Pentax LX - am I a heretic?

[Steve Roberts]

Having acquired two LXs for not very much money a while ago, I've now had a chance to experiment with them (well, with one of them). The LX seems to have an almost mythical status in some areas, and its proponents seemingly won't hear a bad word said about it (rather like Stan Kenton fans!) However, it doesn't seem to get mentioned very often on APUG very often despite being, perhaps, the only true Pentax professional 35mm system camera.
Whilst it's a reasonable enough camera to use, I can't say that I'm blown away by it and there are at least four Pentaxes that I tend to favour over it - the K2, KX, MX and ES2. OK, the LX has more bells and whistles - the interchangeable viewfinder, backward counting film re-wind, strap lugs to hang it vertically, titanium shutter, etc. - but how often do these make a difference? My biggest gripe is that in manual exposure mode the reading is only discernable to one f-stop via the LED readout - the MX has half-stop LEDs. Perhaps my reservations are largely because at heart I like to use manual exposure and the K2 and ES2 are much happier in that mode (forgetting for the moment the need for good batteries to operate on some speeds and the KX and K2 of course use match-needle metering - much nicer than LEDs!).
I suppose that the difference tells in that when I was quite happy to spend out on a service for the K2 a few years back and likewise the ES2, the LX would now undoubtedly benefit from a service and yet I find myself reluctant to spend money when realistically I may never use it.
Anyone else out there care to comment on their love for their LX or otherwise?
Best wishes,
Steve

[salan]

You know I bought one years ago and have used it twice! I always go for either the MX or an MG (prefer that to the me super for some reason). They just seem to 'feel' better. Also they are not as noisy with the shutter!.
So my LX sits on the shelf.
Alan

[Hatchetman]

So, what's your problem with Stan Kenton?

[sdotkling]

Perhaps it's proof that sentiment overrules logic in camera preferences, but none of those 40-year-old newcomers can hold a candle to the Spotmatic in my mind. The first pro photographer I ever knew used one (I was maybe 15 years old) and nothing else comes close to its essential coolness. Like a finely tailored suit, tactile, elegant and no more than one needs. If James Bond had a camera, that would've been it. With the 50/1.4, of course.

[PDH]

I have always felt the with the Nikon and Canon Fs, most of the features I would never use, only reason I traded in my Konica T2 for an Nikon F was the motor drive.

[desertratt]

Only true Pentax professional camera system, huh? And this is according to whom? Does your Pentax have a knife ijnside the camera body like my Exacta does? If not, it flunks. Does it have three PC outlets, not two? Does it have three ways to keep you from actually taking a photo (by accident?) My Exacta has all these. What you think makes a "professioanl" system may be something that others disdain. Who needs that junk? Give me the old Honeywell pre-Spotmatic any day. Keep your whistles and bells and fribbergibbits. By the way there is no such thing as a "professional" camera. If one looked around one would find a lot of folks using low-end cameras and making a living with them. The "pro" camera is a myth. It sells photo magazines, I guess.

[Alan W]

I've never used an lx,I do have a lot of other Pentax cameras though,and not wanting to hijack the thread,I agree with sdotkling,it's hard to top a Spotmatic. Isn't she beautiful?

[AOCo]

I also had an LX, but ended up only keeping the spotmatics...
LX is a very good camera, but mine suffered reliability issues, that a CLA did not solve, hence I did not
want to use it that much. WLF is fine but nothing nothing comparable to a medium format SLR. Other
than that, I enjoyed using it for the time it had been working.

[Too old to care]

I wore out two Spotmatics. Wish they still made them, I would like to wear out another one. Never had much love for the LX though, on the other hand, a nice MX would be a great addition.

[pentaxpete]

The main disappointment I have with my LX is that for a 'Pro' camera the fastest flash synch speed is 1/75th second whereas my ME Supers synch at 1/125th - I do a lot of outdoors fill-in flash -- even on my K10D it is only 1/180th second fastest synch speed -- other makes can manage 1/250th easily ! Also, the LX has the 'sticky mirror' syndrome where it sticks up if the camera has not been used in a while and it needs to be fired several times before the mirror becomes 'instant return' again.