Pentax Spotmatic SP 1000
Posted: Sun Nov 05, 2017 5:51 pm
I had the SP 500...which I reviewed. I wanted the most popular model to go along with it. The same model that sold right after it's introduction in 1964 more camera's than Nikon , Minolta and Canon combined. The one many professional photographers used because of the built in light meter and the reliable rock solid construction. The one the Beatles used when travelling all over becoming famous. So...... since it used the same lenses that came with the SP 500 all I had to do was find a Spotmatic SP1000 camera.
What I got...for a total of $24 was supposed to be two camera bodies. One was thought to work and one was known to have shutter problems. Well... what the guy actually sent were three Spotmatic SP 1000's and all of them had issues. But... since I had already learned about and fixed a problem on the SP500 it was no problem getting the mirror reset unstuck with some electrical contact cleaner on two of them. The third one seemed to have no mirror lockup issues but all of them needed batteries to check the light meter. And...all of them failed the first battery test. But...again.... no problem on two of them since I read online how to clean the contacts inside and outside of the base plate. Result... two completely working..... as far as I could see without running some film, cameras. The third camera has a problem with a stuck screw in the base plate I haven't been able to get out so not sure if the meter will work or not on it until I can complete the cleaning process.
This particular model, unlike the SP 500, has the added feature of a factory tested 1000 speed shutter release setting and a mechanical photo shutter timer.
Took one for a test run in the park. Light meter seemed to work somewhat correctly judging by a working Sekonic hand held light meter. The shutter speeds seemed to be doing well enough for a mechanical camera over the half century mark. I was happy with the trip.
Then came the developing and I had some issues with the film and the light bag. Managed to do all sorts of dumb things getting the film canister unloaded and loaded onto the reel and then unloaded in the bag after a jamb and various like problems that caused some light leaks on the undeveloped negative not the camera's fault. This put a big damper on the experiment. But.... I think the camera is good to go actually. Have to try the others.
I took along my DSC HX 50V Sony digital as well. The b&w film is a whole different flavor of photography. Almost like two different places. I'll include some evidence from today's effort.
What I got...for a total of $24 was supposed to be two camera bodies. One was thought to work and one was known to have shutter problems. Well... what the guy actually sent were three Spotmatic SP 1000's and all of them had issues. But... since I had already learned about and fixed a problem on the SP500 it was no problem getting the mirror reset unstuck with some electrical contact cleaner on two of them. The third one seemed to have no mirror lockup issues but all of them needed batteries to check the light meter. And...all of them failed the first battery test. But...again.... no problem on two of them since I read online how to clean the contacts inside and outside of the base plate. Result... two completely working..... as far as I could see without running some film, cameras. The third camera has a problem with a stuck screw in the base plate I haven't been able to get out so not sure if the meter will work or not on it until I can complete the cleaning process.
This particular model, unlike the SP 500, has the added feature of a factory tested 1000 speed shutter release setting and a mechanical photo shutter timer.
Took one for a test run in the park. Light meter seemed to work somewhat correctly judging by a working Sekonic hand held light meter. The shutter speeds seemed to be doing well enough for a mechanical camera over the half century mark. I was happy with the trip.
Then came the developing and I had some issues with the film and the light bag. Managed to do all sorts of dumb things getting the film canister unloaded and loaded onto the reel and then unloaded in the bag after a jamb and various like problems that caused some light leaks on the undeveloped negative not the camera's fault. This put a big damper on the experiment. But.... I think the camera is good to go actually. Have to try the others.
I took along my DSC HX 50V Sony digital as well. The b&w film is a whole different flavor of photography. Almost like two different places. I'll include some evidence from today's effort.