does anyone still use 35mm film

[guest311]

Just need to know whether the Pentax lenses are K mount or M42... Equally, we don't know whether the Minolta stuff is SR mount or A mount!

right, to be honest I don't know, but perhaps the following may help:
Pentax is an ME Super.
lens on camera is a pentax-m 1:2.828mm
second lens is a pentax-m 1:1.7 50mm
telephot lens is a Cosina 100-300mm 1:5.6 - 6.7mc macro lens

Minolta is a dynax 300sl
lens on it is a 70 - 210mm 1:4.5(22) - 5.6
second lens is a35 - 70mm 1:3.5 (22) - 4.5

don't know if that helps at all ?

[Dsolds]

The Dynax would definitely be A mount. These were recent cameras only produced in the 1990's so that's that one. I had a Dynax 700i which was a superb camera and of 1995 vintage, A mount lenses etc.

The Pentax is older (70's or 80's) and would very likely have the K mount. My Pentax knowledge is very limited never having owned one but Camerapedia comes up with this
Pentax ME Super
Maker
Pentax
Dates
1980-1986
Variants
chrome, black, SE
Lens mount
Pentax K with fully automatic diaphragm linkage

[d-a-n]

Pentax is an ME Super.
lens on camera is a pentax-m 1:2.828mm
second lens is a pentax-m 1:1.7 50mm
telephot lens is a Cosina 100-300mm 1:5.6 - 6.7mc macro lens

That's all very useful and means I can give you a definite answer!

These Pentax lenses will be K mount lenses and will fit on this type of camera https://www.wexphotovideo.com/pentax-k-70-digital-slr-camera-body-1600229/ - just bear in mind that if you're used to 28mm being wide angle, it'll appear more like 42mm did on a your film camera through the viewfinder due to the smaller sensor (see here for more about crop sensors and crop factor https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/photography/tips-and-solutions/understanding-crop-factor.) Equally, the 50 will look more like 75mm and the telephoto lens becomes even more telephoto at 150-450mm! The K-70 is a decent camera but it's expensive and if you decided to go down the route of buying autofocus lenses from Pentax for it, the options are slimmer than that of Canon/Nikon and they don't make any really affordable lenses like Canon do, plus there isn't the wealth of secondhand stuff on the market to snare at a cheaper price.

Minolta is a dynax 300sl
lens on it is a 70 - 210mm 1:4.5(22) - 5.6
second lens is a35 - 70mm 1:3.5 (22) - 4.5

These Dynax lenses are compatible with Sony A mount cameras such as this A68: https://www.wexphotovideo.com/sony-alpha-a68-digital-slt-camera-body-1585551/ - again, the crop factor thing comes into play and as it's not Canon or Nikon, it suffers the same issue to the above Pentax in that there are fewer affordable lenses and generally slimmer pickings on the secondhand market.

If I were in your situation, I'd fire some rolls of film through these beauties and use the lenses as intended and not worry about using these on a digital body, maybe purchasing a digital camera of some sort (compact/bridge/DSLR/mirrorless) to use alongside the film bodies at a later date, but not letting the above lenses dictate the type of camera you buy. The above entry point is over £400 and even an older DSLR body from Pentax/Sony will stand you at around £200. That buys a lot of film and developing!

Hope this helps, Dan.

[MalcolmInN]

a feature called Focus peaking on mirrorless which is a very useful substitute for the traditional focus screen (manual focus with a DSLR is a trickier business, it being centered around autofocusing) 

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/photography/tips-and-solutions/what-focus-peaking

Thanks, that is news to me, very interesting.

The tricky part of manual focusing can be aided with adapters that have a focus chip in them. Focus Confirm, I think, are the words to look for. I have an M42 to Canon adapter that mimics the autofocus, you do the manual turning of the lens instead of the usual motor and the camera beeps when you reach focus and red dots appear in the viewfinder on the in-focus region(s)

Another thing to watch out for (on M42 to Canon at least) are some adapters that dont allow the lens to reach infinity focus.
I dont know if this is common or if it was just a bad batch that still turn up cheap on ebay.

[daffy]

Thanks to all contributors here, especially d.a.n. as I now know definitively that what I have are Pentax ME and ME Super bodies with K mount lenses.
It seems the day that these will be worth something more than they are today is a pipe dream, so I shall stick them on eBay or some such and turn what to me is scrap into something more ngauging.

[austinbob]

Sounds like a plan. Hope you find a buyer for your old kit.