"The world's smallest, lightest, most complete, full-featured 35 SLR" was how the Pentax MX was introduced to the world at the end of 1976. It is considered by most to be the best manual camera produced by Asahi Optical Company and the last to feature the characteristics of the original Asahi Pentax introduced in 1957.

Olympus surprised the photography world in 1972 with the introduction of the M1 (later OM1). The dimimutive camera was a sales sensation and established the company as a player in the single-lens reflex camera market. It was followed by the equally small, aperture preferred, automatic exposure OM2 in 1975. Asahi Optical Company answered back with the smaller Pentax MX and even smaller ME cameras. The ME was an auto exposure camera meant for amateur "point and shoot" photographers, while the manual MX was targeted at serious amateurs and professionals. The MX was the smallest full system 35mm SLR ever made.

The MX was the last Pentax camera made bearing the word "ASAHI" and company's "AOCo" logotype on the front of the pentaprism. During its production run (1976-1985) there were subtle variations. For example, on early versions the words "ASAHI OPT. CO. JAPAN" were stamped into the metal below the film advance lever and had a metal film type reminder clip on the back. After about 1980 the film type reminder clip was made of plastic with the words "ASAHI OPT. CO. JAPAN" molded into it.

I still carry a MX as backup to my digital *istD.