What should I consider when choosing a second film camera to complement a Pentax K1000?
Asked 8/22/2018
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I currently shoot a Pentax K1000 with one lens and like its simple operation, reliable light meter, and easy-to-find batteries. I want a second camera mainly for travel so I can keep black-and-white film in one body and color film in the other.
I mostly photograph street scenes and things I notice on road trips. I’m not necessarily committed to Pentax, but I also only have one camera and one lens so far.
What factors matter most when picking a second film camera: staying in the same lens mount, choosing something smaller, or getting a camera that offers a different shooting experience?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
7y ago
2 Answers
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I would choose something:
- small
- completely different from the K1000
Something small, because unless you really like heaving heaving things around, you already have one reasonably bulky camera to deal with, and the additional camera you're most likely to use in such circumstances is one that's physically easy for you to manage.
Although you asked for advice on "a second body", unless that is also a Pentax K body, you'll now be dealing with two systems of bodies and lenses. That's not really the way I'd like to travel.
So, I'd suggest to consider something with a fixed lens, rather than a body (and new lenses, if you're not getting a K-mount body).
Something different, because you might as well give yourself as many options and open as many opportunities as possible, rather than overlap.
Something different from an SLR will allow/require you to think and see in different ways, make it possible to do things you couldn't do with the SLR, use it when you couldn't use the K1000, and so on.
On that basis, my suggestion would be a pocket-sized rangefinder, such as an Olympus XA, a Canonet QLIII 17 or a Ricoh 500G.
Armed with something like that and your K1000, you'd have a pair of pleasant-to-use cameras, that between them wouldn't be too cumbersome to carry around, and represent quite different ways of photographing.
Which small rangefinder?I think it's easier to find a Ricoh 500G in good condition than a Canonet cheaply, but in either case you should check whether you're going to have to replace light seals.
You can spend a bit more and buy an XA - and that would be my choice, just because it's that much smaller and easier to carry.
Originally by user69926. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user69926
7y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
The main things to consider are system compatibility, size, and whether you want the second camera to expand your options.
If you want to travel with two cameras, staying with Pentax K-mount makes a lot of sense: you can share lenses and avoid carrying two separate systems. In interchangeable-lens systems, lenses usually become the bigger long-term investment.
If you don’t want to build a second lens system, a compact fixed-lens camera is also a smart choice. It gives you a lighter second camera for travel and street use without requiring extra lenses.
A good second camera should ideally complement the K1000 rather than duplicate it exactly. For example, something smaller or with a different shooting style can be more useful than just another similar body.
One community suggestion was also to consider an older Pentax digital body for learning and experimentation, since digital can speed up feedback and skill-building.
So: if your goal is practical travel use, prioritize either (1) another Pentax-compatible body so you can share lenses, or (2) a small fixed-lens camera if portability matters more.
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