just bought a spotmatic
Posted 03/02/2010 - 21:23
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Hope you enjoy your bargain. For me one of the side benefits to this hobby is buying stuff off ebay to try out, sometimes one can get a bargain sometimes not but it all adds interest
Davex.
Davex.
Posted 03/02/2010 - 21:28
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Yes i agree - I decided if it does not work I will stick a lens on it and put it on the shelf as an ornament as I think they are quite an elegant looking camera - I hope it does work though
K7D DA 18-55 mk11WR|50-200 wr|DA16-45|Tamron SP90|lots of manual pentax glass
Posted 03/02/2010 - 22:07
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The mercury battery for the light meter is no longer available. If it is one of the earlier Spotmatics this silver oxide battery will be fine. The voltage difference does not matter as the meter has a bridge circuit.
This does not apply to the ES. Not sure about the F.
Should it be an SP500 do you realise that it has 1/1000th speed too? It's just not marked on the dial.
Michael
This does not apply to the ES. Not sure about the F.
Should it be an SP500 do you realise that it has 1/1000th speed too? It's just not marked on the dial.
Michael
Posted 03/02/2010 - 22:26 - Helpful Comment
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The Wein Cell you got on eBay has the correct voltage but once it is installed will lose its capacity quite quickly, that was why I stuck to the silver oxide cells with my two Spotties.
Michael
Michael
Posted 03/02/2010 - 22:28
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Thanks for the info i did not realise that - I will get the silver oxide ones next as long as the camera works ok.
K7D DA 18-55 mk11WR|50-200 wr|DA16-45|Tamron SP90|lots of manual pentax glass
Posted 03/02/2010 - 22:29 - Helpful Comment
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I think this is an SPII because it has a self-timer. The SP500 and SP1000 didn't.
The mess the battery cover is in would suggest that someone left some in there which went rotten and corroded the cover. Hopefully the meter is still working. You need to check the seals around the door and the mirror haven't gone all sticky and nasty too. They can be easily replaced with a kit from Interslice.
I use Varta Photo Special V400PX 1.35v batteries which I got from someone else on the forum, I forget who now. The ES does indeed use completely different batteries.
As to BW film, Delta 100 ASA will give nice fine grained results, Kodak T-max 400 is faster (obviously) but is a little grainier which will suit some subjects. Tmax can be pushed to 1600 for that grainy reportage look. Colour slides you have Fuji Velvia which gives a very saturated colour look (nice for flowers) or Provia which is a little more toned down. I don't use colour print film so cannot help there.
Hope that helps. Kris.
The mess the battery cover is in would suggest that someone left some in there which went rotten and corroded the cover. Hopefully the meter is still working. You need to check the seals around the door and the mirror haven't gone all sticky and nasty too. They can be easily replaced with a kit from Interslice.
I use Varta Photo Special V400PX 1.35v batteries which I got from someone else on the forum, I forget who now. The ES does indeed use completely different batteries.
As to BW film, Delta 100 ASA will give nice fine grained results, Kodak T-max 400 is faster (obviously) but is a little grainier which will suit some subjects. Tmax can be pushed to 1600 for that grainy reportage look. Colour slides you have Fuji Velvia which gives a very saturated colour look (nice for flowers) or Provia which is a little more toned down. I don't use colour print film so cannot help there.
Hope that helps. Kris.
Kris Lockyear
It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart and head. Henri Cartier-Bresson
Lots of film bodies, a couple of digital ones, too many lenses (mainly older glass) and a Horseman LE 5x4.
It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart and head. Henri Cartier-Bresson
Lots of film bodies, a couple of digital ones, too many lenses (mainly older glass) and a Horseman LE 5x4.
Posted 03/02/2010 - 22:32
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OK thanks I will look for some film and see what the camera is like
K7D DA 18-55 mk11WR|50-200 wr|DA16-45|Tamron SP90|lots of manual pentax glass
Posted 03/02/2010 - 22:33 - Helpful Comment
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If you PM me your address I can send you a roll of Delta 100 as I have some spare.
K.
K.
Kris Lockyear
It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart and head. Henri Cartier-Bresson
Lots of film bodies, a couple of digital ones, too many lenses (mainly older glass) and a Horseman LE 5x4.
It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart and head. Henri Cartier-Bresson
Lots of film bodies, a couple of digital ones, too many lenses (mainly older glass) and a Horseman LE 5x4.
Posted 03/02/2010 - 22:39
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That would be great thanks pm on way
K7D DA 18-55 mk11WR|50-200 wr|DA16-45|Tamron SP90|lots of manual pentax glass
Posted 03/02/2010 - 22:40
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I buy Ilford HP5 400 for my black and white needs, it seems to be decent stuff and not too grainy.
Matt
Shooting the Welsh Wilderness with K-m, KX, MX, ME Super and assorted lenses.
Shooting the Welsh Wilderness with K-m, KX, MX, ME Super and assorted lenses.
Posted 03/02/2010 - 23:02
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I used HP4, HP5's predecessor, in newspaper work for several years and it was splendid - slightly less grainy than that other great 400 ASA film, Tri-X, from memory. HP5 is about as good as you can get in B&W at that speed.
Al
Al
Posted 03/02/2010 - 23:08
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HP5 is a classic film, been around for an age (since 1976 in its original form) as has various incarnations of FP4 (since 196. TMax isn't grainy really, just not as fine as the Delta 100.
I've not used BW enough to really get a feel for the character of the various films. I used to use XP1 years ago which has the same developing process as colour print film so you can take it to the local snappy snaps. It also had the advantage of being able to push it to 1600 or above and still not be too grainy. It was replaced with XP2 (in 1991 I discover!) but I have never used it. At college when I was developing my own I stuck with FP4 and HP5. More recently, at the recommendation of the photographer at work, I have been using Delta 100 on site. (I just loaded 4 double sided dark slides with 5x4" Delta 100 so it will be interesting to see how they turn out.)
K.
I've not used BW enough to really get a feel for the character of the various films. I used to use XP1 years ago which has the same developing process as colour print film so you can take it to the local snappy snaps. It also had the advantage of being able to push it to 1600 or above and still not be too grainy. It was replaced with XP2 (in 1991 I discover!) but I have never used it. At college when I was developing my own I stuck with FP4 and HP5. More recently, at the recommendation of the photographer at work, I have been using Delta 100 on site. (I just loaded 4 double sided dark slides with 5x4" Delta 100 so it will be interesting to see how they turn out.)
K.
Kris Lockyear
It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart and head. Henri Cartier-Bresson
Lots of film bodies, a couple of digital ones, too many lenses (mainly older glass) and a Horseman LE 5x4.
It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart and head. Henri Cartier-Bresson
Lots of film bodies, a couple of digital ones, too many lenses (mainly older glass) and a Horseman LE 5x4.
Posted 03/02/2010 - 23:54
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The original Spotmatic has a self timer. The Spotmatic II is labelled as such and it also has a hotshoe. This one therefore is the original Spotmatic.
Best regards, John
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228 posts
22 years
Somerset UK
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K7D DA 18-55 mk11WR|50-200 wr|DA16-45|Tamron SP90|lots of manual pentax glass