Why did the BEATLES shoot with Pentax ?

[Beverly Hills]

Back in the 60s a Pentax Spotmatic with m42 was a modern camera .
It would have been nice to have one at that time. Still true today?
Why did the BEATLES shoot with Pentax ?

 

[snusmumriken]

Pentax ran a very seductive advertising campaign at the time, with the strap line “Just hold an Asahi Pentax”. I never did, but they sure looked sexy.

 

[Ernst-Jan]

Maybe they were given to them? Or someone they knew had good experiences with Pentax and they also decided to buy them?
I have seen more Pentax being used in pop photography.

The name of this thread sounded like a silly riddle/joke to me.
In Dutch is is "Why don't the Beatles play cards?"
>PaulMcCartny (in Dutch "kaart nie" means "does not play cards")

 

[Ernst-Jan]

“Just hold an Asahi Pentax”

An Asahi Pentax and a sigarette according to the pictures

 

[snusmumriken]

Adverts here and here:

 

[250swb]

I imagine it's a case of product placement, but Pentax Spotmatic's were a sexy camera supported with some of the finest lenses. It was perhaps hanging onto the M42 screw mount for too long that eventually lost Pentax ground on Nikon etc. A good Spotmatic is still a nice camera to use.

 

[Beverly Hills]

A good Spotmatic is still a nice camera to use.

+ 1

 

[neilt3]

If you wanted a celebrity to advertise your product , it's expensive.
If you give some cameras to some celebrities and let them keep them , it'd be cheaper .
You do a deal to get some free shots of them holding them , other PJ'd get shots of them with your gear , free advertising!
Your on a winner .
Doesn't matter if they usually used an old Kodak Box camera .

 

[juan]

Somewhere, probably here,there was an explanation that Ringo used the Pentax. I believe it was a gift. I’m pretty sure Paul and Linda used a Nikon.

I have a couple of Honeywell Pentaxes that still work well.

 

[Hassasin]

One needs to use one to know. Even today, the smoothness of shutter release and shutter itself is something to appreciate. In lots of ways far smoother feeling than many cameras with supposedly superior technology, including today.

 

[Kino]

Because Pentax got to them before Nikon or Minolta or...

I have a pair of Spotmatics and a brace of Super Takumar lenses that I really enjoy, but marketing is marketing.

 

[ic-racer]

 

[Beverly Hills]

I have a pair of Spotmatics and a brace of Super Takumar lenses that I really enjoy, but marketing is marketing.

 

[Cholentpot]

Because the Beatles were awesome and Pentax cameras were awesome.

Also, I think they were given them.

 

[Sirius Glass]

They brought the Pentax or they were given Pentax. Does it really matter?

 

[nanthor]

I was a teen when Pentax was popular and in my early 20's when Nikon became the one to own. The Pentax was a beautiful camera to hold and behold, it had nice lines, was fairly ergonomic (although I never liked the feel of the winder lever), and had excellent lenses, but... that was when the M42 screw mount was the main mount for 35mm SLR's. Once the bayonet mount became more popular for ease and speed of mounting, the Nikon system took over and that was the camera to have. The Beatles owned both and I assume they had Pentax before they preferred the Nikons, and I also assume it was due to the mounts improving from screw to bayonet (and the popularity and massive system that Nikon offered). Pentax still made a more handsome, more ergonomic, smaller and sexier camera than Nikon, even with the K mounts. Bob.

 

[Huss]

Because they had no idea the Nikon F2 was the greatest thing ever.

Or... they couldn't find a Leica M for $10.

 

[snusmumriken]

I appreciate the subtly rounded edges, but for me the master stroke is that beautiful font. Cover up the words Asahi Pentax and see what you think.

 

[Cholentpot]

I was a teen when Pentax was popular and in my early 20's when Nikon became the one to own. The Pentax was a beautiful camera to hold and behold, it had nice lines, was fairly ergonomic (although I never liked the feel of the winder lever), and had excellent lenses, but... that was when the M42 screw mount was the main mount for 35mm SLR's. Once the bayonet mount became more popular for ease and speed of mounting, the Nikon system took over and that was the camera to have. The Beatles owned both and I assume they had Pentax before they preferred the Nikons, and I also assume it was due to the mounts improving from screw to bayonet (and the popularity and massive system that Nikon offered). Pentax still made a more handsome, more ergonomic, smaller and sexier camera than Nikon, even with the K mounts. Bob.

Wind lever on the Spotmatic is top of the pops.

 

[Sirius Glass]

As a teenager I wanted the Bronica S in the worst way. I liked the Ashahi Pentax until the bayonet mounts because available. In 1966 when I went to work in Italy for the summer I bought a Minolta SR7. From then on I only owned Minoltas, upgrading every few years until 2004 when I switched to the Nikon N75.

 

[madsox]

What is the finder on that one in t739, George & Ringo on the airplane? I don't think I've ever seen that before.

Also, the answer I assume is "because Pentax paid for the marketing to have the Beatles use their cameras"

 

[Dwight Anderson]

What is the finder on that one in t739, George & Ringo on the airplane? I don't think I've ever seen that before.

Also, the answer I assume is "because Pentax paid for the marketing to have the Beatles use their cameras"

That's not a finder, it's the external add on meter. I've got one on my SV

 

[madsox]

That's not a finder, it's the external add on meter. I've got one on my SV

Ah, yes. I never had a camera with an external meter like that, started with a Spotmatic (and an old Minolta TLR, with a handheld meter). It's actually a good look, nicely integrated and makes the gear look interesting.

 

[faberryman]

That's not a finder, it's the external add on meter. I've got one on my SV

Here's a photo:

 

[warden]

Here's a photo:

That's cool.