Bought a Pentax 35mm!

[Theo Sulphate]

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.

Congratulations - the SP500 was my first serious camera, which I bought new in 1971 ($147 - could barely afford it). I still use it to this day and just recently I bought a 28/3.5 lens for it.

Edit -"Parablepsy"

Note to self: don't play Scrabble with Herr von Hoegh.

 

[GRHazelton]

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.

Your point is taken, but I prefer going without a lens cap. Its one more thing to do before taking a picture, one more thing to get lost. A proper switch is far preferable. For example, the KX uses the rapid wind lever to switch the meter on, as does the Nikon F2. Would present a problem for a left-eyed user!

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Your point is taken, but I prefer going without a lens cap. Its one more thing to do before taking a picture, one more thing to get lost. A proper switch is far preferable. For example, the KX uses the rapid wind lever to switch the meter on, as does the Nikon F2. Would present a problem for a left-eyed user!

I am left eye dominant,and use Nikkormats and F2s.
On the Spotmatic, the current demand is so low that it doesn't matter. What does matter is that the meter be off when the camera sits idle for any length of time, and that is taken care of.
Yes, I would prefer a proper switch. 15 or 20 of my other cameras have proper switches, the SPF is a delight nonetheless

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Congratulations - the SP500 was my first serious camera, which I bought new in 1971 ($147 - could barely afford it). I still use it to this day and just recently I bought a 28/3.5 lens for it.





Note to self: don't play Scrabble with Herr von Hoegh.

I was given an SP 1000 a couple years ago, 55/2, I really like the uncluttered lines with no shoe and no timer.

Actually competetive Scrabble is usually won on 3 letter words you've never heard of. Drives me batty, I play because I like words (as you may have noticed).

Goniometer.

 

[Kodachromeguy]

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.

Theo, you are 90% correct. For the F, the lens needs the tiny pin on the side just outside the thread mount. All SMC Takumars have this extra pin, but a few of the later Super-Takumars also had the extra pin. These later Supers may have been super multi-coated but just not labeled as such. Regardless, I never detected any obvious flare issues in 35mm f/3.5 or 55mm f/1.8 lenses with the regular coating. Fantastic lenses; I wonder if prices will go up?

 

[John51]

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?

Is there any other camera that did this?

All the cameras with a selenium cell meter?

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Theo, you are 90% correct. For the F, the lens needs the tiny pin on the side just outside the thread mount. All SMC Takumars have this extra pin, but a few of the later Super-Takumars also had the extra pin. These later Supers may have been super multi-coated but just not labeled as such. Regardless, I never detected any obvious flare issues in 35mm f/3.5 or 55mm f/1.8 lenses with the regular coating. Fantastic lenses; I wonder if prices will go up?

None of mine have a pin, they do have a stepped ring though.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Is there any other camera that did this?

All the cameras with a selenium cell meter?

I've never heard of ttl selenium metering, we are discussing cameras using cds cells, which are photoresistive & therefore require a cell or battery to function, not selenium (photovoltaic) cells.

 

[Bill Burk]

Actually the tiny pin serves a singular purpose. E. von Hoegh, it is very important for the F and ES open metering to work to NOT have the lens itself set to Manual when using open metering. If so the lens isn’t open as you dial the aperture setting down. You both couple with the aperture arm AND darken the finder, the meter doubly compensates for each f/stop change guaranteeing incorrect exposure.

The little pin stops that lens switch from sliding to Manual.

And this reminds me why I can’t have a SPII, S3V H3 or SL in my camera case.

Because when you mount an SMCT lens on plain M42 Mount, that pin goes in and the lens can switch to manual (for any reason usually just fidgeting)... Then when you mount that lens on the F or ESII, you get bad exposures, unless you notice it and slide it back.

Body caps can let you slide it too - haven’t decided how to mitigate that risk.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Actually the tiny pin serves a singular purpose. E. von Hoegh, it is very important for the F and ES open metering to work to NOT have the lens itself set to Manual when using open metering. If so the lens isn’t open as you dial the aperture setting down. You both couple with the aperture arm AND darken the finder, the meter doubly compensates for each f/stop change guaranteeing incorrect exposure.

The little pin stops that lens switch from sliding to Manual.

And this reminds me why I can’t have a SPII, S3V H3 or SL in my camera case.

Because when you mount an SMCT lens on plain M42 Mount, that pin goes in and the lens can switch to manual (for any reason usually just fidgeting)... Then when you mount that lens on the F or ESII, you get bad exposures, unless you notice it and slide it back.

Body caps can let you slide it too - haven’t decided how to mitigate that risk.

I know about the little pin, my point was that it is the stepped ring, not the pin, that couples the aperture to the meter.

 

[Bill Burk]

The stepped ring only stops the slide switch. There’s a block and a traveling arm that engages the aperture to the meter.

 

[GRHazelton]

I've never heard of ttl selenium metering, we are discussing cameras using cds cells, which are photoresistive & therefore require a cell or battery to function, not selenium (photovoltaic) cells.

Selenium cells aren't sensitive enough and don't produce enough "power" for a viable TTL meter system. CdS will work, although newer cells such as those in the Pentax LX are better; in the PentaX LX the TTL will yield accurate exposures down to -6.5 EV, for as long as the meter cells hold out, which can be several hours.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

The stepped ring only stops the slide switch. There’s a block and a traveling arm that engages the aperture to the meter.

Ok, I have in front of me an SPF with "Super Takumar 55/1.8".
The stepped ring is part of the body mount, it couples with the tab on the lens. The tiny pin outside the threads on the lens locks/unlocks the auto/manual slider. The large pin actuates the diaphragm. The camera is maked "Asahi" not Honeywell, that and the Super Takumar (single coated) lens argue for production in 1974.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Selenium cells aren't sensitive enough and don't produce enough "power" for a viable TTL meter system. CdS will work, although newer cells such as those in the Pentax LX are better; in the PentaX LX the TTL will yield accurate exposures down to -6.5 EV, for as long as the meter cells hold out, which can be several hours.

Selenium (properly, iron selenide) photovoltaic cells are sensitive enough, and will produce more than enough power for, a ttl meter system. Just not in a 35mm size camera, due to the size of cell necessary for decent low light sensitivity. If you wanted, you could probably get acceptable performance and size in a mf slr. Why wasn't it done? For all I know, it probably was tried - at least experimentally, kind of surprising if it wasn't. However cds cells (and tiny mercury power cells, an offshoot of early electric watch development in the late 50s) came along, being photoresistive they can be much smaller and still give superlative lowlight performance - ever used a Luna Pro? It was so named because it can meter under a full moon, and uses a cds cell.

 

[Bill Burk]

One of the neat tricks of open aperture metering is that you can get readings that are virtually lower than the cell can sense... because you are “logically” stopping down. Compared to stop-down metering where the light level at a given f/stop is actually being metered.

Stopped-down, the Spotmatic F cannot directly read exposure (say, at f/16) as low as it can wide open and set at f/16.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

One of the neat tricks of open aperture metering is that you can get readings that are virtually lower than the cell can sense... because you are “logically” stopping down. Compared to stop-down metering where the light level at a given f/stop is actually being metered.

Stopped-down, the Spotmatic F cannot directly read exposure (say, at f/16) as low as it can wide open and set at f/16.

You cannot meter below the existing light with any inbuilt system or handheld meter, what you are referring to is extrapolation (of exposure reciprocity).

 

[Pioneer]

Have fun and enjoy your Spotties. I own two or three of them, a couple SVs, and H1A and several older models. I enjoy them all.

But I will NEVER give up my K1000. Say what you will but that camera has been working steadily, day in and day out, since I picked it up in a Reno pawn back in the very early 80s. In all that time it has had one trip to Eric to replace light seals and mirror foam.

My K1000 has been the most reliable camera I have ever owned and this includes Leicas, Nikons and all sorts of strange brands. I can use any K-Mount lens I want (with the exception of the newest digital ones with no aperture ring) and all the M42 lenses from the past.

The meter always works and once you understand it it always gives me the information I need. I change the battery once a year even though it doesn't really need it and I use a lens cap (which everyone should do anyway.)

There is a very, very good reason it has such a high reputation. Those cameras were used constantly for over 20 years by photography students all over the world. And they held up to the abuse of being in the hands of multiple students who had very little idea how to use a camera. When Pentax quit making them there has never been another camera that was able to put up with that type of use.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

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. Oh well. Now I'm wondering if it was even a K1000 that he gave me, they all look so similarly.

It's in super great shape! The lens glass seems to be pristine without fungus. All functions seem to work, but it needs a battery. From my research, the DURPX625AB sold at Batteries Plus should work. I plan on picking one of those up tomorrow. I hope the metering function works accurately still.

The mirror and prism seem to be kinda dirty. Again, I don't think any mold, just "stuff" from a camera roughly five decades old. However, I've noticed that there is a "felt" material inside lining some edges. I feel like it is there to absorb light to some extent. But the felt itself is/has disintegrated for the most part. That's leaving black specs everywhere.

Tomorrow I plan on getting that battery. If it is sunny, I hope to place the lens and body outside in the sun (lens off the body). This is a "just in case" procedure regarding mold. Tell me if it is useless to do this. After this, then I'll take my air blower and try to get as much of those specs out.

I hope to get some film soon. I'll probably buy a few rolls of Kodak Portra 160. It seems to be an affordable film that was pretty well liked.

And now...pictures!

I paid ~$36.00 for it. From what I can tell, the 50mm 1.4 SMC lens on it could be worth at least that. If everything checks out and works correctly, I think I accidentally paid a good price for it (I saw accidentally because I thought it was a K1000 from the get go, and was so excited I never noticed that it wasn't until I bought it).

I'm happy. I haven't shot film since I had that camera my Dad had given me, I was about in the fifth grade. I didn't know what I was doing then, really. I am excited to perhaps shoot a few rolls of film a year now, minimum. I think it'll be a fun exercise to compliment digital.

and a very fast lens too. wow'what a find!
enjoy it.

 

[johnha]

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.

IIRC The metering always being on is only when you have an SMC-Takumar (or a Super-Tak equipped for open aperture metering...) mounted - these by-pass the normal SP meter on/off/stopdown switch (about 2 o'clock on the mount from the front). With a 'normal' M42 lens mounted, the metering on/off/stopdown switch is not by-passed and can be used to turn the meter off.

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

Later Pentax's all had electronic shutters, they all used a switch on the shutter release at the half depressed position. Then again the K1000 was in production until 1997 and out-lived many of the 'later' cameras (MX, ME, ME-Super, ME-F, P30, P50, A3000, Program-A, Super-A...).

 

[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. ...

This is why I'm an engineer and not an accountant. By not having an explicit switch or incorporating a switch into the release so that a half-press would activate the meter, Pentax saved maybe $0.10 to $0.05 per camera, which over the production run of the camera probably adds to a nice sum.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

This is why I'm an engineer and not an accountant. By not having an explicit switch or incorporating a switch into the release so that a half-press would activate the meter, Pentax saved maybe $0.10 to $0.05 per camera, which over the production run of the camera probably adds to a nice sum.

Yes, but there is: an extra cds cell, transistor, and a resistor or two, if I can remember where I saw the circuit I'll pu up a link.
I recall being pleasantly surprised at how well it works, cell life for a 675 z-a cell with all but one airhole blocked was about 15 months, the silver cell has been in there just about two years. As little as I care for things without an "off" switch, I like this one. If only it didn't have that hotshoe, the lines would be perfect - oh wait, I have that SP1000...

 

[John51]

Going by their attempt at economy with the SP500/1000, I doubt Pentax avoided a shutter switch for price reasons.

Less electrical components = more reliable but in this case, at the cost of some users needing to buy an extra battery or two.