C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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The LX is Pentax's 1980 professional flagship — Pentax's "L" branding for "Luxury" plus "X" for the Roman ten (their 60th anniversary). Hybrid shutter (electronic for AE timing, mechanical fallback at 1/75s, 1/2000s, and B), weather-sealed body, interchangeable finders, off-the-film light metering that integrates exposure in real time during the exposure (so it correctly handles changing light during long exposures — useful for astrophotography or fireworks). The aperture-priority mode allows exposures up to 125 seconds.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the 35mm format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
View profile →BW
Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
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Kodak Gold 200 is a daylight-balanced C-41 color negative film with warm color, moderate grain, and a classic consumer-film look.
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Before you buy used
About this camera
Pentax's only true professional 35mm SLR. Hybrid shutter, weather-sealed body, and an off-the-film meter that worked through the entire exposure.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Mount | Pentax K (KA on later bodies) |
| Years | 1980–2001 |
| Shutter | 4s – 1/2000s electronic, 1/75s mechanical fallback |
| Flash sync | 1/75s |
| Meter | TTL OTF (off-the-film) SPD |
| Modes | Manual, aperture-priority |
| Weight | 565 g |
| Battery | 2× SR44 (mechanical fallback works without) |
Released 1980 to mark Pentax's 60th anniversary. Production ran 21 years — second longest of any pro SLR (after the F3) — but in low total volumes (around 30,000 units across all years). Variants: LX Titan (limited gold-engraved), LX 2000 (1996 anniversary), and the "LX 90" white-bodied special. Discontinued 2001 as Pentax exited pro film.
The LX competed against the Canon F-1, Nikon F3, and Olympus OM-4 in a market Pentax never quite cracked. Its technical merits were extraordinary — weather sealing genuinely worked, the OTF meter was years ahead of competitors, the hybrid shutter mechanism was as durable as a Nikon F2's. But Pentax's commercial reach in pro photo never matched Nikon's or Canon's, so the LX flew under the radar.
It's now a cult body. Used prices have risen sharply because the LX combines an underused-pro-SLR mystique, mechanical-fallback durability, and access to the K-mount lens system that includes the legendary SMC Pentax-A 50/1.2 and 31/1.8 LTD limited primes.
Pentax K-mount: K, KA, KAF, KAF2 lenses (the LX accepts all but doesn't autofocus, naturally). Excellent SMC lens choices: 50/1.4, 50/1.2 (rare), 35/2, 28/2, 24/2.8, 100/2.8 macro, 200/2.5 ED, the 31/1.8 LTD and 43/1.9 LTD limited primes (released 1997+, K mount). Motor Drive LX, Winder LX, FA-1 finder (eye-level), FB-1 finder (sport), FC-1 finder (waist-level), magnifier finders. Data backs.
BW
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
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Kodak Ektar 100 is a fine-grain C-41 color negative film with saturated color and high sharpness.
View profile →Pentax LX
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