A peculiar pair.

A K1000 with self timer and depth of field preview button....

.. And a K mount Spotmatic!???

I've seen the K1000 with timer/DOF preview before. Someone on the other site created one when they sent a KM with a battered top plate in for a repair along with a tidy top plate from a K1000, as the two cameras have pretty much identical top plates it was a simple swap. The KM also has the twin sync sockets, unlike the K1000.

The K-mount Spotmatic looks like a K1000 with a Spotmatic top plate and possibly the lens mount surround, judging by the fact that the black trim around the front of the prism housing doesn't look quite right?

An interesting pair of 'bitzas'.

They were probably put together from dead cameras in a workshop, what Asahi had to say about them would be interesting to know.

Are these in your collection now mowog?

Interesting, but what do you do with your M42 lenses?..... Not a K adapter on a Spotmatic

Was the "depth of field preview button" the biggest marketing con of all time, by all camera manufacturers. Most people can't even see where the image is in focus without katzeyes, split-image screens etc. so how are they going to see where it goes out of focus

I would love a K-mount Spotmatic, so if you ever think of selling it....

Yep. - Dangermouse has it spot on!

I knocked these up at the weekend. I had a KM with a faulty meter, and a K1000 with a shutter problem. So.. It was easy enough to make one good one, from two bad ones. The prism, meter and top plate from the K1000, were transplanted to the KM. Very easy, just a bit of soldering of wires needed.

The K mount Spotty is a non working dummy, assembled from bits left over from the above, with a Spotmatic top plate added. The K1000 front panel had to be cut down to fit.
Most of the parts from the K series are interchangeable between models, and even quite a lot of the Spotmatic series parts were carried over to the K series.

One day, I will make myself a working K mount Spotty from another K1000. Cutting and filing very carefully, to make it look good. It would work, but the K mount lenses would have to be used in manual stopdown mode, like the old Spotmatics. No open aperture metering.

By the way... I have a mountain of K series and Spotmatic parts, acquired from years of buying "Spares or repair" ones, on ebay. If any of you should need a part, to save a camera, give me a shout. - I probably have what you need.

I've got a bit of a soft spot for the KM, after getting my hands on a very tidy example and partnering it with a 55mm f1.8. I don't suppose you've got an original-style webbing strap and fittings for one? They weren't the same as the M series straps being larger and chunkier, and while my KX has an original strap the KM doesn't.

Edit, an idea for another conversion:

How about a K2 with the aperture window from the KX? I wouldn't see it as wanton destruction if it created a working camera from a pile of bits, and I know it must be possible as the K2 DMD had one.

The K2 is way too complicated for me to mess with! Controls around the lens mount and all those electronic bits under the lid. - No chance!

One thing that I have always thought was a weakness with the KM and K1000 cameras, is the lack of a proper on/off switch. The lenscap is the on/off switch!. The meter is constantly on, as long as the lens is uncovered. I can understand why Asahi did this. It keeps the cost of the camera down and simplifies construction. I would much rather have a switch. So... Next 'modification' will be to put a proper switch, in series with the battery wire. It would have to look right though. Look credible, as if it came out of the factory like that. - Not just a nasty big rocker switch stuck on the top. Maybe mounted on the side, like the Spotmatic switch. - Yes, thats what I'll do, soon... Either that, or get a life!

Matt.

If the strap you're talking about is either of the two, here. You can have it. I much prefer the thin leather Spotmatic, ones.

Thanks for the offer, but those are the later sort - I think the top one is for an M-series and the lower one for something like a Super A.

The one that came with my KX is wonderfully flexible, unlike the M-series type. I'm not sure whether this is due to the weave/fabric or the fact that it's over thirty years old, but it's as flexible as the thin leather Spotmatic ones.

To be honest the "always on" meter never bothered me on the KM or K1000, the KX has taken some getting used to as you have to leave the winder lever out and then half press the shutter to turn it on, pushing the winder back in switches it off.

Talking of the KX, I've just developed the first roll of film from it and it looks good. Will scan the results tomorrow when it's fully dry, but it looks pretty crisp from a brief inspection.