Camera Review Blog No. 76 – Pentax P3n

There’s something fun about simplicity in a camera. Over the course of these reviews, I’ve shot cameras at every point on the spectrum from complex to annoyingly simple. But in the case of the Pentax P3n, it fits the perfect balance between sophisticated and simple. The P3n is a camera that you can take out, shoot from the hip and get outstanding results. The P3n is Pentax’s answer to that wonderfully strange period from the mechanical and manual 1970s and the automatic days of the 1980s a perfect blend of the old and the new. The camera is alternately known outside the USA at the P30n and fills in the gaps that the P3 (P30) had and ultimately produced a much more robust camera. While I initially held some doubts about the camera, in the end, it presented a pleasant surprise.

CCR Review 76 - Pentax P3n

Camera Specifications
Manufacturer: Pentax
Model: P3n
Alternate Names: P30n
Type: Single Lens Reflex
Format: 135, 35mm (36x24mm)
Lens: Interchangeable, Pentax KA-Mount
Shutter: Seiko MFC E-7 Vertical Focal Plane Shutter, 1s – 1/1000s + Bulb
Meter: TTL GPD-Cell (Centre-Weighted), EV 1 ~ EV 18 @ ASA-100, ASA-25 – ASA-1600 (DX-Code Automatic)
Dimensions (WxHxD): 137×87.5×50.5mm
Weight: 510g (w/o batteries)
Power Source: 2x 1.5V Silver Cells
Year of Manufacture: 1988-90

Background
The company we know today as Pentax started in 1919 as Asahi Kogaku Kogyo, an optical manufacturer in Japan that produced mainly eyeglasses under the AOCO branding. The skills would allow the company to branch into projection lenses in 1923 and camera lenses by 1930. Asahi would produce lenses for other camera manufacturers, with Molta/Chiyoda (predecessors to Minolta) being their primary buyer through the mid-1930s and the war years. Asahi appears to fly under the radar during World War Two. In the post-war reconstruction, the firm continued to produce optical products, including lenses and binoculars. In 1952, Asahi released its first camera, the Asahiflex, and the first 35mm SLR produced in Japan. The Asahiflex featured a waist-level finder. The camera also featured interchangeable lenses under the Takumar branding and the threaded M37-Mount. The Asahiflex IIb from 1954 first featured an instant return mirror preventing viewfinder blackout after tripping the shutter. The Pentax brand was introduced in 1957. The name was based on the pentaprism finder and Contax and was initially trademarked by Zeiss-Ikon, who sold it to Asahi when they released the Pentax AP; the Pentax also saw the switch to the more common threaded M42-Mount for interchangeable lenses. In 1964, Asashi introduced the Pentax Spotmatic, which continued to use the M42-Mount but also added TTL metering, first stop-down metering and then 1971 open aperture TTL metering. The Electro-Spotmatic, or Spotmatic ES, also added Aperture-Priority Auto-Exposure. Open aperture TTL metering was later added to the Spotmatic F in 1973. In 1975, in a joint effort between Asahi and Zeiss-Ikon, the K-Mount added a bayonet mount to the lenses, making them easier to mount and dismount from the cameras. Asahi introduced three new cameras, essentially updated Spotmatics with new styling and the new K-Mount the same year, the KX, KM, and K2. Of the three, the KX offered up aperture priority auto-exposure while the K2 and KM were metered manual cameras. Asahi joined the small SLR revolution in 1976 with the new M-Series, adding additional electronics and moving some of the interface to buttons rather than physical dials. Asahi would bring their first fully auto exposure camera to market in 1983 with the Pentax Super A; they also introduced the KA-Mount (Pentax-A), which added electronic contacts to allow for both shutter priority and auto exposure functions. While Asahi would start to bring auto-focus SLRs to market, in 1985, it also introduced the P-Series. These cameras were interesting throwbacks to placate older users who still wanted a more hands-on experience. The P30/P3 had a hybrid body with a plastic/metal build, the ability for complete PSAM control with KA-Mount lenses, manual film advance, rewind and no ability to mount a motor drive. The P3 also did not allow for manual film speed setting but was strictly on DX-Code reading with no exposure compensation. The follow-up model, 1988’s P30n/P3n, made minor changes to the overall appearance and functions. The most significant change came in the 1990s P30t/P3t, where the focusing screen was switched to have a diagonal split-prism. The film door is now made of plastic rather than metal. The entire line ended shortly after that as Pentax switched all their focus on auto-focus SLR offerings for the consumer/student market.

Camera Review Blog No. 76 - Pentax P3n
Pentax P3n – SMC Pentax-M 1:2.8 28mm – Ilford HP5+ @ ASA-400 – Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:30 @ 20C
Camera Review Blog No. 76 - Pentax P3n
Pentax P3n – SMC Pentax-M 1:2.8 28mm – Ilford HP5+ @ ASA-400 – Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:30 @ 20C

Impressions
The P3n looks like a camera of the age, a weird mix of the old manual days of the 1970s and the sleek electronics era of the 1980s. The camera isn’t too heavy, made primarily of plastic, but it still has some metal parts where it matters the most. The only thing I appreciate is that the film door is still made from metal, including the latch, which will hold up to heavy use with opening and closing the door. The controls are simple and well-placed, especially the shutter speed dial. You can easily use your thumb to adjust the dial and move it into shutter priority/manual mode back to aperture priority/automatic mode. The camera also has a dedicated on/off switch to help with battery conservation, and the film advance can either sit flush or in a stand-off position; while long (130 degrees), it isn’t too bad. The controls have enough feedback so you know that you’re operating them. The viewfinder is a little too dim for my taste, especially in low-light conditions, but the trade-off is that the shutter speed display is bright, with clearly seen LEDs that will indicate your shutter speed and a blinking light that indicates the metered speed. While it certainly won’t win any awards for design, it is functional and easy to use.

Camera Review Blog No. 76 - Pentax P3n
Pentax P3n – SMC Pentax-M 1:2.8 28mm – Ilford HP5+ @ ASA-400 – Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:30 @ 20C
Camera Review Blog No. 76 - Pentax P3n
Pentax P3n – SMC Pentax-M 1:2.8 28mm – Ilford HP5+ @ ASA-400 – Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:30 @ 20C

Experience
The P3n is an exciting camera, but I’m not sure where the camera was designed to fit in. The late 1980s saw more people move to dedicated autofocus SLRs, which were getting pretty good for the age/tech levels. However, the P3n was most likely aimed at budget photographers, student photographers, or those who still had a wide range of manual focus lenses. The first thing to note is that you cannot manually set the film speed; it will strictly use the DX-Code to set the speed automatically and lacking exposure compensation means you’re stuck with the box speed of the film, and the only way to adjust is to change your development. If you load a non-DX-coded cassette, the meter will run at ASA-100. Loading the film is simple: drop in the cassette, pull the leader across, then close up the back, click and advance and repeat until the counter reads “1”. The one thing to watch out for is while the film door has a solid construction, the film rewind knob is relatively weak, and you have to give it a good tug to pop open the back. Once you’re in the field, the camera functions pretty well; you have to watch out for what lenses you have mounted; the entire program mode only works with the KA-Mount lenses; you have to set the shutter speed dial to A and the aperture ring to A. You are stuck with metered manual and aperture priority when using the older lenses. Now, this isn’t an issue for someone who works mainly with aperture priority, being a dim viewfinder. The split prism makes focusing easy, and the LED display makes setting the exposure equally easy. Now, the biggest concern I have is the exposure meter. It is a little all over the place, but that could have been my copy on its last legs. In some cases, I found the images were under-exposed. Sadly, after shooting a single roll, the camera decided to buy the farm.

Camera Review Blog No. 76 - Pentax P3n
Pentax P3n – SMC Pentax-M 1:2.8 28mm – Ilford HP5+ @ ASA-400 – Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:30 @ 20C
Camera Review Blog No. 76 - Pentax P3n
Pentax P3n – SMC Pentax-M 1:2.8 28mm – Ilford HP5+ @ ASA-400 – Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:30 @ 20C

Optics
If there is one bright spot on this camera, it is the available optics. Pentax lenses have always been well made and have excellent image quality without being too expensive overall. The P3n has the standard K-Mount and will accept any K-Mount lens out there, but you have to watch out which versions you use to get the most out of the P3n. For the best experience with your P3n, go with the KA-Mount lenses; these are noted by the branding SMC Pentax-A on the lens barrel and the presence of electronic contacts near the lens mount. These allow the camera to work in full auto exposure and shutter priority. But if you don’t have these lenses available, you can always use the older K-Mount, such as the SMC Pentax and SMC Pentax-M; it all depends on taste. You can only run the camera in metered-manual and aperture priority AE modes with these older lenses. I prefer the SMC Pentax-M lenses as they have a lower profile and fit the overall look of the camera. You don’t have to stick to Pentax branded lenses; there are many third-party options, but you may be stuck with limited functionality depending on the variant of these lenses. If you are looking for a good kit of lenses, you cannot go wrong with a 28mm f/2.8, 55mm f/2, and a 200mm f/4, but there are many other options out there, and I’ve never met a poor performing Pentax lens.

Camera Review Blog No. 76 - Pentax P3n
Pentax P3n – SMC Pentax-M 1:2.8 28mm – Ilford HP5+ @ ASA-400 – Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:30 @ 20C
Camera Review Blog No. 76 - Pentax P3n
Pentax P3n – SMC Pentax-M 1:2.8 28mm – Ilford HP5+ @ ASA-400 – Kodak D-23 (Stock) 7:30 @ 20C

The Lowdown
The P3n is a robust camera despite its size and look—a great camera to start using 35mm film if you’ve never used film before. It ismore advanced K1000, which gives users a taste of what they can do with 35mm film without breaking the bank. Clean lines, solid build quality, and a K-Mount only add to the camera’s draw. And if you don’t have Pentax lenses, a massive inventory of lenses from Ricoh, Vivitar and more out there will work perfectly with the camera. Unless you’re a completest, I would avoid the older P3 (P30) and get the P3n (P30n) or the later P30t/P3t, a second look if you want to expand your Pentax collection.

Further Reading
Don’t just take my word on the P3n; you can check out the reviews by other awesome camera reviewers!
Lomography – The Impressive Pentax P3n

2 Comments

  1. how would you compare the p3-n to Canon ae-1?

    1. Author

      Feature wise, the P3n is better than the AE-1, build quality, the AE-1 is better than the P3n.

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