I've had a K1000 and a MX for many years, and the K1000 is a far more robust camera. It makes perfect sense to me that a high school would give out K1000s rather than MXs. Not having shutter speed and aperture information in the viewfinder doesn't prevent one from taking good pictures. Some pretty good ones were made for 150 years before this became a camera feature.
BR From: Christian Skofteland <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I agree. Keep the automation out. But, again, I want to see what shutter speed and aperture are set without moving the camera from my eye. K1000s cost about the same if not more (because of this cult status) than MXs. And the MX gives you the same "student" features: manual, mechanical, durable but adds a full info viewfinder. Christian