperture priority, all shutter speeds are electronically controlled and are infinitely variable in between reported speeds.

To the O.P.: Yes, I have had exposure times in aperture priority in the range of 4 or 5 minutes. The 125 second refers to the low light meter sensitivity with a 50mm f1.2 lens and ASA 100, as I recall. With smaller apertures you can meter longer exposure times. Watch out for reciprocity failure with long exposure times! Know your specific film and how much compensation is required.

The batteries last a long time. Silver oxide are preferred to alkaline. The meter and shutter electronics draw very little power as there are no motors to power, no AF, etc. The LEDs should only flash with TTL flash confirmation and out of range metering, so I would put in new batteries and clean the contacts in the battery compartment if you're getting flashing LEDs in normal use.

[Jimfear]

New batteries are in place and no flashing led's.

I must go out (third night in a row) and check if the new batteries change the long exposure times in auto. A couple of times the previous nights the exposure has gone so much off from what it should be that I have had to end the exposure manually. One time I stopped exposing when the time was getting to 2 steps overexposed to the time I had calculated. I have done a fair amount of night photography and usually get it quite right, I don't think I could have calculated that wrong. But other times it comes quite close to my calculations, but it is always overexposing compared to the time I would choose.

[baldeagle21b]

Faster shutter speeds are mechanically timed in manual mode ONLY. In aperture priority, all shutter speeds are electronically controlled and are infinitely variable in between reported speeds.

Thanks for the clarification. I don't think the description in the manual is clear enough on this point.

[Jimfear]

The roll is back and I managed to get them digital, with the help of a white wall and a point and shoot digital. As a result quality is not too good, but good enough for me.

But the LX itself did good, this was taken in auto mode. Somewhere around 4 minutes exposure and it came out nice. Many photos where, as I thougt, overexposed. When times went above 5 minutes in auto it seems the camera can't handle it anymore, not that I can complain, that's guite astonishing.

I will post another picture when it's gone through the straightening in PS.

[Barbecueboy]

Hi,

Great picture, like the color.

I just got me an LX, only it has all the problems I was hoping to avoid.
Sticky mirror, desintegrated rubbers and smudges on the ground glass.
Probably repairs will set me back as much as the selling price, but I got it at last.
Also the guy threw in a smc 135mm f2.5(I didn't even know it existed), a smc 70-200mm and a Rolleicord TLR.

[Jimfear]

Thanks!

Don't usually do macro (don't even know if you can call that macro) work but that seemed as an interesting subject.

Well turns out mine had a couple of faults as well. Getting that much stuff "thrown in" sounds great. I would be especially happy about the Rolleicord TLR, TLRs are fun, but hard to use. At least my old Lubitel is almost imossible to focus with. Viewfinder is dark as a night in december and has no microprism or splitscreen. But nice pictures comes out of it even though the lens has a big crack.