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Steve T.
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, March 08, 2006 - 02:51 pm: | 
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It's a basic 35mm SLR along the same lines as a K1000, but with more features, like DOF preview, self timer, mirror lockup. I don't think you can use a power winder with one, because the bottom of the body has no provision for attaching one.
Anyone ever used a K2? Opinions? |
Jan Dvorak
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, March 08, 2006 - 06:24 pm: |
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Steve,
Here is a great site covering all of the Pentax K bodies: http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/
The K2 was the top of the line before the LX came out, offering an electronic shutter and aperture priority automatic exposure. All previous K cameras had a mechanical shutter and were very close in design to the original Spotmatic, with full aperture metering, more sensitive meters and bayonet mount - among others.
Jan |
Steve T.
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, March 08, 2006 - 07:13 pm: |
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Jan,
I know about that site, thank you, but it says little about the K2. Top of the line? It looks like a fairly basic SLR. I would have never suspected it were top of the line at one time.
Electronic shutter? Does that mean you can't take pictures if the batteries go dead? |
Steve T.
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, March 08, 2006 - 07:21 pm: |
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Well, I found some data tables on it on that site, thanks.
Mechanical shutter speeds are listed as 1000, X and B. I think that means 1000, 125 and B, not sure, but I think you get only 3 choices of shutter speeds without batteries. Better than no choices I guess. |
rick
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, March 08, 2006 - 10:07 pm: |
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None of the K cameras accept a power winder, except for the special K2-DMD. They are all good, solid cameras, but at 30 years after manufacture I think I might prefer one of the mechanical models, the KX and KM.
The KM is just like a K1000 but with DOF preview and a self timer; the KX adds mirror lockup and a shutter speed display in the finder.
Circa 1976, the K2 and KX were the very top of the line at Pentax.... very good stuff. |
Michael Linn
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 09, 2006 - 05:46 pm: |
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Yes, the K2 was a much higher-end K mount Pentax when introduced. Very busy inside and not easy to work on though well made. |
Steve T.
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, March 10, 2006 - 03:03 am: |
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Thank you for the replies.
A lot of old, used cameras come through my hands, since I look for them now. A few years ago I didn't look for them, now I do. I found a K2 with a 55mm 1.8. I already had a few accessories laying around that will work nicely with it, including the screw-mount adaptor, so was toying with the idea of keeping it and building a small system. It's in pretty good shape! Plus, I could get a K1000 or something like that for a backup body.
The nice thing is the amount of lenses that can be used with it. Chinon, Ricoh, etc. were often made with the K-mount. With a screw-mount adapter, there must be about half a million choices. I have a goofy Petri 55mm f2.8 screw-mount lens that probably isn't worth $5.00, but I'd like to try it on a few shots out of curiosity. Petri must have made some real budget stuff to have a 2.8 55mm. That's pretty slow for a prime normal lens, but if I can get a good picture with it, fine. |
Jan Dvorak
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, March 10, 2006 - 06:10 pm: |
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Steve,
For best results I would stick with original Pentax K mount lenses; they are dirt cheap nowadays. As to the screw mount adapter - yes, it can be used, but is a pain. You will lose auto aperture operation, will have focus at full opening and close down for the shot.
Also, the adapter has to be left on the body when changing lenses; in other words - you cannot have a few thread lenses with attached adapters and change them as you would a bayonet lens.
Yes, the K2 is superb camera offering both aperture priority and metered manual, fits well into one's hands and is built like brick.
Enjoy!
Jan |
Tom Gartshore
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, June 24, 2006 - 03:37 pm: |
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I purchased a used Pentax K2 about 15 years ago now as a backup to my Pentax MX. WOW some backup! The K2 was the flagship of the Pentax K
series lineup. Think of it as a K1000 on steroids. The thing is built like a tank with all the features one would expect from a “pro” camera of its 1970s vintage: self-timer,
depth of field preview, mirror lock-up, exposure compensation ring +/-2 (1 EV steps), aperture priority and metered manual exposure, flash sync 1/125 sec., and a vast film ISO range from 8 to 6400 ASA. I should add at this point that setting the ASA is really awkward until you get used to it. A later upgrade of this model, the K2 DMD featured an optional motor drive and aperture indication in the viewfinder. These features would be nice to have but you can live without them. The K2 has a good solid “feel” to
it with all dials where I expect to find them. I tend to use this camera when I get lazy and don’t want to think as much as I have to with the MX. The automatic exposure is about
as dependent on automation as I care to get at this time. MX or K2, I’m not sure which I prefer at this point. I just happy I have one of each.
I recently had the camera cleaned, lubricated, adjusted (CLA) and had the seals and foam replaced. The K2 now looks and works like new and is good for another 20 years. It will
probably outlast me. If you are looking for a full- featured SLR from the age of brass and glass, skip the K1000 and buy a K2 if you can find one. You will get all the advantages
of the K1000 plus a lot more.
Tom G |
Lacyt
Tinkerer
Username: Lacyt
Post Number: 1
Registered: 02-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 18, 2007 - 05:17 pm: |
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Am looking at a K2 for sale out of my state. The seller says he has no lenses for this camera so it was tested without one and no film was loaded either.
He (is not the original owner) says it has two issues:
1. the ASA ring seems to be stuck; and
2. he had trouble getting the mirror lockup to release the mirror.
The K2 manual states if you lock the mirror up while the camera is in Auto and the lens is capped, it won't release the mirror until you take it off auto. (I hope he didn't break it!)
Would having no lens attached to the body and/or no film loaded also cause these issues?
Thanks! |
Tom_horn
Tinkerer
Username: Tom_horn
Post Number: 1
Registered: 02-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 28, 2007 - 03:09 pm: |
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Unless it has been dropped or otherwise abused, I'll bet this camera simply needs a CLA (cleaning/lubrication/adjustment). Back then they were built so well that it should not be worn out.
I have a Pentax K2DMD with a stuck ASA/ISO ring, and from what I've read this is generally a matter of the original grease having stiffened. The K2 is unusual among Pentax SLRs in that its ISO ring is a circumferential band at the base of the lens mount.
The sticky mirror affects even the best 35mm SLR Pentax ever made, the LX. It can be a combination of the adhesive on the foam mirror bumper saturating the foam and the release sticking, with the emphasis on the foam breakdown. A good shop should be able to do this service for well under $100.
I have a collection of black Pentax bodies in KX, DMD, MV, A3 and Super A. All of them work except the DMD, and I'm sure it will be great after I have it serviced. My favorite is the KX: the viewfinder is very bright, I get all the data I need through the finder, the heft of the camera is superb, and it's a pleasure to use. The Super A is more sophisticated electronically, but it just is not as satisfying.
I hope to get a nice LX someday.
The K10D is the first digital camera I have considered vert seriously. |
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