1976
The MX was released only one year after the introduction of the new K-series cameras. It was a much smaller body design, though, and it appealed to the time. Olympus had turned the camera industry on it’s head in 1971 by releasing the small (for the time) OM-1. The MX was, indeed, one of the smallest camera bodies available and has remained so after all these years. And it remains quite popular with film shooters today.
A manual exposure-only camera, it offers few bells and whistles. But what it does offer is a solid, reliable shooter without need of batteries except for the meter.
It offers a bright, big viewfinder with aperture and shutter speed settings visible. And it offered a good variety of interchangeable focusing screens.
Technicals Specifications:
Original List Price (1979): $255.00 w/1.7
Price in 2022 Dollars: $1040.27*
Manufacturer: Asahi Kogaku (Pentax)
Model: MX
Year Introduced: 1976
Film Format: 35mm SLR
Lens: Pentax K-Mount lenses
Shutter: rubberized silk, horizontal-travel
Self-timer: Yes
Shutter Speeds: 1 – 1/1000
Shutter Release: top
Built-in Meter: TTL
Film Speed/ASA Range: 25 – 1600
Flash Sync: 1/60
Film Advance: lever on top
Frame Counter: on top
Exposure Modes: Manual
Focusing Screens: interchangeable, split-image
Mirror: instant return
Battery: 2-SR44 (1.5v)
*Based on current information at
in2013dollars.com
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