Pentax K2

The Pentax K2 was the flagship camera model introduced with the dawn of the bayonet mount cameras from Pentax in 1975. It featured a fully coupled light metering system, which, if activated by turning the shutter speed dial to 'Automatic' would select a shutter speed between 1/1000th to 8 seconds [auto exposure (aperture priority)]. The photographer would select a suitable F-stop, and the camera would set a suitable shutter speed to obtain correct exposure when pressing the release button. Metering was done 'wide open' which was a big deal at the time, as most of the prior generation screwmounts required the lens to be stopped down for metering. One of the reason for introducing the new K-mount was to allow wide open metering.

Other notable features for the K2 include the mirror lockup, and the fact that the camera functions is not entirely battery dependent. Without batteries, the light meter is inoperable, but the shutter speed settings from 1/125 sec. to 1/1000 sec. and 'B' is still be available. Shutter speeds longer than the flash synchronizing speed is electronically governed and dependent on battery power. Despite its fairly short production run it set the stage for fine Pentax products to follow.

Forgettable features includes the ASA and exposure compensation selection rings behind the lensmount. The setting of these parameters is not particularily convenient: While depressing the black lock button, situated at 5 o'clock, rotate the chrome ASA ring by grabbing it at 1- and 7- o'clock to select the desired ASA value appearing oposite the red index triangle. To select exposure compensation, grip the two black knobs either side of the lens mount and rotate to select desired factor as indicated on the black ring oposite the small red index dot.

K2 Feature:

Self-timer (5 to 9 sec.)

Depth-of-field preview

Auto exposure (aperture priority)

Exposure compensation (4x, 2x, 1x, 1/2x, 1/4x)

Shutter speeds down to 8 seconds, flash sync at 125th/sec

Manual Mechanical shutter: 1/125 to 1/1000 sec and B

The K-mount:

This lensmount was the result of the cooperation between Pentax and Zeiss Ikon from the late 1960s until 1972. Zeiss Ikon however, withdrew from camera production about 1975, while Pentax went on and introduced the K-mount to be a feature of all their subsequent cameras. They made the mount available for other camera manufacturers as well, hoping for a new industry standard. Some manufacturers adopted it, but due to different requirements regarding electrical contacts, no real universality has been obtained.

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