This is my Pentax Super A, it is inherited from my Dad who probably bought it in Saudi Arabia sometime in the mid 80's. I have always been a fan of Pentax cameras, my first camera was a Pentax MG, and consequently this Super A has a very familiar feel to it..

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Pentax film cameras are very underrated, I think many people view them as poorer relatives of Nikon, Cannon and Olympus, but that does mean they are relatively cheap, and for my money, often better.

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The Super Super A is the top model in the Pentax ‘A’ series which followed after the M series in the  mid 1980's. It's a small, relatively light and comfortable camera to carry, and there's a removable grip fitted to the front of the camera which gives a good hand hold. Two versions of the camera were made, a black version and a chrome version. Mine is the black version, but I think the chrome version looks better. (An opposite of the view held by Simon Hawkett, a very knowledgeable collector and restorer of Pentax cameras)

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The Super A has a fully automatic exposure mode and a shutter-priority mode when coupled with an appropriate Pentax-A series lens. With any compatible lens (i.e. Pentax-M lenses in addition to the Pentax-A series) the camera offers aperture-priority and fully manual modes.

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Shutter speeds, displayed on an LCD panel on the top of the camera (which also shows if the camera is cocked), are selected by up/down buttons rather than a conventional 'wheel', run from 1/2000 of a second to 15 seconds, plus a "bulb" mode. There is flash synchronisation at 1/125 of a second. This model cannot function at all, without power which is provided by a pair of 1.5V SR44 batteries.

 

Both shutter speed and aperture are visible on LCD displays inside the viewfinder. These receive natural light through a translucent plastic window on the pentaprism housing and can be electrically lit at the press of a button. Also in the viewfinder, centred, is a split image focus aid surrounded by a microprism ring.

 

There is a depth-of-field preview lever, and the camera also features a self-timer, which is electronic rather than the manual. The available ISO film speed choices run from 6 to 3200 ASA.

 

A really simple but great feature is a window next to the winder arm which indicates film movement, and assists in rewinding film into the cassette without losing the tip of the film - great if you want to use a partly exposed film again, or have fun with double exposures!

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