partha_sur

<p>I have owned a Rollei 35 (Xenar 3.5) in the early seventies and now I have a Rollei 35S (the match needle metering is much more intuitive than the LED metering of the SE, TE). The Sonnar is as sharp as a samurai sword. As for scale focusing I use ISO 400 film which means that with the shutter set at 1/500 s (nearest reciprocal) and the distance set at infinity, the aperture is rarely wider than f8 in sunny outdoors and even if I forget to set the distance every time everything from about 30 ft to infinity is in focus. At smaller f stops everything from about 6 feet to infinity is in focus with 400 ISO film. The Rollei 35 is thus ideal for "street" photography and travel photography. I set the shutter at 1/250 s or even 1/125 s when I am not sure of the depth of field and then the apertures are 1 and 2 stops smaller and I am guaranteed a huge depth of field.</p>

<p>I have used a fully manual Pentax MX since 1980 and have had no need to switch to another film SLR. I have SMC-M 50 mmm f1.4, SMC-M 28mm f2.8, SMC-M 135 mm f3.5, SMC-M 35-70 mm f2.8-f3.5, SMC-M 80-200 mm f4.5 lenses. I have had no need to purchase any other film equipment since the early eighties - besides 35 mm film. They all work perfectly to this day. The lenses are all K-mount of course and will work on any Pentax digital SLR (in manual mode). Hold a Pentax MX in your hand and you will see what I mean - the MX is the finest SLR (including digital) ever made by Asahi Pentax. A Pentax is not a "professional" SLR like a Nikon or Canon but is just as good (I used to own a Canon FTb before I purchased the Pentax MX).</p>