Skeleton Key
The original Pentax was one of the rare pivotal designs which influenced millions of 35 SLRs. To appreciate the Pentax, you have to look at the Pentax predecessors. Before the Pentax standard 35 SLR practice to have slow working knob winds and knob rewinds, the sole exception being the Exakta with a LEFT hand lever advance. You took the picture and the finder was dark, not brightening up again until you advanced the film which also lowered the mirror once again -- the exception being the Pentax older brother, the Asahiflex. The beauty of the original Pentax design was putting together so many desirable features for the first time, into a small well made SLR. It was a landmark camera that became so successful Asahi changed its name to Pentax! Millions of 35 SLRs would follow the general layout trail-blazed with the original Pentax, also marked by the American department store Sears as the Tower 26. Features included:
Eyelevel Pentaprism focusing with bright for its time focusing screen
Instant return mirror -- at the time an Asahi exclusive which was invented on the previous Asahiflex IIb
Quiet shutter, even with the instant return mirror
Small size, lightweight, and aesthetically sleek lines
Shutter speeds from 1 to 1/500th, with a rotating high speed dial from 1/500th to 1/50th and a separate low speed dial from 1/25 to 1 second.
Far right top mounted lever advance. This was actually a first in 35 SLR design. Previous cameras had used knob advances, while the Exakta had long used a left handed advance lever. The film advance and shutter release are very smooth, helping to start the Pentax reputation for high precision and quality workmanship.
The film counter on the advance lever was manually set, the photog had to set it to one each roll, or not know where there were on the roll.
Separate high and low shutter speed dials (1/500 - 1/50 plus B and X, and 1/25th to 1, plus T). Setting the high speeds requires lifting up the dial and rotating it to align with the center post. The high speed dial rotates during all exposures, even the slow speeds, so those with big fingers can get uneven exposures by touching the high speed dial during exposures.
42mm thread mount which later became known as the Pentax or universal screw mount. It wasn't really the Pentax mount though, since the 42mm screw mount was introduced on the East German Contax S in 1949. An adapter allowed the use of Asahiflex screw mount lenses on the Pentax' larger screw mount. The underneath of the focusing screen shows the large ground glass center spot surrounded by visible fresnell rings. Separate X and M sync terminals are visible in the lower right of the pic.
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