What is the best Pentax 35mm film SLR?

Thanks Hefty - I actually tend to go for slightly more oversaturated colurs, so Fuji Velvia sounds like something I'm interested in certainly.

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Bob

Flickr Photostream: link

Digital: K20D + 1.15x Eyecup + D-BG2 grip; K-x (Navy Blue), Film: MZ-60 + Battery Grip FG, MV, Lenses: The Bigma (Sigma 50-500mm), 18-55 WR, FA 35-80mm, Centon 50mm 1.7, Tamron 70-300, macro tubes, AF-360FGZ.

Print film is the easiest and quickest to get processed - Boots and Jessops will do it in an hour . B & W and slide have to be done mail order - The Darkroom UK in Cheltenham do both on a freepost basis with dispatch same day as received - I've found them pretty good with slide but I've not tried them with B & W - last roll I used was Fuji Neoprene 400 which is a colour process B & W film.

As to which colour film, Reala is easy to get. Worth a look is Fuji Pro either 160S or 160C - very slight colour balance variations with the S version aimed more at portrait useage.

Velvia can be both very rewarding and disappointing - the colour saturation can be over powering - my first roll had a lot of Greek early light on water with reflections of buildings in it and compared to the digi equiv, looked very odd. Didn't put me off - still using it.



Steve

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In the Pack:K7,K20&K10+BGs,MZSx2+BGs,DA10-17,DA12-24,DA14,DA*16-50,50-135 & 60-250;FA31mm/43mm/77mm Ltds;Sigma 150-500
Half Backs: istDx2,DA16-45,DA18-50,DA50-200,Sigma 135-400
Backs: LXs,Super As and lots of M & K lenses
Impact Subs: 28mm Shift, K 135-600, 400-600 Reflex

Followed by ME Super

In 3rd I'd suggest a P30N, this has DX coding , and can be used in auto or manual modes, and there available cheaply.
You can also use you digital lenses with manual focus as long as they're above 24mm Link

As for film, ebay for cheap stuff until you;re confident

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Cheers, HG

K110, K200, DA-40, DA-100, Tammy18-250
+ too many others, a bag of bodies,some lenses,
the list goes on!
(must remember the Zenits)

I've some galleries here CLICKY LINK!

You know, 35mm isn't going to give you anthing over digital apart from looking slightly different but MF will outperform digital on very big enlargements IMO

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Ken

"... I did what I always do. I tend to like my camera set to 1/125th of a second at f2.8, which is rather a slow shutter speed, and a shallow depth of field. I circled the chair running off about three rolls."

Jane Bown on photographing the Queen on her 80th birthday.

I think for me it's just about exploring another side to photography really - I feel kinda fortunate that I have'nt had to go through reels and reels of film and development costs to find my comfortable place behind a viewfinder - BUT digital has made me have lazy habits.

I think having a 35mm camera will force me to think a great deal before I take shots; and I think I'll be the better for it.

Anyways, that's probably one of the main reasons why i'm interested...

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Bob

Flickr Photostream: link

Digital: K20D + 1.15x Eyecup + D-BG2 grip; K-x (Navy Blue), Film: MZ-60 + Battery Grip FG, MV, Lenses: The Bigma (Sigma 50-500mm), 18-55 WR, FA 35-80mm, Centon 50mm 1.7, Tamron 70-300, macro tubes, AF-360FGZ.

I've mentioned this before in other topics, I find you look more at the shot with film, if it's not 100 per cent you don't take it.

It does improve your eye for composition.

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Cheers, HG

K110, K200, DA-40, DA-100, Tammy18-250
+ too many others, a bag of bodies,some lenses,
the list goes on!
(must remember the Zenits)

I've some galleries here CLICKY LINK!

And it is fun

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Kris Lockyear
Ask a question and be a fool for five minutes. Keep quiet, and be a fool forever. Chinese proverb.
Lots of film bodies, a couple of digital ones, too many lenses (mainly older glass) and a Horseman LE 5x4.

Is it???

Sorry, I mean it is.

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Cheers, HG

K110, K200, DA-40, DA-100, Tammy18-250
+ too many others, a bag of bodies,some lenses,
the list goes on!
(must remember the Zenits)

I've some galleries here CLICKY LINK!

and a pretty good reason too!

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Ken

"... I did what I always do. I tend to like my camera set to 1/125th of a second at f2.8, which is rather a slow shutter speed, and a shallow depth of field. I circled the chair running off about three rolls."

Jane Bown on photographing the Queen on her 80th birthday.

No it is not sticky, it's just dead, deceased, does not work!

Cheers Gartmore!

Thanks to everyone as well; I feel that i've got a well informed approach to this whole subject.

I have to admit though...i've been casually looked at LX's a bit than MX's...yes they are more expensive to buy and maintain...but what a camera! (STOP IT BOB!!) MX is the sensible choice!!!!

I suppose I have one final question (just thought about it now)...

I think i'd rather send off my film than have it done in a Boots or such-like, but then in terms of scanning in the image which I probably will do as well for the very good shots; what are your thoughts on a scanner? I have a HP PSC1401 - is seems to scan ok but i've always used it for documents/as a photocopier.

Would it be in the humble opinion of this fine community to stick with this; or is it worth getting a dedicated one at some point which can probably yield better results? Image scanning is certainly something I'm not clued up on either.

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Bob

Flickr Photostream: link

Digital: K20D + 1.15x Eyecup + D-BG2 grip; K-x (Navy Blue), Film: MZ-60 + Battery Grip FG, MV, Lenses: The Bigma (Sigma 50-500mm), 18-55 WR, FA 35-80mm, Centon 50mm 1.7, Tamron 70-300, macro tubes, AF-360FGZ.

This film is great, it's recycled - made from old wetsuits.

Dan

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K10D, a macro lens and a DA*300mm...

Most labs will offer a service to process and scan to CDROM at a variety of resolutions. Like a few others on here, I bought a film scanner with the notion of scanning all my negs and gave up. It is quite a time consuming process. I can recommend the Minolta Dimage IV that I have but you'd have to pick one up second hand. I use the software that came with it and I've been very pleased with the results. Grain, however, seems much more noticeable than on the same sive silver bromide print. This is a b+w neg scanned at full resolution: link

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Ken

"... I did what I always do. I tend to like my camera set to 1/125th of a second at f2.8, which is rather a slow shutter speed, and a shallow depth of field. I circled the chair running off about three rolls."

Jane Bown on photographing the Queen on her 80th birthday.

Is that the one that was developed for underwater cameras?

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Ken

"... I did what I always do. I tend to like my camera set to 1/125th of a second at f2.8, which is rather a slow shutter speed, and a shallow depth of field. I circled the chair running off about three rolls."

Jane Bown on photographing the Queen on her 80th birthday.

Thanks Gartmore - the lab option seems a far better alternative and much more convenient.

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Bob

Flickr Photostream: link

Digital: K20D + 1.15x Eyecup + D-BG2 grip; K-x (Navy Blue), Film: MZ-60 + Battery Grip FG, MV, Lenses: The Bigma (Sigma 50-500mm), 18-55 WR, FA 35-80mm, Centon 50mm 1.7, Tamron 70-300, macro tubes, AF-360FGZ.