Pentax SP 1000 and lenses find

jay moussy · Nov 18, 2019

Found at town recycling: Pentax SP1000 and assorted lenses, SMC Takumars 55mm 1.2 and 24mm 3.5, Tamron 85-210mm 4.5, Vivitar 200mm 3.5, all auto-manual capable, and 2 x teleconverter.

SP's mirror is stuck in the up position There is an Instructable post where, with camera base plate off you can see if the mirror lock located there needs cleaning and oiling. I may attempt that.
I read about this body, here and there. Some like this SP. An online friend told me to trash it..!

Lenses seem OK. I think only one may have minor fungus fuzzies.
These could probably be used on.. ahem.. other kinds of bodies with adapter?

Any tips on caring for this rescue?

BTW, within the same bag of goodies was a naked Nikon N5005... weird machine, to say the least!

Kino · Nov 18, 2019

The SP is a fine camera; tell your online friend to get their head examined... Get it going and it will last a long time and do you yeoman's service.

The Super Takumars are some of the sharpest lenses out there from that era. Prime lenses are very easy to clean; look online for youtube tutorials.

The zooms, not at all easy to disassemble and clean. Set in a window where the sun can shine thru the lenses and hope for best.

There are lots of M42 screw mount film bodies out there with no need for adapter; Other Pentax, Fujica, Hanimex, Praktika, Ricoh, Petri, etc...

Great find!

Paul Howell · Nov 18, 2019

For what it would cost have a professional repair I would send it out. The 1000 is a very good camera and as Kino says the Super Taks are excellent lens, the 55 1.2 was a very expensive lens in it's day. Not sure about the Tamron Zoom but I have the Vivitar 200 3.5 and the Takumar 200 F4, the Vivitar is quite sharp with decent build quality, stacks up well against the Takumar. If you have the Sp 1000 repaired and cleaned and lubed,you know what you have, you buy a M42 body, you might wind up having to have it serviced anyway.

If elect to buy a another body, think about a Chinon CM3 or CE3, these are late model, use standard batteries. The CM3 is all manual, uses LEDs for over and under exposure. The CE3 has manual and aperture preferred exposure mode-with standard single pin M42 lens. You set the F stop, as you push the shutter the meter sets the shutter speed on the way down. The shutter release takes a little getting use to. And both take a power winder, not fast about 1.5 FPS. There are so many M42 bodies, but there are differences in the mount, not all M42 will meter single pin lens.

GRHazelton · Nov 18, 2019

Go to Pentaxforums.com for opinions on the SP 1000. Eric Hendrickson at Pentaxs.com is the go-to man for Pentax, although there's probably a waiting line. I didn't see a 55 mm f 1.2 42mm screw mount listed in Pentaxforums, did you perhaps mean the SMC/Super-/Auto-Takumar 55mm F2 ? The K Mount 50mm f 1.2 is an excellent lens; it can bring perhaps $400 today.

Paul Howell · Nov 18, 2019

I think you right, no 1.2 in M42. Would complicate matters if it was K mount, would need 2 bodies, you can get a M42 to K but not a K to M42 adaptor.

jay moussy · Nov 18, 2019

Oops, sorry, I misread, it is a 55 F2 as linked above #4, except that mine is engraved "SMC Takumar"
The linked above Pentax forums page says it is a 1973-1975, making it the last run.

Best condition of the bunch, looks really good.

GRHazelton · Nov 18, 2019

This lens may give full aperture metering with the Spotmatic F, which I think was the last of the M42 Pentaxes. BTW, since the Spotmatics use centering a needle on a fixed circle, they use a bridge circuit, which while the cameras originally called for mercury cells, enables them to operate properly with silver oxide cells if such will tit the meter. I have a Spotmatic F with the SMC Takumar 50mm f1.4, and a 28mm and a 135mm, the speed of which I dnn't recall at this moment. All enable full aperture metering; they make a nice kit for walkabout shooting. Enjoy your classic SP 1000!

Pentode · Nov 18, 2019

GRHazelton said:
Eric Hendrickson at Pentaxs.com is the go-to man for Pentax, although there's probably a waiting line.

I will very happily vouch for Eric's work. He CLA'd an SP-ll and an SV for me last year. Very reasonable prices and a pretty fast turnaround - if I remember correctly his wait was less than four weeks at the time. He really knows his Pentax cameras.

I'll also vouch for the 55mm f/2 as a very, very nice lens.

John Koehrer · Nov 19, 2019

There should be a description on cocking the release lever on the bottom of the camera.
I don't have a picture but it's a remove the cover, push the lever to cock it put the cover back on thing.

jay moussy · Nov 25, 2019

Update: The stuck mirror was easily fixed by removing the base plate, locating the cog mechanism that works the mirror, and a bit of sewing machine oil did the trick. Incidentally, the whole camera underside compartment was very clean.
The mirror foam seal may need replacement, not sure.
Vivitar 200mm has some fungus clearly seen on front element, and maybe on back one. I am giving it the sun treatment, and wonder if I should attempt a partial teardown?

titrisol · Nov 26, 2019

Great find, Spotties are solid cameras that refuse to die !
Get a seal kit from Jon Goodman and if it needs a CLA send it to Eric

PS You can use a 387S battery or a 380/394 with an adapter ring

Colin Corneau · Nov 26, 2019

Had no idea Pentax made a 1.2 lens in screw mount -- hadn't heard of it and can't find a single one online/eBay...plenty of K mount ones.

A shame, as I am sure it'd be a fantastic lens to use and high quality, too.

titrisol · Nov 27, 2019

Are you sure is 1.2 and not 1:2?
The 1:2 is shown below

I haven't heard of a 1.2/55 in M42 mount, it must be a rarity and if so you may have hit jackpot

the 24/3.5 was a great lens, I only tested it once at it was expensive

Colin Corneau said:
Had no idea Pentax made a 1.2 lens in screw mount -- hadn't heard of it and can't find a single one online/eBay...plenty of K mount ones.

A shame, as I am sure it'd be a fantastic lens to use and high quality, too.

Ian Grant · Nov 27, 2019

f1.4 was the fastes M42 Takumar lens, the SP500 came with the f2 Super Takumar, mine has the full aperture coupling for the Spotmatic F and ESII, and I have a Spotmatic F as well.

As above batteries are easy for Spotmatics.

Ian

Pentax SP 1000 and lenses find

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