The Beautiful Spotmatics

[p.giannakis]

Being a bit of a cheapskate and bargain hunter, i very often come across those beautiful Pentax Spotmatics. They come up in charity shops and carboot sales and they are very often sold for peanuts. I got this one just yesterday for £10 and the one at the end of the post for a similar amount of money (lenses included). Have handled quite a few more in carboot sales.

What i find amazing is that i still have not come across a Spotmatic with inaccurate shutter speeds. Even the 1sec (which is the easiest to check) are spot on!

Although a long-time Olympus OM aficionado I find this quite impressive. Had OM-1 with sticky shutters, every FSU camera i every came across had sticky shutters and a Canon FTb with slow speeds a bit slower than normal. But not a Spotmatic. Fantastic cameras.

 

[Michael Markey]

I let my black Spotmatic go but have replaced it with a black SL .

 

[shimokita]

I have a black Pentax Spotmatic F... I had one in the 1970s it was stolen in the 80s and a few years ago I built up another kit including: SMCT 28mm f/3.5, 35mm f/3.5, 55mm f/1.2, 105mm f/2.8, and 135mm f/3.5. I had it worked on to install a split focus screen and the guy said the shutter was off a bit, but I didn't get it adjusted as it was close enough. Love the lenses, not so much the finder... the meter is working with an H-B Adapter... very reasonable price ; )

Casey

 

[dmr]

I've always been a Pentax fan. A Black Spotmatic was my first SLR.

I still use them, but {blush} not as much as I used to.

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

How do you check the speeds?
I have one here that was running unevenly according to my Kyoritsu tester. It was not too bad, really, and very little adjustment to the spring tensions were needed to get it spot on, but, it was tapering a just a bit on the higher speeds. I was impressed with the worm drive spring tension adjusters which permit very gradual and precise fine tuning. After a test roll it basically gave a good account of itself, with the exception of very slight shutter bounce on the 1/1000 speed. Always a possibility, the amount of adjustment needed to get the speeds right was so minor I'd hoped it would not be a factor. I will have to take off the top cover to tweak the curtain brake just a tad, in order to make it right. I've handled several other Spotmatics with errant shutter speeds, too. One of the most consistent M42 body types I have tested have been the various metal curtain Prakticas. If they are still working, the speeds may well be bang on.
Cheers,
Brett

 

[lynnb]

I had a silver Spotmatic F with three primes - 28, 55 and 135 - and sold it to a young guy off on a year's working holiday in Sri Lanka. I liked it, even if the shutter was quite loud. If I ever get another it'll be a black one.

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

I had an H1a in high-school, with a clip on meter, a hard working camera. I lusted for a Spotmatic. Then, my older cousin did a stint in Central America in the Peace Corps, and brought home some truly beautiful photography on Kodachrome.
When I returned to film some years ago, I brought my son along for the ride and got him a fully serviced Spotmatic F, and it has performed flawlessly for all this time.

 

[Dogman]

The first 35mm camera I ever used was a borrowed Asahi Spotmatic. Despite considering it one of the nicest looking cameras ever made, I've never owned one.

 

[zuiko85]

I’ve also handled a fair number of used Spotmatics, of all vintages and condition. Several had shutter problems, from capping at high speed to dragging and uneven exposure. Nothing a proper CLA wouldn’t solve, but like any precision mechanism, they don’t like sitting around unused. Beautiful cameras though. One should always have at least one M42 mount body handy for those times when that super bargain screw mount lens shows up.

I have a Fujica ST605n, mainly because when I needed a M42 mount camera it was what showed up first in my search. Fairly modern, seems to work fine and was cheap.

 

[Deleted member 65559]

I never owned one back in the day, but always admired their elegant simplicity. I saw some work done with the 50mm 1.4 on digital cameras. I bought one on a non-working Spotmatic F, & gave it to my son who uses it on his Canon 5D. I bought this one for I think $75 (Canadian $). Beautiful portrait lens wide open if I'm not using medium or large format. I think i even saw one adapted to a Leica M...
I think I have the 'never-ready' case somewhere too. One of those situations of acquiring the camera because of the lens. Did I mention, that I'm a sucker for black paint cameras...


IMG_6793 by
on Flickr

 

[Richard G]

They are beautiful. And I just looked at the slower shutter speeds: they do seem to be spot-on. Mine has a 55mm f2 Super Takumar. It’s a wonderful lens, close-focus to 45cm, a revelation for a Leica user. I’ve surprised myself by how many keepers I get from a roll with this camera. Mine was cheaper than yours, given to me by a client who knew I still used film. Case and instructions included.

 

[charjohncarter]

I love my Spotmatic, I have film in it now. And I shot with it yesterday. I have had mine since 1969 and quickly bought a 28mm and a 200mm. What reliable pleasure that camera has given me.

This is the 200mm which I use rarely:

Plus X D-76 by John Carter, on Flickr

And the good old Super Takumar 50mm f 1.4:


Panama' Door 1971 by John Carter, on Flickr

 

[Deleted member 65559]

John, The Panama portrait is fantastic!

 

[Swift1]

Spotmatics are beautiful cameras. I've had 3 SPII and 2 SP-F. I still have one of each. I've never had an original Spotmatic though.
This black SPII was about the nicest Spotmatic I've ever seen. I bought it complete with its original S-M-C Takumar 50/1.4 with original Asahi 49mm Skylight filter, original lens cap, and original everready case. The body, lens, filter, and cap were basically as new, not a mark on them. It was so clean that I didn't want to use it. I couldn't use it properly anyway because of health, so I decided to sell it.

Black Spotmatic SPII by Colton Allen, on Flickr​

The SP-F I have now is nearly as clean, but is chrome Honeywell version. It was given to me by my best friend about 5 years ago. He bought it new in 1976 IIRC. It has its original SMC Takumar 55/1.8.

Minox GL and Honeywell Pentax SP-F by Colton Allen, on Flickr
​

 

[charjohncarter]

John, The Panama portrait is fantastic!

Thanks......

 

[telenous]

I had a silver original Spotty and later a Spotty F, both with the 50/1.4. Lovely cameras, mine were very quiet (for SLRs) as I recall. Ultimately I let them go, as I was in a rangefinder groove at the time. Now and then I think I may buy again one, esp. one of the non-metered ones that I find very fetching. But I need another camera like a hole in the head. Then again...it's just one hole...it might not even hurt.

.

 

[Deleted member 65559]

.it's just one hole...it might not even hurt.
.

$105 U.S..... not mine
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Asahi-Pent...738160?hash=item4b40bdf570:g:W7kAAOSw6gRa0m9f

You can't even buy an E39 Leitz filter for that amount.
The 50mm 1.4 is a magic lens for just pennies...

 

[Huss]

$105 U.S..... not mine
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Asahi-Pent...738160?hash=item4b40bdf570:g:W7kAAOSw6gRa0m9f

You can't even buy an E39 Leitz filter for that amount.
The 50mm 1.4 is a magic lens for just pennies...

I like the deal Pan got much more!

 

[aizan]

YES! i'd rank it as the most stylish, most beautiful SLR of all time.

i first had a spotmatic, but the metering switch was sticky and my local repairman said it couldn't be cleaned without almost certainly cracking the screwpost. so i got a meterless SL...and another for backup. one day i will send the spare to kanto to be repainted root beer brown.

all of the s-m-c takumars i have are lovely: 28/3.5, 50/1.4, 55/1.8, and 135/2.5. once in a while i think about getting a 85/1.8 or a 35/2 zeiss zs, but they're too expensive for me to surrender to GAS.

 

[narsuitus]

Pentax Spotmatics by Narsuitus, on Flickr

Black body with 50mm 8-element Takumar f/1.4

Chrome body with 28mm Vivitar f/2.8