I bought an LX

Jellygeist · 04-01-2018, 08:13 PM - **5 Likes**

And I already put half a roll through it. Can't wait for smoke to start coming out of it and the mirror to become so sticky it can trap neutrinos.

I do love it, though. It makes me anxious, but what things we love don't? I carefully timed how long it takes for the meter to shut off and I think it's just fine but there's always that nagging feeling that it's NOT just fine.

We'll see how the pictures turn out. I did like the KM I was using, but it felt like taking pictures with a rusty old truck sometimes; everything leaked and squeaked and resisted. Now it's all smooth sailing.

**Jacquot** · 04-02-2018, 02:02 AM

Congratulations, I love mine, and have some film ready to process. Lovely camera to shoot with IMHO. Got my kit here on PF a few years ago.

womble · 04-02-2018, 02:18 AM

It is my go-to 35mm camera. Enjoy!

pschlute · 04-02-2018, 05:36 AM

It's a great toy to own. i got one last year. The "sticky mirror" can be an impromptu shutter delay !

**monochrome** · 04-02-2018, 06:08 AM

Woot! I'm mostly a KX shooter but using my LX is a treat!

**ChrisPlatt** · 04-02-2018, 07:17 AM - **1 Like**

While you are enjoying your new LX send your old KM body to Eric.

The KM is actually a pretty slick camera when operating properly,
and will likely work after your LX becomes no longer repairable.

Chris

**microlight** · 04-02-2018, 09:25 AM

Another vote here for the KM; it's a pity that it doesn't get as much love as the K1000, even though it's physically identical except for the KM's addition of a self-timer and a stop-down button, both of which make it more useful than the K1000!

zappas · 04-02-2018, 09:27 AM

Congrats, The LX is one of the finest cameras ever made,I do believe the likes of which will not be seen again, I bought mine in 1987 for the princely sum of 700 GBP that was half a month's wages then, it still works today,a real jewel of a SLR, Pentax's finest but none in my opinion, the sticky mirror effect has not affected it to any degree, it has never been serviced, it still takes very good pictures, and will be taking it with me on summer holidays to compare with my K-S2, enjoy what is in effect a fabulous piece of engineering, every great company has one, and the LX is Pentax tribute to the world of photography.

Eyewanders · 04-02-2018, 10:02 AM

Seems to be a fair number of folks snapping up LX's recently.

Their reputation precedes them.

LesDMess · 04-02-2018, 05:01 PM

Congrats as you picked up the only camera with an unmatched metering system still! Hopefully everything's in good working order and share some of the pics from it as well as of it when you get a chance.

Jellygeist · 04-02-2018, 06:09 PM - **1 Like**

Ahoy hoy everyone,

Finished up my first roll with the LX today. Shot in some challenging light (these high-latitude sunsets are pretty harsh), including right into the sun on one. I'm kinda sure the M 50mm 1.7 can handle that without flaring too badly.

The camera is just so smooth, it's not a struggle to take pictures, hence how quickly I went through this first roll. I also had an idea in mind as to what I wanted to shoot, so that helped. I will post the roll once it's back from the local lab, my dad is dropping it off there tomorrow when I'm student teaching.

I have to say that everything on the camera feels fine. I can't really tell if the mirror is out of register so we'll see if everything is out of focus but I kind of doubt it, given the condition of the rest of the camera. The idea of the board failing is kind of in the back of my mind but I dunno, maybe I'll email Eric about it and see what he thinks.

As for the KM, I'll get that fixed up in due time. I need money to replenish my film stocks a bit.

Jellygeist · 04-03-2018, 07:25 PM

UPDATE: Film will take "till the end of the week" to get back: the lab only runs the machine once a week, I think, depending on demand. It's kind of odd that a town this small (50,000) and so in the middle of nowhere actually has an independent place to get film developed.

Uh, so I guess this'll be the last update until then. I'm still a tad worried about the control board on this thing, might be overreacting to behaviour within normal tolerances.

The pictures might also be totally screwed from some invisible problem. I hope they aren't, I think I took some good ones.

---------- Post added 04-03-18 at 07:25 PM ----------

UPDATE: Film will take "till the end of the week" to get back: the lab only runs the machine once a week, I think, depending on demand. It's kind of odd that a town this small (50,000) and so in the middle of nowhere actually has an independent place to get film developed.

Uh, so I guess this'll be the last update until then. I'm still a tad worried about the control board on this thing, might be overreacting to behaviour within normal tolerances.

The pictures might also be totally screwed from some invisible problem. I hope they aren't, I think I took some good ones.

**grux** · 04-03-2018, 09:49 PM

Congratulations on becoming a new LX owner! As others have said - it is a mighty fine camera all around and a pleasure to shoot with.

One can’t help but pick up on your nagging thoughts of something possibly being wrong with it, which, if it should be the case, you will discover soon enough when you get your pictures back. Like you, when I got mine a few years ago I did a test roll, the pictures turned out fine. However, I still wasn’t 100% confident so I sent it off (as I did for my SV, ME and MX) to Eric for a CLA, in which he also checked the electronics. I wanted to make sure there’d be parts available if anything internal needed replacing. The end result was piece of mind and knowing that my cameras he serviced should last longer than my lifetime (well the SV and MX for sure). Cheers

**ChrisPlatt** · 04-04-2018, 06:22 PM - **1 Like**

If Eric Hendrickson overhauls your LX you can be confident it will give you another 15 years trouble-free service.
It's not cheap but I strongly agree the time to do it is now; Eric says the parts required are becoming quite scarce.

http://www.pentaxs.com

Chris

Jellygeist · 04-04-2018, 06:37 PM

Originally posted by ChrisPlatt

If Eric Hendrickson overhauls your LX you can be confident it will give you another 15 years trouble-free service.
It's not cheap but I strongly agree the time to do it is now; Eric says the parts required are becoming quite scarce.

http://www.pentaxs.com

Chris

Thanks for the advice. I have a wedding to shoot in August, so hopefully the cash from that will fund sending it to Eric. I imagine it should last until then, and hopefully parts don't run out in July. We'll see how this roll turns out.

I'll send him an email anyways, see what he thinks. I'd probably have to sell some more of my disused music equipment to fund a repair before the wedding, anyways.

04-01-2018, 08:13 PM - 5 Likes	#1
Jellygeist Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Brandon, MB Photos: Albums Posts: 334	I bought an LX And I already put half a roll through it. Can't wait for smoke to start coming out of it and the mirror to become so sticky it can trap neutrinos. I do love it, though. It makes me anxious, but what things we love don't? I carefully timed how long it takes for the meter to shut off and I think it's just fine but there's always that nagging feeling that it's NOT just fine. We'll see how the pictures turn out. I did like the KM I was using, but it felt like taking pictures with a rusty old truck sometimes; everything leaked and squeaked and resisted. Now it's all smooth sailing.

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04-02-2018, 02:02 AM	#2
Jacquot Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sun City Center, FL Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,544	Congratulations, I love mine, and have some film ready to process. Lovely camera to shoot with IMHO. Got my kit here on PF a few years ago.

04-02-2018, 02:18 AM	#3
womble Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Hertfordshire Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,324	It is my go-to 35mm camera. Enjoy!

04-02-2018, 05:36 AM	#4
pschlute Moderator Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Surrey, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,182	It's a great toy to own. i got one last year. The "sticky mirror" can be an impromptu shutter delay !

04-02-2018, 06:08 AM	#5
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	Woot! I'm mostly a KX shooter but using my LX is a treat!

04-02-2018, 07:17 AM - 1 Like	#6
ChrisPlatt Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Rockaway Beach NYC Posts: 7,692	While you are enjoying your new LX send your old KM body to Eric. The KM is actually a pretty slick camera when operating properly, and will likely work after your LX becomes no longer repairable. Chris

04-02-2018, 09:25 AM	#7
microlight Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Hampshire, UK Posts: 2,129	Another vote here for the KM; it's a pity that it doesn't get as much love as the K1000, even though it's physically identical except for the KM's addition of a self-timer and a stop-down button, both of which make it more useful than the K1000!

04-02-2018, 09:27 AM	#8
zappas New Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 9	Congrats, The LX is one of the finest cameras ever made,I do believe the likes of which will not be seen again, I bought mine in 1987 for the princely sum of 700 GBP that was half a month's wages then, it still works today,a real jewel of a SLR, Pentax's finest but none in my opinion, the sticky mirror effect has not affected it to any degree, it has never been serviced, it still takes very good pictures, and will be taking it with me on summer holidays to compare with my K-S2, enjoy what is in effect a fabulous piece of engineering, every great company has one, and the LX is Pentax tribute to the world of photography.

04-02-2018, 10:02 AM	#9
Eyewanders Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Land of the Salish Sea Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,343	Seems to be a fair number of folks snapping up LX's recently. Their reputation precedes them.

04-02-2018, 05:01 PM	#10
LesDMess Pentaxian Join Date: May 2011 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,235	Congrats as you picked up the only camera with an unmatched metering system still! Hopefully everything's in good working order and share some of the pics from it as well as of it when you get a chance.

04-02-2018, 06:09 PM - 1 Like	#11
Jellygeist Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Brandon, MB Photos: Albums Posts: 334 Original Poster	Ahoy hoy everyone, Finished up my first roll with the LX today. Shot in some challenging light (these high-latitude sunsets are pretty harsh), including right into the sun on one. I'm kinda sure the M 50mm 1.7 can handle that without flaring too badly. The camera is just so smooth, it's not a struggle to take pictures, hence how quickly I went through this first roll. I also had an idea in mind as to what I wanted to shoot, so that helped. I will post the roll once it's back from the local lab, my dad is dropping it off there tomorrow when I'm student teaching. I have to say that everything on the camera feels fine. I can't really tell if the mirror is out of register so we'll see if everything is out of focus but I kind of doubt it, given the condition of the rest of the camera. The idea of the board failing is kind of in the back of my mind but I dunno, maybe I'll email Eric about it and see what he thinks. As for the KM, I'll get that fixed up in due time. I need money to replenish my film stocks a bit.

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04-03-2018, 07:25 PM	#12
Jellygeist Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Brandon, MB Photos: Albums Posts: 334 Original Poster	UPDATE: Film will take "till the end of the week" to get back: the lab only runs the machine once a week, I think, depending on demand. It's kind of odd that a town this small (50,000) and so in the middle of nowhere actually has an independent place to get film developed. Uh, so I guess this'll be the last update until then. I'm still a tad worried about the control board on this thing, might be overreacting to behaviour within normal tolerances. The pictures might also be totally screwed from some invisible problem. I hope they aren't, I think I took some good ones. ---------- Post added 04-03-18 at 07:25 PM ---------- UPDATE: Film will take "till the end of the week" to get back: the lab only runs the machine once a week, I think, depending on demand. It's kind of odd that a town this small (50,000) and so in the middle of nowhere actually has an independent place to get film developed. Uh, so I guess this'll be the last update until then. I'm still a tad worried about the control board on this thing, might be overreacting to behaviour within normal tolerances. The pictures might also be totally screwed from some invisible problem. I hope they aren't, I think I took some good ones.

04-03-2018, 09:49 PM	#13
grux Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Toronto Photos: Albums Posts: 1,060	Congratulations on becoming a new LX owner! As others have said - it is a mighty fine camera all around and a pleasure to shoot with. One can’t help but pick up on your nagging thoughts of something possibly being wrong with it, which, if it should be the case, you will discover soon enough when you get your pictures back. Like you, when I got mine a few years ago I did a test roll, the pictures turned out fine. However, I still wasn’t 100% confident so I sent it off (as I did for my SV, ME and MX) to Eric for a CLA, in which he also checked the electronics. I wanted to make sure there’d be parts available if anything internal needed replacing. The end result was piece of mind and knowing that my cameras he serviced should last longer than my lifetime (well the SV and MX for sure). Cheers

04-04-2018, 06:22 PM - 1 Like	#14
ChrisPlatt Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Rockaway Beach NYC Posts: 7,692	If Eric Hendrickson overhauls your LX you can be confident it will give you another 15 years trouble-free service. It's not cheap but I strongly agree the time to do it is now; Eric says the parts required are becoming quite scarce. http://www.pentaxs.com Chris

04-04-2018, 06:37 PM	#15
Jellygeist Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Brandon, MB Photos: Albums Posts: 334 Original Poster	Originally posted by ChrisPlatt If Eric Hendrickson overhauls your LX you can be confident it will give you another 15 years trouble-free service. It's not cheap but I strongly agree the time to do it is now; Eric says the parts required are becoming quite scarce. http://www.pentaxs.com Chris Thanks for the advice. I have a wedding to shoot in August, so hopefully the cash from that will fund sending it to Eric. I imagine it should last until then, and hopefully parts don't run out in July. We'll see how this roll turns out. I'll send him an email anyways, see what he thinks. I'd probably have to sell some more of my disused music equipment to fund a repair before the wedding, anyways.