My father had a Contaflex II that a friend of him brougth back from Germany in 1957 I think (the year I was born). At about 13 I began to take some photos with it, mostly when we were out for camping. Almost ten years later, I wanted something mine and different, and I bought a Canonet GIII QL 17 in a small artisanal photographers shop. I remember a customer telling me the lens had such an aperture that I would be able to take photos of the moon. I still ask myself "what's the point" (pun... the point on the negative...).
A few years later, while talking with a hometown friend obviously knowing what he was talking about, I remember he declared that a Pentax MX would be about the best think I could buy if I wanted to have a SLR. A few months later I saw 2 cheap Pentax lenses in Mexico (28mm & 135mm) and bought them as my mind was set on the MX. I got the MX body while visiting New York 2 months later and a 50mm 1.4 from the same place I got the Canonet, just before they closed (they were doing their 35mm work with Leica and Pentax and had great prices from Pentax Canada). I have stayed with Pentax ever since. Well, I tried a C*n*n T-90 + Angénieux 35-70 lately but found the kit uneasy to handle in low light situations. I am used to big Pentax K-series primes lenses now and think I would loose time learning to use another kit, even the MZ-S I acquired recently and, yes, again, that I want to sell or exchange. The MX is a great hiking camera. The LX is a great camera. Pentax, my dear friend... Andre --