Bought a Pentax 35mm!

[trendland]

Some could say that it's a blessing, while the cool folks are fighting over the K1000s, the price of other cameras stay "low".

No way 10 years ago. K1000 was listed around 15 bucks - what a hipe.
"Hipsters" made it expensive?

with regards

 

[Helios 1984]

No way 10 years ago. K1000 was listed around 15 bucks - what a hipe.
"Hipsters" made it expensive?
with regards

That's the price to pay for a "Rebirth of Film".

 

[DREW WILEY]

Mine had a primitive external Cds averaging meter, coupled to the top, with its own little lens. But every one of my Kodachrome exposures was correct. Guess I was just accustomed to using it.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Mine had a primitive external Cds averaging meter, coupled to the top, with its own little lens. But every one of my Kodachrome exposures was correct. Guess I was just accustomed to using it.

I have one of those meters for my H1a, anything but primitive according to my Gossens, and IIRC it goes down to EV1.

 

[DREW WILEY]

I probably still have that old meter. I dissected the camera out of curiosity, and kept the lens, which has a very pleasant less contrasty rendering than my current Nikon lenses.

 

[Kodachromeguy]

Back to the original poster: The Spotmatic is a fantastic 35mm camera, and the lenses are amazingly good considering how inexpensive they are now. I think they will appreciate over time as the film revival continues, so buy some while you can at low price. Two simple examples below. The first is the last tomato of the year, 35mm Super-Takumar, no filter, Kodak Tri-X 400 (exp at ISO 250). This lens was a $42 eBay impulse purchase. The second is Hitt Chapel near Drew, Mississippi. 55mm super-Takumar with yellow filter. The film was BW400CN. My wife bought this lens in 1971.

 

[Chan Tran]

Not from my point - the K1000 is nearly the same but later models were assembled outside japan. Advantage /disadvantage (outside japan) I can't say.But you have later production dates.
I bought a new one to 200 bucks - years ago in Vancouver. Till 2005 it was in good condition - later I noticed shutter problems.
A friend shows me his SP500 I had to repair his one.
1) batteries - no LR 44/SR44 it is a real smaler one I never remember - possible discontinued.
2) film transport malfuntion.

I cant state it is the better one.
K1000 fits Pentax K /M lenses.
Advantage to some / disadvantage to friends of m42.
I would say both are nearly the same.
But it has to be in good condition - livetime could be limited to 20 - 25 years in worst cases (just from my experience)
with regards

PS : Conglatulation to the OP - for such nice price it is just "phantastic"

And in my case I would not want the K1000. I have on in very good condition and it was free to me and I never use it. I use the KX and even the old S3 a lot more.

 

[Bill Burk]

I probably still have that old meter. I dissected the camera out of curiosity, and kept the lens, which has a very pleasant less contrasty rendering than my current Nikon lenses.

That's a blast from the past... When I was in high school, the local pawn shop had a pentax top-mount meter that I bought. I used it as a handheld meter for years with other cameras it didn't fit, years before I got my own pentax (ES-II). No idea what happened with that meter. But even when I had an S3V (mid 1980's) I didn't have that meter any longer.

 

[trendland]

And in my case I would not want the K1000. I have on in very good condition and it was free to me and I never use it. I use the KX and even the old S3 a lot more.

KX is very fine by the way. Very special from my point. I never saw a real cheap KX in good condidion. M42 is not my way - but if you habe the lenses it is just "PERFECT"
with regards

PS : I never saw a single "hipster" with Pentax KX - possible they "don't know"!

 

[Paul Howell]

The KX, MX, and the LX were the top of the line of the MF K line up. For those with deeper pockets the LX is a great camera system. When I was a working PJ I came very close to trading in my F2 for a LX, only reason I didn't was cost of replacing my lens. The Spotmatic F motor is rare as is the motor drive, but another fine camera.

 

[johnha]

Of the original three K series (KX, KM & K2), I get the reasons behind them, the KX (fully loaded mechanical SLR) and KM (more basic/cheaper mechanical SLR), the K2 (Av/Manual with a hybrid shutter). I don't understand why the K2 ISO dial is around the lens mount (and almost impossible to change). I also don't understand why they went out of production so quickly, only to be replaced by the K1000 (was it that much cheaper to produce than the KM?). The KX & KM are easier to use than the MX (the shutter speed dial is much better positioned), and the K2 offered a hybrid mechanical/electronic shutter at a time when electronics were still not trusted by many.

The situation is that, 40 years or so later, the best cameras (KX & KM) are all 40 years old and the cheapest (the K1000) are the ones most likely to work as many of them are much younger - only 20 years old.

 

[Chan Tran]

Of the original three K series (KX, KM & K2), I get the reasons behind them, the KX (fully loaded mechanical SLR) and KM (more basic/cheaper mechanical SLR), the K2 (Av/Manual with a hybrid shutter). I don't understand why the K2 ISO dial is around the lens mount (and almost impossible to change). I also don't understand why they went out of production so quickly, only to be replaced by the K1000 (was it that much cheaper to produce than the KM?). The KX & KM are easier to use than the MX (the shutter speed dial is much better positioned), and the K2 offered a hybrid mechanical/electronic shutter at a time when electronics were still not trusted by many.

The situation is that, 40 years or so later, the best cameras (KX & KM) are all 40 years old and the cheapest (the K1000) are the ones most likely to work as many of them are much younger - only 20 years old.

The K series were replaced with the M series and later the LX took the place of the K2. The K1000 is Pentax attempt to make the cheapest 35mm SLR and it was good for the money but still it's cheap and not as good as the more expensive ones.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

I probably still have that old meter. I dissected the camera out of curiosity, and kept the lens, which has a very pleasant less contrasty rendering than my current Nikon lenses.

Probably one of the "Auto Takumar" 55/ f1.8 f2 f2.2, I have the 2.2 version and it is precisely as you describe it.

 

[Paul Howell]

I mixed up the K2 with the KX.

 

[DREW WILEY]

I'd have to dig the lens out of the drawer. All I remember is that it's a 55 Auto-Takumar. It was perfect for the K25 and contrasty pre-E6 Agfachrome of that era.

 

[cooltouch]

I may this week pickup some film and shoot it. Unsure what I'd do for development though. I know there are various, well respected websites that handle this sort of thing. I also know that most drugstores still allow drop-off (although, they mail it somewhere now don't they?).

The situation where you live is probably the same as mine. When it comes to having film developed, yes everybody has to send the film off these days, but you don't get your negatives back. At least none of the places I've checked into around here do. Walmart, Target, CVS, Walgreens, etc. If you want your negatives returned you need to send your film to a lab. Like Dwayne's -- but there are lots of others.

https://www.dwaynesphoto.com/

 

[flavio81]

A few comments on the Spotmatic & K1000: The K1000 was basically a Spotmatic with a K lens mount, minus the self-timer and depth of field preview (or stop-down metering switch if you prefer). The rest of the body is pretty much the same,

With inferior build quality and different metering internals. Source: I own both.

 

[flavio81]

Almost two decades ago my father gave me a Pentax camera. I think it was a K1000. However, it was stolen many, many years ago when the house was burglarized. I've always wanted one like it.

Today I was at a shop and saw what I thought was a K1000. I inspected it and bought it. As soon as I got out the door I realized it as actually a Spotmatic F.

You lucky GNU/Linux hacker!!

Look, the K1000 is inferior in build quality to a Spotmatic. And you have the ultimate Spotmatic model, the Spotmatic F. I have been wanting one for long, yet haven't found one in my country.

So the Spotmatic F is much superior to the K1000!

What sets the F apart from other spotmatics,.is that it can meter without having to stop down the lens. This is a big deal for a camera with screw mount (M42 lens mount). For this to work, you need to use Super-Takumar or Super-Multi-Coated takumar lenses, which are slightly better.

Good news is, those Talumar lenses are the best built japanese lenses, and I say this despite owning many great Canon and Nikon lenses. Optical quality in some cases is also fantastic. Super-Multi-Coated lenses almost always produce excellent color, too.

The 50/1.4 you have is a classic.

Bottom line is -- spare no expenses to get this camera back in shape!

 

[Theo Sulphate]

...
What sets the F apart from other spotmatics,.is that it can meter without having to stop down the lens. This is a big deal for a camera with screw mount (M42 lens mount). For this to work, you need to use Super-Takumar or Super-Multi-Coated takumar lenses, which are slightly better.
...

On the F, metering at full aperture is possible only with Super Multi-Coated (SMC) Takumars. With Super Takumars or just Takumars (very old), metering is stop-down only.

Yes, the F is the best of the M42 screw-mount metered Pentaxes.

For non-metered, there's the SV / H3v.

 

[GRHazelton]

On the F, metering at full aperture is possible only with Super Multi-Coated (SMC) Takumars. With Super Takumars or just Takumars (very old), metering is stop-down only.

Yes, the F is the best of the M42 screw-mount metered Pentaxes.

For non-metered, there's the SV / H3v.

The F is indeed lovely. I do wish that Pentax had furnished a meter on/off switch! Perhaps partially depressing the shutter release, as is done with the LX?

 

[E. von Hoegh]

The F is indeed lovely. I do wish that Pentax had furnished a meter on/off switch! Perhaps partially depressing the shutter release, as is done with the LX?

There is a swtitch, it is comprised of a cds cell and a simple transistor circuit which shuts off power below a certain light level. A lenscap shuts off the meter, essentially.

 

[flavio81]

On the F, metering at full aperture is possible only with Super Multi-Coated (SMC) Takumars. With Super Takumars or just Takumars (very old), metering is stop-down only.

Yes, the F is the best of the M42 screw-mount metered Pentaxes.

For non-metered, there's the SV / H3v.

I've seen many Super Takumars with the meter coupling for the Spotmatic F.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

There is a swtitch, it is comprised of a cds cell and a simple transistor circuit which shuts off power below a certain light level. A lenscap shuts off the meter, essentially.

Just my opinion, but that was a poor design decision by Pentax. Surely I can't be the only person who never uses a lens cap: I want to be able to bring my camera up and look through it on a moment's notice; caps just hinder this and it's one more item to carry and fiddle with.

Is there any other camera that did this? Did Pentaxes after the K1000 still do this?

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Just my opinion, but that was a poor design decision by Pentax. Surely I can't be the only person who never uses a lens cap: I want to be able to bring my camera up and look through it on a moment's notice; caps just hinder this and it's one more item to carry and fiddle with.

Is there any other camera that did this? Did Pentaxes after the K1000 still do this?

There were a couple others I think. It does work, although if enough light comes in through the eyepiece, the meter will activate. I use lenscaps always, I figure that with two hands, I can get the cap off while raising the camera, although if I expect to use the camera I do keep the cap in my pocket. The drain on the cell is very low anyway, I think it was a way to assure the meter was off when the camera was put away - in it's case.

Edit -"Parablepsy"

 

[John51]

I got a SP500 last month. First time I've held one and now I know what the fuss was about. Much nicer to handle than my OM1n. The lever wind is like silk.