Spotmatic from Heaven...

Kino · Oct 16, 2020

Just had a neighbor drop off a very clean Spotmatic from his father's estate. Guess word got out I collect these old cameras.

Funny, I was just in correspondence with a Photrio member about that very camera... weird.

This is one of those early Spotties with a grey plastic battery chamber and the battery is seated backwards from later models. I think it will work with a Energizer 392 silver oxide battery and an "O" ring gasket.

Paul Howell · Oct 16, 2020

I still have my first spotmatic, got in 1966, the metering is designed in such in way that any battery that will fit regardless of the voltagle will work. My spot's meter was a little erratic last time I used it.

E. von Hoegh · Oct 16, 2020

Spotmatics are nice. I have an SpF and an Sp1000, both use any meter cell & both have recent cla service.
Also an H1a, which is working well so far but will need service soon.
The Takumar lenses are very good.

E. von Hoegh · Oct 16, 2020

Paul Howell said:
I still have my first spotmatic, got in 1966, the metering is designed in such in way that any battery that will fit regardless of the voltagle will work. My spot's meter was a little erratic last time I used it.

Well, not quite "regardless", anything close - and as long as you use cells, most anything (except maybe alkalines) will work. I use zinc-air cells in mine, block all but one of the airholes & the last a year or so.

RJM Pictures · Oct 17, 2020

I love mine! A film camera shot with a film camera on HP5

Sirius Glass · Oct 17, 2020

Well it has found a good home.

chris77 · Oct 17, 2020

If i had to choose one 35mm camera as the one and only, my first generation spotmatic sp II would be it.
It's a piece of art.
Enjoy

Pentode · Oct 17, 2020

chris77 said:
If i had to choose one 35mm camera as the one and only, my first generation spotmatic sp II would be it.
It's a piece of art.
Enjoy

That's the version I have - also a 'Spotmatic From Heaven'; I purchased three lenses from a member here and he threw in three bodies as lens caps! The SP-II is a peach. I just had mine out about a week ago.

Kino said:
I think it will work with a Energizer 392 silver oxide battery and an "O" ring gasket.

I use an Energizer 394/380 with mine. My camera came equipped with a little white-ish plastic spacer specifically for the purpose of adapting it to that battery compartment. If I'm not mistaken, you can purchase a
387S, which is the same battery but with that little spacer included, and then just buy 394/380's in the future, reusing the spacer. As others have pointed out, the meter circuit in Spotties is not very fussy about voltage: close is close enough.

Kino · Oct 17, 2020

Pentode said:
That's the version I have - also a 'Spotmatic From Heaven'; I purchased three lenses from a member here and he threw in three bodies as lens caps! The SP-II is a peach. I just had mine out about a week ago.

I use an Energizer 394/380 with mine. My camera came equipped with a little white-ish plastic spacer specifically for the purpose of adapting it to that battery compartment. If I'm not mistaken, you can purchase a
387S, which is the same battery but with that little spacer included, and then just buy 394/380's in the future, reusing the spacer. As others have pointed out, the meter circuit in Spotties is not very fussy about voltage: close is close enough.

Good advice! The meter is functioning and looks "Sunny 16" correct, but I will look at the 387S as a long term solution.

Spotmatic from Heaven...

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