[Blue]

Yep, you were right. My initial price gauge was definitely off.

I'm going to go for the SV through Mike, and I will use it with my sekonic light meter or sunny 16.

For the really dim lighting or flat out darkness, I'm going to keep trucking with my Bessa R since I can handhold that down to 1/8th of a second.

Thanks again!

-David

Just remember to pay attention to whether you get an early SV or a late one because the early one has clearance issues with the Super 50mm f1.4.

[Blue]

If you only have one Takumar and want to go to a K-mount camera why not just buy K-mount lenses? A ME Super (or Super Program) should fit the bill and the Pentax-M lenses are quite good optically and not all that expensive. Pentax-A lenses do demand a premium since they are quite functional on Pentax dSLRs.

I bought a ME Super for the manual mode but rarely use it. Since I would use it mainly for strong contrast lighting situations, I have found the exposure compensation dial to be faster. Even faster is the the exposure lock on my P30t but that camera does not have as large or bright a viewfinder as the MS Super, although it is more than adequate and better than my K200D, even with a Katzeye screen.

I wouldn't get a SuperProgram to run mainly M lenses on since its forte is aperture priority. I have one but use my M lenses on the K2.

[david.elliott]

Just remember to pay attention to whether you get an early SV or a late one because the early one has clearance issues with the Super 50mm f1.4.

Will do

[Bruiser]

K1000 is a good choice if you want a body purely mechanical

[raymeedc]

Just remember to pay attention to whether you get an early SV or a late one because the early one has clearance issues with the Super 50mm f1.4.

Or you could get a 55mm f:1.8 (not inferior in any way to it's faster sibling, with the obvious exception of a slightly slower maximum f stop) and open up your search to any of the early bodies. Not only will this be potentially cheaper for the body, but perhaps even more so, as the camera is more likely to be offered with the 1.8 included in the sale than a 1.4. Even if this turns out not to be so, it can be purchased separately for less than you would pay for a 1.4.

[séamuis]

K1000 is a good choice if you want a body purely mechanical

no. no its not. not at all.

[Blue]

Or you could get a 55mm f:1.8 (not inferior in any way to it's faster sibling, with the obvious exception of a slightly slower f stop) and open up your search to any of the early bodies. Not only will this be potentially cheaper for the body, but perhaps even more so, as the camera is more likely to be offered with the 1.8 included in the sale than a 1.4. Even if this turns out not to be so, it can be purchased separately for less than you would pay for a 1.4.

This isn't why I made the tip about the Super 50mm f1.4 and the early SV. Often the SV will come with an auto-tak or super-tak 55mm f1.8. However, some people get into collecting Taks.

Also, early SV seems a bit more rare at the various used venues and sometimes go for more than the later ones if they are in collectible shape.

[raymeedc]

This isn't why I made the tip about the Super 50mm f1.4 and the early SV. Often the SV will come with an auto-tak or super-tak 55mm f1.8. However, some people get into collecting Taks.

Also, early SV seems a bit more rare at the various used venues and sometimes go for more than the later ones if they are in collectible shape.

The Op made no mention of being interested in collecting, & even if he should choose to do so in the future, he could pick up the proper SV & 1.4 then as part of his growing collection.
Also, early model choices aren't limited to the SV variations. as demonstrated in the link I provided for the OP to the S1A with lens, meter, & case for a BIN price of $55. These "lesser" models, as long as we're not going back to the original S or K models, are usually cheaper than the SV models and, besides the self timer, are identical (except for a stronger shutter curtain design & a revised body-to-back catch on the latest models)
While we're on the subject, a note to the OP that hasn't been mentioned concerning the early models.....when you encounter models that substitute an H in place of the S in the model designation (H1a vs. S1A, for example), don't let it confuse you..... they're identical, the H replacing the S on models sold in America ( also evident by Honeywell branded prominently on the prism front on H models, Asahi on S models).

[david.elliott]

I think I will hold out for the 50/1.4. I am in no rush.

If I pick up a body / lens combo with the 55/1.8 though, I certainly would try it out for a while and see how things go. I never really looked into that lens too much.

Out of curiosity, if H is for Honeywell, why not A for Asahi?

[séamuis]

I think I will hold out for the 50/1.4. I am in no rush.

If I pick up a body / lens combo with the 55/1.8 though, I certainly would try it out for a while and see how things go. I never really looked into that lens too much.

Out of curiosity, if H is for Honeywell, why not A for Asahi?

you should look into the 55. it is an excellent lens. most people who have used both will tell you the 55 is a real gem. in fact id be willing to bet that most would prefer the 55 in most situations. but I am biased, as the 55 is my favourite lens.

and I have no idea about the naming scheme, there are a lot of things about asahi optical and its products that are a bit of an enigma concerning naming, serial numbers, etc. if you want to have a real odd one, try and find a South African Asahi Pentar 'K'. yep Pentar.

[raymeedc]

you should look into the 55. it is an excellent lens. most people who have used both will tell you the 55 is a real gem. in fact id be willing to bet that most would prefer the 55 in most situations. but I am biased, as the 55 is my favourite lens.

I'm one of those people. In fact, I own 5..... three Super Takumars & two Super-Multi- Coated Takumars. & at the dirt cheap prices they go for, the best deal in Pentax's vast history. I also own a couple of 50mm 1.4s, a Super & a Super-Multi-Coated, but prefer the 55mm 1.8s..... as stated above, real gems.

[Blue]

The Op made no mention of being interested in collecting, & even if he should choose to do so in the future, he could pick up the proper SV & 1.4 then as part of his growing collection.
Also, early model choices aren't limited to the SV variations. as demonstrated in the link I provided for the OP to the S1A with lens, meter, & case for a BIN price of $55. These earlier models, as long as we're not going back to the original S or K models, are usually cheaper than the SV models and, besides the self timer, are identical (except for a stronger shutter curtain design on the latest SV model)
While we're on the subject, a note to the OP that hasn't been mentioned concerning the early models.....when you encounter models that substitute an H in place of the S in the model designation (H1a vs. S1A, for example), don't let it confuse you..... they're identical, the H replacing the S on models sold in America ( also evident by Honeywell branded prominently on the prism front on H models, Asahi on S models).

My response in context of your post and the Super 50mm f1.4 and it being o.k. on the late SV. You also implied that the earlier SV were a cheaper option which may or may not be the case.

[Blue]

I think I will hold out for the 50/1.4. I am in no rush.

If I pick up a body / lens combo with the 55/1.8 though, I certainly would try it out for a while and see how things go. I never really looked into that lens too much.

Out of curiosity, if H is for Honeywell, why not A for Asahi?

Its unclear what the origin of the the letters are for. For example, the SV was marketed by Honeywell in the U.S. market as the H3v. You will also find the H3 with both Heiland above Pentax and Honeywell on top of the prism.

This page at the Asahi Optical History club puts the time line and equivalent names in perspective.

Screwmount

The model numbers are not always sequential.

Edit: As you can see here, they did put Asahi on the non US S1a body.

[raymeedc]

That's right..... I forgot about the pre-Honeywell Heiland models. They distributed Pentax in the U.S. before Honeywell took over.

[Blue]

That's right..... I forgot about the pre-Honeywell Heiland models. They distributed Pentax in the U.S. before Honeywell took over.

One of my H3 has both Heiland and Honeywell (Ser. # beginning with 33)on it while one only has Honeywell on it (Ser. # beginning with 47). I'm guessing the one is in the transition from Heiland to Honeywell.