Is Pentax the Guild of the camera world?

[Brad Little]

Recently signed up for a camera forum, and in their gear section separate forums for Canon, Nikon, Leica, Sony and Fuji, but not Pentax. I think, like Guild, Pentax has dedicated users, and, like Guild, the brand doesn't get the respect that if deserves. Of course, I've been a Pentax fan for a long time, so might be biased! I do think that their lenses get more respect than the cameras themselves.

 

[WaltW]

Hello Brad Little! Interesting post on a Guitar forum. I used a Pentax 35mm back in the early 1970s. I don't remember the model#(H1A/A1?) but it was a "Honeywell Pentax" which was my first 35mm with through the lens metering and a focal plain shutter. Really great camera and what pics it took. I must have run at least 250 rolls of 36 exp. Ektachrome slide film through it in an 8 year period without a failure. I then moved on to a Canon A1 with a black body and shutter speed or aperture priority. Ah, the days of film cameras.
After Honeywell developed critical criteria for inspecting the Asahi product and marketed the ones that passed with the Honeywell name the Japanese Asahi company started marketing them here as Asahi Pentax maybe in the late 70s using the Honeywell specs.
I use my cell phone for almost everything these days except for a 30 day drive around the USA finished June 30 this year; I used my Canon Powershot Digital and a 16g SD card.

 

[bobouz]

Yes, I'd say the shoe fits. I've been using Pentax SLRs & DSLRs since 1984, and the brand has always been in the shadows compared to Canon & Nikon. Like LTG, there is a Pentax Forum with many dedicated members who appreciate the build quality of Pentax products - just hang out there & you'll feel right at home! Having owned lots of different Pentax camera bodies & lenses in the last four decades, I've happily managed to survive just fine without ever owning any other brand.

 

[Guildedagain]

Lifelong Pentax 35mm fan, a Spotmatic in the early 70's, later in school the 6x7 system, Spotmatic on steroids.

Still have a K1000 here, just for looks.

I love the sound of the pentax shutter at a slow speeds.

The K1000, by way of wife, it belonged to a friend of hers who died when he was only 19.

An MX, possibly smaller than the Olympus OM-1, quite possibly the smaller SLR ever made.

 

[Brad Little]

Lifelong Pentax 35mm fan, a Spotmatic in the early 70's, later in school the 6x7 system, Spotmatic on steroids.

Still have a K1000 here, just for looks.

I love the sound of the pentax shutter at a slow speeds.

The K1000, by way of wife, it belonged to a friend of hers who died when he was only 19.

My first SLR, still have it and intend to start shooting film again.

 

[jwsamuel]

My first SLR, still have it and intend to start shooting film again.

I intended to start shooting film again. Then I saw the price of film and processing. I gave up that idea fast.

 

[Prince of Darkness]

I would also put Olympus in that category, though the name is sadly disappearing from the camera world (Olympus sold off their photography division, which is now called OM Digital Solutions). Both Olympus and Pentax were much bigger names, and great innovators, in the years of peak popularity for 35mm film.
I spent many years using Olympus film cameras, starting with my brother's OM-10 and father's Trip and later getting my own OM-10, OM-1 and OM-2 Spot Program. All great cameras. My first digital system camera was an E-330 and I now use an Om-D E-M10 mkII, which was a big leap in performance!

 

[zulu]

Both Olympus and Pentax are good analogies with Guild as underdogs competing with the big names and beating them in some respects.
They both made fabulous lenses.

 

[GardMan]

I would agree... I was deep into Pentax film SLRs, starting with a K1000, then "graduated" to a MX (all mechanical shutter that functioned even w/o batteries, and match diode metering). I then bought an ME super program for thru-the-lens flash metering, and equipped both with motor winds for my whale-watching trips... When I decided to go digital, I (with some sadness) sold it all for pennies on the dollar.

 

[GAD]

I would also put Olympus in that category, though the name is sadly disappearing from the camera world (Olympus sold off their photography division, which is now called OM Digital Solutions). Both Olympus and Pentax were much bigger names, and great innovators, in the years of peak popularity for 35mm film.
I spent many years using Olympus film cameras, starting with my brother's OM-10 and father's Trip and later getting my own OM-10, OM-1 and OM-2 Spot Program. All great cameras. My first digital system camera was an E-330 and I now use an Om-D E-M10 mkII, which was a big leap in performance!

My second digital camera after the Kodak DC120 was an Olympus E10. IMO it was the best pro-sumer camera at the time and I learned a lot with it. I loved the style because it gave me medium format vibes and the lens was second to none in that space. Really what made me outgrow it was the fact that it had a max ISO of 640. It was after this camera that I went down the Canon path.

 

[Brad Little]

One of the more unusual offerings from Pentax was their 110 SLR, complete with interchangeable lenses and autowinder. Another camera I haven't used in a long time, I may give it a whirl, too, as 110 film is available. At one point, I had two of these, neither one cost me more than $10 at a tag sale.

 

[Canard]

I have a much loved but no longer much used Spotmatic 1a, a very basic high quality camera. Nice Takumar lens. I have disposed of a number of other cameras, but not this one.

I also have the 110 SLR complete kit, although the autowinder no longer works. It used to be my constant companion backpacking camera.

 

[beecee]

I display my Taks and Super Taks on a shelf in the guitar room.

 

[bobouz]

The good news is that Pentax (now owned by Ricoh) is still going strong with both full-frame & aps DSLR bodies, and recently released the monochrome (black & white) K-3iii DSLR body. Meanwhile, both Canon & Nikon are diving deep into mirrorless electronic viewfinder bodies. If you cherish using an optical TTL viewfinder, Pentax has you covered. They also still produce many high quality lenses, and the K-mount continues to maintain varied levels of compatibility with just about every Pentax lens ever made! Look them up on Amazon or at B&H Camera for a taste of what they're doing these days.

Here’s a shot of one of my favorites, the K-5iis. More than a decade old & still a joy to use:

 

[chazmo]

One of the more unusual offerings from Pentax was their 110 SLR, complete with interchangeable lenses and autowinder. Another camera I haven't used in a long time, I may give it a whirl, too, as 110 film is available. At one point, I had two of these, neither one cost me more than $10 at a tag sale.

Wow, I don't think I've ever seen a 110 SLR, Brad. That Pentax must be a rare beastie. I remember those 110 cartridges (if I'm thinking of the right thing) and I used them in a lot of small pocket cameras that I had over the years.

 

[Brad Little]

I have a much loved but no longer much used Spotmatic 1a, a very basic high quality camera. Nice Takumar lens. I have disposed of a number of other cameras, but not this one.

I also have the 110 SLR complete kit, although the autowinder no longer works. It used to be my constant companion backpacking camera.

Mine stopped once, but cleaned all the contacts

Wow, I don't think I've ever seen a 110 SLR, Brad. That Pentax must be a rare beastie. I remember those 110 cartridges (if I'm thinking of the right thing) and I used them in a lot of small pocket cameras that I had over the years.

AFIK, this was the only model ever made.

 

[Guildedagain]

The 110 was a niche item, but there were quite a few of them floating around.

This would be the same as the Spotmatic my mom bought me slightly used in 1972, looks like values have held rather well.

 

[MLBob]

Have a Pentax K100 D equiped with a tamron with a 28-300 mm lens, and both have served me well for a long time. It gets taken on pretty much every one of my waterfowling outings and has been exposed to all sorts of extreme weather conditions.

 

[Guildedagain]

Fowl weather

 

[jwsamuel]

The 110 was a niche item, but there were quite a few of them floating around.

This would be the same as the Spotmatic my mom bought me slightly used in 1972, looks like values have held rather well.

Spotmatics are worth that much until you try to sell yours. Then you are lucky to get a third of that price. I know from experience.