Dan Ellis Loc: St. Louis, Mo

From all the replies it looks like a lot of us have had pentax film cameras, mostly the 6x7. I never owned any 35mm film or digital pentax models nor the 6x7 but I did have a 645 with 3 lenses that I used for wedding and events for several years. I went to it after I had worn out my mamiya c330 cams. It was a great camera for event photography. Even though the max flash sync was only 1/60 I never found that to be a problem. Didn't quit using it till Nikon started bringing out adequate DSLRs.

Fiddlingbill Loc: Mass.

Hi. Pentax cameras are a good investment. To me they are like being off the beaten path. I owned 645n. I enjoyed shooting with it as often as I could. My downfall was trying to get filmed developed. It was becoming a thing of the past. I sent some away and the processing was horrific. If I'd had a place to get it done. I probably never would have gone digital. They were and probably still are. As I shot with a nikon. But their optics and bodies were fine. Best to you.

A10 Loc: Southern Indiana

I started with a SP500 and have owned 4 DSLR Pentax cameras.I use the K-3 and K-1 for portrait work and landscapes and could not be happier with the results. Plus the old lenses are inexpensive to pick up and are sharp.

louparker Loc: Scottsdale, AZ

Started with 2 Asahi Spotmatics I bought at Canadian PX in Baden Baden, Germany in 1966 along with 28mm, 55mm, 105mm, 200mm and 300mm Super Takumar lenses, while stationed in Stuttgart. Upgraded to Sf1n in 1989 with a Tamron 28-200mm zoom, and then Zx5n in early 1990's. Then went digital with *istD and a Tamron 18-200mm zoom lens; upgraded to K10 and then K20, then K-7 and finally for the past several years, a K-5 with a Pentax 18-250mm zoom, which I replaced with a Sigma 18-300mm zoom last year when the 18-250 focusing mechanism broke.

brucebc Loc: Tooele, Utah

My first Pentax was a P-30T that I lost On a Sedona trail. Next a PZ-20 and I started collecting Pentax camera's. 110 system, couple of screw mounts,a bunch of M series,A couple of LX's(probably Pentax's best film camera), 5 or 6 Pz's, 5 SF's, 7 Zx's(probably the worst film series) and 4 digital ending with a K-1. Plus a bunch of flashes and adapters, such as 6x7 to 35mm lenses. A real nice bellows and 90mm flat field lens for close up stuff. I really like to look and handle the old metal bodies, great craftsmanship. Yes there are some Pentax fans still around.

RightOnPhotography Loc: Quebec,QC

I was a Pentaxian for about 35 years. First camera was SuperProgram and the last was K-1. In between I had K1000, SF1-n, Z1-p, *istD (bought it on the day it was released), K-20, K-5 and K-3. I sold all my Pentax gear two years ago and switched to Nikon. I loved my Pentax gear and never thought that I would leave the brand, but, when all camera stores in my hometown stopped selling Pentax gear, I gave up, couldn't justify to myself staying with the obscure brand. I kept K1000 and Z1-p as a sweet memory.

adm

I helped a former girlfriend's daughter buy an old Pentax Spotmatic for a black and white photography class. I got to handle it a little bit and loved the elegance and jewel-like quality of this vintage camera. Looking back, I wish I had bought a Spotmatic rather than a Canon FT back in the day. Although Olympus gets the credit for making 35mm cameras smaller, lighter, and more compact, the Spotmatic has these qualities and it predated the OM-1 by at least several years. I have always liked Pentax cameras but unfortunately have never owned one. I can see why they still have a following. Although I have gone on a different path with digital as well, the K-1 is a great full frame digital camera that does not get the credit it deserves. I would prefer Pentax over some of the more highly touted brands and hope they will be able to hang in there in today's tough market.

Pepsiman Loc: New York City

I love my Pentax P 3 (film) and K 100 D. My son works for Canon. He gave me a SX 530 HS. At 87 the Canon is a lot lighter to carry around all day.

Robert1 Loc: Davie, FL

At the time the LX, was introduced, Pentax was riding the high of a brand globally recognized as one of the bests. The LX was their best ever 35mm professional manual system that to this day so many people around the world still use for film photography, myself included. Then came autofocus, and at the same time Pentax had a bean counter that didn't think that expending money and resources on the photography division was kosher. Right then, if I'm not mistaken late 80's early 90's the Pentax division of photography was doomed. A downward slide to the infamous sell to F...ing Hoya, and then to Ricoh; which were only interested on the medical applications and other more future promising divisions, which basically almost killed the Pentax photography division.

By the time Pentax came up with the FS-1, FS-1n, in the autofocus SLR offerings, next to the offerings by Nikon, Canon, Minolta, etc., Pentax was not longer up to par. The PZ-1/PZ-1p were in my opinion the best Pentax offered in the Autofocus SLR film cameras division. The only camera that reached any semblance to these offerings was the Pentax MZ-S, but it was nothing in comparison to what everyone was offering at the time; regardless of what anyone might say.

Bottom line, Pentax to this day is just basically an afterthought to Ricoh, especially knowing that by now with basically very little advertising budget, and the downward spiraling trend of photographic equipment global sell, and a share market of <3% globally, it's a mighty wonder that Pentax came out with such cameras like the K3, K3 II, and specially the FF K-1 after so many years of outright reluctance by Ricoh to get into the FF Market, (which made me go to Nikon).

Thanks god to that loyal fan base that keeps Pentax alive, without them I doubt very much Pentax would still exist. It would be a shame became if given what they need, the division could kick ass in the photo division. Some can argue that Ricoh is right behind Pentax all the way, but I doubt that based on the little that Pentax produces in comparison to the now major brands.

It is such a shame that after being a super recognize brand around the world, now The brand is not known by the younger generations in comparison to the major brands. Specially since for the price point the Pentax cameras are a killer of a bargain for what you get.

taxslave

I started with a Spotmatic II in 1972 with an f1.4 Pentax Takumar lens. Had a few other Pentax film bodies over the years. Went with Canon about 20 years ago. I love my Canons but I wish I still had that f1.4 Takumar lens. It was a beaut!

Sunrepairer Loc: N.H.

Got my first Pentax in 68 while stationed overseas. Picked up a number of m42 lens to go with the spotmatic.
Since then I have added another spotmatic, a k1000, then went digital with a Kr, followed by a K30, and a K5iis. I gave the Kr to my daughter and son in-law.I have added several AF lens. but still use the old m42 lens occasionally . I. find that the K5iis is built like a tank, but all of the Pentaxs I have owned have been rugged solid performers. I do wish that more camera stores would carry the Pentax product, and that Tamron and Sigma would offer more of their lens for Pentax camera.

kufengler Loc: Meridian, Idaho 83646

I have older 35mm Pentax cameras but no DSLR, FS10 & MX.

Still learning66 Loc: North Alabama

I have 2 K 1000`s and a ZX5N all film camera`s .As for digital i have KS2 . All of my camera`s work great .I started shooting in 1981.

drmike99 Loc: Fairfield Connecticut

Here are the 6x7 with the 55mm f/3.5 Super Multi Coated Takumar wide angle mounted, and the Asahi Pentax Auto 110 with the Pentax 110 50mm f/2.8 short telephoto mounted. The extremes of the Pentax analogue world. Love them both.

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BryonManning Loc: USA

Unfortunately, one of them broke. I hope I will find time and money for repairs. This was my favorite camera.