Pentax MX

The Pentax MX was first released in 1976 along with the ME and heralded the M series of cameras from Pentax.  Whereas the ME was an auto-exposure camera aimed at convenience and ease, the MX was aimed at a more discerning market.  It was manual exposure only (indicated by five LEDs in the viewfinder) but with a 'judas' window to show the aperture, interchangeable focussing screens, depth of field preview, a power winder (as shown here), a motordrive (now very rare) and a data back.  In was, however, still very light and small as the M series was a direct response to Olympus' highly successful OM series of cameras.  It remained in production for nine years and was the top of the Pentax line until the truly professional LX was released in 1980.

The MX remains a very popular camera with Pentax users.  I have a 'silver' one (as shown here with the power winder) and a black one.  This camera is probably the second most used film camera in my collection after my LX which it often accompanies, the LX loaded with colour film and the MX with BW.  Now I have a grid inscribed focus screen, one of my bodies is used extensively with my 28mm shift lens.