Pentax
Pentax was originally the name of a 35mm SLR camera model, introduced in 1957 by Asahi Optical Co.. This Japanese optical company was founded in 1919, and eventually changed its name for Pentax Corporation in 2002.
The first 35mm SLR by Asahi was the Asahiflex I in 1951. The Asahiflex series and its Pentax successors introduced several technological breakthroughs, and became one of the most popular 35mm cameras ever. Among other innovations, Asahi was the first company to solve the problem of mirror blackout which had plagued SLRs up to that time and prevented them from overtaking rangefinder cameras in popularity. Early SLRs left the mirror in its "up" position until the camera was wound for the next shot, blacking out the viewfinder, and the Asahiflex IIb was the first SLR with an instant return mirror.
The name Pentax is derived from the shape of the prism used in SLR cameras (Pentaprism), and the ending deliberately looks like the Zeiss Ikon Contax. In fact, the name Pentax was a property of Zeiss Ikon until they sold it to Asahi Optical Co.
Many Pentax cameras were sold stamped with the name "Honeywell". Actually Honeywell was only a distributor, and these cameras were exactly the same as the ones stamped with the Asahi name.
Contents
Digital
SLR
- Pentax MZ-D 2000 (prototype, never released)
- Pentax *ist D 2003 - still in production
- Pentax *ist DS 2004 - 2005
- Pentax *ist DL 2005 - still in production
- Pentax *ist DS2 2005 - still in production
Point and Shoot Cameras
- Pentax Optio 330
- Pentax Optio 330 RS
- Pentax Optio 450
- Pentax Optio S
- Pentax Optio 33L
- Pentax Optio 750z
110 film
1979-1983 interchangeable lens SLR
35mm film
K-Mount Autofocus SLR
- Pentax *ist
- Pentax MZ-S
- Pentax PZ-1 (Z-1)
- Pentax PZ-1p (Z-1p)
- Pentax SF7 (SF10)
- Pentax SFX (SF1)
- Pentax SFXn (SF1n)
K-Mount Manual Focus SLR
Pentax K series:
- Pentax K2
- Pentax K2 DMD
- Pentax KX
- Pentax KM
- Pentax K1000
Pentax M series:
- Pentax MX
- Pentax ME
- Pentax ME Super
- Pentax ME-F
- Pentax MV
- Pentax MV1
- Pentax MG
- Pentax MF
- Pentax MF-1, scientific use
Pentax A series:
- Pentax Super-A, Super Program (USA)
- Pentax Program-A, Program Plus (USA)
- Pentax A3, A3000 (USA)
Pentax P series
- Pentax P3 (P30)
- Pentax P3n (P30n)
- Pentax P5 (P50)
Other:
- Pentax LX
- Pentax ZX-M (MZ-M)
Screw-Mount SLR
- Pentax AP
- Pentax K
- Pentax S
- Pentax S1 / H1
- Pentax S1a / H1a
- Pentax S2 / H2
- Pentax S3 / H3
- Pentax SV / H3v
- Pentax Spotmatic
- Pentax SL
- Pentax Spotmatic II
- Pentax SP500
- Pentax SP1000
- Pentax Spotmatic F
- Pentax Electro Spotmatic
- Pentax ES
- Pentax ESII
Asahiflex SLR
645 Medium Format
Manual Focus
- Pentax 645
Autofocus
- Pentax 645N
- Pentax 645N II
6x7 Medium Format
1969-present
- Pentax 6x7
- Pentax 67
- Pentax 67 II
