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Forum: General Photography
08-30-2023, 09:26 PM
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There really shouldn't be much of a question here at all. FACT - The KM features the self-timer and, very important for the time, depth-of-field preview that the cheaper made K1000 lacks so it is the better model.. The KM was the simplest and least expensive model of the original three Kmount cameras. The new Kmount lenses lacked the auto/manual switch of the previous Takumar thread mount series making the depth-of-field preview on the body very handy indeed. The self-timer was nice to have and had been a traditional feature on most 35mm SLRs for a considerable time by then. Pentax apparently thought these were not needed in their beginner model and lowered costs by axing them for the K1000 thus ensuring that more serious photographers, if they could spend more, would gravitate to the higher models. This is what happened even after the M line came out. The KM is definitely my preference and I have handled many K1000s but never wasted the money buying one. When I worked at a camera store back then I would make sure potential buyers understood what they were giving up so they wouldn't be disappointed with it but many still wanted it for the price when they started out. As they grew in the hobby most, by far, upgraded later and often quite quickly.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
03-23-2022, 06:25 PM
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Be aware that older flash units often have a relatively high trigger voltage that has been said to ruin modern DSLRs. If you look up discussions about the issue here on the PF and consult information after a google search you will learn some relevant facts. The safe voltage for individual modern cameras is circulating and I have seen charts and info about it. As long as your camera and any older flash have compatible safe voltage you can probably use them together if they can be connected. Fully manual flash is really not that complicated if you are using a fairly simple setup as you indicated. Manual camera settings are set according to flash power, flash to subject distance, aperture, and little arithmetic based on the inverse square law of light intensity. Have fun.
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
03-18-2022, 05:45 PM
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With a little more searching I found that Pentax 645 mount diameter of 61.2mm is smaller than many other medium format cameras. Although I can't find the diameter of the Norita 66 mount, apparently an adapter allowing Pentacon 6 lens to Norita 66 mount was made possible because of the longer Pentacon 6 flange distance (74.1). But a Norita 66 lens adapter to Pentacon 6 camera was not possible because the Norita 66 diameter is larger than the Pentacon 6 mount. So for your purpose, the large diameter Norita 66 80f/2 would have to somehow be recessed into the smaller diameter Pentax 645 camera mount and be further complicated by Norita's breech lock mechanism. Even if you disassembled that lens mount to somehow use an existing adapter I don't see how it would ever achieve infinity focus. Old lenses can make some very interesting photos adapted to modern cameras but I think you have been defeated in this case.
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
03-17-2022, 02:31 PM
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I heard a little about this camera many years ago and nothing since so I googled it. It was announced in 1971 with lenses from 40mm to 400mm including that 80mm f/2. It used a mechanical focal plane shutter with 1-1/500 sec plus B. It uses a breech lock bayonet type mount with a flange distance of 68.2mm compared to the P645 with 70.87mm. I suspect an adapter attempt would not be practical since with the 2.67mm difference the 80 f/2 would need to be further back than the P645 mount allows for to obtain infinity focus.
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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
03-11-2022, 07:53 AM
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Well said. I'm "guilty" of LBA and don't actually shoot much....and I enjoy it!
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Forum: Lens Clubs
11-26-2021, 09:13 PM
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I have the same lens and I think it's a great value. About forty years ago I had the Vivitar 90 f/2.8 1:1 Macro and I believe it is the same lens.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
11-19-2021, 12:08 PM
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My first impression was that this was intended for 35mm film and I was about to give another shout out for the LX. But then I saw the Hasselblad post and I'm torn between that LX and the Pentax 645NII.
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Forum: Vintage Cameras and Equipment
10-26-2021, 05:00 PM
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Good technique then is still relevant to good technique now. The basics of camera handling have never changed much. A lot of people can benefit from seeing old publications and I think we would all very much appreciate your sharing this.
Thanks
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Forum: Site Suggestions and Help
10-20-2021, 11:10 AM
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Looking forward to seeing some great discussion in this new thread. Hope to learn and maybe get ideas for future acquisitions (Like I need more stuff) I just recently sold off some things that would qualify here but still very interested.
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Forum: General Photography
10-09-2021, 07:53 PM
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This was always the method I used for film (and still do) and now also for digital since I'm inclined to use my older manual prime lenses whenever shooting outdoors and landscapes. Added bonus with these beautifully made older lenses: infinity mark was always infinity focus too. If your lens needed adjustments to focus properly then you returned it because that was out of spec.
As has been said though, it doesn't pay to stop all the way down and have diffraction problems. My preference is to keep the aperture at least one stop from minimum and set that infinity focus mark for the next widest f/stop than I'm setting for a safety margin. That narrows depth of field a little but gets acceptable sharpness without worry.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
10-04-2021, 09:57 AM
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I also feel the large aperture wides must have been developed for those whose subjects are far different from mine. K28/2 was nicknamed "Hollywood" and I thought that meant it was mostly used for studio glamour shots of models.
I'm mostly interested in the outdoors and landscape where I usually shoot film. Although some others have their modern favourites many prefer the K lenses for their image rendering and, besides, I already HAVE those.
Enjoying the wonderful backwards compatibility of the entire Pentax system even going back to my Takumars.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
10-04-2021, 09:29 AM
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I probably never will sacrifice for a K28/2 but I've had the other two for about 40 years.
Perhaps we date ourselves then because the K series was the first I heard about as a special trio. Sometimes the K short telephotos (also Takumar before that) were referred to in the same way consisting of K85/1.8, K105/2.8, and either K120/2.8 or K135/2.5.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
08-14-2021, 01:49 PM
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Some years back Yoshihiko Takinami did a lot of testing of Pentax lenses and gave rankings of resolution for groups of similar focal lengths. He indicated that within the 28mm lens group the K 28/3.5 was tops with M 28/3.5 fairly close. The 30 f/2.8 was generally considered with the 28s because it's alone and it also ranked high. I can still find the results, (takinami.com), and look in lens resolution tests section.
I have the SMC Takumar 28 f/3.5, K 28/3.5, M 28/3.5, M 28/2.8, and K30 f/2.8 and I see similar image capabilities to what his opinion is. However, for most purposes pretty much all these lenses would suit but some are smaller and lighter and you may prefer f/2.8 over f/3.5 for some uses and a particular camera's viewfinder.
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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
07-08-2021, 08:57 PM
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Thanks for reminding of the magazine articles. I do remember now the discussions then of Pentax-Ricoh collaboration. I never knew of the later 35/2.8 variant though.
Also, I always thought it interesting that as Pentax was discontinuing the K2 and KX models Ricoh seems to have borrowed some ideas for that XR-2 K mount camera. That was the first new camera I bought in 1978.
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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
07-05-2021, 04:20 PM
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At that time I also found the XR-Rikenon 35/2.8 to be virtually identical to the SMCPM 35/2.8. I bought it new from my camera store employer at the time but after a very short while it was returned. The diaphragm lagged and would stick partially closed most of the time and curiously the same problem has been reported for the Pentax model more often than other M lenses of the era. Whose design was it? Is it possible that Ricoh was making some of the M lenses for Pentax rather than the opposite?
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
03-23-2021, 06:59 PM
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I've always wanted the Grip B but can't bring myself to pay the price they go for. My money has been spent on focusing screens, winder, motor drive, and finders.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
03-23-2021, 04:40 PM
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Welcome to the brotherhood of commitment to periodically service sticky mirror syndrome. You will become entranced by the desire to track down decades old accessories and pay too much for them. You will put aside all others as inferior when you are mesmerized by the best viewfinder to ever grace a camera. ...and ENJOY!
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
03-19-2021, 09:08 PM
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A very informative narrative with inspiring photos. I feel motivated to take out my seldom used SMCP 17 fisheye. Couldn't resist buying it and several other K and M lenses back in '85 when clear-out prices were making way for an almost all A lens lineup. This was the first lens I bought knowing it was more a collector's item for me rather than a practical user. With full-blown GAS I have a lot of others now.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
01-25-2021, 05:59 PM
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This one gets my vote for '90s FA walk around lens for cameras of that decade. It hasn't been much money for quite a while and can be used on any Pentax right up to date.
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Forum: Lens Clubs
01-18-2021, 07:09 PM
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Wishing you a full and lasting recovery. You have posted many, many photos we all enjoyed. Hope you can soon resume without hindrances. Best wishes.
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Forum: Lens Clubs
01-14-2021, 04:39 AM
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I think the shots you post from around your home show a very interesting, scenic, and almost pastoral environment that I would love to be around. I live in a small town subdivision and almost everything for many miles around in our entire county is virtually flat, unbroken farmland with very few trees. Most of SW Ontario is one big clear cut area. I have a difficult time on these recent gray days getting inspired to shoot landscape and we certainly don't have the opportunity to travel anywhere else now. It has occurred to me before that just about anyone anywhere can become bored with their surroundings. Even people living around epic, hilly and mountainous national park types of areas can be heard saying they are getting bogged down creatively. Although I find it really hard to understand that extreme, it appears everyone needs to shake up their approach from time to time and find different angles of view while possibly attempting unusual techniques in order to keep things interesting.
Hope you stay well doing it.
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Forum: Lens Clubs
12-23-2020, 04:39 PM
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I'm also a fan of this one. When it was a new model in the late '70s it was rather expensive, seemed a little heavy, and was rare to even see at most local camera stores. It was in stock where I worked but we couldn't get much interest in it. I think it was ahead of its time since 35mm shooters got a fast, very small, and sharp 50mm with their new, small M cameras and were just not much interested in "standard" zooms yet. It wasn't until a few years later when the "standard" zoom was often smaller and lighter with some even having a longer zoom range that people began to buy them. Although the M35-70 had a larger max aperture than most, people weren't ready for the concept until, I think, better fast film and more easily useable flash units changed habits. Likewise, the M40-80 seemed to have the same fate. IMHO
I bought my own 35-70 copy a few years ago for barely 100 bucks in perfect condition and really like the image quality.
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
12-22-2020, 06:05 PM
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I don't have the smaller digital format so my picks relate to the 645 and 645NII. The A35/3.5 and A120/4 are indispensable.
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Forum: General Photography
12-17-2020, 09:20 AM
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Okay I'll join in here, but keep in mind this is ebay's fault. I CAN control the GAS.
Pentax - 2 MX, 2 ME Super, 2 Super Program, 2 P645
Ricoh - 2 XR2s, 2 XR7
Minolta - 3 SRT101, 2 XE7
Sometimes an extra body comes along with that must have lens you've talked yourself into needing.
My REAL intention is to unload these extras and buy more copies of the cameras it makes more sense to have like a second LX and a second P645NII. I really need them.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
12-17-2020, 05:55 AM
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I first used a Konica rangefinder in '74-'76 then Pentax S1A and Spotmatic II for a couple of years. In 1978 I bought the only brand new in the box camera I have ever had - a Ricoh XR-2. Through the '80s there were a few acquisitions of K and M lenses at clearance prices when the A series took over along with a number of medium format experiments. Life became busy in the early '90s with little photography for almost twenty years. When I became an ebay addict my first, and still only, DSLR was a K20d. I have a few apsc lenses but my main interest is still film and especially Pentax 645.
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