[raymeedc]

Best purchase ever. Downside is I need to send it to Mark Hama to get the shutter to work properly, and I'm having a dickens of a time finding a proper battery.

Availability of batteries for the Spotmatic is better than other cameras of the era because the Asahi engineers built in a bridge circuit in the metering which makes it battery voltage independent. This means you can use the original 1.35 mercury PX400 battery, or a 1.5V silver-oxide replacement without problems. An exact fit PX400S is available, or you can use a #392 cell with a small rubber-O ring (purchasable at any fine home repair center or DIY store) as a spacer. I believe a #397 also fits as well.

[frank]

I'm using the #392 battery in my SP w/o any problem. The battery looks too small for the battery chamber, but it just works w/o any add-on

[jgredline]

Well, since this thread had been brought back from the dead, I have since changed my mind. My favorites are my ME SUPERS as they are simply the best SLR's ever made...Let the lynching continue.

[monochrome]

The KX is sublime.

Chris

Yeah, I like my LX. But I really like my KX...

Chris

So I had my new-to-me K2 DMD and 24/2.8 out two weekends ago and I thought, "OK. this is a KX on steroids. I like it."

Then as I was changing the shutter speed while looking through the VF I accidentally locked it into Automatic.

Up goes the needle and instantly my involvement with the camera was diminished by half. I mean, its just Y2, slow aperture and composition - no meter!!

I like the SP-F; I LIKE the K2 DMD - just a buzz to shoot with all those whistles and bells - but i really like my KX.

Now I just have to finish the 36.

[gofour3]

KX for me!

[Blue]

Favorite M42:

Spot F, SV, S2, S3, K, S, 1957, SL

K-mount in order

K2, SuperProgram, MX, KX, k1000, Chinon CP-7m

Non-Pentax Film

Mamiya NC1000, Canon EOS 10s

MF

Pentax 6x7 mlu & Mamiya C3 TLR

Miniature SLR

Pentax Auto 110

[KungPOW]

Fav M42 : Dads old Spotmatic

K-mounts: LX, MEsuper, KX, K1000, PZ-1p

Non-Pentax Film: Olympus XA, Canon EOS-1N (ok these two swap places depending on mood), Yashica GSN, Canonet 17 QLiii

MF: I almost bought a Holga.... (deep shame...)

No Mini SLR in my gear. yet.

[jgredline]

Miniature SLR

Pentax Auto 110

Funny you mention this. I have had an eye on a couple on ebay. Just don't know what to do about film and processing. I figure it would make a great street shooting set up because it is small and the lenses are perfect, especially that 24mm lens I see for this.

[KungPOW]

Javier,

Same here. The 110 is such a neat camera, but where to get film? I expect I could develope it myself.

Blue,

Where do you get your film?

[mickeyobe]

"If you could only own one Film SLR, what would it be? "

At the risk of being lynched - there are other non Pentax camers that should be considered.

My favourites are:

1. Exakta VX IIa. Bought about 1953 and used until 1985 when I bought a

2. Canon T90 which I used until I went Digital (Pentax K100d) a couple of years ago.

Both cameras are still going strong. Will my K100d still be operative in 24 years or in 56 years?

Mickey

[eSFotos]

My very first camera was Pentax ME.
I enjoy taking photos with my Spotmatic + CZJ lenses.
My latest acquisition is ME Super and I like it very much.
But ...
My old time fav film camera is ... Nikon F3 ...

[unixrevolution]

Funny you mention this. I have had an eye on a couple on ebay. Just don't know what to do about film and processing. I figure it would make a great street shooting set up because it is small and the lenses are perfect, especially that 24mm lens I see for this.

I, myself, have an Auto 110 with 3 lenses, and I must say it takes very good photos, especially considering the size of the negatives.

You used to be able to get film at Wal-Mart...but I think they stopped carrying it very recently (last 2 months or so. They may still have some left.)

You can also buy it online, but I have enough of a stockpile from Wal-Mart clearance sales that I haven't had to yet.

Development, also Wal-Mart. You can get it processed and printed for under $5. They send it off to Fuji for processing.

My opinion on the film cameras though:

Of the very few film SLRs I've played with, the ME Super is my favorite.

EDIT: Please note for the Auto 110 that it's not the best of friends with bright sunlight. It's got maximum settings of f/13.5 and 1/750s.

[Nesster]

14 months down the road... an update. seems like a better question would be what's your least favorite Pentax film body... as all of them have at least some redeeming value...

In all formats, I have to like my 1938 Bessa 66 with the uncoated Skopar best. This could be supplanted by a '33 Rollfilmkamera if I manage to sort out some lens issues... these are real cameras, where the operator has to pay attention to everything, and where the engineering is sublime.

My love for the cameras from a year ago has cooled a bit - the Certo's lens isn't fantastic, the ST605 is still a good one, but I can't see the meter needle well when stopped down.

The Spotmatics continue as favorites - the design and engineering are exellent. ES-II has some cool features, and the Program Plus has its points as well. I wouldn't want to not own any of these.

But, in the end, currently I'd have to put myself in the KX camp as well. There's just so much right about this camera, the metering feedback is so well designed, and the viewfinder though not the largest or brightest just snaps into focus.

[Mike Cash]

Fortunately the premise of the original question put forth is somewhat flawed. If financial circumstances dictated selling off some gear, then of course the K20D would be the first to go. It is a wonderful piece of gear, but being an electronic wonder it is damned hard to feel any love for the thing. My film gear was all picked up for so little money, and consequently would generate so little if sold, that by no means would I ever be forced into the choice of keeping only one of them. I could more easily slow down my shooting to fit a reduced film developing budget than I could force myself to part with any of them.

[chalion]

If I was FORCED to only 1 film camera, i'd have to keep my PracktiFlex FM I found after my father died (long time ago now). It still works like a champ and accepts m42 screw mount lenses. It's also my oldest camera, as my father had bought it while stationed in Alaska.

Thankfully, I'm not forced to just 1 camera.

PracktiFlex FM
Spotomatic 1000
ME
ME Black
ZX-7