[fuent104]

The Pentax "K" has arrived. I paid a pretty penny for it too. However, it has been serviced by Eric, and is in lovely condition all round.

That camera is beyond sexual.

[LesDMess]

The Pentax "K" has arrived. I paid a pretty penny for it too. However, it has been serviced by Eric, and is in lovely condition all round.

Sheer beauty and serviced by Eric! I am sure it is worth every penny and then some!

[stevebrot]

That camera is beyond sexual.

Mechanical meth?

[hks_kansei]

Curious, what is the dial on the front for?

The top obviously is shutter speed, film speed, and the counter, but the one on the front eludes me?

Is it the self timer? (although I doubt they would have started with such a complex way of doing it, rather than just using the simple clockwork lever as per other models)

[Swift1]

Curious, what is the dial on the front for?

The top obviously is shutter speed, film speed, and the counter, but the one on the front eludes me?

Is it the self timer? (although I doubt they would have started with such a complex way of doing it, rather than just using the simple clockwork lever as per other models)

I believe that is the slow speed shutter dial.

[LesDMess]

That dial is called the slow shutter speed dial. Not an unusual control back then. This was used in the Asahiflex IIA, original Asahi Pentax, S and last used on the K.

[arnold]

Curious, what is the dial on the front for?

The top obviously is shutter speed, film speed, and the counter, but the one on the front eludes me?

Is it the self timer? (although I doubt they would have started with such a complex way of doing it, rather than just using the simple clockwork lever as per other models)

As mentioned, it is the slow speed dial. To use the slow speed, set the top dial to 1/30. You can then select a chosen slow speed. Works well. The AP was the first SLR in 1957. The next year, within a month of each other, the "S" and "K" came out and were both produced to 1959. The K was a named for the K in 1000, a speed neither the AP or S had. It was also the first Pentax to work with the Auto lenses. I understand that only about 25000 K and S models were produced. They are beautifully made.

[unixrevolution]

As mentioned, it is the slow speed dial. To use the slow speed, set the top dial to 1/30. You can then select a chosen slow speed. Works well. The AP was the first SLR in 1957. The next year, within a month of each other, the "S" and "K" came out and were both produced to 1959. The K was a named for the K in 1000, a speed neither the AP or S had. It was also the first Pentax to work with the Auto lenses. I understand that only about 25000 K and S models were produced. They are beautifully made.

The Asahi Pentax was the first Japanese pentaprism SLR. It was not the first SLR (Likely a Graflex), the first 35mm SLR (Kine Exakta), the first 35mm SLR made in Japan (Asahiflex), the first Pentaprism SLR (Contax), nor was it even the first Asahi SLR (Again, the Asahiflex).

[grhazelton]

The Asahi Pentax was the first Japanese pentaprism SLR. It was not the first SLR (Likely a Graflex), the first 35mm SLR (Kine Exakta), the first 35mm SLR made in Japan (Asahiflex), the first Pentaprism SLR (Contax), nor was it even the first Asahi SLR (Again, the Asahiflex).

I have my Father's AsahiFlex IIa. Lovely little camera, it resembles a screw mount Leica with a folding waist level finder. Fit and finish are exemplary. The top shutter dial rotates on exposure, since my Father was left-handed and -eyed his nose sometimes fouled the rotating dial. I need to send it to Eric for an overhaul.

Here's a description Asahiflex IIa - Pentax M37 Screwmount SLRs - Pentax Camera Reviews and Specifications Note that the table says "no depth of field preview." This is incorrect; since all lenses were pre-set diaphragms they per force had depth of field preview since they had to be stopped down to the preset shooting aperture before releasing the shutter.

[LesDMess]

The Asahi Pentax was the first Japanese pentaprism SLR. It was not the first SLR (Likely a Graflex), the first 35mm SLR (Kine Exakta), the first 35mm SLR made in Japan (Asahiflex), the first Pentaprism SLR (Contax), nor was it even the first Asahi SLR (Again, the Asahiflex).

The original Asahi Pentax is the first SLR with an eye level prism and instant mirror return. It embodied the design that would be used by millions that followed after -> Pentax Original

I have the Modern Photography and Popular Photgraphy magazines for 1957 - 58 and you can clearly see that the original Asahi Pentax stood out in looks and features from the rest.

Here is a small sampling of what that looked like . . .

[TomB_tx]

I have the Modern Photography and Popular Photgraphy magazines for 1957 - 58 and you can clearly see that the original Asahi Pentax stood out in looks and features from the rest.

While I fully agree about how great the original Pentax was, that lineup of cameras would make anything stand out, especially representing one of the ugliest Russian cameras as a Leica "clone." While there were close clones (FED, NICCA, Leotax, etc.), the Leica and Canon (not really a clone) were very good looking cameras.
Here's a progression from a 1930s Leica Standard (much like the original 1925 Leica), the Asahiflex, the Pentax, and a Leica IIIc witch was introduced in 1939. (My aunt bought this one in Germany in 1948.) The Leica IIIc has a 50mm f2.0 Summitar also introduced in 1939, which is still an excellent lens.

And for good-looking cameras you should include the Canon II-IV series of the early 1950s as well. Here's a model IVSB with Canon 50 f1.8 lens that was very well regarded, along with the Leica and Pentax.

Not to minimize how Pentax influenced the 1950s-60s Japanese camera industry, but to show that good design and quality were well established by then.

[LesDMess]

I am not referring to "looks" but rather the style of future cameras to come set by the original Asahi Pentax. Even with your lineup you can already see the difference in ergonomics without even trying them. Then you only have to look through the bright lifesize viewfinder of the original Asahi Pentax that had instant return mirror at that time to fully appreciate it's significance.
BTW, that is a very nice lineup!

For full disclosure, I appreciate the history of cameras prior to the SLR but I am not an RF guy. It could be just a coincidence but the original Asahi Pentax and I share the same birthyear . . .

[TomB_tx]

I am not referring to "looks" but rather the style of future cameras to come set by the original Asahi Pentax. Even with your lineup you can already see the difference in ergonomics without even trying them. Then you only have to look through the bright lifesize viewfinder of the original Asahi Pentax that had instant return mirror at that time to fully appreciate it's significance.
BTW, that is a very nice lineup!

For full disclosure, I appreciate the history of cameras prior to the SLR but I am not an RF guy. It could be just a coincidence but the original Asahi Pentax and I share the same birthyear . . .

Good points - I'm old enough to remember when my aunt came home from Germany with the Leica - so I always saw it as the ultimate. But my first "good" camera in college was a new Pentax H1a. But within a few years I got a new Leica M4, and have used both RF and SLR ever since. Nowdays I use mainly RF - as I do a lot of available light, and my old eyes can focus a Leica M (or even better a Zeiss Ikon ZM) better than an SLR in dim light. Still not ready for autofocus...

[tuco]

This time of year is good for practicing gear p0rn shots in the warm, dry indoors.

[womble]

This time of year is good for practicing gear p0rn shots in the warm...

Excellent image that feeds my Gear Acquisition Syndrome....