Only 200,000 Pentax KX Cameras Ever Made from 1975-77

[Deleted]

     I have found an advertisement from Australia circa. 1976, the MSRP for Pentax KX with the SMC Pentax 50mm f1.4 lens at $418.80 Australian Dollars.

[Deleted]

Holy Grail?

I went snooping around Ebay to see what was out there, I came upon this SMC Pentax 18mm f3.5 Ultra Wide Angle lens and to my amazement I didn't even know, that this lens existed. As to what I know, is that the lens has 4 built-in filters located behind the filter ring, that are Cloudy, Skylight, Yellow and Orange but it is missing the original factory PH-S58 lens hood.

Conclusion:

You got to be suffering from a severe case of Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS) to purchase this lens over $700 Canadian Dollars after shipping fees are added.  

Technical Specifications: 

Optical Design:12 elements in 11 groups

Number of aperture blades: 5

Minimum focusing distance: 0.25m

Weight: 328g

Dimensions: 63×61.5mm

[John Farrell]

Oct 28, 2023 23:13:14 GMT @simon1970 said:

View Attachment
Holy Grail?

I went snooping around Ebay to see what was out there, I came upon this SMC Pentax 18mm f3.5 Ultra Wide Angle lens and to my amazement I didn't even know, that this lens existed. As to what I know, is that the lens has 4 built-in filters located behind the filter ring, that are Cloudy, Skylight, Yellow and Orange but it is missing the original factory PH-S58 lens hood.

Conclusion:

You got to be suffering from a severe case of Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS) to purchase this lens over $700 Canadian Dollar lens after shipping fees are added.  

Technical Specifications: 

Optical Design:12 elements in 11 groups

Number of aperture blades: 5

Minimum focusing distance: 0.25m

Weight: 328g

Dimensions: 63×61.5mm

I came across the M42 version of that at an auction a few years ago. I didn't bother bidding, knew the price would be too high for me.

[Deleted]

The M42 SMC Asahi Takumar 18mm f11 is a fisheye lens, whereas the SMC Pentax 18mm f3.5 is a rectilinear (internal focusing) ultra-wide angle lens. With that being said, SMC Asahi Takumar did make a M42 20mm f4.5 ultra-wide angle lens, this was the more affordable lens.

[nickr]

I've got the also reasonably affordable SMC-M 20mm f4, which is a lovely little lens. 20mm seems to be the point where the transition from relatively affordable to silly money takes place with 1970s/80s optics.

[Deleted]

It seems that what was once affordable for the SMC Pentax-M 20mm f4 in 2012 used market prices between the $180-250 Canadian Dollars, is now $600-950 for the same lens makes it unobtainable.

[nickr]

Nov 3, 2023 6:28:06 GMT @simon1970 said:

It seems that what was once affordable for the SMC Pentax-M 20mm f4 in 2012 used market prices between the $180-250 Canadian Dollars, is now $600-950 for the same lens makes it unobtainable.

Wow. Bought mine not all that long ago - a year or less - for £150, which is what, around 250 Canadian. And you're right, it seems to have more than doubled since then. Oh.

[Deleted]

Well, one camera just came back from getting a CLA, the original top plate had a small non repairable crack near the eyepiece which I missed from my initial inspection. A substitute top plate was put into good use, this is the reason that the serial numbers don't match the first images. The top plate was then stripped and repainted, as for the bottom plate (not shown) that also stripped and repainted but left a bit of brass showing on the edges. He painted the right side of the lens mount, but I requested that the left side be unpainted that gave the appearance more of a preservation than an all out restoration.  Hard to comprehend that this was the same camera from the original Oct. 6 posting.  The old serial number was 811 and the current serial number is 801.

The chrome body KX will be picked up on Monday or Tuesday, as the new microprism focusing screen had arrived. A gentle preservation with some minor imperfection here and there, along with a new substitute top plate that too had been stripped and repainted. The old serial number was 834 and is now 802. I will post an update once the camera is in my possession.  I didn't want both of my cameras looking new, my idea was to preserve the overall appearance to fit their age. 

Cheers,
Simon.
  

[Deleted]

Thank you, for the like John.

It's always a pleasure in getting the seal of approval, from someone who restore and resurrects rare and odd camera brands of years gone by. This project may not have met your standards, but I plan to use both of my cameras with pride and that was the joy in itself.

[Deleted]

Update:


I just received an email from the camera repair depot, that one of the staff had found an Asahi Pentax leather Eveready case and factory leather strap that they wish to include as a gift when I pick up my chrome KX. There was a bit of fungus inside the viewfinder that the repairman tried very hard to clean and remove, but didn't have replacement parts. I wrote back telling them that I am not fussy about the fungus inside the viewfinder, as I wanted this project to be a more of a preservation than a full factory restoration. However, if I find it too intrusive I would then return it for a replacement viewfinder, as long it is minor I'm okay.

Factoring the cost:

-Stripping the top plate and respray $180 for both cameras.
-CLA $175 per camera Subtotal: $350 includes new Light Seal Replacement for both cameras.
-Replacement of both top plate and bottom plate per camera is included, into the cost of the respray.
-After 12% taxes my final total: $551.60

Excluding the original purchase price of both cameras.

[andy]

Nice one Simon. Hope you get years of enjoyment out of them.

[Deleted]

The black body KX feels like a brand new camera again, with the biggest difference is when I press depth-of-field button that is no longer sticky.

On November 4, 1989, I had an Asahi Pentax Spotmatic SP-1000 in chrome with the SMC Asahi Takumar 55mm 1.8 with an Eveready leather case and nylon Pentax neck strap. After 34 years to the day I have gone full circle back to where I started from with Pentax, I miss the bright viewfinder, I miss the smooth film advance lever, the brightness from the SMC Pentax 50mm f1.4, the wide range of optics and the overall built quality of their products. The Asahi Pentax KX, in my opinion has one thing in common with the earlier Spotmatic cameras, it shares the same chassis with a new K mount bayonet lens system. I switched brands because I wanted to explore different cameras and to see what each one has to offer, this turned out to be a very expensive experience.


The Konica Autoreflex T, T2 and T3 would have been great cameras if they were more open to adapt with modern batteries, the main issue is that these cameras tend to jam. I had to remove each of their bottom plate and gently maneuver the advance shafts on each of these cameras to get it working again and it would jam again, which I find it is very frustrating. At this point it made me wish that I had gone back to Pentax, but at the time I couldn't find an used KX body in any camera stores, until October 6th. Nikon F and F2 cameras are great, but the film advance lever on all Nikon F cameras feels wobbly and the focusing ring on non-a.i. lens feels too smooth. Great 100% viewfinder but the eyelevel prism for people, like myself who wear glasses makes it difficult to shoot with. I tried the Canon FT-b in the used section of the camera store, but in my mind I often felt as the lens might fall out of the camera if the breech lock lens mount wasn't secure properly. Rangefinder cameras, I just say no after my Contax IIa and IIIa debacle.

These are just personal summary from my experience that I didn't intend to sound biased in my opinion. These were my personal observation of how each camera companies differed in their offerings, overall I would say that Pentax had won me over in the 35mm SLR format.

Cheers,
Simon.

[zou]

There's no bias in saying Pentaxes are lovely to use. Just facts.

[Deleted]

 
I am ecstatic as my chrome Asahi Pentax KX was picked up this afternoon and it looks amazing, as they sit together again.

There is a huge difference in the way the whole camera works and I can't remember what a non-sticky depth-of-field button felt like, this was just a preservation than a full restoration and the difference is night and day. Not shown is the black leather Eveready case, even though I was told about the minor fungus in the viewfinder it wasn't worth replacing as long there was no signs of de-silvering anywhere on the prism. 

[Deleted]

I was able to apply a small amount of rubbing alcohol on to a cotton swab and proceeded cleaned the viewfinder on the chrome body KX from the outside by turning the cotton swab over to the dry end I managed to wipe off the excess alcohol, that got rid of years of grime and debris.