My other camera

[delander]

My Asahi Optical Co Pentax S3 from 1961. Is it not gorgeous?

These Pentaxes from the late 1950s to the early 1970s are to my mind the most beautifully designed SLRs of all time. A build quality that cant be faulted. A pure classic, worth very little nowadays.

I foolishly tried to trade in this camera as one of several when I purchased my M8. Fortunately for me the shutter is a bit sticky and the shop refused it. A bit of use and seems to be working again.

I would be interested in a DSLR of this design, build and simplicity.

Any other classic 'other cameras' out there?

Jeff

[michali]

JEFF- A wonderful piece of nostalgia. My father bought one in Japan in 1962. By 1970 I had
hijacked it and became my first camera. Nice one. He also had a 1954 M3 which heled myself to and am still using today.
MIKE

[mark_goode]

Lovely camera Jeff. I own a Nikon FE (my first Nikon) and a Miranda Sensorex (my first SLR). It's amazing to compare the size of these cameras with today's SLRs . . .

[delander]

Thanks Guys I do think it is one of the best looking slrs. By the way it is smaller than the M8 I used to take the photo.

Any other wonderful classics out there? Would love to see them.

Jeff

[elansprint72]

I'll fight anyone who does not agree that the Pentax MX was the best-designed camera ever, from an ergonomics point of view. It had all the beauty and mechanical quality of the Spotmatics but down-sized to fit perfectly into normal-sized human hands. Having worked my way through a variety of Pentax units from approximately the lovely one shown to the slightly over-blown "pro" LX, it is the MX which did the job better than all the others.
The only "electric bit" was the metering. That is the only Pentax part which ever let me down; twice. After being used and very much abused, falling down stairs both with and without me; being immersed in water and other liquids, it still works perfectly.

Hmmmm, I suppose I'll have to go out and get some Tri-X now.........

[delander]

Well Pete can we see a pic of it then?

Jeff

[elansprint72]

Hopefully.