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Die-hard Pentaxian here. My LX should be back soon from an overhaul session, I'm really looking forward to shooting with it again. My father bought it new in 81 or 82 and when he passed away in 2021, I took his LX and KX with me. I already have 2 MEs, an MX, a K1000 and a KM, so both are in good company now. My 11 year old K-5 DSLR is still in use, too. Great and durable machines...
The lens you have is an autofocus lens developed for the Pentax ME-F. The zoom lens is the only autofocus lens for the ME-F that has hit the market. So you have something special in your hands. I remember from way back that a ME-F plus the 35-70mm autofocus zoom lens was more expensive than the Pentax LX with a Pentax-M 35-70 zoom lens.
I bought a used ME Super with a 35-70 2.8 "automatic" focus. Works well enough but not too fast as I recall. More of a conversation piece for me. I never knew that lens even existed until a couple years back when I bought it and the ME Super. Apparently mine was previously owned by a nuclear physicist of some repute as the camera store sold it to him then aftere he died got it back and sold it to me; could be a tall tale, but they are honest so I believe them, I bought it for the body mostly. Also, I found the metering on the ME Super to always be quite good, I have no idea how they set it up but I found it reliable for available light for any and all films, including slide films, never a problem. Interesting video. Personally I liked the ME Super for its size. Pentax always seemed to offer good value for the money. (Would that their PC 35 AF were more reliable in the manual winder mechanism, it had a very nice lens and was nicely pocketable. A nice little camera. ) Best wishes!
Great review. I recently got 2 LX cameras. I recall as a kid reading Camera Weekly's review of the LX: "Absolutely superb SLR...the epitome of 35mm photography". I just love the conservative design. As you state, minimalist design. The sticky mirror syndrome is a relatively cheap and easy fix.
I have two LX's as well. I've had many 35mm SLR cameras -- Nikon F3, FM, FM2, Leicaflex SL, and a couple of Leica M6's, but today, all I have are two LX's. It's the best SLR ever made. I live in France and it's been problematic to repair my LX's, only one shop in Paris that still repair these, they charge an exorbitant amount. Found by chance a retired electronics engineer who loves Pentax cameras, he's repaired both of my LX's. I recommend that those who love the LX should buy at least 1 defective LX on Ebay and keep it for parts.
Another great video as always! Do you know much about the reliability of the hybrid electronic and mechanical shutter designs on the LX or the K2? I'm considering the LX but I've heard bad things about shutter fails.
I don' have any experience with the K2, but I haven't had any issues with the shutter on the LX cameras I have used. The only problems I have had are with the mirror, which can stick or be sluggish.
The Pentax LX was a superb SLR, but it never achieved the volume of sales in the Professional market for Pentax that it needed, it was aimed at to challenge the Nikon F3 or Canon New F1.
Yesterday I received a pentax me f in black. The first one I saw in years of searching. The light meter works, but always shoot in the same speed... Any suggestions?
How many shots have you taken? When you open the back and the film counter resets, it shoots at 1000 until the film counter gets to 1. So after putting in a new roll shoot a few plank frames until it's at 1 or use the 1000 and flash 125 speed for the few extra first shots. If this is the issue, then the shutter speeds should work normal after that.
@@urbanfinland1692 hello! I've got a pentax me and a me super, all of them works the same. The problem is that the "shutter speed info" in the viewfinder isn't send to the electronic shutter... And always shoot in 1/125. The case you told is only apply to some Nikons (if I'm not wrong). Thank you for your time and response!! Edit: 1/125 is the only mechanical speed, apart the bulb mode ;)
You say you know people that shot exposures 2-3 hours long on auto. That's impossible. The longest shutter speed it can handle automatically is 125 seconds, so a little more than 2 minutes. If you need more, you could use a cable release with the bulb functionality. But NOT auto.
I used to think the same, but that is not correct. 125 seconds is what the manual says, but only when shooting ISO 100 film at f/1.4. As you stop down the lens, you get longer exposures. You will find many examples on the internet from the LX shooting very long exposures in auto, even my lowly Nikon FE can do it. Check out the Pentax Forums to see many examples of very long exposures using the Auto setting.
@@japanvintagecamera8869 That would be awesome then! I'm waiting for an LX to arrive the next days, and I will definitely test this. Also: thanks for the video presentation!
Die-hard Pentaxian here. My LX should be back soon from an overhaul session, I'm really looking forward to shooting with it again. My father bought it new in 81 or 82 and when he passed away in 2021, I took his LX and KX with me. I already have 2 MEs, an MX, a K1000 and a KM, so both are in good company now. My 11 year old K-5 DSLR is still in use, too. Great and durable machines...
Came for the LX review, stayed for the Hokkaido travel insight. Will be watching more of your videos!
Thanks for the info! Always enjoy your videos and wandering through film history and camera use.
The lens you have is an autofocus lens developed for the Pentax ME-F. The zoom lens is the only autofocus lens for the ME-F that has hit the market. So you have something special in your hands. I remember from way back that a ME-F plus the 35-70mm autofocus zoom lens was more expensive than the Pentax LX with a Pentax-M 35-70 zoom lens.
I bought a used ME Super with a 35-70 2.8 "automatic" focus. Works well enough but not too fast as I recall. More of a conversation piece for me. I never knew that lens even existed until a couple years back when I bought it and the ME Super. Apparently mine was previously owned by a nuclear physicist of some repute as the camera store sold it to him then aftere he died got it back and sold it to me; could be a tall tale, but they are honest so I believe them, I bought it for the body mostly. Also, I found the metering on the ME Super to always be quite good, I have no idea how they set it up but I found it reliable for available light for any and all films, including slide films, never a problem. Interesting video. Personally I liked the ME Super for its size. Pentax always seemed to offer good value for the money. (Would that their PC 35 AF were more reliable in the manual winder mechanism, it had a very nice lens and was nicely pocketable. A nice little camera. ) Best wishes!
Great review. I recently got 2 LX cameras. I recall as a kid reading Camera Weekly's review of the LX: "Absolutely superb SLR...the epitome of 35mm photography". I just love the conservative design. As you state, minimalist design. The sticky mirror syndrome is a relatively cheap and easy fix.
I have two LX's as well. I've had many 35mm SLR cameras -- Nikon F3, FM, FM2, Leicaflex SL, and a couple of Leica M6's, but today, all I have are two LX's. It's the best SLR ever made. I live in France and it's been problematic to repair my LX's, only one shop in Paris that still repair these, they charge an exorbitant amount. Found by chance a retired electronics engineer who loves Pentax cameras, he's repaired both of my LX's. I recommend that those who love the LX should buy at least 1 defective LX on Ebay and keep it for parts.
They actually made the non auto-focus version of the lens. I own one. That said, they are great lenses. Sharp and contrasty. Only 9 elements.
Another great video as always! Do you know much about the reliability of the hybrid electronic and mechanical shutter designs on the LX or the K2? I'm considering the LX but I've heard bad things about shutter fails.
I don' have any experience with the K2, but I haven't had any issues with the shutter on the LX cameras I have used. The only problems I have had are with the mirror, which can stick or be sluggish.
@@japanvintagecamera8869 Is this a relatively simple fix?
Great camera, that was simply overshadowed by Nikon’s F3 and Canon’s F1....I was a Canon F1 shooter back then.
The Pentax LX was a superb SLR, but it never achieved the volume of sales in the Professional market for Pentax that it needed, it was aimed at to challenge the Nikon F3 or Canon New F1.
Yesterday I received a pentax me f in black. The first one I saw in years of searching. The light meter works, but always shoot in the same speed... Any suggestions?
How many shots have you taken? When you open the back and the film counter resets, it shoots at 1000 until the film counter gets to 1. So after putting in a new roll shoot a few plank frames until it's at 1 or use the 1000 and flash 125 speed for the few extra first shots. If this is the issue, then the shutter speeds should work normal after that.
@@urbanfinland1692 hello! I've got a pentax me and a me super, all of them works the same. The problem is that the "shutter speed info" in the viewfinder isn't send to the electronic shutter... And always shoot in 1/125. The case you told is only apply to some Nikons (if I'm not wrong).
Thank you for your time and response!!
Edit: 1/125 is the only mechanical speed, apart the bulb mode ;)
Have you listed the camera on your shop already?
Would be curious to hear you speak in Japanese.
You say you know people that shot exposures 2-3 hours long on auto. That's impossible. The longest shutter speed it can handle automatically is 125 seconds, so a little more than 2 minutes. If you need more, you could use a cable release with the bulb functionality. But NOT auto.
I used to think the same, but that is not correct. 125 seconds is what the manual says, but only when shooting ISO 100 film at f/1.4. As you stop down the lens, you get longer exposures. You will find many examples on the internet from the LX shooting very long exposures in auto, even my lowly Nikon FE can do it. Check out the Pentax Forums to see many examples of very long exposures using the Auto setting.
@@japanvintagecamera8869 That would be awesome then! I'm waiting for an LX to arrive the next days, and I will definitely test this.
Also: thanks for the video presentation!
Back with an update. It’s true, I just tested it in house, used a stopwatch and got an exposure of over 280 seconds. I love it!