The Pentax Super-A, also sold in some markets as the Pentax Super Program, was a
35 mm single-lens reflex
In photography, a single-lens reflex camera (SLR) is a type of camera that uses a mirror and prism system to allow photographers to view through the lens and see exactly what will be captured. SLRs became the dominant design for professional a ...
camera
A camera is an instrument used to capture and store images and videos, either digitally via an electronic image sensor, or chemically via a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. As a pivotal technology in the fields of photograp ...
produced by
Pentax
was a Japanese camera and optical equipment manufacturer. Currently, it exists as the Pentax Life Care Business Division of Hoya's medical endoscope business, as well as the digital camera brand of Ricoh Imaging, a subsidiary of Ricoh.
Penta ...
of
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
in the 1980s.
It is ''not'' the same camera as the slightly lower-specified "
Pentax Program A" (which also had an alternative name, the "Pentax Program Plus".)
Functions
The camera offers fully automatic exposure ("program") mode when coupled with an appropriate Pentax-A series lens. With such a lens the camera also offers shutter-priority mode, and with any compatible lens (''i.e.'' Pentax-M lenses in addition to the Pentax-A series) the camera offers aperture-priority and fully manual modes.
The shutter speeds, selected by up/down buttons rather than the conventional wheel, run from 1/2000 of a second to 15 seconds, plus a "bulb" mode. There is flash synchronisation at 1/125 of a second. Unlike the camera's most direct predecessor, the semi-automatic
Pentax ME-Super, this model cannot function at 1/125 of a second, or at all, once the batteries have been exhausted. Speed is displayed on an
LCD
A liquid-crystal display (LCD) is a flat-panel display or other electronically modulated optical device that uses the light-modulating properties of liquid crystals combined with polarizers to display information. Liquid crystals do not em ...
panel on the top of the camera adjacent to the buttons (which also shows whether the camera is cocked), and both speed and aperture are visible on LCD displays inside the viewfinder. These receive natural light through a translucent plastic window on the pentaprism housing and can be electrically lit at the press of a button. Also in the viewfinder, centred, is a split image focus aid surrounded by a microprism ring.
A further improvement over the ME Super was the inclusion of a depth-of-field preview lever. The camera also featured a self-timer, which was electronic rather than the manual lever of its predecessors. The available ISO
film speed
Film speed is the measure of a photographic film's sensitivity to light, determined by sensitometry and measured on various numerical scales, the most recent being the ISO system introduced in 1974. A closely related system, also known as IS ...
choices were extended too, and run from 6 to 3200 ASA.
As with the previous M series cameras, there is a window next to the winder arm which indicated film movement, and assists the user in rewinding film into the cassette without losing the tip of the film.
Metering is
through the lens
In photography, through-the-lens metering (TTL metering) refers to a feature of cameras whereby the intensity of light reflected from the scene is measured through the lens; as opposed to using a separate metering window or external hand-held light ...
. Camera also features direct TTL flash metering.
The Super A version was available with a black top-plate (and matching base), the Super Program version was available with a chrome-coloured top-plate (and matching base). The main body, plastic grip, and lenses were always black.
The European camera of the year version (1983) had a small round brass plate on the front lefthand side of the body. This all came with a lens cap and strap with the European camera of the year insignia.
More photos
File:Front of Pentax Super A.jpg, Front of Pentax Super A
File:Pentax Super A self timer.jpg, Activated self timer
A self-timer is a device on a camera that gives a delay between pressing the shutter release and the shutter's firing. It is most commonly used to allow the photographer to take a photo of themselves (often with a group of other people), henc ...
File:Pentax Super A closed back.jpg, Closed back
File:Pentax Super A open back.jpg, Open back
File:Pentax Super A top part.jpg, Top cover
File:Pentax Super A aperture priority viewfinder.jpg, Viewfinder
In photography, a viewfinder is a device on a camera that a photographer uses to determine exactly where the camera is pointed, and approximately how much of that view will be photographed. A viewfinder can be mechanical (indicating only direct ...
in aperture priority
Aperture priority, often abbreviated ''A'' or ''Av'' (for aperture value) on a camera mode dial, is a mode on some cameras that allows the user to set a specific aperture value (f-number) while the camera selects a shutter speed to match it that ...
mode
File:Pentax Super A auto viewfinder.jpg, Viewfinder
In photography, a viewfinder is a device on a camera that a photographer uses to determine exactly where the camera is pointed, and approximately how much of that view will be photographed. A viewfinder can be mechanical (indicating only direct ...
in full auto mode
See also
*
List of Pentax products
The following is a partial list of products Manufacturing, manufactured under the Pentax brand. Examples of Pentax products include Digital camera, digital cameras and binoculars.
Film cameras
135 film, 35 mm Single-lens reflex camera, SLR ca ...
References
{{reflist
Super-A
135 film cameras
Pentax K-mount cameras