Pentax's budget learner SLR — the P30T, program and manual, K mount, 1990.
The Pentax P30T is a 35mm film SLR from 1990, the last revision of the P30 family that also included the P30 and P30N, sold in some markets as the P3T. It was a straightforward, affordable manual-focus K-mount body aimed at students and everyday users, sitting in Pentax's budget line above the simplest point-and-shoot SLRs. It was marketed under the Pentax name in the UK.
It is a 35mm single-lens-reflex camera using the Pentax K mount, with through-the-lens metering and an electronically-timed focal-plane shutter with a top speed of 1/1000 and flash sync at 1/100. It offers program automatic exposure and metered manual; with A-series lenses set to the 'A' position the body handles the exposure in program mode. The viewfinder shows shutter-speed indication for exposure guidance. Film advance is by manual lever, and the shutter and meter depend on the battery to operate.
The P30T suits students, beginners and anyone wanting a no-frills manual-focus SLR that can be used in program mode or set by hand. Its simple layout and traditional advance lever make it a common recommendation for learning photography, and it is light enough for travel and general use. It lacks the wider mode set and top speed of the higher Pentax models, which keeps it inexpensive.
As a used purchase, check the foam light seals and mirror-damper foam, which perish and cause leaks. Confirm the meter responds to light and the program and manual modes give sensible exposures, remembering the electronic shutter needs a good battery to fire accurately. Inspect the shutter for even exposure without capping, work the film advance and rewind for smooth feel, and look through the prism for haze. Check the viewfinder speed indication lights, and confirm A-series lenses engage program mode at the 'A' setting.