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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slr-35mm
The MX (1976) is a fully mechanical Pentax K-mount SLR, designed to compete head-on with the Olympus OM-1 on size and weight. It's slightly smaller than the OM-1, runs entirely without battery (only the LED meter needs power), and has a remarkably bright 0.97× magnification finder — large enough that 50mm lenses can be used with both eyes open. Five LEDs on the right side of the finder indicate over/under/correct exposure.
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.
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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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Labs in our directory that process 35mm film.
Before you buy used
About this camera
Pentax's compact mechanical SLR. The Pentax answer to the OM-1.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Mount | Pentax K |
| Years | 1976–1985 |
| Shutter | 1s – 1/1000s, mechanical horizontal cloth |
| Flash sync | 1/60s |
| Meter | TTL center-weighted GPD with 5-LED display |
| Modes | Manual |
| Weight | 495 g |
| Battery | 2× SR44 (meter only) |
Released 1976 alongside the K1000 and the more electronic ME. The MX positioned itself as the "professional choice" of the Pentax M-series — manual, mechanical, smaller and slightly more refined than the K1000. Production continued nine years until 1985. The MX was never replaced directly; subsequent Pentax compacts went electronic (ME Super, Super A, Program A, Super Program), and the LX took over as the pro flagship.
For Pentax K-mount shooters who want an OM-1 equivalent, the MX is it. The all-mechanical operation, the bright finder, the LED metering — all designed for the photographer who hand-meters but wants a sanity-check readout in the finder. Build is genuinely good (better than K1000), and it accepts the entire SMC Pentax-M (and later A, F, FA, DA) lens range.
For 2026 buyers, the MX is the most-recommended Pentax mechanical SLR after the K1000 because it's smaller, finder is brighter, and the LED meter is more reliable than the K1000's match-needle. Used prices have crept up but remain reasonable.
Pentax K-mount, all generations. The SMC Pentax-M kit lens line (1976+) is a perfect cosmetic and dimensional match: 50/1.4 M, 50/1.7 M, 28/2.8 M, 28/3.5 M, 35/2 M, 100/2.8 M, 135/3.5 M. Winder MX (auto-wind), Motor Drive MX. Interchangeable focusing screens (8 options).
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.
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