Originally posted by straightshooter You're welcome Frank. And by the way, despite the high prices brought by the original AP and the K models, the 1958 S model, according to research done by others, seems to be the rarest of the 3 models.
Production numbers as best as are known:
Asahi-Pentax 1957 19,546 units made
Pentax S 1958 ca. 4,900
Pentax K 1958 21,454
Pentax S2/ H2 1959-1963 130,892
Pentax S3/ H3 1961-1969 361,215
Pentax S1/ H1 1961-1963 ca. 46,500
Pentax S2 super 1962-1968 ca. 52,500
Pentax SV 1962-1968 ca. 481,696
Pentax S1a 1962-1968 ca. 135,352
The "S" is the rarest followed by the AP then then by the K. However, it is the beauty of the Zebra lens that makes the K so desirable. Everyone wants it. Also, it really is a transitional model in that it introduced the automatic diaphragm and the lens itself is a forebearer of the 55 f/1.8 lens that became a very important standard. It is quite an important camera in its own right and arguably the most beautiful of the early hand made models. I believe The H2 was the last of the hand made models and after that they were all mass produced - perhaps not as we currently understand that term, but nonetheless...
woof!