Pentax ME and Pentax MX

I recently purchased an MX for £59 with the 50/1.7 lens from a dealer with 3 months guarantee. There was another one in stock at the same time. The attraction for me was to have a camera with only basic controls and no battery dependency (except the meter, and battery-less meters of that period are probably not dependable now).

No way will I be selling mine, as it is special, whereas I suspect the ME is just another example of a 35mm SLR with too many buttons, and more likely to be sold.

That reminded me, I was on the lookout for a Pentax pancake lens and forgot all about it. I have an Olympus pancake, but it just isn't the same without the tiny MX.

I recall that one of the monthy, I think it was Pop Phot tested the pentax pancake and found it be one of the sharpest lens they had ever tested. I dont know if Pentax followed up with a AF version or not.

Yes, Pentax followed up with the autofocus DA 40 Limited. (Probably the least expensive of the Limited lenses.)

It is badged as a digital-only lens (DA) but there are reports that it nicely covers the full 35mm film frame. Not sure if there are any real optical drawbacks to using the DA 40 on a film body. It sure would be an amazing mate to the Pentax MZ-S.

lxdude said:

I would say that most MX's did not see professional use. Nikon was the top 35mm pro camera, with Canon catching much of the rest. Minolta had their pro level interchangeable finder machine also.
I would say Olympus took a lot of the compact pro camera market. The OM-1 and MX sold mostly to the amateur market, despite being pro-spec. and having their own systems. They cost the same or less than the Nikkormat and FM series, putting them into the amateur price range. Olympus' system was more extensive, and excellent though Pentax was, they didn't make the same run at Nikon's and Canon's extensive lens lineup that Olympus did.

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If my memory serves me, Pro's in the 70's used Nikon (F, F2's) about 90% of the time. Canon was a distant second. Other than Leica, I never saw any of the other brands being used in a Pro situation (I was mainly in the Photo journalist world. The Nikon F was the camera of choice because of the reputation it got from its use in the Vietnam War.

kivis said:

If my memory serves me, Pro's in the 70's used Nikon (F, F2's) about 90% of the time. Canon was a distant second. Other than Leica, I never saw any of the other brands being used in a Pro situation (I was mainly in the Photo journalist world. The Nikon F was the camera of choice because of the reputation it got from its use in the Vietnam War.

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I've seen a picture of a pro in 'Nam with a Spotmatic and a Nikon F, the F with a long lens, the Spottie with a standard 50mm.

It appears that Nikon gave the cameras for free, that's the reason 90% of pros used an F....smart marketing idea.

cuthbert said:

I've seen a picture of a pro in 'Nam with a Spotmatic and a Nikon F, the F with a long lens, the Spottie with a standard 50mm.

It appears that Nikon gave the cameras for free, that's the reason 90% of pros used an F....smart marketing idea.

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It worked

Everyone says they like the dials for setting the shutter speed. I never really found the buttons all that fiddly on the ME Super. Easy to reach by feel, plus the shutter speed indication and meter indication in the viewfinder meant I never had to take my eye out of the finder unless I wanted a specific aperture, and if that was the case it was probably something static or slow moving that I was aiming to shoot anyway.

I need to get another ME Super. Such a nice, compact, easy to use camera with IMHO good ergonomics.

Interesting thread. I have three ME Supers, one was my Father's and it needs work. The other two, one silver one black, work perfectly. With the winder they are a delight to use, although the shutter speed selection in manual I find clumsy.

I also have three MXs, two in silver one in black. One won't meter at all, I'll probably use it as a parts camera. One of the other two I bought used easily 20 years ago; it worked perfectly until it decided to eat meter cells about 4 years ago, devouring them in a month or two. Two stays with a local Atlanta service shop (which shall remain nameless) did nothing except eat my money. The other I bought perhaps a year ago, it too has an appetite for cells. I've taken off the base plate to check for the meter switch actuated by the shutter, it does open. I guess its off to Erick.

I like the handling of the MX, but the shutter speed wheels on mine are stiff enough to make changing at eye level difficult. Other than that it is delightful, excellent meter - when the cells are fresh! - and with the winder just enough extra mass and size for my hands. Good to have DOF preview, why that was left off the MEs I'll always wonder. Should have been a simple addition....

GRHazelton said:

I like the handling of the MX, but the shutter speed wheels on mine are stiff enough to make changing at eye level difficult.

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Yeah, they're all like that. I'm used to it now, but they are too stiff. I wonder if that's something that could be modified? Maybe something to ask Eric about.