Pentax P30 Review

The Pentax P30 is probably one of my favorite 35mm SLR cameras to use due to its ergonomic feel and ease of use. I just love the clunky sound it makes when you take the shot. It’s got that classic camera look and feel with a black metal body. It feels solid like it can with stand the wear and tear of being carried everywhere (it can also withstand the odd bump from experience) It’s the type of camera you can comfortably pop in auto mode and fire of a bunch of shots and feel confident they will come out pretty decent.

It was manufactured in Japan around the mid 80’s mine is fitted with a 70mm F/1.7 lens, the shutter range is 1/1000, it has a B setting and flash sync. With the camera settings on automatic it can set both the aperture and shutter speed for you but with the metered manual mode it can also indicate the correct exposure through the viewfinder when you adjust both the shutter speed and aperture. 

Another great feature is it’s use of a K-mount connection making it easy to find lenses that fit the body for a variety of different shooting options. 

One thing I actually find frustrating about the P30 though is you can’t manually set the film speed so it needs DX coded film, which some people would see as an advantage as you can’t shoot the film in the wrong speed so no wasted reels of film, but with a lot of the new lomography films currently on the market not being DX coded it can limit you’re choice to ISO 100 only films. Then again this problem can be fixed in the developing process. 

This camera is a simple design built for amateurs but holds up well for any enthusiast and in my opinion has withheld the test of time well. I enjoyed shooting with the Pentax a lot and ended up buying a p30t which gives the added option of aperture priority. 

Here are a few images taken using the Pentax P30:

New Brighton, Ektar100 

A different view, Adox 50

Beers been and gone, Ilford FP4 

Contrast and structure, Adox 50

Dream like silhouettes, Adox 50

Taking off, Ektar100 

Reflecting, Chester, Adox 50

Sunsets and silhouettes, Ektar100 

River of light, kosmo Foto

Train to nowhere, Ilford FP4

Through the looking glass

Cinema horror, Ilford FP4

Sunset rivers, Ektar100 

That 50’s feel, Kosmo Foto

On the rocks, Ektar100 

Summer sunsets