[ambulatingreader]

Hi all, new member here. I'm getting back into film after over 20 yrs of maybe 5 rolls on my Olympus XA ( purchased in 1987, still works). I have an old K1000 that worked fine in 1995, but probably could lose a CLA. It has the SMC M 1:2 50mm standard lens.I'll be mainly shooting outdoors, landscape, etc. My XA has the flash for indoor shots, nothing elaborate.
While perusing eBay, I saw a Pentax KX body for $95 plus shipping. Being sold by elkinsparkcamera. The description is as follows:

"The item offered here is a classic Asahi Pentax KX 35mm SLR camera body in excellent working and cosmetic condition. Our in-house camera technician serviced this top quality camera body: complete cleaning, new light seals & mirror pads, fully tested. The light meter reads correctly, and all other camera functions are in operational condition. The viewfinder is pristine with no dirt, dust or scratch markings at all. The camera body/ leatherette finishes are vey clean, showing only minor wear/ age markings. There is a small dent on the left end of the the top cover under the rewind lever. (Not really visible from the pics. The description of cosmetic shape is accurate.) There is a 30 day warranty against operational defects."


So, you long term Pentax fans, does this sound like a good deal? The seller has 100% rating, if that really means anything. Any experience with this seller?
I'm thinking that I could have 2 Pentax bodies with different lenses. Maybe shoot color with one, B+W with the other. I am a rank beginner, and will not be processing my film. I could eventually send the K1000 to the highly recommended Eric H. for a CLA and have 2 cameras that will probably last me the rest of my life, as I just turned 70. Any opinions/ advice appreciated. Thanks in advance. Walt in Seattle.

Attached Images

CLASSIC ASAHI PENTAX KX 35MM SLR CAMERA BODY **TECHNICIAN CLEANED & CHECKED** 9786138601470 | eB.pdf (904.1 KB, 309 views)

[Unregistered User 8]

Hi from Australia Walt. This camera " looks " fine, and the seller has a 100% positive feedback rating. If it was my money I was spending ( ) I would take the chance. Good luck, and Happy New Year.

[ctrout]

The KX is a great camera, some would say Pentax's best ever. Since a CLA with shipping costs about $100 and the KX that you are looking at sounds like it has been done already, I'd say that it's probably a smoking deal at $95. It's like someone gave you the KX and a $5 bill for free and you sent it off for a CLA. I'd buy it.

[ChrisPlatt]

I highly recommend the KX; it's my favorite Pentax body.
Looks like a good deal if as described.

Chris

[stevebrot]

Welcome to the Pentax Forums!

That looks to be a nice KX and the price is good, particularly since it has been gone over and seals replaced and has a 30-day warranty. At some point, you might want to upgrade your 50mm f/2.0 with either the 55mm f/1.8 or 50mm f/1.7 normal lens. Either is a step up from the lens you have been using.

P.S. I have a KX and like it very much.

Steve

[monochrome]

I highly recommend the KX; it's my favorite Pentax body.
Looks like a good deal if as described.

Chris

Welcome to the Pentax Forums!

That looks to be a nice KX and the price is good, particularly since it has been gone over and seals replaced and has a 30-day warranty. At some point, you might want to upgrade your 50mm f/2.0 with either the 55mm f/1.8 or 50mm f/1.7 normal lens. Either is a step up from the lens you have been using.

P.S. I have a KX and like it very much.

Steve

I also endorse the KX. I have more than one and they are my main film cameras. $95 sounds about right for a CLA’ed, fully working body with a minor cosmetic ding. Stevebrot is 100% correct on the lenses, too.

.:

[j0n4hpk]

I second (or third... ) previous folks' opinion on the KX. I think that the only camera better than it is the LX... by a small margin. See my other remarks abou the KX somewhere in the forum.

[ChrisPlatt]

I think that the only camera better than it is the LX... by a small margin.

Better for some photographers - pros perhaps - but definitely not for all.

IMO the Pentax KX is probably the better choice for the advanced amateur
who typically doesn't require interchangeable finders, backs, motor, etc.

FWIW I sold my LX but now own several KX bodies.

Chris

[jtkratzer]

Better for some photographers - pros perhaps - but definitely not for all.

IMO the Pentax KX is probably the better choice for the advanced amateur
who typically doesn't require interchangeable finders, backs, motor, etc.

FWIW I sold my LX but now own several KX bodies.

Chris

I wish Pentax had kept up better with others on their mechanical shutter speeds. 1/1000 is on the slow end compared to the 1/4000th offered by others. I really enjoy the KX body I have. It’s the only one of my regularly used cameras that hasn’t made the holy pilgrimage to Eric’s bench. The one I have was owned by a journalist for a newspaper in Wyoming. Inprobably don’t use my LX to its capabilities, but it just has some basic features not found on other Pentax bodies. ME Super goes to 1/2000, but lacks the DOF preview and MLU of the KX.

[ChrisPlatt]

Several camera models with mechanical shutter are capable of 1/2000 second.
The only mechanical model I am aware of capable of 1/4000 is the Nikon FM2n.
The FM2n I owned had by far the loudest shutter of any camera I have ever used.

In my experience 1/1000 maximum shutter speed is not a serious limitation.
I avoid super high speed films and own neutral density filters in all sizes.
If I often needed to stop extreme fast action I'd probably shoot digital.

Chris

[jtkratzer]

Several camera models with mechanical shutter are capable of 1/2000 second.
The only mechanical model I am aware of capable of 1/4000 is the Nikon FM2n.
The FM2n I owned had by far the loudest shutter of any camera I have ever used.

In my experience 1/1000 maximum shutter speed is not a serious limitation.
I avoid super high speed films and own neutral density filters in all sizes.
If I often needed to stop extreme fast action I'd probably shoot digital.

Chris

Pentax mechanical cameras with 1/2000? I need to invest in ND filters. That's the primary area I'm completely lacking and would solve that problem for me. I have an itch to try a rangefinder, but I'm not willing to pay Leica money for a camera that's no more capable than any of my Pentax bodies. Sure, wonderful glass, but not likely so wonderful that I'll see the difference and at what cost? I'd like to try a Bessa R3m and some TLR (with an awesome 1/500th max speed).

[monochrome]

I wish Pentax had kept up better with others on their mechanical shutter speeds. 1/1000 is on the slow end compared to the 1/4000th offered by others. I really enjoy the KX body I have. It’s the only one of my regularly used cameras that hasn’t made the holy pilgrimage to Eric’s bench. The one I have was owned by a journalist for a newspaper in Wyoming. Inprobably don’t use my LX to its capabilities, but it just has some basic features not found on other Pentax bodies. ME Super goes to 1/2000, but lacks the DOF preview and MLU of the KX.

My Contax RTS (1975) has a 1/2000 horizontal cloth shutter. My Contax RX (1993) has a 1/4000 titanium shutter.

Contax/Yashica/Kyocera / Zeiss was a different breed of cat, though; purely a high-enthusiast / Professional camera body to complement Zeiss optics. Contax pushed the envelope of technology and designed in all the best components, building a complete system. Pentax could easily have purchased 1/2000 shutters but in most bodies they were half a step below professional and cost somewhat less than the topmost bodies.

.:

[ChrisPlatt]

Pentax mechanical cameras with 1/2000?

My PK mount Vivitar V3800N body has a 1/2000 mechanical shutter.
Cosina probably made something similar for several camera brands.

FWIW the top speed on many (most?) mechanical cameras is often quite suspect.

Chris

[stevebrot]

I wish Pentax had kept up better with others on their mechanical shutter speeds. 1/1000 is on the slow end compared to the 1/4000th offered by others.

The KX dates from 1976 and the 1/1000s speed was quite competitive at the time, especially for fully mechanical horizontal run designs. Its closest market competition was the Nikon FM. The FM was released in 1977 and is feature-by-feature comparable to the KX except for meter cell (GPD vs. SPD) and vertical run shutter with resulting 1/125s X-sync speed. Max speed on the FM is also 1/1000s (pretty much standard for the time).* I like the build on the FM, but prefer the viewfinder layout on the KX.

My take on shutter technology has been that available shutters have been and continue to be the limiting factor. Vertical-run metal-blade shutters such as those found on the FM were (and continue to be) sourced from Copal and Seiko. Maximum speed depended on what those two makers offered or were willing to modify to customer spec. Horizontal-run shutters were usually developed in-house and in the case of Pentax, the high point was the unit in the LX. I am unaware of any mechanical horizontal-run design that exceeds 1/2000s.

Cosina probably made something similar for several camera brands.

My Cosina/Voigtlander R3M has a dual curtain mechanical vertical-run Copal shutter that provides 1/2000s.


Steve

* The FM2 with the 1/4000s shutter was not released until 1982, long after the KX was out of production and two years after the LX debuted.

[jtkratzer]

My comment about shutter speed wasn’t specific to the KX, but to Pentax in general. We don’t see anything faster than 1/2000 until you get into the plastic bodies and gears that don’t last and aren’t readily repairable anymore. A twist of a shutter speed dial is certainly faster than swapping ND filters. We’re talking Pentax here, not a $5,000 Leica M-P with a max speed of 1/1000 compared to, as mentioned, the Voigtlander’s 1/2000 and being cheaper than both Leica and Zeiss.