[Erik]

I hear the ME is pretty small, and the *ist is supposed to be real compact for being a modern film SLR as well, but I thought I'd ask people who know better than I do which camera actually is Pentax' very smallest 35 SLR ever? After using the Olympus OM-1 for a bit I kinda think anything bigger is clunky...

[Wombat]

Well, there was the Pentax 110. They used the 110 film cassettes and had a few proprietary lenses. They were really, really small. Apparently they produced stunning results for such a tiny thing. If you can find one, they go for only $20 or so. Don't know if you can still get the cassettes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentax_Auto_110

[lithos]

Erik said, 35mm, Wombat. So it's gotta be the ME Super. That thing is a triumph of form and function.

The equivalent to the OM1 would probably be the MX. But there's nothing in the Pentax lineup as small as the OMs.

[Talisker]

there's nothing in the Pentax lineup as small as the OMs.

The MX is, to all intents and purposes, the same size an an OM1n (its actually a fraction of a mill smaller...)

[séamuis]

width x height x depth x weight (g)

• ME: 131 x 82.5 x 49.5 x 460
• ME Super: 131.5 x 83 x 49.5 x 445
• ME F: 134.4 x 89.1 x 52 x 480
• MX: 135.8 x 82.5 x 49.3 x 495
• Olympus OM-1: 136 x 83 x 81 x 510

[fs999]

and last but not least :

• *ist : 122 x 84 x 63.5 x 335

[frank]

width x height x depth x weight (g)

• ME: 131 x 82.5 x 49.5 x 460
• ME Super: 131.5 x 83 x 49.5 x 445
• ME F: 134.4 x 89.1 x 52 x 480
• MX: 135.8 x 82.5 x 49.3 x 495
• Olympus OM-1: 136 x 83 x 81 x 510

And SuperA/ProgramA: 131 x 86.5 x 47.5 at 490g

[Wombat]

Erik said, 35mm, Wombat.

Sorry, missed that. Yes, the 110 was a 16mm.

[Erik]

Well, there was the Pentax 110. They used the 110 film cassettes and had a few proprietary lenses. They were really, really small. Apparently they produced stunning results for such a tiny thing. If you can find one, they go for only $20 or so. Don't know if you can still get the cassettes.
Pentax Auto 110 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yeah, I just found out about the Pentax 110 the other day... And realized that Pentax LIED to me when they said my K100D would take "any Pentax interchangeable SLR lens ever made"! I'm not that enthusiastic about 110 as a film format though...

Thanks for all the responses and measurements though guys, looks like it's probably going to be some variant of the ME for me!

[Erik]

This picture I found on flickr makes me laugh

[titrisol]

The old cameras with no batteries were a lot smaller, the M-series were the tiny-ones
The MZ-series are also quite small except for the "grip" to put the batteries.
MZ7 in mm: 135.5 W x 92 H x 63.5 D x 395 g

[Wombat]

This picture I found on flickr makes me laugh

That's a great shot! Bet the Pentax takes a better picture.

[séamuis]

That's a great shot! Bet the Pentax takes a better picture.

well its got a better lens.

[jct us101]

Hmm, the superiority complex is a bit disconcerting to me.

I actually am thinking of getting a Pentax because I'm tired of the Canon/Nikon fued that takes over so many forums, and Pentax rarely has that, but to see it here to a perspective that a small film camera could take a better photo than canon's oldest professional DSLR body. Honestly I'd think the 1D could take a better photo, out of honest common sense, but still it upsets me to see this here.

[woof]

I hear the ME is pretty small, and the *ist is supposed to be real compact for being a modern film SLR as well, but I thought I'd ask people who know better than I do which camera actually is Pentax' very smallest 35 SLR ever? After using the Olympus OM-1 for a bit I kinda think anything bigger is clunky...

Very smallest ** ever ** 35mm? Easy. '57 AP through to and including SV/H3v. Smaller than a Spotmatic, K1000 or subsequent. Very nice size at that too.

woof