M42 camera body suggestion?

[Paul Howell]

Can you buy from Ebay Japan?

 

[kl122002]

Can you buy from Ebay Japan?

I am not sure.

Ebay and Japan's Yahoo auction site are my most frequent visited places.

 

[Paul Howell]

I thought that the CE3 and CM3 would be common, a quick check of US ebay, not many and some are very pricey. Many more CE4 and CM4 and up, which are k mount.

 

[GregY]

I agree with Romanko, and go one generation further to a K mount. Unless you have access to the U.S or E.U market and are willing to pay shipping I don't see the advantage of a M42 body in terms of the wide availability of lens. I would think about an MX, or for that matter a Chinon K body. Then agarin China made Minolta MD mount bodies and a few lens. Next question is, what are allowed to buy from Japan without paying hefty import fees.

Paul, I've bought a ton of stuff from Japan over the years; Leica, Nikon, Pentax, Plaubel Makina..without paying any big import fees. Sometimes it even shows up on my doorstep without having to pay the 5% Canadian goods & services tax. & Shipping from Japan has always been amazingly fast

 

[Paul Howell]

Don't know if HK or China as the same rules. What is allowed to be imported, fees and duties differ from country to country.

 

[GregY]

Don't know if HK or China as the same rules. What is allowed to be imported, fees and duties differ from country to country.

Paul, your log-in says Scottsdale Arizona, so i assumed USA...... and you said
" what are allowed to buy from Japan without paying hefty import fees."..... so i didn't answer a question you didn't ask.

 

[Les Sarile]

Keep an eye out for the Chinon CE II Memotron . . .

Chinon CE II B by Les DMess, on Flickr

Chinon CE II magazine ad by Les DMess, on Flickr

 

[Paul Howell]

Paul, your log-in says Scottsdale Arizona, so i assumed USA...... and you said
" what are allowed to buy from Japan without paying hefty import fees."..... so i didn't answer a question you didn't ask.

You are right, I did not state the obvious, OP's address.

 

[kl122002]

So far here I don't have any import fee here (and I wish it won't come to me in the future) . Have been keeping looking for Chinon bodies locally and there is no good news so far. I only see few (K-mount?) in real bad conditions. This brand seems so unpopular here.

Some even told me better collect few bodies instead of trying to get 1 body that fits all . I just don't want to have too many camera bodies here since there are quite a number already ...

 

[Paul Howell]

How about a Pentax ES body. It does need the 2 pin lens to work in auto exposure mode.

 

[kl122002]

How about a Pentax ES body. It does need the 2 pin lens to work in auto exposure mode.

I know this model as well but it is off from my list. I have see few and many of their electronic part has started failing as well . I don't want to do the gambling from auction sites to look for a good body .

Besides I have also looked into the Icarex TM models as well. It is quite solid feeling (+heavier) and the mirror seems much brighter. It has coupled metering mechanism as well at the back of the lens (silver part) within the m42 thread area, and by this design they don't have to make an external lever like Fujica.

And from there , After seeing all these Japanese, East Germen, and USSR bodies I can feel the differences of ideas in design and changing of camera history. It is such a real interesting journey.

 

[xkaes]

M42 was a boom in my place, just as far as I know , from those older photographers told me it was a real hey days . But then the bodies just gone quickly when bayonet mount arrived . And that also apply to now , the younger gens are using either Canon or Nikon , some play with the m42 lenses only . And so the camera bodies seems like a lost history here, I can't find much information about that.

FYI, I've heard back from my friend in Shenzhen (population 20 million), across the bay from Hong Kong, and in mainland China. He "knows cameras" and confirms that M42 cameras are hard to find in mainland China.

 

[kl122002]

FYI, I've heard back from my friend in Shenzhen (population 20 million), across the bay from Hong Kong, and in mainland China. He "knows cameras" and confirms that M42 cameras are hard to find in mainland China.

China was in complicated history when m42 cameras were popular at the same time. I don't think there are m42 cameras imported to China during that time, except Hong Kong ( at it was British colony during that time) .

 

[eli griggs]

I thought I answered that thread but don't see where.

I recommend a Canon F-1n or F-1N ae, with a Pentax m42 adapter.

A Canon Ftb ql.

While I like the Pentax Symptomatic, etc, the Canons are more robust, reliable, and supports both Canon FL/FD lenses and the Many M42 lenses out there.

IMO, It's the best working platform of all the others and the best value.

 

[kl122002]

I thought I answered that thread but don't see where.

I recommend a Canon F-1n or F-1N ae, with a Pentax m42 adapter.

A Canon Ftb ql.

While I like the Pentax Symptomatic, etc, the Canons are more robust, reliable, and supports both Canon FL/FD lenses and the Many M42 lenses out there.

IMO, It's the best working platform of all the others and the best value.

I have the F-1 and the Canon lens mount converter P as well.I did try but that seems not very " right" in this set up. Some M42 lenses have additional pins ( like fujinon, the pin under the aperture setting ring ) preventing the lens from completely installed.

 

[eli griggs]

I have the F-1 and the Canon lens mount converter P as well.I did try but that seems not very " right" in this set up. Some M42 lenses have additional pins ( like fujinon, the pin under the aperture setting ring ) preventing the lens from completely installed.

Yes, but are you buying these one horse lenses or avoiding them because of that limitation?

 

[xkaes]

China was in complicated history when m42 cameras were popular at the same time. I don't think there are m42 cameras imported to China during that time, except Hong Kong ( at it was British colony during that time) .

Talk about complicated!!! The first Chinese SLR had a Zorki 39mm screw-mount, but when the M42 SLRs appeared, one company created a copy of the Contax S -- but with a 45mm screw-mount thread:

 

[kl122002]

Talk about complicated!!! The first Chinese SLR had a Zorki 39mm screw-mount, but when the M42 SLRs appeared, one company created a copy of the Contax S -- but with a 45mm screw-mount thread:

That is a really rare camera!

 

[kl122002]

Yes, but are you buying these one horse lenses or avoiding them because of that limitation?

I just wish to look for a camer a that could fit all m42. Chinon seems to be the only choice but I can't tell since this camera is uncommon in my place.

 

[Paul Howell]

I would keep checking Ebay Japan until a Chinon M or C4 comes up, the CE will allow you to use any one or 2 pin with aperture priority exposure.

 

[xkaes]

I just ended up with a Ricoh Singlex II. I've checked it out, and everything works fine -- even the TTL match needle meter. It's a TTL, stop-down, metered-manual exposure SLR with a basic M42 thread. It reminds me of a Minolta SRT201 -- just with an M42 mount and stop-down metering, and a hot shoe & full shutter speeds. It even has an all-metal, vertical Copal shutter!!! I checked on EBAY and these are readily available and selling for $20-40 -- depending on condition, lens, etc.

I have no idea if it accepts every M42 lens -- it just has the plate on the bottom of the lens mount to stop down the lens -- but it appears built-like a tank (like the Minolta SRT cameras).

https://everythingvintage.uk/vintage-camera/ricoh-singlex-ii-35mm-slr-camera/

 

[Paul Howell]

It will work with all single pin M42, Pentax double pin lens in stopped down mode, not sure about Fuji and Mamyia double pin lens. Unless you want the later multicoated Pentax lens I would stick with the cheaper single pins. I had a Ricoh, it was the model with eye level and a strange wait level, there was a switch to change from eye level to waist, the view finder was just too dim to be useful, but as you say built like a tank.

 

[negativefunk]

It's a bit on the opposite end of the OP request, but I got to really like Pentax SLs. They have no exposure meter and are otherwise very similar to the spotmatics.

Accessories from the spotmatic line should be compatible (meter, slip on flash socket, vertical finder) if you feel the fancy. I like to have a completely empty viewfinder (and I like the looks!).

 

[GregY]

It's a bit on the opposite end of the OP request, but I got to really like Pentax SLs. They have no exposure meter and are otherwise very similar to the spotmatics.

Accessories from the spotmatic line should be compatible (meter, slip on flash socket, vertical finder) if you feel the fancy. I like to have a completely empty viewfinder (and I like the looks!).

Yes. I absolutely agree.... I sold my Spotmatics and still have an SL

 

[kl122002]

It's a bit on the opposite end of the OP request, but I got to really like Pentax SLs. They have no exposure meter and are otherwise very similar to the spotmatics.

Accessories from the spotmatic line should be compatible (meter, slip on flash socket, vertical finder) if you feel the fancy. I like to have a completely empty viewfinder (and I like the looks!).

Yea, this model is one on my list. It is a more uncommon model and I have no idea where to begin to find.

I have noted the older Spotmatic has a different battery that is not PX625. If I have to pick up a spotmatic it would be SP ?