Very durable, fullmetall construction; bottom and (!) top plate made of brass; good metering operations; Very good manufacturing over all;

Loud shutter and mirror clap

A very, very underrated nice mechanical SLR. Bought mine about four month ago in a very good condition and even in black (110,00€!!). Having used a couple of MX`s for years I must point out that I like the KX much more. It fits better in your hands, has a mirror lock up and is build much more solid than the MX. Everything you need to know is displayed in the viewfinder. the viewfinder is very large compared to todays cameras, I have no problems to focus it with my glasses on. Exposermeter and metering work excellent. If you like mechanical cameras you`ll love it. Can you imagine the price of a camera like the KX build and sold today??

Customer Service

Not needed.

Similar Products Used:

Pentax MX, Nikon FM 2;

Excellent metering system, depth of field preview and mirror lock up. Durability and solid feel.

Self timer is not very reliable in operation (may be a quirk of my camera). Meter needle is hard to see in low light.

Having used K1000 models for years I had expected the KX to be nothing more than a K1000 with a few added features and a better meter, it is more than that. The overall build quality of the KX is marvelous, and mine was a well worn used camera when I purchased it. Exposures are dead on in most lighting conditions and mechanical operation is very smooth and accurate.

Customer Service

Have not had any dealings for this camera, but did have the ME Super serviced quickly and effeciently.

Similar Products Used:

Pentax K1000, Pentax ME Super, Chinon SLR

K-1000 lineage in dependability. All metal construction. Full Mechanical and is only battery dependent for metering. Simplicity in design and full manual in operation (no need to carry the manual around on this one). Full information viewfinder. Feels good to the hands.

No split image focusing, this may be an advantage with long telephoto lenses but not for those with weak eyesight.

The Pentax KX is a handsome camera, more so than the basic K-1000 which it was based on. The dimensions are exactly as the K-1000, I can visually see no differences in size between the two cameras when placed side by side. Shutter speeds remains the same from B to 1/1000th (60x), it accepts all K-mount lenses, and film rewind is mechanically actuated via a button on the bottom:))) But the KX has a more "substantial" feel to it when picked up and used, right away as the button is pressed, the shutter feels and sounds slightly dampened. The KX differenciates itself from the K-1000 in additional features, such as, the ASA dial is large w/locking pin and is located under the rewind knob, there is a battery check button next to it, a shutter lock rotating collar on the trigger release prevents accidental firing and is good for long term storage:). Facing the lens mount, there is a self timer, and above it is a depth of field preview button-combo-mirror lock up lever (very smooth, easy to operate, and does not require fingernails). On the right side there are contacts for both X and FP synchs. Perhaps the best feature of the KX that most K-1000 users "wished" to have are the shutter speeds and apertures displays in the viewfinder. The KX shutter speeds are legibly displayed from B to 1000th in a vertical bar on the right, it is matched-needle metering in operation with a green actual speed indicator clearly defined. The f-stop in-use on the lens aperture indicator ring gets projected into the viewfinder through a clear glass window/mirror system (the first camera that comes to my mind: Nikon F2:))). That's about it, overall I like this camera very much, it is a matured K-1000 providing users with all the basic necessities for taking photographs. It's mechanical innard is much like the K-1000 (I Detail, Lube, and Adjust everything that gets in my hands:)))and should be as reliable. The added features are gems that expand the camera's capabilities and makes it so nice to look at. After much research on the Web, I was unable to find much information on this Pentax model, some sites wrote that a Pentax KX in good condition is a rare sight due to its limited production. In my opinion, Pentax should not have discontinued the K-1000, it should replace the Pentax K-1000 with the KX and rebadge it as a K-2000. Considering the current demands on the market of mechanical cameras, the KX reintroduction would be a big hit to users and collectors.

Customer Service

Pentax offers a manual replacement program, last I saw it was only $4 for shipping and handling.

Similar Products Used:

I have a camera repair shop so I get to play with all kinds of cameras:)))

Indestructable!!
Advanced features like depth-of-field preview, mirror lock up, self timer, shutter lock, sprocket release for dbl exposure
Shutter speed and ap settings visible in viewfinder
Used lenses are easy to find
All-black finish (if you can find it) makes it less flashy and visible to thieves - and dings can be repaired with a felt-tip marker!

Heavy
Loud
Black meter needle is hard to read in low light

This was my first camera! I inherited it when I took my first photo class. It's been almost ten years, and I still haven't outgrown this camera. I finally bought a "modern" camera, but from time to time I still use the KX. I have one problem with manual cams: withoug the KACHUNK of the KX's mirror and shutter and the heft of the manual winder, it just doesn't feel like taking a picture!

My KX is twenty years old, it's never been cleaned, and was my constant companion while traipsing around England, France and Upstate New York. Suffice it to say that life has been less than easy for my KX, yet it still works as well as ever.

I rarely see KXs, but if you can find one, buy it! This is an excellent choice for beginners or manual-cam enthusiasts, and with the features and durable build, you won't outgrow it as you might outgrow a K1000. Take reasonable care, and your KX will outlive you!

Similar Products Used:

Pentax MG
Canon Rebel 2000

durable
solid
large controls
dependable

loud shutter & mirror return

Bought new in the 70's and still use as my primary camera. Shoot slides and make prints from the good ones. Like the manual exposure because when battery dies, my light meter lets me still use the camera (it happens). Indoors, a broom handled auto flash lets me shoot close or far and get good results with a minimum of feature washout and little red eye. Outdoors, this camera helps you conquor most all lighting and perception problems. My mistakes have always resulted from operator error, not camera malfunction. If I could, I'de buy a new one again. Yes, still use the C3 regularly.

Customer Service

never needed

Similar Products Used:

ME Super
Kodak Pony
Argus C-3 (have two)