Pentax K1000

[zsas]

Nothing to offer, just wanna say congrats to the OP! If I ever get a SLR, the K1000 is high on my list for sure hearing all these tough-as-nails and no-fuss-no-muss usability!

 

[Pioneer]

Is there a better lens than the 50/f2 ?

What do you mean by better?

Are there faster ones? Sure, Pentax has produced a 50/1.7, 50/1.4 and 50/1.2. They are all pretty good. The 50/1.4 is considered one of the best.

Closer focusing? Again, sure. Pentax has produced several 50mm Macro lenses over the years and they all focus in pretty tightly. Additionally, they tend to be pretty sharp lenses though most are slower than the 50/2.

But, the 50/2 is very consistent. It is consistently sharp across the field right from the maximum aperture. If you want a lens where you really do not have to worry whether the image will be acceptable no matter the aperture used, then the 50/2 is the right lens.

And should you ever dent it or break the glass, throw it in a drawer and get another off e-bay for $20 or less. There were a lot of these little beauties built and they are not all that popular today, ergo they are not being bid up by the collectors or "speculators."

Overall they are very, very good lenses at insanely good prices. But of course they are not very good at building egos, just good at taking pictures.

 

[zackesch]

Phew. Glad I am done with that task. I just got done replacing the light seal on my K1000. Instead of using the same material, I ended up using black cotton yarn and some neoprene from an old mouse pad for the mirror bumper. Now the Pentax is ready for its test run.

 

[David Lyga]

Pioneer, I dispute your quote: "First, a deteriorating mirror bumper will change your focus point."

Pioneer, the 'focus point' as it appears in the VF is determined solely by the height that the front edge of the mirror is at when resting on the (in the case of the K1000) wire bracket (front, right, just under mirror's front, right edge). The 'deteriorating mirror bumper' (the foam that the mirror hits when an exposure is being made) is necessary to soften the mirror's impact and also disallow light from possibly fogging the film during exposure. But it has NOTHING to do with matching the apparent focus (VF) with actual focus (film plane). Of course, a deteriorating foam can cause a mess and can cause the mirror to annoyingly remain at the top for a few seconds due to stickiness.

In fact, I have, in the past, recommended that one should test this matching of 'apparent' (VF) and 'actual' (film plane) focus so that one can shoot wide open without focus worries. Do this: WIDE OPEN WITH A NORMAL OR LONG LENS, shoot a 'picket fence' type of object, 45 degrees from the camera, and focus PRECISELY at a determined point. Then process the negative and place it into your enlarger. (NOTE: it helps to slightly underexpose the negative so that the image from the enlarger will be bright and clear). Then determine where the ACTUAL focus is. Rule of thumb: IF ACTUAL FOCUS IS IN FRONT OF THE APPARENT FOCUS, lower front of mirror very, very slightly. IF ACTUAL FOCUS IS IN BACK OF THE APPARENT FOCUS, raise front of mirror very, very slightly. On the K1000 a very slight pressure on the metal bracket will do the trick. Some cameras are a bit more sophisticated like the Fuji ST series and, amazingly, the Soviet Zenit (!): they both have a set screw that the front of the mirror rests upon so simply turning it with a screwdriver is all that is needed.

Love the K1000 but despise its lack of self-timer. Mistake by Pentax. - David Lyga.

 

[pbromaghin]

You guys are giving me GAS.

The K1000 was the first "real" camera I ever used, checked out from the high school photo club in 1974. I might have been the first person to use it after Mr Cowan, the principal. Loaded her up with Tri-x and boy, did I feel like a real photographer. Here's a couple of football action shots from those first rolls:

http://bhs.bagley.k12.mn.us/alumni/photos/DWIGHT.JPG

http://bhs.bagley.k12.mn.us/alumni/photos/MIKEMALM.JPG (Not exactly L.B. Jefferies, but I did pay a price for this one).

 

[omaha]

Now that's good stuff right there!

Here's one of mine (K1000 + Vivitar 75-205 f/3.8 zoom):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12892001@N02/9127396473/

Unfortunately, I don't have a print or the negs anymore...just a faded copy of my college paper.

 

[pbromaghin]

Oooh. Sweet.

 

[waynecrider]

Great action shots pb.

Concerning the 50 F2, I've got the M model and it is a nice lens, but I also picked up a Ricoh 50 F1.7 after re-reading a Popular Photography test done years ago and it beats it by a little in resolution. Still have to figure out which has the best bokeh tho.

I've always loved the clack of the K1K shutter. Just appeals to me more then other cameras.


Here's a shot on the 4th with a 135mm F3.5 at F4 on Ektar. Held the shutter open on B and used the lens cap as a shutter to record multiple fireworks.

 

[pbromaghin]

Wayne, thanks for the great fireworks idea. I never thought of doing it that way and it looks great. Now if only we can get enough rain in Colorado some summer so they actually allow fireworks...

 

[Pioneer]

Pioneer, I dispute your quote: "First, a deteriorating mirror bumper will change your focus point."

Pioneer, the 'focus point' as it appears in the VF is determined solely by the height that the front edge of the mirror is at when resting on the (in the case of the K1000) wire bracket (front, right, just under mirror's front, right edge). The 'deteriorating mirror bumper' (the foam that the mirror hits when an exposure is being made) is necessary to soften the mirror's impact and also disallow light from possibly fogging the film during exposure. But it has NOTHING to do with matching the apparent focus (VF) with actual focus (film plane). Of course, a deteriorating foam can cause a mess and can cause the mirror to annoyingly remain at the top for a few seconds due to stickiness.

In fact, I have, in the past, recommended that one should test this matching of 'apparent' (VF) and 'actual' (film plane) focus so that one can shoot wide open without focus worries. Do this: WIDE OPEN WITH A NORMAL OR LONG LENS, shoot a 'picket fence' type of object, 45 degrees from the camera, and focus PRECISELY at a determined point. Then process the negative and place it into your enlarger. (NOTE: it helps to slightly underexpose the negative so that the image from the enlarger will be bright and clear). Then determine where the ACTUAL focus is. Rule of thumb: IF ACTUAL FOCUS IS IN FRONT OF THE APPARENT FOCUS, lower front of mirror very, very slightly. IF ACTUAL FOCUS IS IN BACK OF THE APPARENT FOCUS, raise front of mirror very, very slightly. On the K1000 a very slight pressure on the metal bracket will do the trick. Some cameras are a bit more sophisticated like the Fuji ST series and, amazingly, the Soviet Zenit (!): they both have a set screw that the front of the mirror rests upon so simply turning it with a screwdriver is all that is needed.

Love the K1000 but despise its lack of self-timer. Mistake by Pentax. - David Lyga.

Thanks David, I should have said "could" instead of "will". In my case it did have an effect on the focus point, evidently because something lodged where the mirror normally rests. My own experience is probably out of the ordinary.

As for a self timer, this was certainly a cost cutting measure since the self timer did increase the cost of the camera. I'm not sure it was a mistake as it certainly did not seem to prevent the camera from selling quite well for a very long time. Of course if a self timer was important then the somewhat under-rated KM could be had for slightly more.

 

[David Lyga]

Yes, I do consider the lack of self-timer to be a mistake. Despite the increased cost, it would have been minimal.

And, yes, that focus point is determined ONLY when the mirror is at rest. Just try putting a tiny thin object, like the thickness of postcard paper, between the lower edge of the mirror and that metal piece that supports the front of the mirror and you will see what I mean when you try to focus. That mirror height is absolutely critical to forward accurate information into the viewfinder. - David Lyga

 

[vsyrek1945]

Yes, I do consider the lack of self-timer to be a mistake. Despite the increased cost, it would have been minimal.

<<< SNIPPED >>> - David Lyga

Not a mistake, but Pentax's decision to market a stripped-down lowest price unit to introduce beginners to the Pentax line. While I don't know Pentax's price structure, the addition of DOF preview and ST to the K1000 turns it into a KM, which differed in price by more than a minimal amount from the K1000.

The K1000 sold as well as it did for as long as it did on it's builder's reputation and recommendations of numerous old-line photography course instructors.

There certainly were competitively-priced cameras with more features available during the production run of the K1000, but I doubt any could match its well-deserved reputation for reliability [I have no doubt that most of the K1000s in use today have never had so much as a CLA, and have had multiple owners]. Ricoh's KR-5 series comes to mind as a K-mount K1000 alternative: no DOF preview or self-timer [although the KR-5 III sported both], and a vertical-blind shutter providing 1/125 sec. X-sync, but I think Ricoh cameras in general had film transport mechanism weaknesses. The various Cosina-built mechanical shutter units that wear Ricoh, Olympus, Yashica, Nikon and Vivitar nameplates are proving to be reliable units; several have been provisioned with DOF preview and/or self-timer with mirror-up [the Olympus OM2000 even has a true spot meter], and all have 1/125 sec. X-sync.

Thanks and regards,
Vince

 

[Les Sarile]

What's the big deal about not having a self timer? Just pick up one of these mechanical self timers if you need one . . .

 

[JohnRichard]

What's the big deal about not having a self timer? Just pick up one of these mechanical self timers if you need one . . .

THAT IS AWESOME! Now to scour the internets to find one.

 

[omaha]

THAT IS AWESOME!

 

[Les Sarile]

Keep an eye out for this Hansa Self Timer as it is, The Most Advanced "Self Timer" in Photographic History! I am not sure why they put quotes on self timer . . .

 

[micwag2]

What's the big deal about not having a self timer? Just pick up one of these mechanical self timers if you need one . . .

I have 3 different styles of these timers and they are very handy.

 

[David Lyga]

Watch that the mechanical timer you buy has sufficient length to press that shutter button. The length is detachable so test it first. - David Lyga

 

[micwag2]

Both of mine are adjustable for the length needed to trip the shutter. I thought all of those were

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

I can only agree with everybody else what a good camera the K1000 is.

I started with Pentax, and quickly picked up a K1000. Then I got the medium format bug, and then the 4x5 bug, and then the 5x7. Then I thought I would find nirvana with a Hasselblad and a Leica M2. While I love my Hassie and Leica, today I'm using mostly two Pentax KX cameras, which is basically a K1000 with depth of field preview.

The Pentax SLRs are fantastic machines, and don't let anybody fool you into believing there are better lenses out there; the Pentax prime lenses are exceptional pieces of glass that deliver every time. Congratulations!

The only thing I can fault the K1000 with is the cable release socket. If you are an individual of above average strength, you may twist the cable release too hard when you attach it, and the release button comes loose. That happened to me once, and was a bit of a pain to fix. That's the only negative thing I've found about it.

 

[zackesch]

Thank you all for your encouraging remarks about the Pentax. Due to my busy schedule, I have not had a chance to shoot it yet. Its all ready with new seals and all. I need a field day to take it out and same goes for my Yashica Electro 35G.

Oh, I did pick up a red and yellow filter with an orange on order from my local camera shop yesterday. It'll be fun to experiment with them.

 

[David Lyga]

Yeah, T Bertilsson, back in the 70s and 80s there were 'unofficial' (underground) assertions that the lens hierarchy (in descending order) was to be duly disseminated as follows: Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Minolta, Yashica... The assumption was that Yashica, Minolta and Pentax, although decent, were not up to the level of Nikon or Canon. After decades of my testing I can say without qualification that Minolta, Pentax, or Yashica will match a Nikon every time. Maybe in some esoteric glass this might not be true, but with standard lenses it is honestly hard to find other than stunning glass with the major brands of Japan.

The K1000 success is due to the absolute simplicity of engineering along with tested materials: (the Spotmatic and H series were noble proving grounds for its debut). The K1000 took stunning photographs without frills. The mechanical Canons were flawed in the respect of 'over-engineering' and, although excellent, were more prone to breaking than the K1000. I like to compare the K1000 and Spotmatic with the Minolta SRT series. Both really excellent as far as construction goes, simple, dependable construction, but, like everything else, overworked excellence can cause the best to fail. Don't buy one with too much 'mileage'.

zackesch: The lens on your Yashica will be bad ONLY if YOU are bad (i.e., shaking while shooting, lack of focus precision). But do us a favor: before you spend a day 'in the field' shooting, do a clip test to make absolutely sure that everything is OK. (You will thank us for that prescient thought.)

micwag2: (RE: mechanical timers): Yes, I know that they are all adjustable but I meant to be sure that all the parts are there: part of the shaft can be removed. - David Lyga

 

[Nikon Collector]

the meter should be good with any battery type I use the cheap Ch alkaline cells when I fit a battery

there is a battery off switch but it is electronic if the camera is in the dark a semi conductor isolates the battery but light leaking into the eyepiece will leave the meter operational the scheme assumed use of an ERC or gbag.

if you put the camera away remove the battery anyway.

the brick shop price seems to be inflating...

I had a problem in the field with low light, not enough light to activate the meter, solved it by "flickin a BIC" in front of the lens, the meter would come on and stay on for approx 15 seconds, had already composed so just had to push the button.

 

[Pumalite]

I have many cameras, but I often find myself picking up one of the K1000'. I definitely agree on the quality of the glass.