Pentax K1000 experiences

[Stan Hesketh]

Dan's excellent "going fully manual" post has reminded me of the fact that I have always been attracted to the Pentax K1000. I love the idea of a fully manual quality camera (first SLR was a Zenit; loved it.)
I am interested in people's experiences of this camera, and whether I should add one to my future wish list? How would it compare to say a manual Canon with FD 50mm lens? How could I sneak one into the house without being noticed?
Many Thanks.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

The K1000 was my first real camera just over a year ago, and I did enjoy using it. I might take to it again soon as I do like some of the shots I took with it. Here is my Flickr set for it: Pentax K1000 - a set on Flickr

I use the Pentax 50mm lens.

 

[David Mitchell]

The K1000 was the photography student camera of choice back before digital, I would also look at something like an FM2N (Hamish has one for sale at the moment), I havn't shot on a K1000 but I do have a FM2N and its really nice to shoot on and as its a Nikon mount you can get adaptors for most lenses. The light meter on the FM2N is also good on the camera as you can shoot 1/3 stop over or under exposed.

Here are 2 threads on the FM2N,

http://www.realphotographersforum.c.../8320-nikon-fm2n-50mm-f1-8-e-series-lens.html
http://www.realphotographersforum.c...-through-nikon-fm2n-%A31-agfa-vista-plus.html

My mate has a Canon AE-1 program which he isn't really getting on with so it shooting on my Fujica ST605n at the moment lol, the build quality on the FM2N is solid and has many more shutter speeds than the K1000 so I know there will be a setting for any shooting I will ever need to do.

 

[Hamish Gill]

I would of course second te recommendation for the fm2n ... See link in my signature for my write up.
Very nice camera with a mechanical shutter ... If you don't want to use the lightmeter ... Just don't put a battery in!

the K1000 is a nice bit of kit though!

 

[Stan Hesketh]

Thanks for your thoughts
Tempting though the FM2n is, given my almost retired status, I can't really justify the cost at the moment. However I have seen tidy K1000's for the right money, perhaps I could trade up after experiencing the Pentax (if I felt I wanted to.)

 

[Hamish Gill]

The are some really nice Pentax k mount cameras

 

[David Mitchell]

Thanks for your thoughts
Tempting though the FM2n is, given my almost retired status, I can't really justify the cost at the moment. However I have seen tidy K1000's for the right money, perhaps I could trade up after experiencing the Pentax (if I felt I wanted to.)

Be careful when you say that, I wasn't going to buy many....my shelf is now full of cameras lol you could get an M42 mount camera, those are cheap to buy and have a large array of cheap lenses. I just know now I have my FM2n I won't need another manual Nikon for the rest of my life lol The K1000 is probably a camera I will get as well at some point, I found this site that does the K1000 and lens for not much and they are fully serviced:

Used Pentax K1000 35mm SLR Student GCSE / A Level Photography Camera

It will probably work like this:

K1000 + lens = FM2n body

 

[Stan Hesketh]

Thanks for the link, David. Very interesting.