Relics of the past.
Aug 30, 2017 16:57:37 #
Way back when, 1968-1969, as I returned from Vietnam (free vacation from UNCLE SAM) I had a fantastic camera in the form of an ASAHI Pentax SPOTMATIC. I only had two lenses, A 50mm F 1.4 And a 200mm prime, both By pentax. After many years passed, I sold those items To go CANON. my Navy photographer younger brother, always recommended CANON. After a few more years, I was itching to go back to PENTAX. That's where I am these days. Anyway, to make a short story LONG, I have acquired a number of pentax, full frame lenses (of old) that all function perfectly on my (NOW 4) Pentax cameras. Today, I received, usps, an old, near mint Pentax 200mm prime lens, made in Japan.. What a great lens that was/is. I'm in fat-city. And very happy to be again in PENTAX world...where all the lenses ever made for pentax K-mount, still work fabulously. My Pentax Full frame camera loves old Takumar smc lenses. Thank you PENTAX for NOT changing mounts at every iteration of cameras. RJM (digit-up)
Aug 30, 2017 18:36:24 #
digit-up wrote:
Thank you PENTAX for NOT changing mounts at every iteration of cameras. RJM (digit-up)
Yes a good sentiment, although I'm a Canon user, nothing against Pentax, I just never owned one. It is interesting however. Unlike some others I feel very grateful for Canon biting the bullet and making a difficult change when they did - 30 years ago - and keeping things consistent since then, with the exception of smaller, lighter, cheaper lenses for APS-C and mirroless cameras. The main full frame family of EF lenses work on all Canon ILC cameras - mirrorless with an adapter - produced since 1987. Not many vendors can make the sort of claims that Canon and Pentax can make, and I can use Pentax lenses on Canon as well with a simple adapter.
Aug 31, 2017 06:12:03 #
Wanderer2
Loc: Colorado Rocky Mountains
Back in the mid 1960s a Spotmatic was my first interchangeable lens SLR and it was a great leap forward for its time IMO. After using it for many years I went through some other brands but last year bought a Pentax K-1 for landscape use and haven't regretted it for a second. I doubt there is a better DSLR for landscapes. It's great to be back in the fold again. :o)
Aug 31, 2017 06:18:56 #
Archiefamous
Loc: Manhattan
While I never owned a Pentax I rigorously used one in high school. I think it was an H 1. Like the spotmatic but no built in meter. It really felt nice in the hand.
Aug 31, 2017 06:22:51 #
digit-up wrote:
Way back when, 1968-1969, as I returned from Vietn... (show quote)
That is a great story, I've never owned a Pentax although I've always wanted one. My favorite 35mm film camera is a Chinon SLR that uses M42 screw mount. My favorite lens on it and now adapted to my Canon 6D is a Pentax 50mm d 1.4. Aside from being a little awkward to use on a DLSR it is sharper and gives better color than the Canon 50mm that I have. For sure Pentax is good stuff. :-)
Aug 31, 2017 07:08:23 #
digit-up wrote:
Way back when, 1968-1969...Thank you PENTAX for NOT changing mounts at every iteration of cameras.
When I was in Vietnam, I owned both a Pentax Spotmatic and Canon FTQL, each with three lenses. The Spotmatic cost US$130 in Singapore.
But when the Spotmatic's metering system died ten years later, I replaced it with a Pentax MX which had the new Pentax mount, not the classic screw-thread mount. I was annoyed at Pentax for making that change.
Aug 31, 2017 07:29:19 #
Nice to hear from "one-and-all" thanks for the memories, as Bob Hope would always say. digit-up
Aug 31, 2017 08:31:13 #
AlfredU
Loc: Mooresville, NC
Thanks for your service on that "vacation" to Vietnam. There was not enough appreciation of that back when you came home. Glad you made it back safely.
Aug 31, 2017 08:53:29 #
It's never too late to say THANKS and welcome home (U.S. Army 1970-1973).
Aug 31, 2017 09:06:17 #
I also had a Pentax, Sears TLS, and Chinon as first cameras, all screw mount. I still have a super Takumar 17mm semi-fisheye with built in filters that I hold over the front of my Nikon FFs when I want a really wide angle shot, and the photos come out super sharp to infinity, just not rectilinear.
Aug 31, 2017 09:15:30 #
Back in 68 in my unit Pentax was THE camera of choice so I went to the Dong Tam PX to buy one. Unfortunately the PX was sold out so I bought a Nikon F instead. Now almost 50 years later I have so many Nikon lenses I see no reason to change but Pentax was a top camera (at least to the fellows I knew) to many of the guys I served with. Take care & ...
Aug 31, 2017 10:25:28 #
Aug 31, 2017 11:13:48 #
"Those were the days my friend, We thought they'd never end . . . ." We must remember that it's the photographer, not the camera, that's the most important factor in taking pictures. If a camera is usable, average or above in quality, great photos can be taken. To join the chorus: Thanks for your participation in that ultimate exercise in futility, the Viet Nam war. It hit home to me when I was told that the fine son of a member of my church congregation was shot down and killed on his very first mission over Viet Nam.
Aug 31, 2017 11:40:02 #
I wholeheartedly agree - Thanks for your service on that "vacation" to Vietnam. We can never repay the debt we owe to our service men and women who gave it all so that we could be free to go out and take pictures!
Aug 31, 2017 11:40:44 #
I am so sorry for your experience with Nasty. You are so correct about being a phographer and not an equipment collector. The advances in cameras have opened phtography to so many. Happy shooting! My brother was an airborne ranger in that war.
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