Pentax K1000 and KEKS KM02: A match made in Analog Heaven

In the year 2024, an increasing number of young people are choosing to leave behind their digital cameras and start shooting film. Going fully manual may require learning a new set of skills, and one 35mm camera in particular is often considered the best for beginners: the Pentax K1000. Here, I will detail my experience using the K1000 in combination with the KEKS KM02 light meter as I took my photography beyond the beginner level.

Shooting film has been a favorite hobby of mine for many years. I currently live in Vancouver, Canada, with my husband and two kids, but moved here as a refugee from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Over the years, I’ve developed a love for baking, drawing, and of course, photography. Growing up in Vancouver, I’ve been surrounded by a wide range of environments, from sandy beaches to lush forests and snow-covered mountains. This has allowed me to produce many different photography styles without having to travel far. 

Since starting a family of my own, I have learned the importance of memory through photography. Life passes us by quickly, and the mundane things can easily be forgotten unless they are documented and separated from the ordinary. This is what motivated me to pursue my own photography more seriously, but I was limited by a slowly deteriorating Minolta SRT100. Although this camera served me well since my teen years, it felt necessary to buy a great camera that I could feel confident relying on for my images.