pentax sf10 — Nikon F: The Start — Single Roll Photography

As I’ve grown in my photography my preferences have stayed pretty much the same since I started. Autofocus cameras are not typically the style I use, but I’ve found it’s sometimes good to mix up my choices just to spark a little different creativity. This is the case for today.

Pentax SF10, Pentax SMC F 50mm f2.8 Macro

Way back when I started shooting film, one of the most vocal encouragers was my friend Colleen. I could count on hers being one of the first comments on every post I made regardless of subject or time of day. I got my very first film scanner from her (a Canoscan 5600f) and one day I got a text from her asking if I was interested in her old camera. When she said it was an old Pentax, I couldn’t say yes fast enough. I don’t usually shoot the brand, but Pentax people always seem to have stories and a connection to their old cameras that I haven’t found when I buy other cameras. When I picked up this SF10 along with a few nice lenses, the unassuming body didn’t look nearly as capable as the professional Nikon bodies I had been collecting. Looks can be deceiving as this body hit focus at a rate I haven’t gotten with any other system.

While it doesn’t offer any real control over ISO and the creative priority functions are slightly cumbersome to set up, it is fully capable of doing everything I want. From what I have read it was intended to be used in program mode by those that wanted more than a point and shoot can offer, but didn’t want to take full control over every aspect of the photo the way a professional body can. Once paired with the only macro Pentax lens I currently have I was able to get closer and more detailed images than I have with any of my other cameras. This may have more to do with my skill than the equipment, but it was a joy to use. It worked really well with the architecture I shot at Michigan Stadium too, and was so sharp even with my mediocre scanning technique I think I could print it at poster size and it would look fantastic.

Overall, the Pentax SF10 may be one of the older autofocus cameras built (1988), but for film use I would recommend it thoroughly if you either have or want Pentax lenses to use. It can use almost every K-Mount lens made whether manual or auto focus. After spending a few weeks shooting with it, the only negative thing I have to say about it is the battery is a little expensive but does last a long time. If you want to shoot a chunky camera with an 80’s or 90’s vibe you can’t get much better value than this.

Single Roll Review: Pentax SF10