Thank you all for the wonderful comments! I just uploaded a new video where I share my favorite photos I took with this camera on a recent trip to Singapore! Check it out 🇸🇬
This was my first film SLR and I still have it 25 years later. I’ve never had it serviced or repaired…. It just works. I call mine the tank. They’re not popular because of the screw mount lens. It’s an antiquated system. That’s what a camera shop guy told me after he gave me crap for using it. I don’t care. It’s more reliable than newer camera systems.
I just ordered one because I already have three or four screw mount lenses that I adapt to my digital cameras. Shop employees can be great resources but some of them really get it wrong!
Found my dad's old Pentax Spotmatic in the garage, went to get it repaired at the old camera shop by my house, but the curtain was broken... so it would have been a $300 fix. They said, just buy a new body and use the lens. That's what I did this morning and now I'm having so much figuring out how to use it. And I lost my dad almost ten years ago so it's really nice to have something to keep his memory alive 📷 🌲 🍂
Perfect camera to learn photography. The needle meter is really intuitive. Great lens selection. It is extremely durable. Sometimes the shutter can get stuck but it’s extremely easy to service yourself.
I can only agree with you. The Spotmatic is a real treasure. I started out digital and bought one, as I am using M42 lenses on my digital camera anyway. So the step was a small one. And it feels just great to work with a fully mechanical camera.
Het Xiao, I am in the same boat. Love my M42 vintage glas, which I used so far only on my Digital system camera’s. And recently I bought a Pentax Spotmatic with a Super Takumar 55mm f1.8 which I did not have in my collection yet. Two ver good reasons to be very happy!
Back in the late 1960s, when my Miranda Sensorex 35mm film camera broke for the third time within two years, a colleague loaned me his spare Pentax Spotmatic with 50mm f/1.4 lens. I fell in love with the Pentax SLR body and the 8-element 50mm f/1.4 became my personal favorite Pentax lens. The 105mm f/2.8 was my second favorite. Loved the portraits I was able to capture with this lens. I routinely carried my two favorite Pentax lenses in a 28/50/105mm lens kit. I was later informed by colleagues that Nikon was the 35mm SLR camera used by most professional journalist in America, but Pentax was the 35mm SLR camera used by most professional journalist in Europe.
My house school bught several Prntax Spotmatics in 1971, and she nce I signed on as a class photographer vo!llunteer, zI made and developed many yearbook images. Great value. great memories.
Was first sold in 1964 or 65. Depending on where you live in the World! TTL means through-the-lens metering. Likely THE most important "innovation" in film 🎥 🎞 photography 📸 ever!
They're really lovely cameras and the lenses are nice on the budget, too. I'm glad people aren't overpricing them, but they're also proof that there are some truly nice cameras out there that aren't overpriced yet. Good video!
Thank you so much for watching! I feel like there are so many underrated, underpriced cameras out there... Makes me happy and sad that I don't know about all of them!
Yeah at 12 years old in 1972 I was shooting and developing the negatives and prints with the Honeywell version of this camera. It was a pro-sumer camera of the day, for whatever reason the company never really went full out pro with the name. I still have the camera today and it works as it did back in time. Having used Nikon, Minolta, and Canon in the day the Pentax has a more solid feel to it. Look for a nice clean camera and you will not be disappointed.
Great review. I think you are right in that the K-1000 is pretty well known but people forget about the Spotmatic. I knew someone who had bought this camera new in the 70s and was still shooting it. My own version of this is the Minolta SRT range, specifically the 101. I got mine a few years ago for free because I wanted the lense and the owner threw in the body. It's very similar, a workhorse that was used by a lot of reporters.
My first camera was a Kodak Advantix P&S when I was about 9. I asked for that camera for my birthday. This is why I tell people I've always been a photographer ;) When I got older my dad let me have his Fujica STX-1. I took it to the Galapagos islands with me for my senior HS trip. I still have it and shoot with it occasionally.
I got one in the 90s when I was a student..Rits camera used to make a budget brand that used the same lens mount and you can find plastic bodies and tons of lens
Yes, I have six Spotmatic cameras along with a slew of Takumars for them. The Spotmatics really are a beautifully made camera, Zen in design in my opinion.
100% agree with all this. The popularity and cost of the (in my opinion) inferior K1000 always baffles me. For open aperture metering fans, the Spotmatic F is also worth a look.
I think most people go for the K1000 because it it more often recommended for students and beginners who look for a fully manual camera. And you can use K-Mount lenses also on the Pentax digis. I have a Spotmatic but haven't shot much, shame on me. The previos owner has hammered the surface of the front plate flat and also partially painted the lens name over so that people can't see at first glance what it is. But it was cheap as the meter is not working. Thanks for a great review!
Wow I've been looking for weeks for the right camera but with all the hype for a lot of them it's just exhausting so this is definitely a great find, thank you!
Well said, I have a Spotmatic and I've used for my Glamour Portrait on film, to practice and acquiring back confidence with film. The camera is light in my hand and a joy to use. I have a Minolta SRT 101 too, bat that one is an heavy beast, it was my father's but I surely prefer my Spotmatic with its m42 mount!
Fabulous camera. I bought mine about a year ago and have used it almost everyday since. What is there not to like about this camera? Superb build, super smooth shutter and those classic looks. In fact the chassis was used on the K1000 right up to the end of production in 1997. A pretty amazing 33 year run, testament to it's superb engineering. Keep up the good work Lotta!
Hi, Lotta Agree w everything you say about Pentax Spotmatic. Own a Spotmatic SPII w the Takumar 50mm f1.4 prime lens and love how it performs. Love your description and especially your lovely smile too. ❤❤😊😊
I enjoyed your commentary on the Pentax Spotmatic. You are right, the Spotmatic is a great camera and a great value in film cameras. The Takumar lenses are pretty amazing optically. I have a YT channel where I mostly discuss analog and micro four thirds digital cameras along with shooting vintage lenses on mirrorless digital cameras. I used to own a camera repair shop and now enjoy bringing old cameras back to life so they can be used again.
When I started getting serious about photography (late 60’s) my uncle loaned me his Pentax Spotmatic and I was instantly smitten! Great camera, I was shooting great photos from the start and that increased my love for photography. I am looking for one right now.
That is a great choice of camera for a beginner . When I was looking for my first camera I bypassed this one for the ST 701 from Fujica . It also had a 55 mm kit lens and an even better light meter than other cameras of that day . From Fujica I began shooting larger film cameras up to 5x4. My last film camera was the Nikon FM2 n. I now shoot digital and MFT . Thanks for your video, it brought back so many great memories .
I have one of these cameras and i love it, it's built like a tank, minimalist design, all mechanical, all the funcions a camera needs, even a delay timer, and the sound is so satisfying. Not to mention the Takumar lenses are some of the best out there.
Thanks for sharing this video! The Pentax Spotmatic series outsold Nikon and Canon combined in the 60's. The Spotmatic is credited with being the first TTL camera but it really wasn't, however the build quality, industrial style design and Art Deco details and of course the Takumar lenses made these Pentax cameras a success. The SP 500 has a shutter speed of 1/1000 without it being marked on the speed dial!
I agree with you, a wonderful camera, and incidentally, the biggest-selling SLR of all time. It is an ideal size, not too big or too small, easy to use, and the picture quality can't be beaten.
These were an expensive camera used by professionals too. I've got two in my collection. One of which is an early seventies Spotmatic II which I bought new and it's still in use. The later bayonet fit cameras seemed to be popular with photo colleges and my feelings are because they were quite common it cheapened their image. In the 60s Pentax was up there with the top brands. Never condidered as a 'cheap camera' the final version of the Spotmatic was the 'F' version which had full aperture metering, as opposed to stop down but I wouldn't consider that feature as a necessity, it's just the designers moving on a little.
Great presentation. I bought my (Honeywell) Pentax Spotmatic when I was about 19y/o. Mostly shot the politically challenging times, and developed/printed a lot of Tri-X film. Watching your video inspired me get my Spotmatic and spend time with it. Back then it was the technology and we all adapted well! Today I use a 1986 Nikkor lens with my Nikon DSLR, like I said we adapt.
I love my Nikon FE, but I just had to buy a Spotmatic SP today. One, I really like mechanical cameras. Two, I miss my Pentax 67 and the Spotty reminds me of her. Three, a want a 50mm f1.4 Super Takumar and the Spotmatic is the perfect camera to mount it. Good video, thx.
Just a note about celebrities who use cameras, the Spotomatic was used by Paul McCartney and the Beatles in the early 60s; Paul has a touring exhibit of some the original shots from the time the Beatles first came to America.
Delightful to see your lovely presentation of the Pentax 35mm SLR. Own a Pentax Spotmatic SPII w a 50 mm f1.4 Takumar. Well balanced, reliable and well made, they are wonderful to shoot. They give a very sharp image, one part of my film cam collection. Love your smile and presentation. Keep up the great work and stay safe & adorable.❤
Pick up one of the pre-Spotmatics, an H or S series camera, the same basic design, but a bit smaller and sporting an even niftier down to even farther basics design, as they they didn’t have built in light meters. I currently have one on casual display in my living room, my actual first camera back in the 69s, an H1A.👌
I've only used a Spotmatic for the first time in the last year. I've always had other cameras. As soon as I got it from ebay and pulled it out the box however, it was was love at first sight. The design is a thing of absolute beauty, and the engineering is Japanese precision at its best. They are the most beautiful 35mm cameras. As you say, I'd recommend them for beginners and for experienced photographers. Love my Spotmatics.
Old Minoltas are also good cameras, and Rokkor-lenses are fantastic. Minolta kept the same mount, so all manual-focus Rokkors can be used on any Minolta SLR body. The autofocus lenses even fit on Sony A-mount DSLR's..
I still shoot regularly with vintage Pentax Takumar lenses from the sixties, on my Fujifilm & Sony mirrorless cameras, of which I have a fairly substantial collection., the smoothest focusing, best built lenses of the era, a pure pleasure to use, and cheap as dirt for the most part!..... best of both worlds✅
I have a Spotmatic F - really nice - looks good, feels good and very capable. What I think gives it a real advantage over the other Spotmatics is that the camera can do open aperture stop down metering - which was a great feature and is standard on every camera now.
I still have an Asahi Pentax SP500 that I started to really shoot on with film. I struggled with the sunny16 rule cause I struggled to judge the exposure differences between harsh sun and semi shade etc. Then added the battery and loved it. I also shot the first image on that camera where I saw a composition will develop and placed myself in the right spot and got the shot.
Got a Spotmatic F last year as my first film camera and recently purchased the ES II as well. They are absolutely fantastic and I love using them (even more fun than the Leica point-and-shoot that my dad found in the attic a couple of months ago)! I have quite a few of the Takumar lenses by now, from the 28mm up to the 200mm, and man - these lenses are amazing. Excellent cameras to get into photography for sure!
Great Camera and great Video! I love the Spotmatic for the same reasons. And in addition to the very high build quality, they are one of the ”simplest“ cameras to start doing your own repairs. A lot of very good videos about that here. I bought about 12 with minor problems for very low prices, most were repairable. Tip from me would be to look for a model with a broken meter for cheap, if you are on a tight budget. The CDS meter is not the most precise anyway after nearly 50 years. Use a smartphone app instead, and learn about the sunny 16😀 You will not need the meter after a wile, at least outdoors. Again, super video of yours, go on with this inspiring thing for new (and old😂) analog photographers. Christian
I liked your review of my first camera SLR camera that I bought back in 1977, unfortunately it was stolen in 1983, but unfortunately I acquired two functional Spotmatic.
I have a Pentax SFXn with a 28-80mm. You would love it. Overall, I really like Pentax for their quality and character. As for analogs, I also had Pentax ME. A neat little guy. And Pentax p30 too👍
My first SLR was a Pentax Spotmatic back in the early 70s. I enjoyed the camera but switched to a Nikon F2AS because I didn't like the Pentax M42 screw mount. BTW, I still shoot with the Spotmatic from time to time.
Hi Lotta, great review and great photos. I'm a big fan of the Spotmatic, I use the Spotmatic SP1000 which I think is the best looking Spotmatic. It doesn't have the self timer lever on the front so it looks nice and clean. If you love the Spotmatic and have an interest in 120mm film cameras you should give the Pentax 6x7 a try, it's a giant Spotmatic that takes 120mm film and also uses Takumar lenses designed specifically for the 6x7 but are styled the same as the metal Takumar M42 lenses. I'm also a fan of trying cameras without light meters, the meter on my SP1000 is pretty unreliable because it's so old but I find that with an external light meter (like some of the really good light meter apps) an in camera meter isn't all that necessary. I'm looking forward to your next video.
Excellent camera I picked one up a couple of years ago it came with the excellent Pentax Super Takumar 55mm f/1.8 lens. Camera, lens, and original fitted ever-ready case I paid $45.00 and I'm very happy with it. That Super Takumar lens is easily my best 'normal' focal length lens the colors just pop and excellent sharpness and contrast in printed images. By the way the Pentax Spotmatic was the camera of choice of Ringo Starr..I've seen photos of him with his Pentax Spotmatic.
@@parkcitystudios I realized that the other day and it made sense that I love their photographs so much haha. Linda McCartney is one of my favorite photographers, she seemed to have used a lot of different cameras, but that era of cameras just really speaks to me.
That's the camera I really love and want to buy. I'm in a continuous search of a good one to make my dream come true. This camera attracts me for so many years... Pentax are pretty much underrated actually. That was so pleasing to watch this video :)
awesome camera - there were many awesome cameras at that time and others that followed. Lots ofn excellent glass available too. Terrific presentation. Me? I adore the MX
The Spotmatic is a perfect camera both for beginners and experienced photographers. The lenses are top notch, still affortable. But there are many fantastic cameras from the sixties and seventies, it was really a golden age for photography. For example the Nikkormat FTn, the Canon FTb, the Konica T3, the Fujica ST701, the Minolta SR-T 101, the Olympus OM-1 - and the list could be even longer. If you find one it will probably work just fine. Nice channel you got here, keep it up! 🙂👍
It is far from underrated being one of the best-selling SLRs in the world. It's just that the newbies never lived during the golden years of photography and experienced shooting film. Glad people are discovering this wonderful camera. It was the first SLR I owned back in 1973. I got many thousands of great pictures from this camera.
I can’t deny that the spotmatic was a long lasting camera with great image quality from the lenses they made. However, I never liked the screw mount lens and always preferred a bayonet lens. Spotmatics also used stop down metering which means the lens is stopped down and the screen got dark, so you could take a metre reading so focussing was very difficult. I always preferred open aperture metering like Nikon or Minolta or other cameras that had that same system. Eventually Pentax went with the K mount which was a bayonet mount and open aperture metering on the ME and other cameras. Lately, though I bought some Pentax lenses and enjoy using them on my Nikon Z cameras, which gives them stabilization plus the adaptor is bayonet are very cheap so I just bought an adaptor for each lens. So no fumbling with a screw mounts which when I worked at a Camera Store, I dropped a 50 1.4 and bent the front of the lens thinking it started to thread onto the camera, but it didn’t. Most of the old Spotmatics,the metres are not working anymore because the old CDS sells don’t last forever. So when you buy one you’re mainly working with a Manual camera with no light meter. Having a camera with 1000 of a second shutter speed is also limiting when working with large aperture lenses. So old isn’t always better and cheap is not always better. Newer cameras help you grow beyond all the old cameras which were limiting. Just my two cents. Regards Gerry
Well it's a Pentax and Pentax in the film era was king. They invented the PentaPrism visor and yeah the M42 mount is a very good option. If I'm not mistaken it has a built in body light meter that works with batteries
I love the Spotmatic ! A real workhorse body and the Super Tachamure (?) lenses are awesome ! Something I would do to your camera is to take off the cold shoe attachment . It makes the camera even more attractive ....... :D ...... Cheers !
I recently reconditioned my Spotamatic I had to put new light Seals and mirror bumper I got the camera when I bought a whole kit it had a a number of lenses and filters the lenses had all the original metal lens hoods and it came with the Takumar 50mm 1.4 Radioactive lens, 35mm3.5 , 135mm 3.5 , extension tubes tele converter all for $100.00 to good a deal to pass up
If you have a couple of bucks, I might recommend the Nikons or (in my case) the Olympus OMs. But... These things can be picked up for almost free. I have a couple I bought for the lenses. The Takumars are reason enough to use the Spotmatics, or get a K mount SLR with the M42 adapter. The SMC 85 1.8 is a wonderful lens. The Spotmatics are built solidly and can host all the M42 lenses, many of which you can get almost free.
I just picked up the Fujica ST605 which uses the same M42 mount as the Spotmatic. I haven't shot with it yet, but it seems to be in good working condition (after I cleaned out the crusty battery compartment and installed fresh batteries). For $20 at a local thrift store, I couldn't pass it up.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts about this camera, I'll have a look out for one to add to my collection of retro cameras. Do these take the M42 screw mount lens? I have some of those. I've added your channel, hopefully you'll connect with another retro photographer?
These really are great cameras, I have a few of them but my favorites are two beat up looking black ones that just look cool. I noticed you’re a left eye shooter, I am too and it makes some cameras uncomfortable to use like most Nikons with the advance lever having to be pulled out for the meter.
Pentax Spotmatics are indeed incredible cameras but many of them have exposure meters that do not work. Those with functional meters may need specialized batteries or changes made to correct voltage on on existing battery options. An external meter or sunny 16 can be used but this may be a bit of a hassle for beginners. The best thing about this camera is the multitude of M42 thread lenses available from so many different manufacturers!
I totally agree. everyone seems to look for a the K1000 which is similar but way over priced IMHO and many K1000 were made in china :( But The Asahi Spotmatics are real gems. I have a big collection from SP up to SPF including ES ESII SPII SP1000 SP500 in chrome and black versions plus all have Takumar lenses fitted. Yes buy 10 of them. :). Great video thank you.
If I had to pick one camera I could use for the rest of my life, it’d be my spotmatic. It’s just suck a wonderful experience, and I don’t know of a camera with a nicer shutter sound
We did talk about it young lady, in the early 70s in my case. But, the majority of us could not hear the thought of not having a Nikon F. So the history is writte. This Pentax is a good one, as far as fully manual cameras go. The lenses are also half decent. Many thanks to you.
Beginners are told to buy K1000s all the time - and pay premium prices for them - when the K1000 is substantively the same as the Spotmatic. Same goes for the KM and KX models... they're all Spotmatic variants.
Enjoyable review. Just found your website so sorry for the delay. Are all your Pentax Spotmatic cameras the same model ? I have two of a later version which is the ESII. Stunning cameras and great with all the m42 lenses I have. What M42 lenses do you have for your Spotmatic’s.
Thank you all so much for your awesome comments! Now I‘d love to see your work: www.reddit.com/r/lottamilde/comments/136kxly/what_was_your_first_film_camera/? Please join our community over on Reddit and share your work with me! If you‘re new to film photography and would like to learn how to get involved, please check out my newest video here: th-cam.com/video/drWRLdXG10w/w-d-xo.html Thanks again for watching this little video and have a wonderful day!
Maybe not a nice or awesome comment. This generation of Asahi Pentax cameras had a weakness in that their mirrors could lock up to freeze the camera. And I owned one of those problem cameras. Working as a pro at the time, it made us - juvenile - call them Asahi Tampax. Shipping the camera to the national importer, having it fixed, shipped back and the handling fee of a local shop all added up to about 10% to 15% of the camera's new price. And it happened repeatedly. I moved on to Nikon, with an F2 (designed to never need CLA), and never looked back. The Takumar glass was really nice. Hence I also tested the Pentax 6*7, but that became a couple Hasselblad 503 and SWC cameras with Zeiss lenses. X-sync to as fast as 1/500 sec and no time parallax. Years after the Asahi issues, I discussed the problem with a colleague and he replied, well the "repair" is simple. Grab the camera from the top in one hand and bump the bottom on the thick of your hand (the part leading to the thumb). This will unlock the mirror and it works fine again, until the next time it freezes and you need to repeat the procedure.
@@jpdj2715 That's pretty wild! I had no idea this camera had that issue. I have had several spotmatics for almost ten years and never had that happen! I've been hearing a lot of good things about Nikon SLRs, makes me want to test them out. Though I will say I have never not been happy with my Pentax. I'm sure there's always something 'better' out there, but these spotmatics will always have my heart for teaching me how to use a camera. Thanks for your comment!
@@lottamilde - you can really be lucky with these Spotmatics, the lenses are very nice too (note that some Takumars have glass elements with radioactive elements in their mineral mix. Not something to be afraid of, I guess, but be careful in case you shatter a lens with that property. And, no, Asahi weren't eh only ones to have used such isotopes in their lenses.) So, as you are lucky, just stay the course and if in a couple years Spotmatic has its mirror stuck, remember to try my simple "free" repair procedure. "GAS" (gear acquisition syndrome - AKA upgradeitis) does not make your artwork more beautiful.
Thank you for making this video. While pentax is have great functionality, do you think a waist level camera such as Nikon F3 could be a better option?
Brilliant camera, indeed. Best M42 - apart from my Ricoh Singlex II 😂. No, just kidding. Back in the '70 I would have loved to own one. But those that had been available were too expensive for a pupil like me... so I just ended up with the Ricoh.
Thank you all for the wonderful comments! I just uploaded a new video where I share my favorite photos I took with this camera on a recent trip to Singapore!
Check it out 🇸🇬
This was my first film SLR and I still have it 25 years later. I’ve never had it serviced or repaired…. It just works. I call mine the tank. They’re not popular because of the screw mount lens. It’s an antiquated system. That’s what a camera shop guy told me after he gave me crap for using it. I don’t care. It’s more reliable than newer camera systems.
I just ordered one because I already have three or four screw mount lenses that I adapt to my digital cameras. Shop employees can be great resources but some of them really get it wrong!
Couldn’t agree more. I have my father’s Spotmatic F and I love it. The 50 1.4 is a beautiful lens.
I have that same set up and it’s a dream. I use it to photograph weddings.
Found my dad's old Pentax Spotmatic in the garage, went to get it repaired at the old camera shop by my house, but the curtain was broken... so it would have been a $300 fix. They said, just buy a new body and use the lens. That's what I did this morning and now I'm having so much figuring out how to use it. And I lost my dad almost ten years ago so it's really nice to have something to keep his memory alive 📷 🌲 🍂
Perfect camera to learn photography. The needle meter is really intuitive. Great lens selection. It is extremely durable. Sometimes the shutter can get stuck but it’s extremely easy to service yourself.
I can only agree with you. The Spotmatic is a real treasure. I started out digital and bought one, as I am using M42 lenses on my digital camera anyway. So the step was a small one. And it feels just great to work with a fully mechanical camera.
Het Xiao, I am in the same boat. Love my M42 vintage glas, which I used so far only on my Digital system camera’s. And recently I bought a Pentax Spotmatic with a Super Takumar 55mm f1.8 which I did not have in my collection yet. Two ver good reasons to be very happy!
Back in the late 1960s, when my Miranda Sensorex 35mm film camera broke for the third time within two years, a colleague loaned me his spare Pentax Spotmatic with 50mm f/1.4 lens. I fell in love with the Pentax SLR body and the 8-element 50mm f/1.4 became my personal favorite Pentax lens.
The 105mm f/2.8 was my second favorite. Loved the portraits I was able to capture with this lens.
I routinely carried my two favorite Pentax lenses in a 28/50/105mm lens kit.
I was later informed by colleagues that Nikon was the 35mm SLR camera used by most professional journalist in America, but Pentax was the 35mm SLR camera used by most professional journalist in Europe.
My house school bught several Prntax Spotmatics in 1971, and she nce I signed on as a class photographer vo!llunteer, zI made and developed many yearbook images. Great value. great memories.
Was first sold in 1964 or 65. Depending on where you live in the World!
TTL means through-the-lens metering. Likely THE most important "innovation" in film 🎥 🎞 photography 📸 ever!
They're really lovely cameras and the lenses are nice on the budget, too. I'm glad people aren't overpricing them, but they're also proof that there are some truly nice cameras out there that aren't overpriced yet. Good video!
Thank you so much for watching! I feel like there are so many underrated, underpriced cameras out there... Makes me happy and sad that I don't know about all of them!
You're welcome! So true, and yes! More good things to discover. :)
Yeah at 12 years old in 1972 I was shooting and developing the negatives and prints with the Honeywell version of this camera. It was a pro-sumer camera of the day, for whatever reason the company never really went full out pro with the name. I still have the camera today and it works as it did back in time. Having used Nikon, Minolta, and Canon in the day the Pentax has a more solid feel to it. Look for a nice clean camera and you will not be disappointed.
Great review. I think you are right in that the K-1000 is pretty well known but people forget about the Spotmatic. I knew someone who had bought this camera new in the 70s and was still shooting it. My own version of this is the Minolta SRT range, specifically the 101. I got mine a few years ago for free because I wanted the lense and the owner threw in the body. It's very similar, a workhorse that was used by a lot of reporters.
My first camera was a Kodak Advantix P&S when I was about 9. I asked for that camera for my birthday. This is why I tell people I've always been a photographer ;)
When I got older my dad let me have his Fujica STX-1. I took it to the Galapagos islands with me for my senior HS trip. I still have it and shoot with it occasionally.
I got one in the 90s when I was a student..Rits camera used to make a budget brand that used the same lens mount and you can find plastic bodies and tons of lens
i just got one of these! so excited to use it for the first time
Have fun with it! 🥰
Yes, I have six Spotmatic cameras along with a slew of Takumars for them. The Spotmatics really are a beautifully made camera, Zen in design in my opinion.
100% agree with all this. The popularity and cost of the (in my opinion) inferior K1000 always baffles me. For open aperture metering fans, the Spotmatic F is also worth a look.
I think most people go for the K1000 because it it more often recommended for students and beginners who look for a fully manual camera. And you can use K-Mount lenses also on the Pentax digis. I have a Spotmatic but haven't shot much, shame on me. The previos owner has hammered the surface of the front plate flat and also partially painted the lens name over so that people can't see at first glance what it is. But it was cheap as the meter is not working. Thanks for a great review!
The k1000 in my collection was passed down to me from my father. I have a few other SLRs in my collection and maybe someday I'll add a Spotmatic.
Wow I've been looking for weeks for the right camera but with all the hype for a lot of them it's just exhausting so this is definitely a great find, thank you!
My two favourite cameras are my Pentax Spotmatic and S1a. Well built cameras that produce a fabulous image with Takumar and quality Soviet lenses.
first SLR i ever used. simply magical, the largest brightest viewfinder.
Well said, I have a Spotmatic and I've used for my Glamour Portrait on film, to practice and acquiring back confidence with film. The camera is light in my hand and a joy to use. I have a Minolta SRT 101 too, bat that one is an heavy beast, it was my father's but I surely prefer my Spotmatic with its m42 mount!
When I started art school I bought an Olympus OM1… with amazing lenses!! And of course… it’s the person behind the camera…
Fabulous camera. I bought mine about a year ago and have used it almost everyday since. What is there not to like about this camera? Superb build, super smooth shutter and those classic looks. In fact the chassis was used on the K1000 right up to the end of production in 1997. A pretty amazing 33 year run, testament to it's superb engineering. Keep up the good work Lotta!
Hi, Lotta
Agree w everything you say about Pentax Spotmatic. Own a Spotmatic SPII w the Takumar 50mm f1.4 prime lens and love how it performs. Love your description and especially your lovely smile too. ❤❤😊😊
It might be a little difficult to find an example of one with a working meter, but it's good to know how to use a hand held meter.
I enjoyed your commentary on the Pentax Spotmatic. You are right, the Spotmatic is a great camera and a great value in film cameras. The Takumar lenses are pretty amazing optically.
I have a YT channel where I mostly discuss analog and micro four thirds digital cameras along with shooting vintage lenses on mirrorless digital cameras. I used to own a camera repair shop and now enjoy bringing old cameras back to life so they can be used again.
When I started getting serious about photography (late 60’s) my uncle loaned me his Pentax Spotmatic and I was instantly smitten! Great camera, I was shooting great photos from the start and that increased my love for photography. I am looking for one right now.
Absolutely right, solid advice, I totally agree with every word.
The most important thing about all cameras are the lenses
Wrong! It's the photographer :)
@@PawsOffMyPancakes I was talking about the camera as equipment.
Well especially film cameras. In digital you start having a lot more features of the sensor that sets them apart.
She said that at 2:07.
I found a spotmatic sp for around 60 dollars in my country. I think you just convinced me to get it
This brings back memories - we don't have this camera anymore, but I used to play with it as a young child. I wish we kept it now!
You should get one! I always think that this might actually be a great camera for children because it's so simple and robust.
That is a great choice of camera for a beginner . When I was looking for my first camera I bypassed this one for the ST 701 from Fujica . It also had a 55 mm kit lens and an even better light meter than other cameras of that day . From Fujica I began shooting larger film cameras up to 5x4. My last film camera was the Nikon FM2 n. I now shoot digital and MFT . Thanks for your video, it brought back so many great memories .
I got it's daughter, the Pentax K1000. Love it!
Fantastic video, the Pentax Spotmatic is a gem.
I have one of these cameras and i love it, it's built like a tank, minimalist design, all mechanical, all the funcions a camera needs, even a delay timer, and the sound is so satisfying. Not to mention the Takumar lenses are some of the best out there.
I agree I've got a nice collection of M42 mount cameras. All seriously underrated.
Thanks for sharing this video! The Pentax Spotmatic series outsold Nikon and Canon combined in the 60's. The Spotmatic is credited with being the first TTL camera but it really wasn't, however the build quality, industrial style design and Art Deco details and of course the Takumar lenses made these Pentax cameras a success. The SP 500 has a shutter speed of 1/1000 without it being marked on the speed dial!
Hi Lotta, I love my Pentax cameras; pentax me, p3, and 645. Keep up the videos!
I agree with you, a wonderful camera, and incidentally, the biggest-selling SLR of all time. It is an ideal size, not too big or too small, easy to use, and the picture quality can't be beaten.
These were an expensive camera used by professionals too. I've got two in my collection. One of which is an early seventies Spotmatic II which I bought new and it's still in use. The later bayonet fit cameras seemed to be popular with photo colleges and my feelings are because they were quite common it cheapened their image. In the 60s Pentax was up there with the top brands. Never condidered as a 'cheap camera' the final version of the Spotmatic was the 'F' version which had full aperture metering, as opposed to stop down but I wouldn't consider that feature as a necessity, it's just the designers moving on a little.
My buddy recently picked up one of these and it's a power house for such a small portable camera!
Great presentation. I bought my (Honeywell) Pentax Spotmatic when I was about 19y/o. Mostly shot the politically challenging times, and developed/printed a lot of Tri-X film. Watching your video inspired me get my Spotmatic and spend time with it. Back then it was the technology and we all adapted well! Today I use a 1986 Nikkor lens with my Nikon DSLR, like I said we adapt.
I love my Nikon FE, but I just had to buy a Spotmatic SP today. One, I really like mechanical cameras. Two, I miss my Pentax 67 and the Spotty reminds me of her. Three, a want a 50mm f1.4 Super Takumar and the Spotmatic is the perfect camera to mount it. Good video, thx.
Let us know how you like your spotmatic!
Just a note about celebrities who use cameras, the Spotomatic was used by Paul McCartney and the Beatles in the early 60s; Paul has a touring exhibit of some the original shots from the time the Beatles first came to America.
Agree. I started with these in the mid-60s. Nothing feels better in the hand. But, wear the strap!
Delightful to see your lovely presentation of the Pentax 35mm SLR. Own a Pentax Spotmatic SPII w a 50 mm f1.4 Takumar. Well balanced, reliable and well made, they are wonderful to shoot. They give a very sharp image, one part of my film cam collection. Love your smile and presentation. Keep up the great work and stay safe & adorable.❤
Pick up one of the pre-Spotmatics, an H or S series camera, the same basic design, but a bit smaller and sporting an even niftier down to even farther basics design, as they they didn’t have built in light meters. I currently have one on casual display in my living room, my actual first camera back in the 69s, an H1A.👌
I've only used a Spotmatic for the first time in the last year. I've always had other cameras. As soon as I got it from ebay and pulled it out the box however, it was was love at first sight. The design is a thing of absolute beauty, and the engineering is Japanese precision at its best.
They are the most beautiful 35mm cameras. As you say, I'd recommend them for beginners and for experienced photographers. Love my Spotmatics.
Old Minoltas are also good cameras, and Rokkor-lenses are fantastic. Minolta kept the same mount, so all manual-focus Rokkors can be used on any Minolta SLR body. The autofocus lenses even fit on Sony A-mount DSLR's..
Thanks Lotte, very nice camera indeed. I have one and the Beatles used Spotmatics in the sixties. In Holland these cameras are getting more expensive.
I loved watching the Beatles documentary recently and feeling like a lot of the images look very familiar. There really is something about that look!
I just bought one of eBay. SPII w/50F1.4. I hope it’s good. I’m excited
I still shoot regularly with vintage Pentax Takumar lenses from the sixties, on my Fujifilm & Sony mirrorless cameras, of which I have a fairly substantial collection., the smoothest focusing, best built lenses of the era, a pure pleasure to use, and cheap as dirt for the most part!..... best of both worlds✅
I have a Spotmatic F - really nice - looks good, feels good and very capable. What I think gives it a real advantage over the other Spotmatics is that the camera can do open aperture stop down metering - which was a great feature and is standard on every camera now.
Thank you for this, I have just got one and it is reassuring that you value them so highly!
I still have an Asahi Pentax SP500 that I started to really shoot on with film. I struggled with the sunny16 rule cause I struggled to judge the exposure differences between harsh sun and semi shade etc. Then added the battery and loved it. I also shot the first image on that camera where I saw a composition will develop and placed myself in the right spot and got the shot.
Got a Spotmatic F last year as my first film camera and recently purchased the ES II as well. They are absolutely fantastic and I love using them (even more fun than the Leica point-and-shoot that my dad found in the attic a couple of months ago)! I have quite a few of the Takumar lenses by now, from the 28mm up to the 200mm, and man - these lenses are amazing. Excellent cameras to get into photography for sure!
I actually decided to get myself a Spotmatic specifically because I saw it in an Icelandic movie, Driving Mum. So far I have really enjoyed using it.
I’ve got a SP with a selection of lenses, great camera and built like a tank.
Great Camera and great Video!
I love the Spotmatic for the same reasons.
And in addition to the very high build quality, they are one of the
”simplest“ cameras to start doing your own repairs.
A lot of very good videos about that here.
I bought about 12 with minor problems for very low prices, most were repairable.
Tip from me would be to look for a model with a broken meter for cheap, if you are on a tight budget.
The CDS meter is not the most precise anyway after nearly 50 years.
Use a smartphone app instead, and learn about the sunny 16😀
You will not need the meter after a wile, at least outdoors.
Again, super video of yours,
go on with this inspiring thing for new (and old😂) analog photographers.
Christian
I have a black one. Love it!
I liked your review of my first camera SLR camera that I bought back in 1977, unfortunately it was stolen in 1983, but unfortunately I acquired two functional Spotmatic.
I have a Pentax SFXn with a 28-80mm. You would love it. Overall, I really like Pentax for their quality and character. As for analogs, I also had Pentax ME. A neat little guy. And Pentax p30 too👍
My first SLR was a Pentax Spotmatic back in the early 70s. I enjoyed the camera but switched to a Nikon F2AS because I didn't like the Pentax M42 screw mount. BTW, I still shoot with the Spotmatic from time to time.
Hi Lotta, great review and great photos. I'm a big fan of the Spotmatic, I use the Spotmatic SP1000 which I think is the best looking Spotmatic. It doesn't have the self timer lever on the front so it looks nice and clean. If you love the Spotmatic and have an interest in 120mm film cameras you should give the Pentax 6x7 a try, it's a giant Spotmatic that takes 120mm film and also uses Takumar lenses designed specifically for the 6x7 but are styled the same as the metal Takumar M42 lenses. I'm also a fan of trying cameras without light meters, the meter on my SP1000 is pretty unreliable because it's so old but I find that with an external light meter (like some of the really good light meter apps) an in camera meter isn't all that necessary. I'm looking forward to your next video.
Excellent camera I picked one up a couple of years ago it came with the excellent Pentax Super Takumar 55mm f/1.8 lens. Camera, lens, and original fitted ever-ready case I paid $45.00 and I'm very happy with it. That Super Takumar lens is easily my best 'normal' focal length lens the colors just pop and excellent sharpness and contrast in printed images. By the way the Pentax Spotmatic was the camera of choice of Ringo Starr..I've seen photos of him with his Pentax Spotmatic.
So glad Thomas you highlight that the amazing Ringo Starr used this camera. I own his book “Photograph”.
@@normanmakesfilms8574 All four Beatles owned Pentax Spotmatics.
@@parkcitystudios I realized that the other day and it made sense that I love their photographs so much haha. Linda McCartney is one of my favorite photographers, she seemed to have used a lot of different cameras, but that era of cameras just really speaks to me.
That's the camera I really love and want to buy. I'm in a continuous search of a good one to make my dream come true. This camera attracts me for so many years... Pentax are pretty much underrated actually.
That was so pleasing to watch this video :)
$100 USD on eBay all day every day. Why haven’t you have one
@@Zetaphotography the problem is eBay doesn't work here, so I can't order one.
Great video
awesome camera - there were many awesome cameras at that time and others that followed. Lots ofn excellent glass available too. Terrific presentation. Me? I adore the MX
The Spotmatic is a perfect camera both for beginners and experienced photographers. The lenses are top notch, still affortable. But there are many fantastic cameras from the sixties and seventies, it was really a golden age for photography. For example the Nikkormat FTn, the Canon FTb, the Konica T3, the Fujica ST701, the Minolta SR-T 101, the Olympus OM-1 - and the list could be even longer. If you find one it will probably work just fine. Nice channel you got here, keep it up! 🙂👍
Thanks for this great videos! Cant wait to use my pentax that i recently purchased on ebay. Awesome camera review!
It is far from underrated being one of the best-selling SLRs in the world. It's just that the newbies never lived during the golden years of photography and experienced shooting film. Glad people are discovering this wonderful camera. It was the first SLR I owned back in 1973. I got many thousands of great pictures from this camera.
It's very nice to listen to you
Aw, thank you so much for watching!
Great video!
I can’t deny that the spotmatic was a long lasting camera with great image quality from the lenses they made. However, I never liked the screw mount lens and always preferred a bayonet lens. Spotmatics also used stop down metering which means the lens is stopped down and the screen got dark, so you could take a metre reading so focussing was very difficult. I always preferred open aperture metering like Nikon or Minolta or other cameras that had that same system. Eventually Pentax went with the K mount which was a bayonet mount and open aperture metering on the ME and other cameras. Lately, though I bought some Pentax lenses and enjoy using them on my Nikon Z cameras, which gives them stabilization plus the adaptor is bayonet are very cheap so I just bought an adaptor for each lens. So no fumbling with a screw mounts which when I worked at a Camera Store, I dropped a 50 1.4 and bent the front of the lens thinking it started to thread onto the camera, but it didn’t. Most of the old Spotmatics,the metres are not working anymore because the old CDS sells don’t last forever. So when you buy one you’re mainly working with a Manual camera with no light meter. Having a camera with 1000 of a second shutter speed is also limiting when working with large aperture lenses. So old isn’t always better and cheap is not always better. Newer cameras help you grow beyond all the old cameras which were limiting. Just my two cents. Regards Gerry
Well it's a Pentax and Pentax in the film era was king. They invented the PentaPrism visor and yeah the M42 mount is a very good option. If I'm not mistaken it has a built in body light meter that works with batteries
I love the Spotmatic ! A real workhorse body and the Super Tachamure (?) lenses are awesome ! Something I would do to your camera is to take off the cold shoe attachment . It makes the camera even more attractive ....... :D ...... Cheers !
Terrific video! Congrats!
I recently reconditioned my Spotamatic I had to put new light Seals and mirror bumper I got the camera when I bought a whole kit it had a a number of lenses and filters the lenses had all the original metal lens hoods and it came with the Takumar 50mm 1.4 Radioactive lens, 35mm3.5 , 135mm 3.5 , extension tubes tele converter all for $100.00 to good a deal to pass up
If you have a couple of bucks, I might recommend the Nikons or (in my case) the Olympus OMs. But... These things can be picked up for almost free. I have a couple I bought for the lenses. The Takumars are reason enough to use the Spotmatics, or get a K mount SLR with the M42 adapter. The SMC 85 1.8 is a wonderful lens. The Spotmatics are built solidly and can host all the M42 lenses, many of which you can get almost free.
Invest in a set of Takumars, for film or digital. You won't be disappointed.
Yes.. old Nikons have soul.
I just picked up the Fujica ST605 which uses the same M42 mount as the Spotmatic. I haven't shot with it yet, but it seems to be in good working condition (after I cleaned out the crusty battery compartment and installed fresh batteries). For $20 at a local thrift store, I couldn't pass it up.
That looks like a lovely camera as well! Have fun trying it out!
Nice pictures!
I have had mine since 1975 sp11
The SL version is super clean (no meter)
Most now No Meter! Oh! My Leicameter on m3 was finished in 2 years.. The Spotmatic lasted a lot longer!
Very nice video... I love it...!! I have a Minolta SRT 101 and I want to buy a Pentax Spotmatic. Thanks!!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts about this camera, I'll have a look out for one to add to my collection of retro cameras.
Do these take the M42 screw mount lens?
I have some of those.
I've added your channel, hopefully you'll connect with another retro photographer?
These really are great cameras, I have a few of them but my favorites are two beat up looking black ones that just look cool. I noticed you’re a left eye shooter, I am too and it makes some cameras uncomfortable to use like most Nikons with the advance lever having to be pulled out for the meter.
A left eye shooter? Haha I never noticed that. How funny!
Pentax Spotmatics are indeed incredible cameras but many of them have exposure meters that do not work. Those with functional meters may need specialized batteries or changes made to correct voltage on on existing battery options. An external meter or sunny 16 can be used but this may be a bit of a hassle for beginners. The best thing about this camera is the multitude of M42 thread lenses available from so many different manufacturers!
Will you please do a video including some of the photos you’ve taken with the Pentax?
I totally agree. everyone seems to look for a the K1000 which is similar but way over priced IMHO and many K1000 were made in china :( But The Asahi Spotmatics are real gems. I have a big collection from SP up to SPF including ES ESII SPII SP1000 SP500 in chrome and black versions plus all have Takumar lenses fitted. Yes buy 10 of them. :). Great video thank you.
If I had to pick one camera I could use for the rest of my life, it’d be my spotmatic. It’s just suck a wonderful experience, and I don’t know of a camera with a nicer shutter sound
We did talk about it young lady, in the early 70s in my case. But, the majority of us could not hear the thought of not having a Nikon F. So the history is writte. This Pentax is a good one, as far as fully manual cameras go. The lenses are also half decent. Many thanks to you.
Beginners are told to buy K1000s all the time - and pay premium prices for them - when the K1000 is substantively the same as the Spotmatic. Same goes for the KM and KX models... they're all Spotmatic variants.
Enjoyable review. Just found your website so sorry for the delay. Are all your Pentax Spotmatic cameras the same model ? I have two of a later version which is the ESII. Stunning cameras and great with all the m42 lenses I have. What M42 lenses do you have for your Spotmatic’s.
Thank you all so much for your awesome comments! Now I‘d love to see your work:
www.reddit.com/r/lottamilde/comments/136kxly/what_was_your_first_film_camera/?
Please join our community over on Reddit and share your work with me!
If you‘re new to film photography and would like to learn how to get involved, please check out my newest video here:
th-cam.com/video/drWRLdXG10w/w-d-xo.html
Thanks again for watching this little video and have a wonderful day!
Maybe not a nice or awesome comment. This generation of Asahi Pentax cameras had a weakness in that their mirrors could lock up to freeze the camera. And I owned one of those problem cameras. Working as a pro at the time, it made us - juvenile - call them Asahi Tampax. Shipping the camera to the national importer, having it fixed, shipped back and the handling fee of a local shop all added up to about 10% to 15% of the camera's new price. And it happened repeatedly. I moved on to Nikon, with an F2 (designed to never need CLA), and never looked back. The Takumar glass was really nice. Hence I also tested the Pentax 6*7, but that became a couple Hasselblad 503 and SWC cameras with Zeiss lenses. X-sync to as fast as 1/500 sec and no time parallax. Years after the Asahi issues, I discussed the problem with a colleague and he replied, well the "repair" is simple. Grab the camera from the top in one hand and bump the bottom on the thick of your hand (the part leading to the thumb). This will unlock the mirror and it works fine again, until the next time it freezes and you need to repeat the procedure.
@@jpdj2715 That's pretty wild! I had no idea this camera had that issue. I have had several spotmatics for almost ten years and never had that happen!
I've been hearing a lot of good things about Nikon SLRs, makes me want to test them out.
Though I will say I have never not been happy with my Pentax. I'm sure there's always something 'better' out there, but these spotmatics will always have my heart for teaching me how to use a camera.
Thanks for your comment!
@@lottamilde - you can really be lucky with these Spotmatics, the lenses are very nice too (note that some Takumars have glass elements with radioactive elements in their mineral mix. Not something to be afraid of, I guess, but be careful in case you shatter a lens with that property. And, no, Asahi weren't eh only ones to have used such isotopes in their lenses.)
So, as you are lucky, just stay the course and if in a couple years Spotmatic has its mirror stuck, remember to try my simple "free" repair procedure. "GAS" (gear acquisition syndrome - AKA upgradeitis) does not make your artwork more beautiful.
Great video, thank you 👍🙂
Most new photographers can't hit focus with mirrorless autofocus systems. God help them trying to manually focus.
Thank you for making this video. While pentax is have great functionality, do you think a waist level camera such as Nikon F3 could be a better option?
I could sell all my film cameras and lenses and only use the spotmatic with the 35mm f3,5 takumar and I would be satisfied
Brilliant camera, indeed. Best M42 - apart from my Ricoh Singlex II 😂. No, just kidding. Back in the '70 I would have loved to own one. But those that had been available were too expensive for a pupil like me... so I just ended up with the Ricoh.
And not to mention all of that thorium doped takumar glass! Just don’t drop it or keep it under your bed!