Black markings in finder of K1000

What About Bob · Jun 29, 2025

About five years ago I brought out my K1000 that was in storage for a good 20 years. It had film in it. Bulk loaded roll of Tri-X from 25 years ago. When I inspected the camera I noticed some black objects inside of the viewfinder. I removed the lens but didn't notice any black marks on the mirror and upper glass. Must be on the viewing side? I have included a photo of the black marks.

The camera was packed in a closed box, in my closet, away from humidity. There wasn't anything wet in the closet.

At some point I am thinking of getting the camera serviced. It also has a slight ding on right hand corner of the metal, no idea how that got there. The ding was there some time before the camera was stored in the closet for all that time. It appears that a very slight part of the metal is lifted up where the ding is. I'm thinking I might need a whole new frame part and viewfinder system? Is this camera even worth getting fixed? This was my very first SLR. Bought in 1992.

film4Me · Jun 29, 2025

That could be some sort of fungus in the viewfinder. Does it move about when you shake the camera?

What About Bob · Jun 29, 2025

film4Me said:
That could be some sort of fungus in the viewfinder. Does it move about when you shake the camera?

Black marks do not budge when shaking the camera.

film4Me · Jun 29, 2025

What About Bob said:
Black marks do not budge when shaking the camera.

I'd say it's fungus. If it doesn't completely clean off, you'll need to replace the affected part. Fungus thrives in warm conditions and when there's a lack of oxygen. Air flow over the camera may have prevented that contamination, in other words, if the camera itself was left in the open air, even in the closet.

runswithsizzers · Jun 29, 2025

To me, the black bit looks more like the kind of foam which is commonly used for light seals and mirror bumpers. These bits are often somewhat sticky.

What About Bob said:
Is this camera even worth getting fixed? This was my very first SLR. Bought in 1992.

Only you can decide how much a used camera is "worth" to you.

At various times, the Pentax K1000 was made in Japan, then Hong Kong, and finally China. Personally, I would be willing to invest a little more money in a Japanese version than a Chinese one. Yours is probably not Chinese because I think those had a plastic top plate(?)

I send my old Pentax cameras to Eric Hendrickson in Loudon, TN. I think Eric is well respected for the quality of his work, and his prices are very reasonable. According to his website -- https://pentaxs.com/process.html -- he is still servicing the Pentax K1000 for $88 US. If any significant parts are needed, that will add to the cost.

I agree with others who say keeping a camera in a closed-up closet may promote fungal growth. But as I said, I don't think that looks like fungus, and foam bits are more likely. Is your lens clean and clear?

Ian C · Jun 29, 2025

I believe that the answer given in post #5 identifying the debris as deteriorating light seals or mirror stop-pad material is the more likely explanation. The material is most likely polyurethane foam, which can dry out and crumble, and sometimes become “gooey” like asphalt.

To me, it looks nothing like the type of fungus that occurs in cameras and lenses. The view through the finder shows a structure that, although magnified, is far too large to be fungus. It looks like no fungus growth I’ve seen.

Fungus requires a prolonged relative humidity of 70% or greater to promote fungal growth.

https://www.google.com/search?q=zei...uMjK4B50ZwgcIMS41LjE0LjjIB6kB&sclient=gws-wiz

Per the storage conditions described in post #1, it is unlikely to lead to fungus.

If it was my camera, I wouldn’t send it to a repair shop. You could probably find a suitable K-mount replacement camera so that you could use your lenses for less money than servicing the camera.

The question about whether the lens is free of fungus is telling. A lens stored in the same environment is more likely to exhibit fugus than the prism housing and focus screen.

What About Bob · Jun 29, 2025

runswithsizzers said:
To me, the black bit looks more like the kind of foam which is commonly used for light seals and mirror bumpers. These bits are often somewhat sticky.

Only you can decide how much a used camera is "worth" to you.

At various times, the Pentax K1000 was made in Japan, then either Taiwan or Hong Kong(?), and finally China. Personally, I would be willing to invest a little more money in a Japanese version than a Chinese one. Yours is probably not Chinese because I think those had a plastic top plate(?)

I send my old Pentax cameras to Eric Hendrickson in Loudon, TN. I think Eric is well respected for the quality of his work, and his prices are vey reasonable. According to his website -- https://pentaxs.com/process.html -- he is still servicing the Pentax K1000 for $88 US. If any significant parts are needed, that will add to the cost.

I agree with others who say keeping a camera in a closed-up closet may promote fungal growth. But as I said, I don't think that looks like fungus, and foam bits are more likely. Is your lens clean and clear?

The 50mm f/2 lens is clean. The aperture ring does stick somewhat when turning. Might need to be lubed.

Label underneath the body says it was assembled in China. The top part feels durable like metal but I'm not sure.. Serial number is 5619961.

I went through three PDF files, database files, just now and could not locate my serial number. The last PDF had a quick summary of first numbers beginning from "4" up to "6" with the year range of 1989 to 1997. I will have to keep searching around. I bought camera and lens in town, in the fall of 1992.

Harry Callahan · Jun 29, 2025

Could be the reflective surface of the prism disintegrate.

Andrew O'Neill · Jun 29, 2025

I saw this on a few of the K's at my school.

What About Bob · Jun 29, 2025

@Ian C: With what would need to be done with it I am thinking the cost would pile on. New prism probably, replacement of the top plate, recalibrating, lubing, It would be in the hundreds, guessing maybe $300/$400 or so dollars, not including shipping. I am sort of tempted in attempting to open the thing up.

I had some good times with that camera and it was my first SLR. I will hold on to the Pentax repair link provided by @runswithsizzers

runswithsizzers · Jun 29, 2025

What About Bob said:
Label underneath the body says it was assembled in China. The top part feels durable like metal but I'm not sure..

Seems like there can be "transition" models which have a blend of older production and newer production parts -- but most of the random websites I looked at say the Chinese versions have plastic top and bottom plates. Worse, there may also be plastic gears inside which are less durable than the older Japanese and Hong Kong models. Do some searching (Pentax K1000 history), and you will find websites that discuss how to tell the difference between the various versions.

If you had a Japanese version, or even a Hong Kong version, I would recommend keeping the camera after sending it to Eric Hendrickson. But since yours is apparently one of the later Chinese versions, it might be better to spend your money aquiring some other model of Pentax SLR with a better reputation for durability??? Personally, I recommend the KX or MX models, but there are several others that might give better service than a late model K1000.

Ian C said:
To me, it looks nothing like the type of fungus that occurs in cameras and lenses. The view through the finder shows a structure that, although magnified, is far too large to be fungus. It looks like no fungus growth I’ve seen.

Totally agree. As a former employee of a clinical laboratory with a microbiology department, I've look at a fair amount of fungal hyphae under the microscope, and it looks quite different from what is shown in the OP.

Andrew O'Neill said:
I saw this on a few of the K's at my school.

Can you tell us what "this" actually was on those cameras?

OAPOli · Jun 29, 2025

I think this is prism desilvering.

Ian C · Jun 29, 2025

You can see the type of material I referred to in the photos in Richard Haw’s camera servicing site where he disassembles a Nikkormat EL. One shot shows the material in the retainer atop the prism. Several pages later, there is a good photo of the deteriorating mirror pad next the focus screen showing a green circle superimposed over a screw head.

https://richardhaw.com/2018/01/27/repair-nikkormat-el/

This looks exactly like the material shown in post #1, but at a lower magnification.

What About Bob · Jun 29, 2025

runswithsizzers said:
it might be better to spend your money aquiring some other model of Pentax SLR with a better reputation for durability??? Personally, I recommend the KX or MX models, but there are several others that might give better service than a late model K1000.

I'll look around KEH and a few other places for some of those other models. Plus at KEH the equipment would have been checked over and fixed up, if needed.

Ian C said:
You can see the type of material I referred to in the photos in Richard Haw’s camera servicing site where he disassembles a Nikkormat EL.

I see it! I am now tempted to try my hand at opening the top.

mshchem · Jun 29, 2025

Ian C said:
You can see the type of material I referred to in the photos in Richard Haw’s camera servicing site where he disassembles a Nikkormat EL. One shot shows the material in the retainer atop the prism. Several pages later, there is a good photo of the deteriorating mirror pad next the focus screen showing a green circle superimposed over a screw head.

https://richardhaw.com/2018/01/27/repair-nikkormat-el/

This looks exactly like the material shown in post #1, but at a lower magnification.

Yep, totally agree. My cousin stopped by last week with an early Spotmatic, mirror had black bits from the the gooey degraded mirror bumper foam. Every brand does it Nikons etc. New foam seal kits are available on Ebay. Meanwhile a cotton swab in a bit of lighter fluid, just a drop, will usually clean the mirror (temporarily)

What About Bob · Jun 29, 2025

OAPOli said:
I think this is prism desilvering.

I looked up that word and the effect does look like what I have. The example I saw didn't look as severe as what I have going. Few have commented that Chinese made K1000's have these issues. .The fix is a either a new coating or a prism swap.

mshchem said:
Yep, totally agree. My cousin stopped by last week with an early Spotmatic, mirror had black bits from the the gooey degraded mirror bumper foam. Every brand does it Nikons etc. New foam seal kits are available on Ebay. Meanwhile a cotton swab in a bit of lighter fluid, just a drop, will usually clean the mirror (temporarily)

Loads of these on eBay. Now I just have to hunt down schematics and a video guide. Earlier last year I had disassembled one of my A12 film backs and replaced the seals in it. A K1000 I'm guessing will have more pieces to it. Rewind knob, multisetting dial for shutter and film speed, film counter and winder. Things that go boing. Plus there will be a metering cell somewhere in there.

I haven't run film through this thing in eons. The marks won't affect picture taking but it will be annoying as hell with framing and composing shots. I would be interested to see how well the shutter functions through its range. The 1/30 setting has a certain sound to it that I can tell it is 1/30th. Sounds the same.

Isn't there a phone app that measure shutter speeds? I kind of remember someone on Youtube using their phone while holding a light in back on the camera and doing a shutter timing test. I am not sure how accurate something like that would be seeing that it isn't a dedicated instrument for measuring such stuff

Andrew O'Neill · Jun 29, 2025

runswithsizzers said:
Seems like there can be "transition" models which have a blend of older production and newer production parts -- but most of the random websites I looked at say the Chinese versions have plastic top and bottom plates. Worse, there may also be plastic gears inside which are less durable than the older Japanese and Hong Kong models. Do some searching (Pentax K1000 history), and you will find websites that discuss how to tell the difference between the various versions.

If you had a Japanese version, or even a Hong Kong version, I would recommend keeping the camera after sending it to Eric Hendrickson. But since yours is apparently one of the later Chinese versions, it might be better to spend your money aquiring some other model of Pentax SLR with a better reputation for durability??? Personally, I recommend the KX or MX models, but there are several others that might give better service than a late model K1000.

Totally agree. As a former employee of a clinical laboratory with a microbiology department, I've look at a fair amount of fungal hyphae under the microscope, and it looks quite different from what is shown in the OP.

Can you tell us what "this" actually was on those cameras?

No clue.

mshchem · Jun 29, 2025

What About Bob said:
I looked up that word and the effect does look like what I have. The example I saw didn't look as severe as what I have going. Few have commented that Chinese made K1000's have these issues. .The fix is a either a new coating or a prism swap.

Loads of these on eBay. Now I just have to hunt down schematics and a video guide. Earlier last year I had disassembled one of my A12 film backs and replaced the seals in it. A K1000 I'm guessing will have more pieces to it. Rewind knob, multisetting dial for shutter and film speed, film counter and winder. Things that go boing. Plus there will be a metering cell somewhere in there.

I haven't run film through this thing in eons. The marks won't affect picture taking but it will be annoying as hell with framing and composing shots. I would be interested to see how well the shutter functions through its range. The 1/30 setting has a certain sound to it that I can tell it is 1/30th. Sounds the same.

Isn't there a phone app that measure shutter speeds? I kind of remember someone on Youtube using their phone while holding a light in back on the camera and doing a shutter timing test. I am not sure how accurate something like that would be seeing that it isn't a dedicated instrument for measuring such stuff

Seals will mostly be around the back, shouldn't need to disassemble. Mirror bumper you just reach in with your fingers and a tweezer. Easy. Don't worry about the shutter if it sounds OK.

Chuck1 · Jun 29, 2025

A lot of cameras have foam light seals under the top cover, not easy to get to

mshchem · Jun 29, 2025

This looks like a easy one in the case of Pentax Spotmatic K1000

http://aki-asahi.com/store/html/sp/seal/index.php

What About Bob · Jun 29, 2025

mshchem said:
Seals will mostly be around the back, shouldn't need to disassemble. Mirror bumper you just reach in with your fingers and a tweezer. Easy. Don't worry about the shutter if it sounds OK.

Thing is would the pieces that are showing in the viewfinder be connected to that top seal so that by removing the top seal with tweezers that the marks get taken out from the finder area? If the pieces in the finder area are dislodged from the actual seal then I might be in for some fun.

Chuck1 · Jun 29, 2025

Fun or sticky misery

4season · Jun 29, 2025

If it's a vertical line down the center, you'll want to replace the pentaprism, as it's become de-silvered, probably due to deteriorated foam cushioning. In order to prevent it from happening again, I'd stick a piece of Kapton tape (silicone adhesive) onto the new prism, so the replacement foam doesn't touch the prism directly.

What About Bob · Jun 29, 2025

4season said:
If it's a vertical line down the center, you'll want to replace the pentaprism, as it's become de-silvered, probably due to deteriorated foam cushioning. In order to prevent it from happening again, I'd stick a piece of Kapton tape (silicone adhesive) onto the new prism, so the replacement foam doesn't touch the prism directly.

I'm looking into parts on eBay. I think I'm going to take a crack with doing the repair myself, some point in the near future. Thanks for the tip on the adhesive..

What About Bob · Jun 29, 2025

What screwdriver set would anyone recommended for repairing manual cameras? I have only one or two precision screwdrivers, one of them I used for the 9 screws on the A12 magazine last year. Looking for a good set. Would I be better off with JIS types? Thanks.

Black markings in finder of K1000

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