Is anyone a fan of, or know much about the Pentax MG?

[dmr]

To make a long story long ...

It's been an unusually warm day today, and after my morning "breakfast club" at the casino I was driving back and spied a garage sale and stopped and looked around.

I immediately zeroed in on what at first looked to me like it might be a K1000 (I have an ailing one) but it turned out to be a Pentax MG. (MG ????????) I'm totally unfamiliar with that model and in fact I don't even remember hearing of it that I can remember!

Anyway, the price tag said $25 so halfway in jest I offered him $10 for it. He replied "Make it $12 and it's yours." I figured what the {expletive} and for that price at worst it's a sanity check on the focusing of my lenses and a comparison to the known-out-of-whack K1000. The shutter fired and it focused to infinity clearly. It came with a 50mm f2 lens (yeah I know, twirling index finger) similar to the one that came with the K1000. One thing I noticed is that the camera body was somewhat dirty, noticeable grode around the wind lever and limited shutter speed dial, but the lens is PRISTINE, and I suspect that it may not be the original.

I just downloaded TFM and read the page on it at Pentax Forums and I was able to get the batteries (yes, plural, two of them needed) at the local Walgreens and I've been playing with it, but haven't taken any actual shots yet. I'm off tomorrow and Tuesday afternoon so unless the weather turns ugly I'll shoot a test roll at the place I've been taking test shots and see how it works.

The good news is that the meter works and it passes the "sunny 16" sanity check in the back yard. I REALLY like the split image in the finder, and that makes it very easy to focus exactly and check the focus close to and at infinity, something I'm having issues with on the K1000. The shutter speeds sound about right. (Yeah, not very scientific, I know.) All of my lenses mount and appear to focus properly except for the suspected-out-of-whack Ozunon (this model also sold under the Vivitar name) zoom which was my favorite Pentax lens. The prime lens from the K1000 and the MG have the exact same focus point where they go very very slightly past infinity, so I suspect that both of them are fine.

Now the bad news! The exposure system is really wonky! It's aperture-priority with only a 1/100 manual speed! Otherwise it's auto only and kinda bass-ackwards from the Canon GIII which is shutter-priority and which I'm more or less used to. Other than this I think I got more than my money's worth on this find!

As I said, I don't even remember hearing much (or anything, actually) about this model (MG) even though I was a regular reader of the photo mags at the time it apparently came out. Either I glossed over it or was not impressed enough with it (possibly with the exposure system) to commit it to long-term memory. Googling "Pentax MG" brought up Wikipedia, Camerapedia, Pentax Forums, and a few for sale on you-know-where.

Does anybody here use one of these, or actually know much about them, or like them?

Thanks

 

[Ricardo Miranda]

The Pentax MG was a revamped ME. Pretty much the same basic functions with some cosmetic changes and a few omissions like the PC socket.

 

[Pioneer]

You have one of the lightest 35mm cameras available. It is a very, very nice camera, probably one of the nicest walk around autos you can find. It uses two very ssmall and inexpensive S76 button batteries which will last for quite awhile. I owned one of these for quite awhile until my son took it when he headed to college and I think it is lost to the God of Time now. It did a very good job and is a nice substitute for the K1000 for not a bunch of money.

One downside is that the shutter speeds are electronically controlled so if the batteries die you are limited to 1/100s and bulb. Still workable but not necessarily a lot of fun. I think you got a good deal on the set and suspect that your problems are caused by battery troubles. The reason I say this is that the 1/100 second shutter speed is the fallback for no battery, so somewhere along the line the camera is not seeing the battery voltage. It could be the wrong batteries (LR44 or 357 batteries will fit but do not work very well in this camera). If you have the right batteries then check their voltages. Another potential issue is that the battery connection has some problems (caused perhaps by past corrosion)which could reduce the voltage reaching the exposure computer enough to cause inconsistent operation. Remove the bottom and check the wires attaching to the battery chamber for good connection.Finally, the little exposure computer that runs things may have become unreliable and I can't help you with that since I doubt there are any parts out there for these cameras anymore.

 

[dmr]

The Pentax MG was a revamped ME. Pretty much the same basic functions with some cosmetic changes ...

Thanks. Now I'm starting to get it. I know of the ME but I was never really interested in it.

and a few omissions like the PC socket.

I didn't notice that, but now I do.

 

[dmr]

I think you got a good deal on the set and suspect that your problems are caused by battery troubles.

Thanks.

I think we have a misunderstanding or maybe I was not clear enough. The exposure system seems to work fine. I got the correct batteries at the local Walgreens. On a dry shot outdoors with the lens set to f5.6, the speed indicator showed overexposed at 1/1000 and the sound of the shutter seemed correct. Much faster than on the manual 1/100. When I did a dry shot against the test target I have on the wall, under room lights, the shutter speed (yellow) was one second or so.)

I think my only real problem is I'm gonna have to learn to use it properly. I'm used to either match-needle manual or total auto point-and-shoot. With the GIII even after 10 years I still have to mind-bend a bit when shooting. I guess on this one I have to bend the mind the opposite direction.

 

[GRHazelton]

Mike Butkus' Orphan Cameras resource has this for you: http://www.butkus.org/chinon/pentax/pentax_mg/pentax_mg.htm you can print out the camera manual. Send Mike a few dollars to keep up this invaluable resource.

 

[flavio81]

Little nice camera, like a Nikon EM but better built. As mentioned, this is a stripped-down ME camera.

As for the K-mount 50/2, what's wrong with it? I have the 50/1.4 and the 50/2 both in KA-mount, and the f2 is a sweet little small lens that feels nice and it's lighter. Makes total sense with a light camera as the MG. At f8 or f5.6 it should be as sharp as the other 50s.

 

[BMbikerider]

I used one of these little gems way back I think around 1984. Yes it was light - too light for me, but the exposure system was very good. In those days I use a hell of a lot Slide Film and cannot remember ever getting a really bad exposure. As I said it was too light and the main reason why I am now not knee deep in colour slides is the lightness did nothing to help camera shake and a lot were just plainly unsharp.
I have to say that I am the complete opposite of you and much prefer to use the apperture priority exposure, but I think this is in the main a personal preference and once you have started to use it, it becomes 2nd nature. It is a bit like driving an automatic gearbox car then going over to a manual shift, a short while and it becomes 2nd nature

 

[dmr]

Thanks everyone, and thanks for the links, but, uh, I thought I said I already had the manual. I got home and googled "Pentax MG Manual" and got it, and actually read it, well, most of it.

On "another network" they were saying that this model was not really promoted here in the States, so that's probably why I didn't remember it.

I have to say that I am the complete opposite of you and much prefer to use the apperture priority exposure, but I think this is in the main a personal preference and once you have started to use it, it becomes 2nd nature. It is a bit like driving an automatic gearbox car then going over to a manual shift, a short while and it becomes 2nd nature

I'll do a test roll today and see how I like it. I mean, looking at it logically I should like it 'cuz it's one less setting to futz with. I'm more or less used to shooting with the GIII in auto, but I find myself wanting to tweak it, looking at a brighter or dimmer part of the scene and pressing half way down, to coax the exposure to more what I think it should be. I'm looking forward to shooting a test roll this afternoon.

 

[flavio81]

. As I said it was too light and the main reason why I am now not knee deep in colour slides is the lightness did nothing to help camera shake and a lot were just plainly unsharp.

This is the deep, dark secret we, users of really heavy cameras, know...

 

[blockend]

Most major camera manufacturers came out with some kind of aperture priority only electronic shutter camera, with a get-out-of-jail single manual speed. They were an attempt to introduce SLRs to the masses, but didn't catch on in huge numbers. The type make good little cameras, and have the benefit of lightness and ease of use. The downside is if you want to expose for highlights or shadows specifically, the workaround involved tricking the camera by changing the ASA speed, something a newbie is most unlikely to do. Use one as an SLR equivalent of a point and shoot camera and they make perfect sense, but for creative exposure they can be frustrating.

 

[BAC1967]

I have the ME with an auto winder, it's a nice small SLR without the auto winder attached. If I shoot in any kind of auto mode I prefer aperture priority. Similar to what has been said already, once you know how to manipulate the camera for over/under exposure and such you can do a lot with it.

Pentax ME by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

I don't use this camera as much as others but this is one of my favorite shots I took with it.
Sinking Dock on the St Joe River by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

 

[Steve Roberts]

I'd say the MG is either (as has been said) a de-featured ME Super or perhaps an enhanced MV. The MV only has under/over/OK indications but IIRC the MG tells the user what speed it's using. I have an MV that is very light and small. Fitted with the Pentax 40mm pancake lens it's a great take everywhere camera and with print film (b&w or colour) delivers consistently good results.
Steve