Michael Markey
Veteran
This thread has prompted me to dig up and old shot of my Spotmactic and lenses .
From what I recall there was a 50/1.4 which was yellowing , a 35 (I think) and a 150 with an numbered inscription on the barrel.
You can see it in the shot.
I googled the number and the lens was part of a batch of ex US military equipment from a warehouse in Florida.
From what I recall there was a 50/1.4 which was yellowing , a 35 (I think) and a 150 with an numbered inscription on the barrel.
You can see it in the shot.
I googled the number and the lens was part of a batch of ex US military equipment from a warehouse in Florida.
David Hughes
David Hughes
Their lens catalogue that featured the Spotmatic on the front shows the "SMC Takumar 85mm f/1.9" if that's any help.
Regards, David
p.giannakis
Pan Giannakis
Just developed a T-Max 400 in HC110. Taken with the Spotmatic and the Takumar 55 f/2 wide open.
Steve M.
Veteran
They're great cameras. Very small for a SLR, and take lots of M42 mount lenses. In your hands, they feel similar to a Leica RF camera. I had to sell mine because the eye relief did not suit my glasses and because of shutter capping on several bodies that I owned.
ChrisPlatt
Thread Killer
A corrective diopter eyepiece and Eric Hendrickson could have fixed those problems.
Chris
I had an f/1.8 85mm Auto Takumar, with the semi-auto diaphragm that needed to be recocked open for the next shot. I developed GAS for the later fully auto version which was the f/1.9 Super Takumar, bought used Jan 8 1972 at Olympic Camera Center in Seattle. This is a fine lens but I very soon regretted missing the introduction of the *next* version, the SMC (Super Multi-Coated) Takumar f/1.8 85mm. The SMC lenses have an aperture calibration nubbins on the rear of the mount for wide-open metering on the Pentax Spotmatic F and the ES cameras. I still have the f/1.9 85mm Super, which, you see, was marketed between two f/1.8 lenses.
I also have the f/1.8 85mm SMC Pentax, probably the same optics as the SMC Takumar, but now in bayonet mount and having given up the Takumar name. And not quite sure why I got the f/1.4 85mm Zeiss Planar ZK, in Pentax A-series bayonet mount, much larger & heavier than the Pentax lenses! I do like this focal length though...
Greyscale
Veteran
You can never have too many Spotmatics. Lord knows, I have tried.
colker
Well-known
My first camera love: a black spotmatic F. So beautifull. Bought a 35mm and a 135mm for it.
Then i saw my buddy w/ a Nikon F and had Nikon envy.
Bought a Nikkormat w/a big 50/1.4 nikkor. Then the bigger the camera the sexier it was.. Was it today i would keep the spotmatic.
Otoh.. if i remember correctly, the vf was darker on the pentax. Maybe it was the 3.5 lenses against the bright nikkor. Maybe. And the thread mount loses against the F bayonet.
Then i saw my buddy w/ a Nikon F and had Nikon envy.
Bought a Nikkormat w/a big 50/1.4 nikkor. Then the bigger the camera the sexier it was.. Was it today i would keep the spotmatic.
Otoh.. if i remember correctly, the vf was darker on the pentax. Maybe it was the 3.5 lenses against the bright nikkor. Maybe. And the thread mount loses against the F bayonet.
Uncle Bill
Well-known
Preaching to the converted, I have a Chrome F, II along with a chrome and a black SP.
Untitled by Bill Smith, on Flickr
Untitled by Bill Smith, on Flickr
Greyscale
Veteran
Disappointed_Horse
Well-known
Greetings fellow Pentaxians! Time to bring this thread back from the grave. I've been enjoying a chrome Spotmatic I picked up a couple of years ago and have built up a nice kit of Takumar lenses. My Spotmatic's meter doesn't work, but I have discovered I rather enjoy the experience of shooting with a meterless camera so have acquired an SL body. I got a good deal locally on the chrome SL, but I really wanted a black one and find I still want a black one.
Trouble is, almost every black SL or Spotmatic I see for sale on eBay or other sites looks like it was tied to the back of a pickup truck and dragged over ten miles of bad road. Any suggestion as to where I might be able to find a minty or near-mint black SL?
Trouble is, almost every black SL or Spotmatic I see for sale on eBay or other sites looks like it was tied to the back of a pickup truck and dragged over ten miles of bad road. Any suggestion as to where I might be able to find a minty or near-mint black SL?
D
Deleted member 65559
Guest
There are at least 3 relatively clean black SL that come up on Ebay and one worn black one. Here's a photo of my SP black, i paid $75 with a 50 1.4 and had it serviced. I did have a 135 and 28 but sold them, since i don't use the camera that much. The 50 1.4 is a lovely lens w lots of character
Flickr
Disappointed_Horse
Well-known
That's a beauty.
I just did another ebay search and only found two black SLs, both from Japanese sellers. One is obviously more banged up than I want and the other has no description and only low-res photos. Not very confidence inspiring.
I just did another ebay search and only found two black SLs, both from Japanese sellers. One is obviously more banged up than I want and the other has no description and only low-res photos. Not very confidence inspiring.
Pál_K
Cameras. I has it.
About four decades passed before I realized the great value of that elegant simplicity.
In the early 1970's I could afford only an SP500 with a 55/2 Super Takumar. I wanted a camera with more information in the viewfinder, a self-timer, and more features (my favorite was the SRT-101). When I finally reached the point of owning all the cameras I'd lusted for, I realized those features distracted me. To this day, my SP500 and 55/2 feel so natural and easy to use. Most of my best photos are with that camera and lens and I continue to use it.
Same with my new SP500. In fact, the switch broke off in the first week. What I did was turn the meter on (thus stopping down the lens) and if I did make the photo, the lens would open back up and switch the meter off. No problem. But sometimes I wouldn't make the photo, so I'd have to move the switch down manually. Doing that was always stiff and sticky. Within a week it broke. After getting it repaired under warranty, I learned that a quick way to meter was to switch the lens from Auto to Manual and then the meter switch can be pushed up effortlessly (but doesn't lock in the up position). I did that for a year or so, but by then I had become so good at exposure (B&W neg film) that I just never used the meter any longer.
... 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 rubberbang: I might start a thread about that soon...).
I didn't realize just how good the precise snappiness of my SP500's microprism was until I started using other cameras. From Canon, to Leica, to Olympus, to Minolta, to Nikon (including an all-microprism H2 screen), absolutely none are as good for focusing as the microprism on my Pentax.
As for the bang, nothing beats a K1000 for a harsh sounding slap!
Yes, I agree that the front slow speed dial is very elegant. On my H3v, the timer dial around the rewind knob has nice elegant knurling, but I do wonder how Pentax managed to link the delay mechanism all the way over to the other side of the camera body.
As for investing time in setting the aperture, I think such activities increase our involvement in the process, which makes things all the more enjoyable.
The Pentax family in my Camera Room:
Attachments
raid
Dad Photographer
Thanks for the posted information on the SMC 85/1.8 or 85/1.9. They both seem to exist in some form.
narsuitus
Well-known
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)
Since this thread has been resurrected, I will update my previous post.
I recently added an Asahi 35mm f/3.5 Super Takumar to my lens collection. I really did not need the lens but just could not pass on a good deal for a lens in such good condition.
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
If you've never shot with the 35mm f3.5, go do so. It is INCREDIBLY sharp!
narsuitus
Well-known
You are right. I have not yet shot with the 35mm f/3.5 Takumar because I have four other 35mm lenses that I use. I will have to give the Takumar a test run.
Thanks for the tip.
35mm Wide-Angles by Narsuitus, on Flickr
wwfloyd
Well-known
PRJ
Another Day in Paradise
I've picked up a couple Spotmatics a couple years ago. Not sure what one is. Black with Spotmatic on the front, only a serial number on the top and 1000 top speed. Maybe a II? Looks like WWFloyd's right above this post. Another one is an SV. I have two 55 1.8s, one 50 1.4, 28 3.5 and I think a 135. I just un-yellowed the 50 1.4 last week. I only ever shot one roll of film with the black one. Nice camera. It harkens back to the good ol' days before plastic was invented. Lol. I should probably get rid of the stuff though. Never see myself using it. I guess the romance was better than the reality...