I haven’t forgotten, if perhaps you understandably have, that I want to publish a book of photographs from my Pentax ME. It’s an overlooked camera if ever there was one, and I think it’s high time its praises were sung. I just finished the manuscript, and I wanted to share an excerpt with you. My soft goal is to make it available for purchase by the end of the month.
50mm f/2 SMC Pentax-M, Fujifilm Fujicolor 200
Second Presbyterian
This grand church on North Meridian Street in Indianapolis is one of the places I like to go when I’m testing an old camera. It’s so photogenic! And I love how in this shot the sky’s color is like you’d find on a postcard.
This building was completed in 1960, but the congregation dates to 1837, making it one of the oldest in the city. It’s one of the largest Presbyterian congregations in the United States. It is perhaps best known for hosting the 1990 funeral of Ryan White, a boy who contracted AIDS via blood transfusion at a time when this disease was ill-understood and greatly feared. His fight to attend school in his hometown of Russiaville, about 45 minutes north of here, made the national news and was instrumental in helping our nation understand that AIDS was not just a “gay disease.”
Over 1,500 people attended White’s funeral, including then-First Lady Barbara Bush, Michael Jackson, and Elton John.
Wonderful picture! Second Pres may be the most traditional building I have ever seen among those of its era of construction.
Bill Hudnut (the longest serving mayor in Indianapolis history) was senior pastor there for nearly a decade before entering politics in the early 70s.
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I had no idea Bill Hudnut was a pastor and served there!
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I recall that both his father and grandfather had been ministers and he followed the same path as a young man before deciding that politics was his true calling.
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I Love the ME/MX size body. I owned an MX back in the late 80’s, and it made me remember how really great those Pentax lenses were!
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It is hard to go wrong with Pentax glass!
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Jim, all the best with your book!
I had an ME after having an ME Super, so was anticipating something of a downgrade when I first used it. But it was nothing of the sort, I enjoyed it just as much (and its siblings the MV and MG)!
And as you’ve said the Pentax K mount glass is excellent, not just Pentax-M, but there are also gems from Ricoh and Chinon in 50mm.
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There’s all kinds of goodness available in K-mount glass! Although after just getting a roll back from the processor’s I think I’ve decided I don’t like my 28mm f/2.8.
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Yeh I had a Pentax-M briefly and didn’t keep it. The Yashica ML 28/2.8 is very good (C/Y mount) but I didn’t keep that long either, I just can’t get my head around 28mm with an SLR.
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I don’t like the twisty distortion. At all. And maybe it’s my scanner but I’m getting softness I don’t like.
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Just bought a Pentax MX which should arrive today. Looking forward to test driving it.
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oooo jealous!!
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p.s. I’ve been having Pentax LX dreams lately. Have you checked those out?
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You didn’t read the post on Casual Photophile by any chance? I’ve been looking at the LX too, but just beyond my usual budget really.
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I do, and I did, and droooooool.
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Yeahhhhh…check your email :-)
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Another K mount fan here. I got a ME Super a decade ago to replace a stolen K1000, and when I finally got a DSLR this year, I went with a Pentax K-x.
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I’ve thought about going Pentax if/when I go DSLR just because I can use all my existing lenses!
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Stupid WP Reader won’t load the photo! Good luck with getting the book finished. I hope it goes well!
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Just need to lay it out! Shouldn’t take too long.
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I have both the MX and ME both great cameras although I prefer the MX for its full manual control.
Good luck with book looks like a good project.
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The MX is on my list!
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I remember Ryan’s story, so sad but I think his efforts were heroic. Congrats, I can’t wait to see the book!!
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Thanks Sam! Coming soon to an online store near you.
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