kivis Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 <p>I just decided I must have a Pentax MX camera. Any users out there? Problems I should look for? I limit my GAS nowadays to classic film cameras.</p> kivis Cameras, lenses, and fotos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon_shumpert2 Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 <p>I have had 2 MX's and both had a flash sync problem. One of them would not fire a shoe mounted flash at 1/60 or slower, but would fire at faster speeds. One would not fire at all. Other than the sync problem, I really like my current MX. I thought about trying to get one that has no problems, but I don't use flash much. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kivis Posted October 22, 2015 Author Share Posted October 22, 2015 <p>I am not a flash shooter, thanks.</p> kivis Cameras, lenses, and fotos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWScott Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 <p>I've had three of them, two black bodies, and currently one silver. All three have been heavily used, the first two by a professional photographer. None of them have had any problems. They seem very sturdy. I keep an MX because it seems likely to be the one camera in my collection that will be operable for the next fifty years, and able to be serviced.<br /> The good points:</p> <ul> <li>Sturdy mechanical camera, basically the last inheritor of the Spotmatic legacy</li> <li>Small and easy to carry</li> <li>Simple and reliable meter that requires readily available (and cheap) battery</li> <li>Takes every K-mount lens (with an aperture ring) and M42 lens (with adapter)</li> <li>Big viewfinder</li> <li>Can take a power winder, which makes the camera easier to carry and shoot (it adds a grip and shutter release to the camera.)</li> </ul> <p>The low points:</p> <ul> <li>I find the top plate cramped; its just too darned small. The shutter speed dial is also quite stiff to turn. Taken together, I find it awkward to get my finger tips around the shutter speed dial to change it, and have to jam my fingers in behind the winder lever to do it.</li> <li>Meter switch in the shutter release can get touchy/dirty. The result is sometimes the meter doesn't activate until I've managed to ham-handedly press the shutter release button too far and trip the shutter. I'm sure a good CLA would clean this up, but all three of my MX's behave the same.</li> <li>The viewfinder has a low eyepoint. Combined with the large size, wearing glasses with this camera is awkward. The corners in the viewfinder aren't always visible. If you have good eyesight, don't worry. But if you need glasses, the viewfinder is not as comfortable as a high-eyepoint finder like the Nikon F3HP.</li> </ul> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_shriver Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 <p>I concur with David. However, the low eyepoint is what gives it such high finder magnification.<br> The LX is nicer to use. But the MX is more likely to keep working.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member69643 Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 <p>I was told, by the "leading" Pentax repair expert in the USA, that the MX suffers from a film transport issue. I personally believe he was lying so he didn't have to re-fix the camera that he supposedly just fixed, but whatever. Here's what he says happens:<br> You'll often see uneven frame transport of the film due to a design defect. The frames won't ever overlap, but some frames may be spaced farther apart than others. </p> <p>I have seen it on my camera. YMMV</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stemked Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 <p>I had one, a beautiful black one. It unfortunately had one serious problem, it wouldn't turn off! If you didn't remember to remove the batteries each time the camera would be dead. As it was only needed for the meter I shot a lot using the "Sunny 16 rule" and that worked fine. I would highly suggest two lenses for the camera, the old 40mm f2.8 M Pancake and the 135 mm f3.5 M lens. They seem especially suited to this tiny camera. The 135 is actually a very good lens.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJG Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 <p>I used 4 of them for 10+ years of professional work with great results--I only had one repair in all that time, and they all went on to more use by family and friends afterward. The finder is extremely bright and easy to focus, but it wouldn't be my first choice now that I need glasses. Flash never gave me any trouble, although that was almost always the PC terminal and not the hot shoe. Check to see if the meter display is flickering a lot--that would likely require a part to fix, and that might be hard to find now.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
User_502260 Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 <p>I have one MX which works perfectly and which was overhauled by Eric Hendrickson. I think I have another three which haven't visited him yet. When I got my first MX I got an SE (MX plain matte) focusing screen and later added an SG-20 (LX grid which also fits the MX). So far I haven't used either screen. I think I will have anothet MX overhauled and just leave the grid screen in. I know I will have to make an adjustment to the exposure when using the SG-20 because the LX screens are slightly brighter than the MX ones. Apart from the interchangeable screens and motor/winder capability the MX works like a smaller and lighter KM. Some people like to get an eBay bargain on a camera body and hope for the best. If you want to enjoy using the camera spend a little more and get it overhauled. You will have more confidence when using it and get better results. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrewg_ny Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 <p>Usually just an aesthetic issue but minor dents in the pentaprism housing are common on the MX. Agree with others that the shutter speed dial tends to be a bit stiff (hard to spin with one fingertip, may need to grip with finger and thumb) and that with glasses you may not be able to see the corners of the viewfinder.<br> <br />If you like the idea of the MX, also consider the KX. The body is a little taller and heavier (it is a K1000 cousin), and it has similar features (DoF preview, shutter speed and aperture readout in viewfinder), except for the MX's motor drive capability...but adds mirror lockup that the MX lacks. The MX has a more modern meter with 5 LEDs in the viewfinder, while the KX has a nice matched needle system that I quite like in use.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
User_502260 Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 <p>I just shot a roll with one of my KX bodies. This morning I tried to remove the standard focusing screen from an MX to replace it with an SG-20 LX screen. I only got as far as putting a few scratches on the standard screen. I decided to send a second MX to Eric Hendrickson along with the SG-20 screen. When it comes back I will have a nicely working MX but with the SG-20 screen, which I will leave in it. I find a grid screen much easier to use for macro work. It's nice to have the ability to change screens but it's much easier to do with a Canon F-1 or Nikon F2. Even the Canon AE-1 Program is easier to change screens in than the MX. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJG Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 <p>Jeff--I'm with you on the "fun" of changing MX and LX screens, although after damaging my first one I managed to install grid screens on all of the MX and LX bodies that I used (8 total) without further problems. I photographed thousands of paintings and other artwork with those cameras, and the grid was very helpful for getting good alignment for the slides that I made.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bebu_lamar Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 <p>Among the Pentaxes I like the MX a lot. I got a used one works perfectly except the flash sync so I got rid of it. I have the KX which I like a lot too but I like the MX a bit more.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
User_502260 Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 <p>I tried again with another spare MX body and the SE screen. The directions for changing the screens are terrible. I found it easier to release the tab with my fingernail than with the tool. I still had to shake the camera gently to release the frame/screen. I then used the tool to grip the tab on the screen. The SE screen has the odd octagonal shape in the center resting on a point. The shape almost looks like it was hand drawn. I put on a 50/1.7 SMC Pentax-M. The MX with the SE screen does not look quite as good to my eye as an Minolta X-700 or Canon F-1 with a similar screen but it's OK. I was looking through one of the Carl Shipman books on Pentax cameras and I see that the LX also requires screen changes through the lens mount. I don't think I will ever like that system but it works more easily on a camera like the Nikon N90S. Other cameras I have which use this system include the Nikon N8008S, Nikon N2020, Nikon FE & FE2, Olympus OM2S and OM2N and Mamiya NC1000S. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJG Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 <p>I never had a problem with the frame coming down on my MX and LX bodies--the problem was getting it to latch and stay up in the proper position once I went to install the new screen. Incidentally, I had just as much fun getting a different screen into my K 20 digital body, and that screen is much smaller than the ones in the film cameras. Fortunately, I have found the factory screens in later DSLR models to work well for me.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bebu_lamar Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 <p>I am surprised that with the LX you have to remove the focusing screen from inside the mirror box. My Nikons with interchangeable viewfinder all the screens come off from the top.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJG Posted October 31, 2015 Share Posted October 31, 2015 <p>On the stiff shutter speed dial--the MX had a mechanical shutter, so setting the speed directly interacted with the timing mechanism. Later cameras with electronically controlled shutters were just changing switch positions, which wouldn't have necessitated as stiff a movement. In any case, the MX is a lot easier than my Contax IIIa, where you have to lift the shutter speed dial to change speeds.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrewg_ny Posted October 31, 2015 Share Posted October 31, 2015 <p>Andrew, I think you're right, it probably corresponds to mechanical vs. electronically-controlled shutter. I find it noticeable vs. the P3n's dial which <em>can</em> be moved with your thumb. Even some electronic models though can be a little stiff for one finger -- I think the MZ-M and MZ-5 are in this group.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kivis Posted November 9, 2015 Author Share Posted November 9, 2015 <p>Just picked up another Pentax MX at a yard sale with a SMC M 50/1.7 lens. Cosmetically both are like new condition. Lens performs beautifully and is in excellent shape. The body on the other hand has problems. Meter does not work at all, but the worst problem is that it will not focus. It just always stays fuzzy even when the the split image is lined up. It almost appears to be a diopter problem. Any ideas? Is this fixable?</p> kivis Cameras, lenses, and fotos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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