Pentax MG

Pentax MG

Image by Pablo Coronel (Image rights) Maker: Pentax Dates: 1981-1984 Variants: chrome or black Camera Type: 35mm SLR Focusing: manual Lens mount: Pentax K Shutter: focal plane Seiko MFC, metal curtains, vertical travel from 1s to 1/1000 Exposure meter: TTL, open aperture, center weighted Exposure modes: aperture priority, 1/100, and Bulb ASA/ISO range: 32 to 1600 Finder screen: fixed Flash shoe: fixed hot shoe, contact for dedicated flash Flash speed: 1/100 TTL Flash: no Motor drive: external: Winder ME (1.5i/s) or Winder ME II (2i/s) Battery: 2 × 1.5V (SR44, LR44 or equivalent) Weight: 425g w/o lens Number produced: unknown

In 1977, Pentax introduced two compact 35mm SLRs, the MX and the ME, after the Olympus OM-1 presented in 1972 had introduced a new trend for compactness in SLR cameras.

The Pentax ME was succeeded in 1979 by the more advanced ME Super and the simpler Pentax MV. The MV was in turn followed in 1980 by the MV1, then in 1981 by the Pentax MG. The differences with the MV1 are the following:

• shutter speed displayed in the finder
• 0.87x finder
• chrome or black finish

The Pentax MG is an aperture priority automatic camera, with an electronic focal plane shutter from 1s to 1/1000, synchronized at 1/100. The shutter curtains are metal and move vertically. There is no shutter dial, and the camera cannot be used in manual mode, except for B and 1/100 exposures. The exposure meter is of the standard TTL open aperture center-weighted type. It is activated by a slight pressure on the release button.

The Pentax MG has a 0.87x viewfinder, covering 92% of the field. The finder screen is fixed, with a split image image and a microprism ring in the center. The shutter speed chosen by the camera is displayed in the finder, the aperture is not.

There is a self-timer and a hot shoe on the top of the prism with an additional contact for dedicated Pentax flash units. The selector around the release button has three positions: Auto, 100X (1/100, X sync) and B. The Pentax MG can attach the external Winder ME (1.5 i/s) or the later Winder ME II (2i/s). It can use the Dial Data ME databack with an adaptor to slide in the hot shoe, or it can make direct use of the Digital Data M databack.

The lens is interchangeable, with the K bayonet mount. Together with the M series was introduced the SMC Pentax-M series of compact lenses.

Production stopped in 1984.

Pentax MG image by Vagn1949 (Image rights)

Links

• Pentax MG user manual at Butkus.org
• User's manual at Pentax Imaging
• The Pentax M series at the KRG site (does not include details of the MG) (in French)
• Pentax MG at Bojidar Dimitrov's Pentax K-mount site
• The MG at Aya's Cameras
• Pentax MG entry in wikipedia