Originally posted by zx-m I have occasionally wondered about the previous owners of my camera equipment, and am always puzzled as to how one would want to give up such nice gear. I guess digital just has to be better. What a laugh.
A little while back I picked up a KX and ME Super and some lenses from a guy on Craigslist. Both bodies are well worn and the KX will be sent in for a CLA. I have run film through both and I love both for different reasons. The ME Super is smooth and everything works fine, it's meter is working right on. The flash isn't working on the KX's hot shoe and the mirror's foam is deteriorating but it is still taking nice pics. I love it's all mechanical constuction and it's meter is still doing a good job also. On both bodies the 31 Limited rocks! I also have a Super Program.
Now, my youngest kid (28, not a kid anymore but you know what I mean:-)) shoots for the USAF and they use Nikons so he's a real Nikon kinda guy. I have had the darndest time trying to convert him from the dark side:-).
Well he mentioned he would love to get into film and he's a manual shooting freak, so what's a Dad to do? Thankfully the KX needs work:-), I would have given it to him but I love that body, I have a TTL flash for the Super Program so I didn't want to give it up either and he didn't want a lot of automation, so I've shipped the ME Super off to him with 5 Pentax lenses, the K-28/3.5, M-50/2, K-55/1.8, M-135/3.5, and a K-200/4. That should get him going into the Pentax way:-).
That said, if I come across another ME Super deal and have the money handy, I'll buy it. What a lovely camera and it takes some great photos. The buttons to change the shutter speed on it and the Super Program were weird at first but with practice I find them easier to use than the dial on the KX, it's just a matter of adapting to the equpment. The huge advantage of the KX, to me, is the MLU and I love the match needle metering. Classic. It's a great advanced basic camera, if you know what I mean.
But the viewfinder on that ME Super, wow, what a viewfinder. No way I would have sold that camera ZX-M but I gave it up for my kid because I know he will appreciate it and I can't wait to see images he produces with it. He has a great eye and is the kind of photographer I wish I could be. He comes up with some truly great shots and I've learned a bunch from him. If he thinks one of my photos is crap, he has no problem telling me it's crap:-).
An example from the ME Super with the M-28/3.5