Thanks this was a great series. I have my grandfathers Spotmatic F he purchased in' "71 or 72. Still running beautifully. It was $369.00 when he purchased it with the 50mm SMC 1.4 and a case. He said the base was around $170 with a lesser lens; he went all out. It was big bucks and wanted to impress on me to treat it well.
They're beautiful "workhorses", to quote a photog who saw my second hand model with its 49mm F 1.4, lens. Truly, the simplicity invites synthethic and abstract interaction with all kinds of or, even, simple ideas. I could guess the meter reading in mind without a batt charge, but without the luxury of a digital storage it always helps to double check and not fool one's self. While I was in the store, using my American penny on a work space on the top of a small beverage cooler, I unscrewed the port hatch thus freeing the former tenant to roll underneath said cooler towards an irretrievable or yet to be determined location. Hence I scrolled around for manuals to check on the battery, so thanks for everything. Stuff gets ways from ya reak\l quick at the micro level. I forgot the eyecup advice given me before, or perhaps having one just for comfort. I could swear I was told mine a depth of field preview on it. Super camera with a little practice and the right film....in light of that each brand will have its own characteristics. Thx again-and for the history too
+Neal McVidsup Thank you very much. These are fabulous cameras. I think the F is the best Spotmatic and it's certainly one of the most fun cameras to use.
Brilliant videos - I have two of these cameras that I taught myself photography back in the 90's - Beautiful cameras - You have just inspired me to get them out again and give them a cleanup - thank you
Thanks @@DavidHancock - I was amazed to find one of them working fine - Light meter working after many years of storage - Sadly the other one (annoyingly my favourite out of the two) the light meter needle is stuck 'up' - but either way really excited to get them out and get a roll of film in them - Thanks again - andy
Thank you I had no idea about how to use my Super Multi Coated Takumar 55mm correctly on this camera, no problem with my later SMC but I was scratching my head about the older lens.
I picked up a Pentax Honeywell Spotmatic (the earlier version without a hot shoe on top of the prism housing) with a Pentax Super Takumar 55mm f/1.8 lens last year. Wonderful little film SLR I find it well made and easy to use. The lens yields sharp images with excellent color saturation. All my other film SLR's have open aperture metering but I rather like the stop-down metering on my Spotmatic. I compose and focus at full aperture, then set exposure at the taking aperture and it's easy.
Compared to the standard Spotmatic, which I also own, this camera is a revelation. It's removed any need or desire I might have had to buy a K-series camera. The only real problem with this and the Electro series is that the SMC Takumar lenses were "front-line" issue for so short a period, 1971-75, after which the bayonet K mount took over. Unlike the standard M42 mount as seen on the Super Taks, there wasn't really enough time for the third-party manufacturers to start duplicating them, so if you want open aperture metering on the F and ES's it's SMC Takumar or nothing.
Just ordered this camera! It brings me full circle in my incredible case of GAS! I have owned a K1000 forever but for some reason, when I made my return to film photography, I wanted a rangefinder similar to what my parents had. Well almost 10 rangefinders later, I come across the Spotmatic. At first I resisted, after all is it not just an earlier and fancier K1000? Despite what others have said, the K1000 does not feel "clunky" nor "cheap" to me and takes great photos. Still I was too much in my fever and had to have it so it is with great anticipation that I await my F's arrival. Great video as usual.
@@DavidHancock Just added a ES too! I heard this was limited only to Japan but from what I read it is an F with aperture priority auto features added. Plus it is black only. It was too cheap to pass up. I am going by the N+1 rule of correct number of cameras to own I guess. Thanks for the reply.
LR44's are 1.5V the camera is designed for a 1.35 volt battery. I'm not saying that the LR44 won't work, but they are not the same voltage as the old battery. It is possible to find a replacement, you can also use an adapter with a resistor (or something) in it to convert the 1.5V to 1.35V, they cost more like $20
The Spotmatic F has a voltage moderator built into the circuit. So, unlike every other camera that uses 1.35-volt batteries, the F will meter correctly with a 1.5-volt battery as long as the 1.5-V battery can produce more than 1.35-V. The modern batteries lose voltage as they age so until the battery is nearly dead, it will work fine in these.
There are some exotic M42 lenses that'd be problematic, such as the Zuiko FTL M42 or a few Russian electronic M42 with dedicated connectors but the vast majority of M42 (a.k.a. "Pentax screw mount" or "Pentax M42") are compatible, if not 100% functionalities on latest M42 Pentax bodies, all at least can be used to take photos without other problem than metering limitation. M39/ZM39 (Leitz/Zenit/Praktica) can also be adapted.
I know you kind of explained it, but I still need to read it to understand it better. I have both an SPII and F. I have a Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 55mm 1.8 and a SMC Takumar 50mm 1.4 . Therefore, if I attach the SMC to the F I'm just supposed to set my aperture, look at the meter, play with the Shutter Speed, and just take the picture? No turning on the metering switch, correct? But, if I use the Super...Takumar, I have to set it to Auto (on the lens' lever), set my aperture, turn on the metering switch, find the correct shutter speed, turn off the switch, and then shoot? Or am I understanding it wrong? And I really don't know how to work the SPII, I think I need to change the battery...or the SMC lenses only work on the F bodies. Because the meter doesn't move at all when I turn it on (neither on Auto or Manual), but if I set an aperture and turn the shutter speed wheel, the little arrow on the left of the shutter speed wheel lights up. My guess is that it shows me the correct shutter speed to the set aperture, but I don't know if it's reading the frame. What do you think?
It sounds like you have it correct. The SMC lenses meter accurately on the F. If you've ever used a K1000, the SMC lenses work on the F like all K-mount lenses work on the K1000. The Super Takumar lenses require stop-down metering with the switch on the lens. The SPII works exactly like the F does with the Super Takumar lenses -- everything has to be stopped down for metering. The SPII should only read the light coming into the lens when the lens is stopped down (IIRC; it's been a long time since I used mine.)
Missing the battery chamber? Did I forget to go over the batteries for this camera or did I just forget to put the battery cap back on it during the video?
hey, i have the spotmatic f and a few smc lenses. i have recently procured a jupiter 37a. this is my first third-party m42 lens and first time to do stop-down metering. i was concerned about screwing the lens onto the mount at first, but proceeded since i do not see any aperture ring on the lens to hurt anything, hopefully. i push the stop-down lever down, preset the lens, then open the lens up, so to speak, and focus/compose, then turn the f stop ring back to the preset f stop, change the shutter speed to align the needle between the + and -, and shoot. does that sound like a good workflow?' thanks, david
With the F you don't need to stop-down first because it has open-aperture metering. So to as small as f/5.6 your readings will be accurate. Beyond f/5.6m, take an f/5.6 reading and then compensate manually to avoid underexposed images.
Welp. It turns out the metal contact in the battery chamber in mine appears to be missing. I can see remnants of where it was but it’s gone in mine… ☹️ Can I still be able to use mine without a battery? or is it now just a shelf decoration? ☹️ I’m glad I got it for free. So no monetary loss (other than what the battery cost me. Can the CLA person replace that contact? And how can I tell if it has damage from cross threading?
So good need, yes you can still use it with a smartphone light meter app for your settings. The battery only powers the light meter. Also yes, a good repairman like Eric Henderson can absolutely replace the contact. For cross-threading, if the cap screws on easily, you're a-okay
I honestly can't recall which lens uses which function. I know that I got it right in the video, but it's been so long since I owned a Spotmatic F that I don't recall the exact Takumar designation lineage any more.
I had a Spotmatic F freecycled to me today. I seems as though some of the features have stiffened up due to non-use over many years. Your video helped let me know what is frozen and what is not supposed to turn. Thanks for that. I do have a question about the lens that came with the camera. It is an SMC Takumar 55 mm. On it there is a "preview lever" immediately adjacent to the F stop dial. I can see under the lever white lettering that says "Auto" and some Red/Orange lettering that looks like "Man" (I assume Manual...it is partially obstructed by the lever). I believe this moved once upon a time as there is some play but obviously I am not forcing anything. How does this work, is it important to the overall functionality of the camera and any suggestions on how to free it, and other dials still a little stiff (number of exposures on film dial is ceased pretty solid. I realize this one is just a reminder but it would nice if I could regain full functionality). Otherwise this camera is checking out pretty well so far. No film through it yet but light metering appears to work in the view finder, shutter has a nice clean crisp sound, shutter exposure duration changes with slowing the film speed settings. Thanks for any help you can provide.
That's a great freecycle. I am jealous. So the M-A lever is manual-automatic. That has to do with aperture control. On M (or Man) if you set the aperture to f11, then it will close down immediately to f11. That's true of any aperture setting. In A (or Auto) if you set it to f11 then the aperture will remain open until the camera takes a photo at which point it will shut. With the Spotmatic F, leave the lever at A (or Auto) because the camera uses open-aperture metering. It knows that your 55mm is either f1.8 or f2 and how much light that means is coming in through the lens. If you set it to f11,your Spotmatic F will know that you set it to that aperture, adjust the meter reading, and then close the aperture to f11 when the photo is taken. If you have it set in M, then the lens will stop down to f11 and your Spotmatic F will think that the light coming in through the lens at f11 is actually the light coming in for f1.8 or f2, however fast your lens is. The lever itself can be tricky to move. Try unmounting the lens and moving the lever. If you wanted to have it overhauled, as I did with mine, it would be a great investment (and relatively inexpensive.) www.pentaxs.com is the place to go for a Pentax overhaul. Eric does lenses, too, if your lens isn't fully functional.
I have a Spotmatic F, But I don't know what to set my ASA/ISO to...My film speed is 400, so should I set the ASA to that number? Also, what should I set my shutter speed to?
patrick smith Your film speed is the same as the ASA. So set your ASA to 400 for 400 film. If you use 100, set it to 100. For shutter speed, that will change depending on aperture and lighting conditions, so use your light meter to help you get the proper exposure and adjust aperture and shutter speed settings until the meter needle is in the middle.
I don't think I've ever bought one. Every now and then when I would get a Spotmatic there would be one there. I don't think they're 100% necessary, but you may find them on eBay.
Hi! About the ring adapter for the battery, does it supposed to touch the sides of the camera battery slot? I tried one and it is smaller than the one you use in the video and it fits loosely in the slot. Does that mean it won't work? Thanks!
As long as the battery's positive and negative terminals contact the camera properly, then the adapter ring doesn't make a huge difference. I've used ones that fit snugly and ones that don't without issue.
i used a canadian dime. thanks for posting. mine was a second hand camera so i still do not know how it works. how do you know if the camera works or the battery in the camera works?
+Lyza De Castro I know this is late, but for the record - turn the shutter speed to B and the ASA to 100, and look through the viewfinder with the lens cap off. The needle should be between centre and plus.
Very helpful vid. I have an ES ii though my lens is a Helios 44m. I can use it on Auto mode, however, on manual mode, the meter doesn't move. Will the Helios 44m work? Or there is a need really for me to use SMC Takumar designed for the ES ii? Thanks in advance! Stay safe!
Thank you! For the 44M, the lens is a pre-set lens (correct me if I'm wrong, but the three of those that I have are pre-sets) so it communicates differently with the camera. For that you will need to activate the ESII meter (it's been ages since I used my ESII and I forget if it has a meter switch or not) and then with the meter running stop down the lens. The meter will be accurate from f/2 to f/8 and then you'll need to add a stop of light from f/11 to f/16. That's just a function of old meters. The aperture will not stop down during exposure on pre-set lenses because they have no stop-0down linkage pin on the mount.
@@DavidHancock Thanks for the reply! I appreciate it! Same thin on my ES ii, the Helion does not wotk on manual mode. I guess it need to use a SMC Takunar specifically designed for the ES ii. Stay. safe!
David, thanks for posting, I have a question. Here still deciding which used film camera to get and that is precisely my worries that because being used a previous owner may have touched the internal parts of the body, how bad would that be? Also, do you repair your cameras yourself, is there any good book for repairing? leaning towards Nikon.
I tend not to worry too much about used cameras. Most of the pre-1980s bodies were over-engineered and are pretty replied. The shutters are not so fragile that if you bump it with your knuckle, as I have countless times, that they shatter. Cloth curtains will be fine. Blade shutters, if they get a lot of grease on them, can have issues. I had a Canon EOS with the previous owners thumb print on the blades and it was fine. For Nikons, I've used Garry Airapetov at Garry's Camera Repair in Niles, Illinois, for repairs. He's great. There are some others. I know another guy who repairs Nikons but he's an Internet ghost and I don't think he'd appreciate me sharing his e-mail as a comment reply. I can send it to you if you'd like to reach out to him. That said, Garry repaired my F and FTn and both are in great shape now. As for Nikons, which body are you leaning toward? Nikons are mixed. Some models are really stunning and others aren't. What are you looking for in a film body? What type of photos are you going to take? I may have some other suggestions that could be worth considering.
Hey David, Thanks for being so kind answering my questions. Probably the more important is I want a film camera so I can learn to take photos. My projects will be landscapes, swamps, marshes, mountains; wildlife, imagine a bird on a tree or turtles; fast moving objects like seagulls, maybe some bmx stunts kinda thing; astrophotography, the typical star trail, also I've seen some nice pictures like the moon in the foreground and the milky way or something else in the background; blurs following walking people or car headlights on the highway; atmosphere like big clouds, rain, lightning and macro, insects, flowers, etc. Not sure I want to do portraits and buildings more than just a few pictures. I understand that for the astrophotography project I will need a camera with B and T, not sure if those cameras with just B and no T will be able to take those long exposures. And I need a to be able to attach a remote cable. I understand The Nikon F and the first F2 lack a meter in the viewfinder, how important is that meter, I don't know. Also, for this cameras I understand the image you see is upside down, I probably misunderstood this part. in any case I don't want a camera I see the subject upside down. More or less technology either way I think is fine, for instance autofocus or manual focus as long as it can be focused, and with the rest of the indicators the same I think, exposure, aperture, etc. and here again for what I said earlier, because of the lack of that meter on those models if I understand correctly the function of this meter if I don't have it I might get either underexposed or overexposed images, my guess. Does it need to be a collectable that is overpriced? no necessarily. but it need to be week built all metal and look old school like a Nikon F2AS, F2SB or a F3. I am not planning on starting a collection, maybe 1 or 2 cameras and the necessary lenses. Does it need to be Nikon, not really. It could be a Nikomat FT3 or something else different that Nikon like a Pentax or even a Russian brand. I just I keep thinking on Nikon because I've found many people agree Nikon were really good film cameras and that is pretty much the only I Know. Receive the 2015 with joy and that 2015 is full of happyness to you and yours! Jack,
***** So it sounds like you have some pretty extreme conditions you want to photograph, and probably a lot of hiking that you'll need to do. So, basically any Nikon or Canon you get will be dead inside a year under the conditions you described. The best Nikon for you would be the Nikkormat FTN, but it's heavy like a brick and, honestly, I still think it's looking at like 18 months under those conditions. A Nikon FM might be okay, however, in a swamp or on a dirt bike track an FM still has an expiration date. I'd suggest a Pentax MX as your first choice. They are basically indestructible. One key advantage is that they're light and small so you can pack it and carry it easily as your walking to remote places. If you're going to wade in some muck, an MX will fit inside a ZIPLOC sandwich bag whereas an FM might not (an FTn won't -- I've tried.) The MX also has only nine electronic connections and the battery only powers the meter. With many Nikons if the battery dies or the camera shorts from moisture in the body, the camera's shutter won't fire. (The FM has an amazing Copal shutter that's known for longevity but it is, I think, more mechanically complex than the MX's shutter.) My MX video will be going live in late January. I would say your best bet, if you're in the U.S., is to pick up a non-working body off eBay for cheap (around $20 is my guess) and have it overhauled by Eric Hendrickson. That will return it to near-factory spec and you'd probably love the results it provides. The MX is, I think, the most well made film body Pentax ever released. One of my buddies told me about his time in the Army as a photographer. They were given Canon and Nikon bodies and they lasted about months, best case, in Vietnam. One of his buddies bought a Pentax instead and it lasted years. I've heard of a Pentax body being run over by a tank and still working (and I believe that story to be true based on the source.) those are my two cents on a good body to choose -- MX first choice FM second.
+Futbol For Kids Thank you! And yes, Vivitar lenses work a-okay with Spotmatic F bodies. They may not allow open-aperture metering, but will work in stop-down metering and they will stop down the aperture when the image is taken.
+David Hancock. Hi David, thanks for the reply. Sorry to be a pain. I'm new to film photography. If you have a free sec could you explain stop down metering/open aperture. Thank you John
Futbol For Kids Sure thing. Open-aperture metering means that the camera can meter correctly with the lens iris open. This is how modern digital cameras work, but the technology was pioneered in the 1960s. Stop-down metering means that the camera requires the lens aperture to be closed to the desired aperture in order to provide a reading. Vivitar lenses lack the small block on the mount that the Spotmatic F requires for open-aperture metering. In order to do stop-down metering with the Spotmatic F, you'll need to push the metering button on the side of the lens mount (the large black one that slides up and down) and slide it upwards. That closes the lens iris and allows the camera to take a proper meter reading with the lens. Then you'd need to set your shutter speed for a proper exposure.
It sure will. The battery is only for the light meter. A general rule of thumb is that when you have a subject in bright sun, not the sun itself but say a shrub in full sun, set the aperture to f/16 and the shutter speed to your film's ISO. That's the Sunny 16 rule. So if you're at 1/125th for 100 ISO film and f/16, you could go up to 1/1,000th (three stops) and f/5.6 (also three stops.) Just adjust the aperture open one notch for every shutter speed you decrease (1/125th to 1/250th is a decrease.) And vice-versa. For shaded shots, use f/8 as your starting point. For indoors, f/2.8 or f/2. That should get you within the film's margin of error most of the time.
Assuming that it has the correct type of lens, they yes. You would need an M42 lens with an automatic aperture connection. Typically, SMC Takumars have that. Some Super Takumars do.
I need help! I have a spotmatic f and the mirror is stuck up. I know how to fix it on a Pentax MX but this one doesn’t have the little switch on the side. I’m not a pro, taking this apart isn’t really an option for me lol. What do I do??
That's going to need service from a professional repairman. The only way it doesn't is if the issue is that the mirror bumper is so gummy that it holds the mirror up. I haven't seen that happen on Spotmatics, however.
It won't for most situations. You will need to stop-down meter with the Helios. At f/11 you will want to add a stop of light and at f/16 two stops. That will compensate for the camera's light meter being less accurate with dim lenses like a stopped-down Helios. At f/8 an extra half stop might be worthwhile, too.
@@benjaben101 Thank you! I try to respond to everything. Work has been crazy and it's also Christmas so I have more orders for cameras and straps that I can handle right now.
hey David, I'm having a bit of trouble in metering. when setting the shutter speed, the needle doesn't move. Changing ASA doesnt move the needle either. just the aperture. am I doing it wrong? Spotmatic F+Super Takumar 55mm f/1.8
Hmm. Let's see what we can figure out. Are you metering indoors our outdoors? If you're indoors, there may not be enough light to make the meter turn on. So if you were testing it indoors, give it a shot outdoors first. In rough terms, an accurate reading on a subject that is in full sun (not the shun itself, don't look at that through your camera) is f/16 with a shutter speed that is close to your film's speed (so 1/250th or 1/500th for 400 ISO film would be acceptable, for instance.) Then if that reading looks god and you set your aperture on the same same subject to f/5.6, it should shoe a significant overexosure. Also, what settings (aperture, shutter speed, and ASA) are you using and adjusting the camera to?
David Hancock I'll give it a shot outdoors in a few hours. yeah, I was metering indoors. was testing out the meter on the f actually. so was experimenting to see if the shutter and ASA had effect on exposure. I'll give you an update later when it's sunny. thanks for the reply, David!
The batteries only operates the light meter, so you can use it without any batteries if you know the settings to use. But these can use modern batteries without an adapter, yes, and the meter readings will be accurate because of how the circuitry was designed.
www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xa76+px+adapter.TRS0&_nkw=a76+px+adapter&_sacat=0 There you go. Full disclosure, I'm the seller with the cheapest adapter.
Thanks...I recently got a Spotmatic F. Interestingly, I opened up the battery compartment after seeing this and it turns out it has a LR44 battery in it with an adapter. I heard that you have to be careful though of alkaline batteries in the meter because when they start to weaken the readings can be off.
The F, with the last generation of Takumar M42 lenses, can mater with an open aperture. The other Spotmatic bodies needed to have the user manually stop down the lenses to take a meter reading.
Thanks this was a great series.
I have my grandfathers Spotmatic F he purchased in' "71 or 72. Still running beautifully.
It was $369.00 when he purchased it with the 50mm SMC 1.4 and a case. He said the base was around $170 with a lesser lens; he went all out. It was big bucks and wanted to impress on me to treat it well.
Very nice! These were fantastic cameras and with just a bit of care they'll keep running for ages.
They're beautiful "workhorses", to quote a photog who saw my second hand model with its 49mm F 1.4, lens. Truly, the simplicity invites synthethic and abstract interaction with all kinds of or, even, simple ideas. I could guess the meter reading in mind without a batt charge, but without the luxury of a digital storage it always helps to double check and not fool one's self. While I was in the store, using my American penny on a work space on the top of a small beverage cooler, I unscrewed the port hatch thus freeing the former tenant to roll underneath said cooler towards an irretrievable or yet to be determined location. Hence I scrolled around for manuals to check on the battery, so thanks for everything. Stuff gets ways from ya reak\l quick at the micro level. I forgot the eyecup advice given me before, or perhaps having one just for comfort. I could swear I was told mine a depth of field preview on it. Super camera with a little practice and the right film....in light of that each brand will have its own characteristics. Thx again-and for the history too
+Neal McVidsup Thank you very much. These are fabulous cameras. I think the F is the best Spotmatic and it's certainly one of the most fun cameras to use.
Brilliant videos - I have two of these cameras that I taught myself photography back in the 90's - Beautiful cameras - You have just inspired me to get them out again and give them a cleanup - thank you
Thank you! These are really great to use. I loved using the F.
Thanks @@DavidHancock - I was amazed to find one of them working fine - Light meter working after many years of storage - Sadly the other one (annoyingly my favourite out of the two) the light meter needle is stuck 'up' - but either way really excited to get them out and get a roll of film in them - Thanks again - andy
Thank you I had no idea about how to use my Super Multi Coated Takumar 55mm correctly on this camera, no problem with my later SMC but I was scratching my head about the older lens.
Just got this camera with Takumar 35 and 135mm F/3.5..Cant wait to use it. Thank you for these videos! :)
+Kenneth Sporsheim You're welcome and great find! That's a nice part of lenses.
I picked up a Pentax Honeywell Spotmatic (the earlier version without a hot shoe on top of the prism housing) with a Pentax Super Takumar 55mm f/1.8 lens last year. Wonderful little film SLR I find it well made and easy to use. The lens yields sharp images with excellent color saturation. All my other film SLR's have open aperture metering but I rather like the stop-down metering on my Spotmatic. I compose and focus at full aperture, then set exposure at the taking aperture and it's easy.
Nice! I agree completely that this system for metering works well and the slowness helps improve results.
Great video! Just got this and your video covered every aspect.
Thank you!
Compared to the standard Spotmatic, which I also own, this camera is a revelation. It's removed any need or desire I might have had to buy a K-series camera. The only real problem with this and the Electro series is that the SMC Takumar lenses were "front-line" issue for so short a period, 1971-75, after which the bayonet K mount took over. Unlike the standard M42 mount as seen on the Super Taks, there wasn't really enough time for the third-party manufacturers to start duplicating them, so if you want open aperture metering on the F and ES's it's SMC Takumar or nothing.
+Hooray for Pentax! And for that reason, SMC Takumar lenses are a bit pricier than other Takumars and many K mount lenses.
Thank you for your very helpful videos! I just bought it along with super takumar 55mm f/2 ✌🏻
Thank you, and that's a nice camera-lens combo, too!
Just ordered this camera! It brings me full circle in my incredible case of GAS! I have owned a K1000 forever but for some reason, when I made my return to film photography, I wanted a rangefinder similar to what my parents had. Well almost 10 rangefinders later, I come across the Spotmatic. At first I resisted, after all is it not just an earlier and fancier K1000? Despite what others have said, the K1000 does not feel "clunky" nor "cheap" to me and takes great photos. Still I was too much in my fever and had to have it so it is with great anticipation that I await my F's arrival. Great video as usual.
Thank you and yes, the Spotty F is essentially a K1000 with an M42 mount.
@@DavidHancock Just added a ES too! I heard this was limited only to Japan but from what I read it is an F with aperture priority auto features added. Plus it is black only. It was too cheap to pass up. I am going by the N+1 rule of correct number of cameras to own I guess. Thanks for the reply.
LR44's are 1.5V the camera is designed for a 1.35 volt battery. I'm not saying that the LR44 won't work, but they are not the same voltage as the old battery. It is possible to find a replacement, you can also use an adapter with a resistor (or something) in it to convert the 1.5V to 1.35V, they cost more like $20
The Spotmatic F has a voltage moderator built into the circuit. So, unlike every other camera that uses 1.35-volt batteries, the F will meter correctly with a 1.5-volt battery as long as the 1.5-V battery can produce more than 1.35-V. The modern batteries lose voltage as they age so until the battery is nearly dead, it will work fine in these.
@@DavidHancock I think the Canon EF (FD lenses) has the moderator also
There are some exotic M42 lenses that'd be problematic, such as the Zuiko FTL M42 or a few Russian electronic M42 with dedicated connectors but the vast majority of M42 (a.k.a. "Pentax screw mount" or "Pentax M42") are compatible, if not 100% functionalities on latest M42 Pentax bodies, all at least can be used to take photos without other problem than metering limitation.
M39/ZM39 (Leitz/Zenit/Praktica) can also be adapted.
Thank you!
@@DavidHancock 🙂
Very very helpful thank you.
Thank you!
When you take the light reading /stop down metering in what position should the A/M switch on the lens be?
Thanks
A. The aperture will close Automatically when the photo is taken. Good question.
I subscribed too!
Thank you!
I know you kind of explained it, but I still need to read it to understand it better.
I have both an SPII and F. I have a Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 55mm 1.8 and a SMC Takumar 50mm 1.4 .
Therefore, if I attach the SMC to the F I'm just supposed to set my aperture, look at the meter, play with the Shutter Speed, and just take the picture? No turning on the metering switch, correct?
But, if I use the Super...Takumar, I have to set it to Auto (on the lens' lever), set my aperture, turn on the metering switch, find the correct shutter speed, turn off the switch, and then shoot? Or am I understanding it wrong?
And I really don't know how to work the SPII, I think I need to change the battery...or the SMC lenses only work on the F bodies. Because the meter doesn't move at all when I turn it on (neither on Auto or Manual), but if I set an aperture and turn the shutter speed wheel, the little arrow on the left of the shutter speed wheel lights up. My guess is that it shows me the correct shutter speed to the set aperture, but I don't know if it's reading the frame. What do you think?
It sounds like you have it correct. The SMC lenses meter accurately on the F. If you've ever used a K1000, the SMC lenses work on the F like all K-mount lenses work on the K1000. The Super Takumar lenses require stop-down metering with the switch on the lens.
The SPII works exactly like the F does with the Super Takumar lenses -- everything has to be stopped down for metering. The SPII should only read the light coming into the lens when the lens is stopped down (IIRC; it's been a long time since I used mine.)
I know this is a old video, but you’re missing the battery chamber. I’m sure it will work like this, with a bigger battery but it’s not correct.
Missing the battery chamber? Did I forget to go over the batteries for this camera or did I just forget to put the battery cap back on it during the video?
hey, i have the spotmatic f and a few smc lenses. i have recently procured a jupiter 37a. this is my first third-party m42 lens and first time to do stop-down metering. i was concerned about screwing the lens onto the mount at first, but proceeded since i do not see any aperture ring on the lens to hurt anything, hopefully.
i push the stop-down lever down, preset the lens, then open the lens up, so to speak, and focus/compose, then turn the f stop ring back to the preset f stop, change the shutter speed to align the needle between the + and -, and shoot. does that sound like a good workflow?'
thanks, david
With the F you don't need to stop-down first because it has open-aperture metering. So to as small as f/5.6 your readings will be accurate. Beyond f/5.6m, take an f/5.6 reading and then compensate manually to avoid underexposed images.
Welp. It turns out the metal contact in the battery chamber in mine appears to be missing. I can see remnants of where it was but it’s gone in mine… ☹️
Can I still be able to use mine without a battery? or is it now just a shelf decoration? ☹️ I’m glad I got it for free. So no monetary loss (other than what the battery cost me.
Can the CLA person replace that contact? And how can I tell if it has damage from cross threading?
So good need, yes you can still use it with a smartphone light meter app for your settings. The battery only powers the light meter. Also yes, a good repairman like Eric Henderson can absolutely replace the contact.
For cross-threading, if the cap screws on easily, you're a-okay
@@DavidHancock phew! Thank goodness. I want a SPOTMATIC F not a PROBLEMATIC F. Lol
I have a SMC lens. So I would set my aperture, switch up the switch, get the light correct, switch down the switch, take photo. Correct?
I honestly can't recall which lens uses which function. I know that I got it right in the video, but it's been so long since I owned a Spotmatic F that I don't recall the exact Takumar designation lineage any more.
I had a Spotmatic F freecycled to me today. I seems as though some of the features have stiffened up due to non-use over many years. Your video helped let me know what is frozen and what is not supposed to turn. Thanks for that. I do have a question about the lens that came with the camera. It is an SMC Takumar 55 mm. On it there is a "preview lever" immediately adjacent to the F stop dial. I can see under the lever white lettering that says "Auto" and some Red/Orange lettering that looks like "Man" (I assume Manual...it is partially obstructed by the lever). I believe this moved once upon a time as there is some play but obviously I am not forcing anything. How does this work, is it important to the overall functionality of the camera and any suggestions on how to free it, and other dials still a little stiff (number of exposures on film dial is ceased pretty solid. I realize this one is just a reminder but it would nice if I could regain full functionality). Otherwise this camera is checking out pretty well so far. No film through it yet but light metering appears to work in the view finder, shutter has a nice clean crisp sound, shutter exposure duration changes with slowing the film speed settings. Thanks for any help you can provide.
That's a great freecycle. I am jealous.
So the M-A lever is manual-automatic. That has to do with aperture control. On M (or Man) if you set the aperture to f11, then it will close down immediately to f11. That's true of any aperture setting. In A (or Auto) if you set it to f11 then the aperture will remain open until the camera takes a photo at which point it will shut.
With the Spotmatic F, leave the lever at A (or Auto) because the camera uses open-aperture metering. It knows that your 55mm is either f1.8 or f2 and how much light that means is coming in through the lens. If you set it to f11,your Spotmatic F will know that you set it to that aperture, adjust the meter reading, and then close the aperture to f11 when the photo is taken. If you have it set in M, then the lens will stop down to f11 and your Spotmatic F will think that the light coming in through the lens at f11 is actually the light coming in for f1.8 or f2, however fast your lens is.
The lever itself can be tricky to move. Try unmounting the lens and moving the lever.
If you wanted to have it overhauled, as I did with mine, it would be a great investment (and relatively inexpensive.) www.pentaxs.com is the place to go for a Pentax overhaul. Eric does lenses, too, if your lens isn't fully functional.
As I don't use the light meter (no battery!) and I don't intend to use it, does it make a difference the lense is set on A or M?
I have a Spotmatic F, But I don't know what to set my ASA/ISO to...My film speed is 400, so should I set the ASA to that number? Also, what should I set my shutter speed to?
patrick smith Your film speed is the same as the ASA. So set your ASA to 400 for 400 film. If you use 100, set it to 100. For shutter speed, that will change depending on aperture and lighting conditions, so use your light meter to help you get the proper exposure and adjust aperture and shutter speed settings until the meter needle is in the middle.
David Hancock Thank you for the quick reply! It's really helpful!
patrick smith YOu're very welcome. Take great photos!
Where do you get that battery adapter? I have a Pentax Asahi sportmatic SP black and lenses super takumar 50 f/1.4 and 55 f/1.8.
I don't think I've ever bought one. Every now and then when I would get a Spotmatic there would be one there. I don't think they're 100% necessary, but you may find them on eBay.
Hi! About the ring adapter for the battery, does it supposed to touch the sides of the camera battery slot? I tried one and it is smaller than the one you use in the video and it fits loosely in the slot. Does that mean it won't work? Thanks!
As long as the battery's positive and negative terminals contact the camera properly, then the adapter ring doesn't make a huge difference. I've used ones that fit snugly and ones that don't without issue.
i used a canadian dime. thanks for posting. mine was a second hand camera so i still do not know how it works. how do you know if the camera works or the battery in the camera works?
+Lyza De Castro I know this is late, but for the record - turn the shutter speed to B and the ASA to 100, and look through the viewfinder with the lens cap off. The needle should be between centre and plus.
Very helpful vid. I have an ES ii though my lens is a Helios 44m. I can use it on Auto mode, however, on manual mode, the meter doesn't move. Will the Helios 44m work? Or there is a need really for me to use SMC Takumar designed for the ES ii? Thanks in advance! Stay safe!
Thank you!
For the 44M, the lens is a pre-set lens (correct me if I'm wrong, but the three of those that I have are pre-sets) so it communicates differently with the camera. For that you will need to activate the ESII meter (it's been ages since I used my ESII and I forget if it has a meter switch or not) and then with the meter running stop down the lens. The meter will be accurate from f/2 to f/8 and then you'll need to add a stop of light from f/11 to f/16. That's just a function of old meters. The aperture will not stop down during exposure on pre-set lenses because they have no stop-0down linkage pin on the mount.
@@DavidHancock Thanks for the reply! I appreciate it! Same thin on my ES ii, the Helion does not wotk on manual mode. I guess it need to use a SMC Takunar specifically designed for the ES ii. Stay. safe!
David, thanks for posting, I have a question. Here still deciding which used film camera to get and that is precisely my worries that because being used a previous owner may have touched the internal parts of the body, how bad would that be? Also, do you repair your cameras yourself, is there any good book for repairing? leaning towards Nikon.
I tend not to worry too much about used cameras. Most of the pre-1980s bodies were over-engineered and are pretty replied. The shutters are not so fragile that if you bump it with your knuckle, as I have countless times, that they shatter. Cloth curtains will be fine. Blade shutters, if they get a lot of grease on them, can have issues. I had a Canon EOS with the previous owners thumb print on the blades and it was fine.
For Nikons, I've used Garry Airapetov at Garry's Camera Repair in Niles, Illinois, for repairs. He's great. There are some others. I know another guy who repairs Nikons but he's an Internet ghost and I don't think he'd appreciate me sharing his e-mail as a comment reply. I can send it to you if you'd like to reach out to him. That said, Garry repaired my F and FTn and both are in great shape now.
As for Nikons, which body are you leaning toward? Nikons are mixed. Some models are really stunning and others aren't. What are you looking for in a film body? What type of photos are you going to take? I may have some other suggestions that could be worth considering.
Hey David, Thanks for being so kind answering my questions. Probably the more important is I want a film camera so I can learn to take photos. My projects will be landscapes, swamps, marshes, mountains; wildlife, imagine a bird on a tree or turtles; fast moving objects like seagulls, maybe some bmx stunts kinda thing; astrophotography, the typical star trail, also I've seen some nice pictures like the moon in the foreground and the milky way or something else in the background; blurs following walking people or car headlights on the highway; atmosphere like big clouds, rain, lightning and macro, insects, flowers, etc. Not sure I want to do portraits and buildings more than just a few pictures.
I understand that for the astrophotography project I will need a camera with B and T, not sure if those cameras with just B and no T will be able to take those long exposures. And I need a to be able to attach a remote cable.
I understand The Nikon F and the first F2 lack a meter in the viewfinder, how important is that meter, I don't know. Also, for this cameras I understand the image you see is upside down, I probably misunderstood this part. in any case I don't want a camera I see the subject upside down. More or less technology either way I think is fine, for instance autofocus or manual focus as long as it can be focused, and with the rest of the indicators the same I think, exposure, aperture, etc. and here again for what I said earlier, because of the lack of that meter on those models if I understand correctly the function of this meter if I don't have it I might get either underexposed or overexposed images, my guess.
Does it need to be a collectable that is overpriced? no necessarily. but it need to be week built all metal and look old school like a Nikon F2AS, F2SB or a F3. I am not planning on starting a collection, maybe 1 or 2 cameras and the necessary lenses.
Does it need to be Nikon, not really. It could be a Nikomat FT3 or something else different that Nikon like a Pentax or even a Russian brand. I just I keep thinking on Nikon because I've found many people agree Nikon were really good film cameras and that is pretty much the only I Know. Receive the 2015 with joy and that 2015 is full of happyness to you and yours!
Jack,
***** So it sounds like you have some pretty extreme conditions you want to photograph, and probably a lot of hiking that you'll need to do.
So, basically any Nikon or Canon you get will be dead inside a year under the conditions you described. The best Nikon for you would be the Nikkormat FTN, but it's heavy like a brick and, honestly, I still think it's looking at like 18 months under those conditions. A Nikon FM might be okay, however, in a swamp or on a dirt bike track an FM still has an expiration date.
I'd suggest a Pentax MX as your first choice. They are basically indestructible. One key advantage is that they're light and small so you can pack it and carry it easily as your walking to remote places. If you're going to wade in some muck, an MX will fit inside a ZIPLOC sandwich bag whereas an FM might not (an FTn won't -- I've tried.) The MX also has only nine electronic connections and the battery only powers the meter. With many Nikons if the battery dies or the camera shorts from moisture in the body, the camera's shutter won't fire. (The FM has an amazing Copal shutter that's known for longevity but it is, I think, more mechanically complex than the MX's shutter.)
My MX video will be going live in late January. I would say your best bet, if you're in the U.S., is to pick up a non-working body off eBay for cheap (around $20 is my guess) and have it overhauled by Eric Hendrickson. That will return it to near-factory spec and you'd probably love the results it provides.
The MX is, I think, the most well made film body Pentax ever released. One of my buddies told me about his time in the Army as a photographer. They were given Canon and Nikon bodies and they lasted about months, best case, in Vietnam. One of his buddies bought a Pentax instead and it lasted years. I've heard of a Pentax body being run over by a tank and still working (and I believe that story to be true based on the source.) those are my two cents on a good body to choose -- MX first choice FM second.
Wow, you are really helpful. I respect your opinion and definitely will choose one from this list.
***** You're very welcome.
Hi David,
Thanks for 2 great videos.
I was wondering if my Vivitar M42 lens works with this camera?
Thanks in advance,
John
+Futbol For Kids Thank you! And yes, Vivitar lenses work a-okay with Spotmatic F bodies. They may not allow open-aperture metering, but will work in stop-down metering and they will stop down the aperture when the image is taken.
+David Hancock. Hi David, thanks for the reply. Sorry to be a pain. I'm new to film photography. If you have a free sec could you explain stop down metering/open aperture. Thank you John
Futbol For Kids Sure thing. Open-aperture metering means that the camera can meter correctly with the lens iris open. This is how modern digital cameras work, but the technology was pioneered in the 1960s. Stop-down metering means that the camera requires the lens aperture to be closed to the desired aperture in order to provide a reading. Vivitar lenses lack the small block on the mount that the Spotmatic F requires for open-aperture metering. In order to do stop-down metering with the Spotmatic F, you'll need to push the metering button on the side of the lens mount (the large black one that slides up and down) and slide it upwards. That closes the lens iris and allows the camera to take a proper meter reading with the lens. Then you'd need to set your shutter speed for a proper exposure.
hey david, would this work without a functioning light meter and if yes, whats the general rule of thumb when it comes to aperature and shutter speed?
It sure will. The battery is only for the light meter. A general rule of thumb is that when you have a subject in bright sun, not the sun itself but say a shrub in full sun, set the aperture to f/16 and the shutter speed to your film's ISO. That's the Sunny 16 rule. So if you're at 1/125th for 100 ISO film and f/16, you could go up to 1/1,000th (three stops) and f/5.6 (also three stops.) Just adjust the aperture open one notch for every shutter speed you decrease (1/125th to 1/250th is a decrease.) And vice-versa. For shaded shots, use f/8 as your starting point. For indoors, f/2.8 or f/2. That should get you within the film's margin of error most of the time.
So if I’m shooting with the lens that came on the camera originally do I still need to worry about stop down metering?
Assuming that it has the correct type of lens, they yes. You would need an M42 lens with an automatic aperture connection. Typically, SMC Takumars have that. Some Super Takumars do.
I need help! I have a spotmatic f and the mirror is stuck up. I know how to fix it on a Pentax MX but this one doesn’t have the little switch on the side. I’m not a pro, taking this apart isn’t really an option for me lol. What do I do??
That's going to need service from a professional repairman. The only way it doesn't is if the issue is that the mirror bumper is so gummy that it holds the mirror up. I haven't seen that happen on Spotmatics, however.
David Hancock not what I wanted to hear but man are you awesome. Thanks for the lighting speed reply!
Awesome video! do you think if a Helios 44-2 would have any problem with this spotmatic f?
It won't for most situations. You will need to stop-down meter with the Helios. At f/11 you will want to add a stop of light and at f/16 two stops. That will compensate for the camera's light meter being less accurate with dim lenses like a stopped-down Helios. At f/8 an extra half stop might be worthwhile, too.
@@DavidHancock Thanks man! I didny think you would respond after all this time. Your channel is awesome. Thanks again :)
@@benjaben101 Thank you! I try to respond to everything. Work has been crazy and it's also Christmas so I have more orders for cameras and straps that I can handle right now.
hey David, I'm having a bit of trouble in metering. when setting the shutter speed, the needle doesn't move. Changing ASA doesnt move the needle either. just the aperture. am I doing it wrong?
Spotmatic F+Super Takumar 55mm f/1.8
Hmm. Let's see what we can figure out. Are you metering indoors our outdoors? If you're indoors, there may not be enough light to make the meter turn on. So if you were testing it indoors, give it a shot outdoors first. In rough terms, an accurate reading on a subject that is in full sun (not the shun itself, don't look at that through your camera) is f/16 with a shutter speed that is close to your film's speed (so 1/250th or 1/500th for 400 ISO film would be acceptable, for instance.) Then if that reading looks god and you set your aperture on the same same subject to f/5.6, it should shoe a significant overexosure.
Also, what settings (aperture, shutter speed, and ASA) are you using and adjusting the camera to?
David Hancock I'll give it a shot outdoors in a few hours. yeah, I was metering indoors. was testing out the meter on the f actually. so was experimenting to see if the shutter and ASA had effect on exposure. I'll give you an update later when it's sunny. thanks for the reply, David!
well, doesn't seem to work. but I will try it with film inside and use the sunny rule then. eh, what's life without adventure? [:
:) Adventure it is. If you ever want to have it fixed, I use www.pentaxs.com for all my Pentax repairs. Eric is great.
I just picked up a older style spotmatic by honeywell and was wondering if you know how to find out if the camera has a voltage regualtor?
All the Spotmatics had voltage regulators.
Interesting thank you very much
Hey David can I use other batteries without an adapter or do I need one?
The batteries only operates the light meter, so you can use it without any batteries if you know the settings to use. But these can use modern batteries without an adapter, yes, and the meter readings will be accurate because of how the circuitry was designed.
@@DavidHancock wait do I just buy a PX625 battery without an adapter?
@@bo-jango4235 Yup!
@@DavidHancock ok thanks David have a lovely day
was your lens set to Auto or Manual?
+Roger Lowe Depends on the shooting that I do. Typically, with the F, I shoot in auto.
the light meter on mine isn't doing anything does this mean i need a new battery ? :)
+Alistair Thornton Hopefully, yes. The other possibility is that the meter cells are shot, and that repair would require a professional service.
just bought one of these as my first camera ever! anyone know a channel for good tutorial?
Well, there's this channel.
David Hancock I plan on going through your videos
Does anyone have a link to the battery adapter mentioned in the video?
+Henry Hernandez Yup: www.ebay.com/itm/A76-LR44-AG13-357-Battery-Adapter-to-PX625-for-Vintage-Cameras-Free-Shipping-/151898589762?hash=item235ddc8a42:g:5pEAAOSwnH1WWk6R
+David Hancock Thanks!
What would you search for on eBay for the battery adapter?
Because the adapters aren't easily found in camera stores and eBay is a worldwide garage sale.
David Hancock Hi. I was asking what search term you used on eBay to locate the adapter. Thanks
www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xa76+px+adapter.TRS0&_nkw=a76+px+adapter&_sacat=0
There you go. Full disclosure, I'm the seller with the cheapest adapter.
I mis-read your question. I thought you asked why, now what.
Thanks...I recently got a Spotmatic F. Interestingly, I opened up the battery compartment after seeing this and it turns out it has a LR44 battery in it with an adapter. I heard that you have to be careful though of alkaline batteries in the meter because when they start to weaken the readings can be off.
so what is the difference between the spotmatic and the spotmatic F ?
The F, with the last generation of Takumar M42 lenses, can mater with an open aperture. The other Spotmatic bodies needed to have the user manually stop down the lenses to take a meter reading.