Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
08-22-2014, 08:54 PM
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Just got my XD11 back from CLA. It and my XE-7 are both "like new", as is one of my two Pentax MX bodies. This stuff today costs less than a few fancy lunches, but was like three years of teenager allowance back in the day.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
08-20-2014, 05:29 AM
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XD11 focusing screens are also interchangeable.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
08-19-2014, 02:02 PM
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I'm mostly a Leica shooter (M Monochrom and X Vario) for digital, but decided to get back into film and bought nice 4-lens kits in both Minolta MD and Pentax K mounts. My Pentax kit consists of a pair of MX bodies, 1 chrome and 1 black, and (all SMC Pentax-M) 28/2.8, 50/2 (came on one of the bodies), 50/1.4 and 135/3.5. The MX bodies and M lenses are extremely small in my largish hands, but what is lost in ergonomics is gained in portability. I just got the bodies last week, so this weekend will be my first time shooting Pentax.
What I noticed right away is that the 5 LED meter display is a lot smoother in transition than other LED match systems I've used (Nikon FM, FM2, Leica M6, M Monochrom) and positioning it adjacent to the shutter speed indicator with plus and minus one stop also visible is a stroke of genius. I thought I would prefer a proper match needle system like I grew up on (Minolta SRT200), but I find this faster in use and to provide more information. I am also extremely impressed with the light level of those meter LEDs. They aren't so bright as to wash out my vision or overly distract at night, yet bright enough for daytime use (barely) in bright sun.
The rest of the viewfinder is also something of a revelation. Its downright huge, for one thing, and while my Minolta XD11 is brighter, the MX is pretty close, and much larger with higher magnification. The XD11 is also almost as small as the MX, but somehow its controls feel more spacious.
I've long been a fan of Minolta lenses and the ones I have now (MD 28mm f/2.8, MD 45mm f/2, MD 50mm f/1.4 and MC 135mm f/2.8) are all outstanding. We'll see how well these smaller and lighter Pentax lenses compare in a week or two.
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