Help choosing a used K-mount camera

[james lewis]

Recently my borrowed Pentax K1000 has been acting up, it's not

advancing like it should and it's breaking the film. I have just

acquired a few different K-mount lenses for it and since I was going

to return it anyways I've decided to just ebay for another one. My

question is what other models/brands would accept the K-mount that I

should look at. I'm interested in spending no more than a hundred or

so(though could go a bit higher). What would you recommend and are

there any websites which would allow me to see the different

specifications and capabilities of the various K-mount cameras?

[jerry thirsty]

http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/

[jerry thirsty]

Sorry i was brief, I had to leave. On e-bay, the K-series cameras tend to go a bit over $100 depending on model and what's included. The Program Plus is a decent model which goes for less than $100 fairly often, but has more plastic in it and is not fully mechanical (so batteries are more important).

[robert_davis2]

What features do you need?

 

Ricoh KR-10 super [something like that] With a lens it shouldn't be more then $60 and might be closer to $40

 

More feature rich Ricoh XR-M. About the same price. Almost everything but autofocus.

 

Plenty of models in between depending on what you need.

 

 

Try:

 

http://www.butkus.org/chinon/

 

 

No funny batteries. Or other problems.

[claudia__]

I heartily recommend an ME Super. In addition to auto, it also can be operated on manual at 125 when the batteries go dead. Just make sure you get one that works. A very sweet K mount camera.

[scott_verge]

I personally was thinking of picking up a superA / super program as my next Kmount camera. It seems to be a step up from the me super, shutter priority and depth of feild preview.

 

Any reasons besides maybe price to not look into one?

[stemked]

I'd heartly recommend the Super Program/Super A over a ME Super, Richo or K1000 myself. The Super Program offers quite a lot and has been my backup camera for many years. It certainly is more delicate than a K1000, but all the extras make it a great little (very little) camera.

[ian_donaldson]

Keep in mind the SuperA/SuperProgram will only give you shutter priority on "A" lenses and later.

 

With "K" or "M" lenses, the SuperA becomes very similar to the ME Super, although the DOF preview is nice.

[andy_aitken]

If you liked the K1000 you'll love the Pentax MX. Manual only but one of the best ever made, more compact and elegant than the K(lunky) 1000 with much better "traffic light" LED metering indication in the viewfinder. Usually a bit more expensive than used ME Supers but much more rugged. I should never have sold my one. Pro quality for peanuts.

[rod_sainty2]

James, I'll add a vote for the MX. The MX was Pentax's last and most refined mechanical manual camera, the last of a long line that included the Spotmatic of 1964. It is rugged, super-easy to use and provides a full information viewfinder (shutter speed, apertures and meter indication) of quite brilliant design, besides other options as a interchangeable viewscreens, 2fps motor winder and 5fps motor drive (which turn up on ebay). The meter indication in the viewfinder is better than any other SLR, amd very intuitive to use. The diodes allow you to readily adjust and bracket the exposure in precise half-stop increments - and this meshes together with the half-stop clicks on the Pentax lenses in a neat manner. The ME-Super and even the superlative LX viewfinder diodes are at full stop increments and don't allow this control. The microprism aid on the standard viewscreen is great at enabling fast focus much better than the K1000. It can be serviced by any competent technician. Except the 1/60th max flash sync speed, is better than the Nikon FM2. Well worth the search, the MX has somewhat of a "cult" following. Check the MX reviews on the CameraReview website.

[jeffpolaski]

I've got two KX's abd an ME Super. Love them both. Somehow, however, I seem to be using the ZX-M I bought for my wife because it is so lightweight.

[smccartney]

I'd like to throw a vote towards the MX. First SLR I used. It's my brother's. He lent it to me so I could see if I wanted to get into this photography lark, and it got me hooked. I looked around for one myself, and ended up getting an ME-Super at a ridiculously good price. Great camera, but even after a couple of years of use, I still prefer my brother's MX. I found it easier to use, somehow. The ME-Super is a great 2nd best, mind you.

[robert_barnes1]

Know nothing of the other K mount cameras but I've owned a Pentax MX for over 26 years and it hasn't given me the first problem. It's built like a tank and you can feel the solid, quality construction when you first pick one up. If you are looking for one , check the foam light seals and the foam mirror damper. At there age this will probably be the main problem with one. I have been researching the different camera repair shops available and am leaning towards Abilenecamera.com as my MX needs the light seals replaced now.But I wouldn't call this a "problem" as nothing lasts forever. You will pay more than $100.00 on E-bay. They are going for around $130.00 to $175.00 good luck.