[ismaelg]

Hello,

Did the K2DMD replaced the K2? Or were they both made concurrently? I'm trying to establish a timeline. I know the K2 was launched in '75 and the K2DMD in '76. Were both made until 1980? or only the K2DMD?
On that same note, were KX and KM discontinued in '77?

From what I have found K1000 was '76-'78 in Japan, '78-'90 in Hong Kong and '90-'97 in China.


Thanks,

[From1980]

The sources I can find indicate both K2 and K2DMD were concurrent until 1980. Your info regarding the sad demise of KX and KM '77 is correct.

[tvdtvdtvd]

I had no idea any of the K bodies were produced after the introduction of the M series, with the exception of the K1000 of course.
Learn something every day......

[TwoUptons]

They had to keep the K2DMD going until the LX came out, I guess.

There really wasn't a heavy-duty auto-exposing body otherwise...

-Eric

[From1980]

Keep in mind that the M series was not a complete line up. MX was aimed to replace KX but ME was a new entry automatic targeting the emerging market for point and shooters moving to 35mm. At the time, the small and lighter camera market driven by Olympus was the attraction for many of these newcomers. Established serious 35mm hobbyists and pros tended to not be as impressed with downsizing everything. The full featured K2DMD was not effectively replaced or improved upon until 1980 when the LX came out.

[EssJayEff]

The Milwaukee Sentinel on 17 August 1979 published its annual extensive section on photography. (Something I didn't know they did until searching for information on the K2 DMD.) According to one of the articles in the photography section, there were "well more than two dozen" automatic exposure 35mm cameras on the market ranging in price between $250 and $1200. Here is a list of the leading models featured in that article:

• Canon AE-1
• Canon AV-1
• Canon A-1
• Chinon CE-3
• Nikon FE
• Olympus OM-10
• Olympus OM-1
• Pentax ME
• Pentax K2
• Pentax K2 DMD
• Praktica EE2
• Rolleiflex SL35E
• Fujica AZ-1
• Konica T4
• Leica R3 / R3 MOT
• Mamiya NC 1000 / 1000S
• Minolta XG-1
• Minolta XG-7
• Minolta XD-II

[ismaelg]

Nice!
I was looking into old Popular Photography issues to see the ads but the oldest I have is from early 90's. Found online back to 1981.

Thanks,

[gofour3]

Did the K2DMD replaced the K2? Or were they both made concurrently? I'm trying to establish a timeline. I know the K2 was launched in '75 and the K2DMD in '76. Were both made until 1980? or only the K2DMD?
On that same note, were KX and KM discontinued in '77?

Yep the K2 & K2DMD were available together and both discontinued in 1980. The KM & KX were discontinued in 1977.

Phil.

[stevebrot]

I had no idea any of the K bodies were produced after the introduction of the M series, with the exception of the K1000 of course.
Learn something every day......

This was news to me as well up until about a year or so ago. It was not until the second wave of M-series bodies that included a replacement for the K2 (ME Super) that the K-series became other than "current" offering.* Even so, the core three bodies continued to be available right up through release of the A-series in 1982, at least according to online copies of magazine ads from the time.


Steve

* My understanding is apparently in conflict with @gofour3 's post above. Given their expertise on the subject, I defer!

[TwoUptons]

This was news to me as well up until about a year or so ago. It was not until the second wave of M-series bodies that included a replacement for the K2 (ME Super) that the K-series became other than "current" offering.* Even so, the core three bodies continued to be available right up through release of the A-series in 1982, at least according to online copies of magazine ads from the time.


Steve

* My understanding is apparently in conflict with @gofour3 's post above. Given their expertise on the subject, I defer!

I think one aspect that makes dating these things hard is the frequently large differences between end of production, end of factory availability, and end of retail availability.

I remember the chain I worked for bought a big batch of some SLR at the end of the run for a really good price. It took years to get rid of them.

-Eric

[stevebrot]

I think one aspect that makes dating these things hard is the frequently large differences between end of production, end of factory availability, and end of retail availability.

...and these vary by region. It is sort of hard to believe, but some model medium format film cameras were available at retail in Japan through Pentax as late as 2010.


Steve

[TwoUptons]

...and these vary by region. It is sort of hard to believe, but some model medium format film cameras were available at retail in Japan through Pentax as late as 2010.


Steve

Exactly. And I'm still not sure what is up with the F1.7x AF teleconverter.
There seem to be plenty of new ones in Japan... but when was the last F lens made?

-Eric

[gofour3]

* My understanding is apparently in conflict with @gofour3 's post above. Given their expertise on the subject, I defer!

No doubt that dealers around the world were still selling K2s/K2DMDs well beyond the stop of production in 1980. Lots of old stock to go through before these bodies were "totally" gone.

The Pentax dealer in Vancouver where I bought my KX in 1975, had a NOS 645 (mid 1980's) available up until a couple years ago. Decades after it stopped being made.

Phil.

think one aspect that makes dating these things hard is the frequently large differences between end of production, end of factory availability, and end of retail availability.

I remember the chain I worked for bought a big batch of some SLR at the end of the run for a really good price. It took years to get rid of them.

-Eric

Yep exactly.

Phil.