Just to prove there will be a few more review/experiences this year…
A while ago, I was in London with some film peeps and one of them remarked how he really really really wanted a K1000. Well, I had one stuck in my drawer doing nothing. So we arranged a sale of the body and I kept the lenses. Then I realised that now I didn’t have a Pentax mount body for the lenses. The two Pentax SLRs I had were both M42 mounts….oops. So, I looked on eBay for something cheap, something I hadn’t tried and this one came up in a charity shop listing. Great, that meant I would be doing something good with my purchase.
The listing said untested, but the photos looked clean. It looked like whoever owned this camera really looked after it. I stole the listing photos above, but here is a link to the shop as a penance. Mainly, I am doing this as you can see why I was tempted and what I looked for. The addition of the manuals and the fact they were pristine, is what made me bid. I bid the minimum of £20 and nobody else put in another, the postage was free too.
Once it all arrived, I checked everything over and it was all in perfect condition, the flash diffuser was there too. The battery compartment of the flash was sparkly clean, as was the camera’s. The only mark on the camera was from the sticker placed on the back which has infinity details for the Tonkin lens. The owner had made a grid-style note of where infinity started for each of the main focal lengths for various apertures.
Though the Tokina 28-70mm lens looked okay, I wanted to use the 50mm that I had saved from the K1000. Unfortunately, when I picked it up I noticed ‘something’ on one of the elements. I actually have a couple of these lenses so I decided to take it apart and clean it…and completely forgot to take any photos! What kind of photo blogger am I?? I did take a photo of me trying an ultrasonic cleaner on the glass for the first time. The machine was sat there so I thought, why not?
It worked fine and with a bit of drying and polishing, I started putting everything back together…but then I thought, “Hey the front element is out now, why not reverse it just for a few shots?”
So I did, I loaded the camera with a part used roll of XP2 and took a few shots in the garden, like the Barbie camera, then put the element back in as it should be. Next, I tested the flash. Finally, I took it all to Selby because I could.
Here are the results.
Well, that’s not bad at all. I enjoyed using this camera, it’s not the K1000 and it won’t work without batteries so it isn’t a perfect replacement. You can read more technical details about this late 80’s camera at this site. I know, I have the manual so I could write all the tech details I want, but that’s just not me. I did read that this camera was usually sold with the f1.7 50mm lens so I am a little disappointed mine had the Tokina one. Maybe I should try that one and give it a chance. I am glad I sold the K1000 as the buyer really wanted it and that is always better than it being stuck in a draw.
Oh and there was this inside the bag…
Even though the instructions are on the device, I really needed a handy person or video to explain how to use it. Oh, good old YouTube…
What a great video. I get it now. I think I will do the same as the video maker at some point and go out with the device at some point. By the way, mine is not the ivory version.
As for this camera, it is perfectly fine. No bells and whistles, does what it says on the tin/bag.
Hi Peggy! Very good story. I love pentaxes. I have in my collection the Spotmatic 500, the ME super, Espio, the MZ-M and some Pentax, Chinon and Ricoh lenses for K mount. Some time ago I bought a P30n. I really liked the design and the feel in the hands, but it didn’t work. I will keep an eye out for this beautiful P50.
It is definitely comparable to the P30n. You have a nice selection of Pentax-es. I think the P50/P5 is a bit more robotic looking, which I do like.
Hi Peggy
I have the Tokina lenses in both Nikon and Olympus fittings and have found them to be superb. I used them a lot on my Nikon FE, but I recently used it on my digital D600. Maybe not quite as sharp as my modern Nikkors if pixel peeping but in reality absolutely fine,Use it and enjoy it!
All the best
Ian Hunter
That’s good to know, I don’t have anything digital it will fit though. I am sure I will have a pentax month this year, I will try it then.
The Pentax P series are nice cameras and are a lot more reliable than the ME Supers and the like. I have the various P30 models but I think the only difference to the P50 is that the latter has an LCD screen on top. The M series 50mm f/1.7 is an excellent lens and can be found easily and cheap.
You are right. I have tried all the P30 versions and this feels very similar…apart from the LCD screen. I think it is a bargain. I might have the 1.7, I will have to check my lens box at some point. In the meantime, this one is fine.