Comments on: 5 Best Japanese 35mm Film SLR Cameras

By: Juan Oca

Juan Oca — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 16:42:44 +0000

Proud owner of a Pentax LX, as well as MX and KX in the film days. The LX was amazing specially the measure sell. what a marvel ¡¡Still today is a wonderful camera , and a tank , with a lot os seals .

By: eric

eric — Sat, 06 Aug 2022 15:30:30 +0000

After Josh, James, JJ, … also this article I have probably returned on 20 times.
It relax me. When I see these cameras, the explanations, ahhhhh I am happy.
Which one will take ? Very difficult. Ohhhh sorry. All are from Japan 😉
I think the Olympus OM4 TI. Why ? The size, the weight, the lens, and the metering (I dont need), but it’s safe to have one like one umbrella.

By: James Tocchio

James Tocchio — Wed, 18 May 2022 19:44:54 +0000

In reply to bodegabayf2.

You’re certainly right about the OM1 (and many all mechanical cameras) being infinitely repairable. I think that might be why this post was so popular – https://casualphotophile.com/2021/01/11/ten-best-mechanical-slrs-ever-made/

By: bodegabayf2

bodegabayf2 — Tue, 17 May 2022 15:46:22 +0000

Great list! My personal experience would be to replace the OM-4 with an OM-1. I have owned three OM-4s and each had electronic issues…excessive battery drain to be the main culprit. It is getting to be more and more difficult to get repairs on this camera. The OM-1 is pretty much infinitely repairable. YMMV

By: Flavio Egoavil

Flavio Egoavil — Wed, 21 Aug 2019 03:57:03 +0000

In reply to Richard Armstrong. I also own the nikon triad: f, f2, f3 and the two Canon F-1 models My favorite is the New F-1 over all the Nikons, but if the F3 could have as good a viewfinder as the F2AS, and several mechanical speeds as the New F-1, it would be my choice. Conversely the New F-1 needs a memory lock (like the F3) and better ergonomics (F3) to approach perfection.

By: Flavio Egoavil

Flavio Egoavil — Wed, 21 Aug 2019 03:53:24 +0000

In reply to Jordan Brady.

I agree, I own the Nikon F, F2 (many versions) and F3. Plus the Canon F-1 and New F-1.

The New F-1 is my favorite of all, followed closely by the F3, F2 and F-1 (tie). The Pentax MX i like almost as much as those, too.

The difference is in glass — FD lenses often approach perfection, yet they can be too neutral.

Nikon makes some glass that I love because of character: 58/1.4 pre-AI, 105/2.5, 28/3.5.

Pentax, sadly too difficult to get variety of lenses in my country, but I appreciate the compactness of Pentax-M lenses. The screwmount S-M-C Pentax Takumars, by the way, have better build quality than Canon or Nikon lenses — all series.

Thanks Pentax for making the MX and ME cameras!! They leave the Olympus system behind, completely. And with Pentax you can choose between the compact M lenses or the higher performance A, K (and now FA Limited) lenses. OM lenses are often limited in some way or other (i.e. distortion, coma, vignetting) due to being designed for compactness above all. With Pentax, you have a choice.