Only complaint about MX is that the high speeds need adjustment more often than the older mechanical shutter cameras (Spotmatic through KX). Adjustment of one or two MX shutter curtains is fast on a second generation MX (4 xxx xxx). It might take more time with the first generation MX (9 xxx xxx) as adjustment screws (?) are not as easy to reach, I've been told. If the shutter is in need of a cleaning, the curtains adjustment will not be successful (and you won't be charged if you leave the camera for a CLA).
Although I've posted the following information a year and a half ago, it might interest the newcomers that, 25 years ago, according to a 1979 french survey, Pentax had the thoughest equipment after Nikon, and that Pentax KX was the thoughest body alongside Nikon F.
Total number of cameras surveyed: about 15,000
Average number of returns per 100,000 clicks for a few brands:
N*k*n 7 Pentax 9,6 Ol*mp*s 15,8 K*n*c* 15,8 F*j*c* 15,8 AVERAGE 16,6 M*n*lt* 17,5 Pr*kt*c* 28,7
Interesting results "per model" (column C is the "target"):
Model A B C D N*k*n F 9 78 0,7 0,37 pentax KX 10 32 0,7 1,30 N*k*n EL2 6 24 1,8 0,63 leica (all) 20 129 2,4 1,10 C*n*n FL 13 42 2,6 0,47 pentax SP5/1000 24 111 2,9 0,53 N*k*n FT 42 120 3,0 0,20 C*nt*x RTS 17 16 4,2 0,20 N*k*n F2 13 32 4,4 1,27 K*n*c* TN3 20 50 4,5 0,17
Etc... Almost 100 models or groups of models.
A: Number of cameras returned per 100 cameras.
Note: Older cameras have more chance to have been returned more frequently (than newer cameras). So this number does not tell us a lot about toughness. But readers gave the number of months they have had the camera (column B) and the number of photographs taken with their camera. A somewhat meaningfull measure of toughness is then possible (column C).
B: Average age of camera (months).
C: Number of returns (for service) per 100,000 clicks (rounded to .1) Average for all cameras is 16,6
D: Share (%) of all cameras own by readers. If you multiply this % by approx. 15,000, you get, for example, that 56 Nikon F and 195 Pentax KX have been considered in the survey. Models with less than 25 cameras surveyed are grouped (i.e. all leica, all topcon, all mamiya etc.)
Andre
