Pentax LX

Pleasure to use, accurate mettering, durability, nice design, good limited series lenses 31mm, 43mm, 77mm.

Stable under shutter release despite noticeable mirror bounce.

Real camera, one of few true photographic tools, well recommend the Pentax LX. In fact the only bad points for me is the mirror bounce, gummy gaskets deteriorate and camera need servicing every some years.

After trying nearly every major manufacturer's cameras in the last 25 years (Leica, Mamiya, Nikon, Canon, Minolta, Yashica), when all is said and done, the Pentax LX comes closest to being the ideal SLR.

The body is nearly indestructible, the incredibly well-designed and compact layout of controls, the uncluttered but complete exposure information available in the viewfinder, the ability to handle the most difficult lighting situations due to its IDM metering system (hey, how many cameras do you know that have an exposure range from EV 20 down to - 6.5?!?), its interchangeable focusing screens, very useful handgrip, 120 degree buttery smooth throw, double exposure button doubling as rewind release... need I go on and on?? It was simply the best SLR ever made, at least from a user-perspective (Canon, Nikon, and Leica owners will have you think otherwise, due to nothing more than millions of dollars spent on clever and ubiquitous marketing from these companies).

Then add all the glorious Takumars you can use with an M42/K adapter, not to mention the limited lens series which have been rated as the most accurate lenses ever tested, and what superlatives are you left with?It's simply the best, and I will never make the mistake of selling mine again. Thankfully, I was able to buy another one, and this one I'm keeping. Forever.

A great camera, but the Pentax LX is quite unknown... What a pity! Very good handling. Absolutely gorgeous light meter, as on the Olympus (OTF). Pentax lenses a bunch of good lenses, some of them even better than Nikon or Canon. Very reliable camera. Mechanical speeds. Its wide range of EV of it exposure meter, down to EV -6!!! Its the only camera, with a center weighted average meter, that It has.

I collect Pentax cameras, however I use my old school Canon A series gear as my main kit, or I did until I got hold of an LX. It looks like nothing special until you start to use it, then you find out that this camera really is something else. You can trust this camera, even at its age, with the best film and the most important occasions. It allows you to take control of your image making, and yet has the safety net of reliable mechanics and metering. This camera will still be turning out good results long after newer cameras have died. If you buy an LX, your only worry will be the availability of 135mm film in the year 2080!

20 year old small metal pro camera built to last& last minimal battery usage.

full profesional camera system, first class pentax lenses almost? on a par with lieca,and know where near as expensive also a huge range of lenses supplied by other manufacturers from excelent to nasty, interchangable prism with diopter adjustments, for bad eyesight, data back (limited by todays standards)mirror lock up, depth of field button,TTL meter + TTL flash,green amber red l e d shutter speed display auto 2000of a sec too would you believe hours exposure(i kid you not) this camera was & even by todays standards special the auto exp is out of this world, it reads the exposure off the film (so did the OM2 you say ive got one)but at a fixed setting when the shutter was pressed, not so the LX if the light changes so does the exposure time whilst the film is actually being exposed, we are talking a 20 year old camera, and even todays cameras do not do this.

(i cant help but enthuse about this camera as i do about the other cameras that i use from nikon to cannon & even a M3lieca see my other reviews)

but this camera does what it does and does it superbly well, i challenge anybody to buy a camera today 2003 that does what this camera does, and the quality, at the price you can pick them up for with a full system backing and class 1 lenses(lieca being A1) however, after that review how can there be a bad point

lets be realistic every camera in the world has faults even if it a personal dislike (exuses excuses i hear you say)

the LX has problems

1 with the mirror buffers they experimented with a silicone based material as opposed to a tried and tested rubber material unfortunatley it degrades the mirror sticks and results in a lot of wasted film

2 degrading of the buffers allows the mirror to sink into them this throws infinity out

3 the film winder in my opinion is a suspect at times it feels as though it will snap off, or do a complete 360 degrees, it dosent but it does go wrong and with one action (over a long period of time)it can jam up, lock up your mirror, lock up the shutter, and even throw your shutter out of synch, (all can be fixed)get your hands on one, get a tripod and take some of the most surrialistic photoghraps ever without going digital (i kid you not)also bear in mind i do not believ any camera can achieve 10 out of 10 as this would be the perfect camera, and there is know such beast, and the people who do so show only there biase towards that item.

Simply the best 35mm camera Pentax have ever made and likely to make

people are always commenting upon how good the K1000 or the KX(K2000) or the MX or the the spotmatics (been there had em got rid not reliable enough to stake your rep on, when your on assignment in places where the nearist cam shop is over a 1000 miles away get the pic) they simply have not used a LX industrial strenth camera, been there had em and still use them (nobody talks about the mordern stuff) flashing screens AUTO FOCUS haircut sir as for auto focus its a battery guzzaling monstrosity which always fails at the most inconveniant time, and can only focus as fast as the exp will allow how fast is that you tell me, and absolutley no use in the antartic or straights of Denmark or russian steps in winter, been there had em got rid, you simply cant beat man focus lenses

Super Pro camera first of its kind electro mechanical / mechanical electro

The Pentax LX - what a machine

forget the over complicated cameras of today

if you want a smallish camera that delivers first class optics M or A Pentax lenses at unbelievable cheap prices due to fashion trends + all the other manufacturers lenses , first class engineering (metal camera) for reliability,and you want it for a reasonable price anything from £150-250 dont look any where else

at present i use Pentax LX Pentax ME and trying my hand at diital