The Beautiful Spotmatics

helenhill said:
ok, caught the 'FEVER' looking at this thread...

Just bought one on Ebay... $40.00 ...pretty black beauty, meter not working but who
cares
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Pentax-Spotmatic-35mm-SLR-Film-Camera-Body-Honeywell-Black-/292729167275?nma=true&si=VGFdm2TPX6dJY61sqlDP5Q9161k%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

now I need a lens ???
obviously the 50 1.4 but am Wondering what other lens is a gem
Click to expand...

I've used the 24 & the 100 fine lenses ....but both the 50 1.4 & 55 1.8 are stellar wide open.
there's a 35mm f2 on eBay for cheap.. would be a great street lens....right up your alley
 
Thank You 'Aizan'

'Deardorff38' since You consider both 50's to be Stellar f1.4.f1.8
I will just 'do it' a fifties Gurl I am, Thank You !

Thank You Michael !
 
Just bought the 55 1.8 for $49.00

Looking forward to a new way of seeing ...slr binging
will have to start or join a Spotmatic Thread on Rff
 
I think you'll really like that lens Helen. & Yes perhaps a new thread will get me to use mine more often...
 
I have a chrome Spotmatic F, and I have several good lenses for this camera. It is a camera that projects a feel of robustness. The lenses seem to be excellent overall. My lenses include a 17/4 fisheye, 35/2, 50/1.4, 85/1.8.
 
Another good reason to become a Spotmatic and Takumar owner:
Eric Hendrickson (pentaxs.com) still services them at very reasonable cost.

Chris
 
The Spotty SP-F and SMC Tak on the left were originally a graduation present given to my Mum around '73. Over the decades she carried it to archealogical digs in Thailand, through her time in Darwin during Cyclone Tracy, and down to Antartica for several summers with ANARE.

Eventually it was passed on to me and became the camera I used to discover both film and photography generally. It also started a long love affair with Pentax, and nowadays it sits alongside an LX, two MXs, and some lovely K and M series glass.

I really should send it off to Eric for some love and attention :)

 
I just love its looks and ergonomics. The shutter speed dial that turns all the way around is amazing. The focusing screen with fine microprism seems more precise than any other I've used. And the mirror stop doesn't go out of adjustment like on the more quiet SLRs on which it is dampened with rubber :)bang: I might start a thread about that soon...).
 
For a long time I collected and used Spotmatics and the "PreSpotmatics". I actually preferred the latter which were smaller, lighter and more elegant in form factor. In fact I always felt that an S1 for example, felt similar in my hand to a Leica screw mount (notwithstanding the pentaprism of course). Bt the Spotmatics were and are still lovely cameras - simple and simply good.
I seldom use them now as I shoot too much digital but I still own and use many of the Spotmatic lenses - the Takumars which are consistently excellent.
 
Mine is an SP500. It has engravings for a top shutter speed of 1/500s, but if I turn the shutter speed dial to where the 1/1000s would be it’s there! Similarly I suspect the f2 55 I have is also the 1.8 so many here seem to have. But mine doesn’t open up wider than f2.
 
My first real camera after guess the distance and exposures..
A live view, a great meter system and the lenses..
First the bad news, a darker viewfinder, stop down metering,
can be difficult to load!(check cassette has movement).
The Good news, is that none of my Pentax Spotties ever reqd.
maintenance and services. Leica is a perpetual adjustment thing..
Dark viewfinder is easy to get focus..
I have a few, some meter not working, but so easy to work around.
The famous ZA photographer (late) Sam Haskins used them. In the 60's,
there was a promotion board about 6ft high picture of model with negative shown on board!
One of my Spotmatics traveled round the world with other photographers.
Used at an "sort of" Olympics when the press pool Nikons died..
About 40~100 rolls a day for 10 days..
The lenses are superb, the flare thing seldom, unlike my Summicron. Tele-Elmar.
Big problem, when i was younger was shortsighted and viewfinder was causing me headaches..
Now that my arms are too short and can see into tomorrow, they are perfect.:D
 

Pentax System by Narsuitus, on Flickr

Asahi 300mm f/6.3 preset Tele Takumar (left)
Asahi 200mm f/5.6 Super Takumar
Asahi 135mm f/3.5 Super Takumar
Asahi 105mm f/2.8 Super Takumar (right)
Asahi 50mm f/1.4 Super Takumar (8-element) (on black body)
Asahi 28mm f/3.5 Super-Multi-Coated Takumar (on chrome body)
 
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