Pentax Spotmatic - turn light meter off or not?

[gleitmo]

Hello everyone
I have question in a way related with this topic.

Recently I've bought Spotmatic camera body (SP). It look's like new and it seems to work properly with one exception. It is about the lightmeter - I wonder if anyone can help me because I'm a little confused.
In one hand, user manual says (on page 7, step 4) that in order to turn lightmeter on, one should "push up the switch button" and "when the shutter is released, the meter switch will automatically turn off", and in step 6 it says: "be sure to turn off the meter's switch when not actually taking readings".

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On the other hand manual pusching the switch down is considered to be most frequent reason of breaking lightmeter. I'm not sure if it is true - I've heard it from an experienced photographer and I have no reason not to believe him.
My confusion comes from that, in my Spotmatic when shutter is released the lightmeter doesn't switch off automatically. It wouldn't be a problem if I was sure that I'm allowed to switch lightmeter off manually.

I wonder what yours experience is, what do you thing how the lightmeter should be turned off?

PS
Of course I've inserted into the camera a new battery (SR936SW) with a ring spacer and the lightmeter's nedle moves up and down (to plus and minus) properly as I change shutter speed and rotate diaphragm ring. But since I had to switch lightmeter manually I did it only once.

 

[Ian Grant]

With the SP you only turn the light meter on to make readings, you must switch it off afterwards.

Ian

 

[Kodachromeguy]

On my Spotmatic, when I take an exposure, the light meter switch automatically clicks down, meaning off. I rarely manually push it down. I was unaware that this can cause damage.

 

[Bill Burk]

I understand the risk you are talking about. It takes a bit of work to get inside to tighten the meter switch if it ever starts to come loose. Once it starts coming loose, you may want to switch sparingly until you can get a CLA. You don't want it to fall off in the field.

You will obviously go through batteries more quickly with the meter on. You should turn meter off before removing lenses because the aperture pin can get stressed by the actuator. And you will want the meter off when you focus.

But you have a different problem if the meter doesn't release after taking a picture. It's supposed to turn itself off. Yours probably isn't in imminent danger of falling off if it's sticky.

 

[AZD]

My SP does the same thing, switch doesn’t return after exposure. It has been this way for a couple years. Several times I have accidentally left it on for days, yet the battery still works fine and I get good exposures.

Maybe it can damage the switch to manually turn it off, I couldn’t say, except that it hasn’t happened yet, and if it does, there’s a guy in town sell spare Spotties for about $30 each…

I wouldn’t worry about it too much.

 

[BradS]

I've owned probably ten Spotmatics over the years. The Spotmatic was for many years the camera I carried with me and used everyday.

The light meter switch is supposed to return to the off position automatically when the shutter is released. However, in cameras that have been neglected for many years, it is common for the switch to stick in the on position after the shutter has been released. This is, apparently, easily resolved by a basic CLA.

I've never heard of the switch getting damaged by switching it off manually. Seems highly unlikely in normal use. In my own personal experience, there is no harm in manually switching it off. I've done it thousands of times without any issue. Of course continuing to use a camera that is damaged or broken is likely to further exacerbate the damage.

 

[gleitmo]

Thank you all for your replies.
I am glad that the light meter can be turned off without the risk of damage. It seems logical but better to be sure.
I've been told that if the switch doesn't return when the shutter is released, it means it needs to be lubricated.

 

[BradS]

...
I've been told that if the switch doesn't return when the shutter is released, it means it needs to be lubricated.

more accurately, it needs to be cleaned and lubricated. The old lube is dried up and attracted some dirt and is now a sticky goo. That needs to be cleaned out and a very small about of new lube applied. Having a Spotmatic completely overhauled by a professional does not cost a whole lot of money and if yours is having this issue, it is perhaps time for a professional to do an overhaul (aka CLA).

 

[xkaes]

Another option if the meter stays ON -- just put a lens cap on. That works for CdS meters that are ON all the time -- there are lots of them -- and is easier than removing the battery.

 

[gone]

Another option if the meter stays ON -- just put a lens cap on

This. I've owned a number of neat cameras over the years that had no way to turn their meters off. To me, this is the only reason why anyone would need a lens cap. I almost always have a yellow filter and hood on my lens, and that is "good enough" protection for knock abouts.

 

[waynecrider]

Yeah the K1000’s use a lens cap to turn off the meter. Besides the batteries are cheap.