C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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The Pentax KM (1975) is a fully manual 35mm SLR introduced at the same time as Pentax launched the K-mount, replacing the earlier M42 screw-mount system. It is the base model of the initial K-series trio — the KM, KX, and K2 — offering manual exposure only and a CdS TTL meter without any automatic mode. The KM was aimed at cost-conscious buyers who wanted K-mount compatibility without paying for the aperture-priority automation of the KX or the shutter-priority automation of the K2. Production ran only about two years before it was superseded.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the 35mm format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
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Kodak Gold 200 is a daylight-balanced C-41 color negative film with warm color, moderate grain, and a classic consumer-film look.
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Labs in our directory that process 35mm film.
Before you buy used
About this camera
The plainest of the original 1975 K-mount trio - fully manual, no auto exposure, no frills.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Mount | Pentax K |
| Years | 1975–1977 |
| Shutter | 1s – 1/1,000s + Bulb, mechanical horizontal cloth |
| Flash sync | 1/60s |
| Meter | TTL center-weighted CdS, EV 3–17 |
| Exposure modes | Manual only |
| Viewfinder | ~92% coverage, ~0.85× |
| Weight | ~620 g (body only) |
| Battery | 2× LR44 / SR44 |
Pentax introduced the K-mount in 1975 as a bayonet replacement for the long-running M42 screw mount, citing faster and more positive lens attachment as the primary rationale. The K-mount launch included three bodies simultaneously: the KM (manual only), KX (manual + aperture-priority), and K2 (manual + shutter-priority). The KM occupied the entry price point. It was discontinued around 1977 and replaced within the K-series by the K1000 — an even more stripped-down, near-fully-mechanical body that would go on to become one of the longest-produced SLRs in history. The KM itself had a short production run and is less common than the K1000 or KX on the used market.
The KM's primary historical significance is as the debut vehicle for the Pentax K-mount, which has proved extraordinarily durable — K-mount lenses remain mountable on current Pentax DSLRs and mirrorless bodies. As a camera in its own right, the KM is conventional and unexceptional: it offered nothing the M42-era Spotmatic F did not, except the new bayonet mount. The CdS meter requires a battery to function; unlike some contemporaries there is no mechanical shutter speed that bypasses the electronics entirely.
For collectors, the KM represents the beginning of a lens ecosystem that now spans five decades. It is otherwise less sought-after than the K2 or KX among enthusiasts, which keeps used prices modest.
The K-mount accepts all subsequent Pentax K, KA, KAF, KAF2, and KAF3 lenses, though CPU communication and autofocus are irrelevant on a fully manual body. Stop-down metering is required only for lenses without an aperture-coupling prong. The SMC Pentax 50/1.4 and 50/2 released at the K-mount launch are the natural companions. K-to-M42 adapters allow the large Spotmatic-era lens library to be used on the KM with stop-down metering.
BW
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
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Kodak Ektar 100 is a fine-grain C-41 color negative film with saturated color and high sharpness.
View profile →Pentax KM
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