MX: worth repairing?

[tim_bradshaw1]

<p>[it might be that this question should better be on the classic manual camera forum, apologies if so.]</p>

<p>I have two MXs, both with 50/1.4 lenses (I have some other lenses but I only ever use these). I've owned them both since the early 90s (I had another before that which I dropped onto concrete). I've recently realised that these are the best cameras/lenses I will ever own because they are in fact perfect (for me).</p>

<p>I am not sure how many rolls I have put through these, but I guess ~1000 or so. I look after them quite well. I don't know how they were (ab)used before I owned them of course.</p>

<p>Unfortunately all is not well with one of them (and, annoyingly, this is "MX1" which is the best one). Two things are going wrong with it at once. Firstly, under circumstances I don't understand, the aperture ring on the lens becomes impossible to move: it can be freed by some general frobbing with it but it's a bit annoying. I think this is something internal to the lens but it might be in the lens/camera interface. Secondly, something funny occasionally happens with the mirror - when taking a picture it makes a funny noise (that's a bad description, but it is very different from the normal slap from the mirror). The frame comes out dark, so I think the mirror is not lifting in time. This is intermittent and currently happens maybe twice per roll. MX2 has the mirror problem as well, and is generally not such a nice body.</p>

<p>Both of these are hard to get fixed because, of course, when I take them to the mender person, they know this and work perfectly when he tries them.</p>

<p>So I have two questions. (1) I'm worried that these symptoms are basicallly old age as parts which can't now be replaced have worn. Maybe they will just not be reliable any more and I need to abandon them as workhorse cameras? Does this seem reasonable? (2) If not, is there anyone, in the UK, who specialises in Pentaxes of this era, who would have spares etc, and who could give them a good service? My local repair person is very good, but I suspect I might need a specialist. I could consider a non-UK person as well.</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

<p>--tim</p>

[AJG]

<p>I owned 4 MX bodies at one point that I used professionally and simply wore out because of the volume of film that I went through, and reluctantly went to LX bodies because of the increase in size and weight, so I understand your dilemma. The next time your aperture ring becomes difficult to turn, take the lens off the body and see if the ring is still difficult to turn. If it is, then you have a lens problem (which I suspect this is) rather than a body problem. As for the mirror problem, a CLA might do it, and I would take the best body along with the offending roll of film to the repair person to see what he thinks. As long as the light meter is working reliably, (no flickering of the LED display) if you really like the cameras, I would repair them since otherwise you will only be buying another used camera that may have had a much harder life than the ones you have, or something much more automated and newer that won't be like the MX that you are accustomed to. One of my least favorite aspects of the switch to digital for my commercial work has been the tremendous increase in size and weight of the cameras (Pentax K10 and K 20) and the inevitable zoom lenses that minimize the number of times you have to clean the sensor.</p>

[andrewg_ny]

<p>I'd think they're probably worth repairing. The best-known repairer of things Pentax in the USA is <a href="http://www.pentaxs.com/">Eric Henderson</a> . The seizing aperture ring sounds a lot more like a lens problem than a body problem. Does it happen with only one lens? Does it ever sort of grab with the lens off the body? The body issues sound like they might be addressed with a CLA. Any replacement bodies you might buy now could probably benefit from a CLA too.</p>

 

[stemked]

<p>Check the price though first for a good used one before you sink a ton of money into it. Unfortunately it is usually just cheaper to buy a used replacement.</p>

[george_c.]

<p>It's unlikely to need parts replacing, it'll just need a CLA and probably mirror foam replaced to stop the mirror from sticking. Also, try swapping lenses from body to body to see if it's a body issue or a lens one. Michael Spencer aka 'Camerarepairer' is the most reasonably priced man around in the UK and has taken care of one of my MXs and done an outstanding job, his website isn't currently functioning but you should be able to get hold of him on <a title="camerarepairer@btopenworld.com" rel="nofollow" href="mailto:camerarepairer@btopenworld.com" target="_blank">camerarepairer@btopenworld.com</a> He's also happy to direct you to numerous referees and I'm sure a search through forums will throw up some kid words about his work. George</p>

[dan_daniel2]

<p>The mirror problem you describe: been there! Have an MX I bought for almost nothing on eBay a few months ago. Needed the battery connection jiggled and the meter came back to life. But the mirror thing: exactly. For me, it happens when I am hesitating about taking an image, my finger is twitching a bit on the shutter release, and I end up firing the shutter with a very light pressure. Not the same as the finger flick for mirror lock up. It seemed to happen once or twice a roll at most. And yes, it sounds different. The frames I get have a little sliver of exposure on the bottom edge.</p>

<p>I sent it to Eric Hendrickson in the States for CLA and repair of this. He said it had to do with some 'flag' that controls each curtain? It was not a part problem but an alignment/wear problem. Since he worked on it, I've heard the same noise a few times while playing around. But it hasn't happened on an actual frame of film yet. I am still shaking out the camera and waiting for him finish another one before I consider sending it back.</p>

<p>From what I hear you describe, your problem isn't a sticky mirror.</p>

<p>I actually sent along a well-worn, non-working MX body when I sent off the good one for Eric Hendrickson to use for parts if he wanted. The camera he has now is an ME Super; I asked him I should also send along an ME Super 'parts' camera and let him cobble together the best single camera form the two, but he only wanted the one. Maybe with an MX it is different?</p>

<p>Anyway, I'd talk to the UK references you get and see what they suggest. Maybe email Eric Hendrickson and see if it makes any sense for him to do the work? Meaning shipping, etc. cost Or maybe he knows someone in the UK that is good.</p>

<p>The lens/aperture problem sounds like it is with the lens. I bet just opening up the back side and cleaning out the click mechanism and maybe the stop down lever system would clear it up.</p>

 

[tim_bradshaw1]

<p>Thanks to everyone who has responded. I'd been thinking that I can't check whether the aperture-ring problem is the lens or the body because all my other lenses are in storage, but of course I can swap the two 50s between the bodies (and in any case I have a 40mm pancake which is not in storage). So I feel silly not to have realised I could do that.</p>

<p>In either case I will get it mended as it looks like it is worth it (if I buy another one I'll know less about the history than I do of the current one, which I know has been looked after OK). I'll try my local people first (who have done good jobs on things in the past, including replacing light seals on the MXs) and then the person recommended here.</p>

<p>If all else fails I may have to get my LX out of storage (I'm not sure why I prefer the MXs - possibly because the LX had some weird focus-inaccuracy at one point which caused me to lose several rolls and was expensive to fix...)</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

[rod_sainty2]

<p>Tim, it's ten days later, but here's my view. I think the MX has to be the best and fastest handling manual camera ever. Along with the way the camera nestles in the hand, I particularly like the coarse microprism aid, the circular shutter speed display that mimics the dial on the top plate, and the way the half-stop metering display keys in with the half-stop detents on the aperture ring. (The LX display only allows a full-stop resolution, inadequate for bracketing with transparency films). I regard the viewfinder display as a genius design. Despite their age, my MXs all meter accurately. The camera is a reliable mechanical machine and none have ever let me down. The shutter and mirror vibration is much reduced over the K series cameras (such as the KM, KX and K1000) due in part to the piston damper in the mirror assembly.</p>

<p>Regarding the stuck aperture ring, remove the lens and try to move the aperture follower tab that is located just inside and peripheral to the lens mount on the MX body. This tab should move freely. One of my MXs was dropped on its head heavily; I had the top plate replaced but the follower sometimes jams due to a tiny distortion in the mount area.</p>

<p>The MX has a mechanical shutter that can be serviced by any competent technician, so you should be able to keep them running for a long time. My verdict: They just need a CLA.</p>

<p> </p>