| Pros | light, simple, reliable |
| Cons | lack of advanced features, flash |
| Rating | 3 |
| Price (U.S. Dollars) | 300 |
| Years Owned | 9 |
I can recommend this camera: Yes
Value, Features, Performance & Size
Good, compact size. Light.
Great feel in hand
Lacks advanced features
Simple design to use
Shutter button has good feel
Needs grip! (see review)
Struggles with red-eye reduction
No dioptre adjustment in VF
Camera Review
So, i bought this SLR brand new in 2001 with a "kit" Sigma 28-80mm lens. It was pretty much the bottom-of-the-range SLR at the time, so it was pretty good value back then!
It served me well. I retired it in 2004 when a young girl opened the back and stuck her finger through the shutter!!! But I got a LOT of use out of it, in all sorts of circumstances in those years. By that stage I was itching for a digital camera anyway.
I started shooting AGFA film until I discovered Fuji Reala 100. I ended up using Reala and aged Superia 800 as I improved in my skills and knowledge.
One thing about this camera: YOU NEED THE GRIP! Otherwise you're constantly buying those CR2 lithium batteries... Although you can get rechargeable ones now instead. I don't know how well they last though. (Pentax FG Battery Grip - AKA Battery Pack)
The good thing about the grip is that it allows you to use 4 common AA's, so you can buy more almost wherever you are in an emergency. The AA's will last for ages. With the grip the camera still doesn't feel too bulky. Unfortunately the grip does not have vertical controls. Also, it moves the tripod mount to the left (when seen from behind as you hold the camera), meaning it no longer lines up wit the lens.
The camera stood up to my use/abuse quite well. However, at one stage toward the end of its life I got some sand in the back somehow (maybe while changing film). I ended up with horizontal scratch marks on almost all my photos!
This camera is quite basic. It does not allow you to rewind the film mid-roll and leave the leading edge out. I don't think you can get a Date Back for it. As previously mentioned, the grip doesn't have a vertical shutter button. You can't stop the film from advancing, making it impossible to do two exposures on a single frame of film. It has no mirror lock-up function, even on timer mode.
The viewfinder is a bit cramped. I found myself moving my eye around in front of the viewfinder in order to read the information on the right-hand side. Also, it is not 100% view. There is no dioptre adjustment.
The in-built flash isn't very powerful. It also struggles with cancelling red-eye (1 pre-flash is emitted). The red-eye preflash is also emitted quite a long time before the actual exposure, so I often had people turning away before the shot was actually taken.
The camera handled well on a tripod. The mount is in line with the lens.
The camera can take a wired 2-stage shutter release cable (The Pentax Cable Switch F) which includes a bulb-lock switch. Note: This is an electrical (not mechanical) switch.
The AF "beep" can be turned on/off. The AF is a bit slow and hunts a bit when use with long lenses, or in low light. Otherwise it's very accurate.
The strap lugs are VERY sturdy, made of metal and are part of the frame of the body. The strap has a couple of handy pockets to keep the hotshoe cover and VF cover (if you have one! ) in. The strap also has a knob which is used to press the mid-roll film rewind button on the side of the camera.
The camera reads film ISO information automatically, but this can be changed manually as well.
Conclusion: If you're looking for a film camera I would recommend going for a higher-spec one with a few more features. Either that or go for a fully-manual classic. This is why I am only giving this camera a 3. It has nothing to do with how well it takes photos. I have no problems with the photos it took.
Post #1 by Ole
