Paul Howell
Subscriber
Can you buy from Ebay Japan?
Can you buy from Ebay Japan?
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.
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.![]()
How about a Pentax ES body. It does need the 2 pin lens to work in auto exposure mode.
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.
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.
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:
Yes, but are you buying these one horse lenses or avoiding them because of that limitation?
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!).
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!).
Photrio.com contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. To read our full affiliate disclosure statement please click Here. |
PHOTRIO PARTNERS EQUALLY FUNDING OUR COMMUNITY: ![]() |