SPOTMATIC: Happy 50th Anniversary

Fixcinater · Nov 13, 2014

For good starter lens set:

28/3.5 OR 35/3.5
55/1.8
135/3.5

The Super Taks tend to go for less than the later S-M-C or SMC variants but aside from a bit more care needed in backlit situations, the images are the same on the early and late lenses and I would say contrast changes more than resolution.

If you could afford it but don't want to ultimately have a lot of money tied up in the set, I'd start by buying a few copies of each lens, keep the copy you like best and then sell off the remainder and do it again with the other focal lengths. Even between clean, well maintained and not abused examples of all of the lenses I have, there is fairly significant copy variation if you are looking closely at the results.

Paul Howell · Nov 13, 2014

My first 35mm SLR was a Spot, I bought it used at a Pawn shop in Long Beach CA in 1967 with a 50 1.8, 35 3.5 and 135mm 3.5, came as kit. Still have it, along with a couple other Spots and added the 24, 28, 85, 105, 200 and 300. I usually shoot on a Chinon body, but I load up the Spot with film take it for walk once in a while. I also use the M 42 with adaptors on my Sigma and Pentax SLR and DSLRs.

David Lyga · Nov 13, 2014

Yeah, through all this Spotmatic worship (self-imposed and from the APUG outer-crowd) I have to say this: In 1966, when I was 16, I got my first REAL camera. I was not about to dither with UNprofessional 35mm, so I got a Minolta Autocord CDS, brand new, for $120, at the discounter CALDOR (remember them?). I enjoyed it for years, never, ever thinking about the 'inferior' format, 35mm. (You see, at 16 I was very smart.)

In 1978 I FINALLY tried 35mm, with a new Canon AE-1. From that point onward, my work has largely (but not always) improved. The Autocord was certainly 'up to it' with a razor-sharp lens, but, you see, for pragmatic reasons, it is somewhat impractical with oftentimes not being able to hand-hold the larger camera, due to necessarily slower shutter speeds. I was often frustrated with not being able to capture images in low light, and, with Tri-X being decidedly grainy during that era (the sixties), I HAD to use it to photograph even moderately lit scenes, handheld. I 'progressed' to the Mamiya TLR system (at least I had optical choices) but, again, in 1978 I finally graduated to 35mm and never left it since. 35mm does, at least to me, seem to be the 'ideal' compromise in photography. I would have opted for a format of 32 X 24 (as Nikon wanted in the immediate post-war years, but, instead, had to yield to the Great Yellow Father, Kodak.)

Certainly medium format has its rightful place: but that 'place' is usually upon a pedestal called a tripod. And, I could never figure out why fast film would be used in a 120 size camera, as the use of a slower film in a 35mm would equate the two formats (and the use of such slower film would be feasible, given the almost 2 stop advantage from the 35mm's shorter focal length lenses). - David Lyga

scheimfluger_77 · Nov 15, 2014

Interesting thread. My first camera that I purchased for myself was a Pentax SV w/50mm f/1.8 lens. It was 1969 and I was 17. Disdaining that TTL metering, I also purchased my first Luna Pro at the same time. Great camera but it was stolen on a beach in Mexico over Christmas of 1970. The Gossen I still have. I replaced that camera with a Spotmatic and 50/1.4 lens, wow what a combo. And that camera I still have too. I haven't used it much in years but I'll be keeping it for sure.

winger · Nov 16, 2014

I never had a Spotmatic, but I have the slightly older H1a - and was using it just the other day. It's nice to take out a camera that doesn't have batteries.

benjiboy · Nov 16, 2014

I hate to admit I have never owned a Pentax Spotmatic or indeed any Pentax camera, (although I once bought a Spotmatic K1000 for my niece when she was a teenager that she still uses) I sold them professionally for more than 20 years, I know they were good cameras but I was always committed to the Canon FD system as I still am and never wanted to run more than one system.

cuthbert · Nov 16, 2014

filmamigo said:
A true milestone. For me, the Spotmatic is the Platonic Ideal of a camera.

I learned to shoot on my Dad's black Spotmatic F. That camera is now mine, and is THE camera that I would never sell and keep forever.

I have heard other folks wax about their perfect cameras -- often a Nikon F2, Leica M3 or Canon F-1. The Spottie may seem proletariat amongst that noble crowd. But the Spotmatic's excellent mechanical build, solid heft, and beautiful Takumar lenses do not leave me wanting for anything else. After all these years, the only drawback I find is the slightly dim viewfinder, which may have more to do with the mirror in my specific Spottie than with the model as a whole.

The Spotmatic is probably the real Leica Killer of the 60s, not the Nikon F: while other big and excellent SLRs existed before the F, the Spottie was the first camera more or less as big and heavy as the M3, that could outperform it...this said as a owner of a Nikon F2AS, a M3, and a Nikon F-1N.

Of course I also have a Spottie F and a SP1000...the sound of the shutter of the SP is something special, and I prefer its advance lever to the later Pentax Ks.

Hatchetman · Nov 16, 2014

Looks like my latest heart throb, a "new" Leica III, needs a CLA so my Spotmatic will be keeping me close company for a while.

narsuitus · Nov 16, 2014

cuthbert said:
The Spotmatic is probably the real Leica Killer of the 60s, not the Nikon F: while other big and excellent SLRs existed before the F, the Spottie was the first camera more or less as big and heavy as the M3, that could outperform it...this said as a owner of a Nikon F2AS, a M3, and a Nikon F-1N.

I completely understand!

Many years ago, I was going to get a Leica M2 or M3 with a 50mm f/1.4 lens. However, I began using a Spotmatic with an 8-element 50mm f/1.4 lens that performed so well that I never purchased the Leica.

By the way, I am a current Nikon F2 and F4 user and a former Nikon F, F3, and EM user who still prefers the 8-element 50mm f/1.4 Takumar lens to the 50mm f/1.4 Nikkor lens.

https://flic.kr/p/93ks5X

https://flic.kr/p/93kvne

AgX · Nov 16, 2014

David Lyga said:
In late 1964 the Spotmatic was (finally!) released into the consumer marketplace after four years of R&D.

Already in 1959 an employee at Ihagee proposed to install TTL-metering at the Exakta Varex. The proposal was dismissed...

Fixcinater · Nov 17, 2014

narsuitus said:
I completely understand!

Many years ago, I was going to get a Leica M2 or M3 with a 50mm f/1.4 lens. However, I began using a Spotmatic with an 8-element 50mm f/1.4 lens that performed so well that I never purchased the Leica.

By the way, I am a current Nikon F2 and F4 user and a former Nikon F, F3, and EM user who still prefers the 8-element 50mm f/1.4 Takumar lens to the 50mm f/1.4 Nikkor lens.

https://flic.kr/p/93ks5X

https://flic.kr/p/93kvne

The 8-element Super Tak is one of the rare pieces of gear that I find to live up to the hype.

Steve Smith · Nov 17, 2014

I have a couple of Spotmatics, but my favourite is the S1a which is basically a Spotmatic without the lightmeter and a slightly lower top plate.

Steve.

baachitraka · Nov 17, 2014

May I know, are there any pages or links where I can get info about lens for pentax et al.

For Olympus/Zuiko: www.olypedia.de/OM this page is very good indeed.

PentaxBronica · Nov 17, 2014

The only site I've found for the M42 gear is this one

There is also the excellent Dimitrov K-mount site for the later models, but he doesn't go back further than the K2/KX/KM of 1975.

There was a Spotty without a light meter too, known as the SL. You could use the same clip-on meters that fitted the S1a/SV and the other earlier meterless bodies with it. The meters have a spring-loaded pin which fits into a notch on the shutter speed dial for indexing, so if the body has that notch then they'll work.

A few years ago while refitting the bathroom here I found a crumpled page from a 1960s issue of "Paris Match" stuffed behind a skirting board. One of the adverts was for the Spotmatic and 50/1.4. Unfortunately it was too encrusted with plaster for me to want to put it anywhere near my scanner.

Fixcinater · Nov 17, 2014

Links to a few resources:

Pentax Forums M42 Lenses

Pentax Forums Film Cameras

Taunusreiter

White Metal

E. von Hoegh · Nov 17, 2014

I found an absolutely filthy Asahi Spotmatic F at a yardsale last summer. $2. It looked like it had been sprayed with something sticky and left to collect dust for about 15 years; it was awful. After about 4 hours, it looked pretty good - no dents, some bright marks, a perfect 55/1.8 SMC Takumar, and an active and accurate meter. I'd forgotten how nice the old Spotties were.

Alan Gales · Nov 17, 2014

E. von Hoegh said:
I found an absolutely filthy Asahi Spotmatic F at a yardsale last summer. $2. It looked like it had been sprayed with something sticky and left to collect dust for about 15 years; it was awful. After about 4 hours, it looked pretty good - no dents, some bright marks, a perfect 55/1.8 SMC Takumar, and an active and accurate meter. I'd forgotten how nice the old Spotties were.

It's a good thing that you work for dirt cheap or it would have been less expensive buying a cleaner one on Ebay!

PentaxBronica · Nov 18, 2014

I think by that stage it comes down to diverting a usable camera from the recycling dump!

My last restoration was an MX that an ebay dealer had already stripped the back, focusing screen, winder lever and baseplate from. The light meter didn't respond and it wouldn't fire a flash, so they'd stripped it rather than try to repair it.

I replaced all with spares from a seriously dead MX, tweaked the flash and meter contacts with a pair of smooth-jawed pliers and a screwdriver (one to hold, the other to bend) and picked up a perfectly exposed roll of film yesterday.

Older Pentaxes can be worth it though. My H2 cost me £5, I've probably spent about three hours in total freeing the shutter and lubricating until it fired reliably and didn't cap. I won't count the time film testing it as that was fun. I've seen complete examples in similar condition priced at around the £100 mark since, and I know it's rare. I plan to put a roll of film through it every so often and give it a working retirement.

E. von Hoegh · Nov 18, 2014

Alan Gales said:
It's a good thing that you work for dirt cheap or it would have been less expensive buying a cleaner one on Ebay!

But I wouldn't have had the fun of cleaning it up and discovering a nice user camera under the crud. Plus, I can now explore all of the neat 42mm FSU lenses! Oh wait, I already had a pretty nice H1a.
I also found, on a 'free' table, a nice ME Super. It had a so-called hippy strap, so the ends were chewed up, but I brought it home and put some new cells in it. It worked fine so I donated it to a nearby community college which still teaches film. Then, a friend found a box of junk at the local transfer station. There was a plastic Minolta that was easily the worst feeling camera I've ever held, it was like having a turd in your hand and I flung it. A couple flashes some other detritus, and... an "Auto-Takumar 55/2.2" the one with the slider to cock the aperture spring. This lens had the same kind of crud on it the Spotmatic did, and I'll bet - in a town of ~3000 - that they came from the same place. It cleaned up OK with two light marks on the front.

E. von Hoegh · Nov 18, 2014

Alan Gales said:
It's a good thing that you work for dirt cheap or it would have been less expensive buying a cleaner one on Ebay!

But I wouldn't have had the fun of cleaning it up and discovering a nice user camera under the crud. Plus, I can now explore all of the neat 42mm FSU lenses! Oh wait, I already had a pretty nice H1a.
I also found, on a 'free' table, a nice ME Super. It had a so-called hippy strap, so the ends were chewed up, but I brought it home and put some new cells in it. It worked fine so I donated it to a nearby community college which still teaches film. Then, a friend found a box of junk at the local transfer station. There was a plastic Minolta that was easily the worst feeling camera I've ever held, it was like having a horseturd in your hand and I flung it. A couple flashes some other detritus, and... an "Auto-Takumar 55/2.2" the one with the slider to cock the aperture spring. This lens had the same kind of crud on it the Spotmatic did, and I'll bet - in a town of ~3000 - that they came from the same place. It cleaned up OK with two light marks on the front.

E. von Hoegh · Nov 18, 2014

Alan Gales said:
It's a good thing that you work for dirt cheap or it would have been less expensive buying a cleaner one on Ebay!

But I wouldn't have had the fun of cleaning it up and discovering a nice user camera under the crud. Plus, I can now explore all of the neat 42mm FSU lenses! Oh wait, I already had a pretty nice H1a.
I also found, on a 'free' table, a nice ME Super. It had a so-called hippy strap, so the ends were chewed up, but I brought it home and put some new cells in it. It worked fine so I donated it to a nearby community college which still teaches film. Then, a friend found a box of junk at the local transfer station. There was a plastic Minolta that was easily the worst feeling camera I've ever held, it was like having a blivit in your hand and I flung it. A couple flashes some other detritus, and... an "Auto-Takumar 55/2.2" the one with the slider to cock the aperture spring. This lens had the same kind of crud on it the Spotmatic did, and I'll bet - in a town of ~3000 - that they came from the same place. It cleaned up OK with two light marks on the front.

E. von Hoegh · Nov 18, 2014

Alan Gales said:
It's a good thing that you work for dirt cheap or it would have been less expensive buying a cleaner one on Ebay!

But I wouldn't have had the fun of cleaning it up and discovering a nice user camera under the crud. Plus, I can now explore all of the neat 42mm FSU lenses! Oh wait, I already had a pretty nice H1a.
I also found, on a 'free' table, a nice ME Super. It had a so-called hippy strap, so the ends were chewed up, but I brought it home and put some new cells in it. It worked fine so I donated it to a nearby community college which still teaches film. Then, a friend found a box of junk at the local transfer station. There was a plastic Minolta that was easily the worst feeling camera I've ever held, it was like having a rotten apple in your hand and I flung it. A couple flashes some other detritus, and... an "Auto-Takumar 55/2.2" the one with the slider to cock the aperture spring. This lens had the same kind of crud on it the Spotmatic did, and I'll bet - in a town of ~3000 - that they came from the same place. It cleaned up OK with two light marks on the front.

Alan Gales · Nov 18, 2014

E. von Hoegh said:
But I wouldn't have had the fun of cleaning it up and discovering a nice user camera under the crud. Plus, I can now explore all of the neat 42mm FSU lenses! Oh wait, I already had a pretty nice H1a.
I also found, on a 'free' table, a nice ME Super. It had a so-called hippy strap, so the ends were chewed up, but I brought it home and put some new cells in it. It worked fine so I donated it to a nearby community college which still teaches film. Then, a friend found a box of junk at the local transfer station. There was a plastic Minolta that was easily the worst feeling camera I've ever held, it was like having a rotten apple in your hand and I flung it. A couple flashes some other detritus, and... an "Auto-Takumar 55/2.2" the one with the slider to cock the aperture spring. This lens had the same kind of crud on it the Spotmatic did, and I'll bet - in a town of ~3000 - that they came from the same place. It cleaned up OK with two light marks on the front.

You only have to tell me once E.!

I'm of course just teasing. I'm just as bad as you. I recently picked up an old Speed Graphic because I wanted to try CLA'ing the focal plane curtain shutter myself.

DF · Nov 18, 2014

Might this have been Ringo's camera in a "Hard Days Night"?

Mark Crabtree · Nov 18, 2014

E. von Hoegh said:
I found an absolutely filthy Asahi Spotmatic F at a yardsale last summer. $2. It looked like it had been sprayed with something sticky and left to collect dust for about 15 years; it was awful. After about 4 hours, it looked pretty good - no dents, some bright marks, a perfect 55/1.8 SMC Takumar, and an active and accurate meter. I'd forgotten how nice the old Spotties were.

Did you do a clean and lube on the mechanism. I've come up with a small pile of Pentaxes lately, but most have the common issue of the mirror hanging once in a while (or more). This seems to be related to the mechanics on the side of the mirror box, but I haven't been in there yet. I did obtain a Nat Cam manual for the Spotmatic and hope to learn to deal with them more thoroughly this winter, but am not sure I've really got the aptitude. I like to do basic repairs, but don't usually go that deep. I think I have eight screw mount Pentaxes now with only two fully working. Of course, that is plenty, so not much pressure to fix more. I do have a nice H1 (IIRC) "Store Demonstrator" in black enamel that I'd particularly like to get up and running.

I did "fix" a very heavily used black MX that was abandoned as junk. It had laid for years with no lens, and I though maybe had a torn shutter curtain. I don't know why I even pulled the bottom off, but it immediately started working; there was a small dent in the baseplate that had locked it up. Not even much crud since the mirror was up the whole time sealing off the mirror and screen.

SPOTMATIC: Happy 50th Anniversary

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