Good afternoon all.

A question for all you knowledgeable Pentaxians out there. I just obtained a really good condition S2 - which may well be one of those rare Japanese-circulated S2 Super models that were made between 1962 and 1968. As you can see from the picture, it has a marked 1/1000 shutter speed setting whereas the standard S2 only went up to a marked speed of 1/500. There's very little information available online about the S2 Super but the research I've done indicates that the frame counter reset was automatic (mine is manual) and the serial numbers were 7 digits starting with a '1' - mine's 6 digits. But it has the marked 1/1000 shutter speed.




Given the fact that Asahi didn't so much market new models in the late 50s and early 60s, so much as continually evolve the same model which occasionally had different names put onto the top plates, could this be an early rather than late S2 Super? Serial numbers are not easily rationalised with Asahi bodies, but based on what I've put together, My rationale is:

- Serial numbers for the standard H2/S2 stopped at around 350000 at the end of production in 1963, whereas the S3 started at 295001 in 1961 when production commenced. The S2 Super initiated production in 1962, between these dates. The serial number of 406295 would therefore correspond to around 1963/1964 - unless S2 Super production continued directly on from the end of the 'standard' series. In any case, this would still be towards the front end of production than the back end.

- The H2/S2 and S3 had manually-reset film counters; the auto versions came in with the S1a and SV. Models with manual and auto film counters were produced at the same time from 1962 (S1a/SV auto) to 1968 (S3 manual). It's therefore feasible that the earlier models had manual film counter resets while the later ones were 'improved' by adding the SV-type auto film counter, in typical Asahi fashion.

- S2 Supers with auto film number resets also had the seven-digit serial number starting with '1', whereas this one seems to fall around the S2/S3 switchover.

- This S2 came with a lens attached, which is an AutoTak 55/2 with the chromed front ring and cocking lever; this is the same lens as the standard S2. The S3 came with a newer all-black AutoTak with an auto/manual switch that looks like the later SuperTak. If this is the camera's original lens, it might be another indicator that it's an early S2 Super.


Of course, there could be other scenarios as well: camera might be a S3 with its original top plate damaged, and repaired with a S2 top plate - but then how would that account for the serial number that's above what I've been able to find for highest that the standard S2 went up to?

Anybody have more information: what do you think?

I agree with a comment above: glad that you went with the K2, which was a new chassis from the other ex-Spotmatic K models. Lower in shoulder height than the other Ks and with its lens mount slightly more offset from the centre, it is a very attractive camera. Side by side, it looks to be a mid-way design between the K and M series. My K2 is fitted with a SMC-M 50/1.4 which gives it a great balanced feel. I have large hands and although I used my MX for 20 years without its winder it felt just a little too small (heresy!) but the K2/1.4 is perfect.

I think that the SP1000 came with the SMC Tak 55/2 as standard originally, so you'd have a matched pair if you could get one of these at a reasonable price. It's a very good standard lens.

For me though, the SuperTak 50/1.4 is the King of the Hill for standards - and you can pick them up at a reasonable price if you keep your eyes open. I bought one a while back for around £40, and while the action is a little sloppy with age, the glass is fine. Then a couple of months ago, I got an ESII (chrome version) with a SuperTak 50/1.4 fitted to it from *B*y, and all for £26! The glass is excellent and the focussing of the lens is in much better shape than the first one I bought too.

My first Pentax was a second-hand KM with 55/1.8 that I got around 1977. It was stolen about a year later and I replaced it with a MX with 50/1.7, which I still have. It's only in the last few years that I've been building a collection of pre-MX Pentaxes, and have replaced my 'lost' KM and more recently, the lens.

The brilliantly simple designs created by the Asahi engineers are to me demonstrated in the two pictures above: the earlier S-type body is timeless, while the earlier Spotmatic design (as in the SL) really does show where Olympus got the idea for their OM1 shape from.

I've got a mkII meter sitting on top of a SV; might see if that fits. Although I have to say I'm really enjoying using the iPhone meter, which seems to be pretty good. It's real seat-of-the-pants photography, which is very different to what I do with my X90.

From what I've gleaned from various sources, Spotties of all descriptions seem to have been manufactured in campaign batches, resulting in the following serial numbers and years:
1000001-1500000 - 1964
2300001-3000000 - 1967
3500001-4000000 - 1970
4150001-4351904 - 1973

My early Spotty is 1028439, making it one of the earliest.

At least, I think this is how it goes! Asahi serial numbering is very difficult to try to come to terms with.

Quick update: the AP works perfectly with my iPhone light meter! With third-stops selected, I can meter for all of those original non-arithmetic shutter-speeds.

I've also managed to get my paws on the AP's sibling, a 1957 Asahi Pentax S, fitted with another of the original standard lenses, the Gaussian 55mm/f2.2. A great find, considering that there were only around 5,000 of these made.




There's something suspicious going on in the shutter department because although it will wind on and the high speed dial rotates, there must be something not connected inside because the shutter curtains don't move and the mirror doesn't flip. Another job for Robin at Harrow Technical! Another beauty that's come my way to sit alongside my first-series 1964 Spotty is this lovely condition SL. It came with a SuperTak 55/1.8 but I've put a 50/1.4 on it for trying out. It's already got a roll of Fuji Superia 200 in it.




All pics taken with my Pentax X90, BTW

Update on these beauties: the AP is now back and working like new from Robin at Harrow Technical. I've now managed to get a pre-set 58mm/f2.4 for it, so now I'm enjoying running film through it:




What's interesting is that the lens came attached to what was advertised as a 'Honeywell Pentax H1', but as you can see from the picture, the camera body is clearly an AP (and a working one) with a H1 top plate on it! Finding a replacement AP top plate would be like finding hens' teeth (and in any case, it still then wouldn't be 'original' as the serial number would be different), so it's interesting as an unusual hybrid.




The K shutter is running about a stop slow, so is usable as long as the external meter is adjusted before use.

I calibrated the iPhone light meter against my Spotty (which exposes correctly) and it only needed +0.5EV correction, so that seems to work well. Thanks for clarifying what capping is; no sign of it on the K right up to 1/1000th.

Hi Matt.

I don't think that the K has been serviced recently. The test film came back as overexposing by what looks like a half to a full stop, which may be due to the shutter slowing down with age. What are the visible signs of capping on the pictures?

I'm using the Pocket Light Meter app for my iPhone which I use to set the camera up for a shot - brilliant little app that you can adjust up to +/-3EV. So I'm shooting another roll in the K with the meter adjusted to +1EV, which should give better results. Cheaper than a camera service considering I'm having my AP done now! At least that should be spot-on when it comes back.

You may be right, hefty1!

When the AP comes back from t'menders, I won't be putting the semi-auto lens back on it for use, as there's no mechanism for pressing the lens pin for the diaphragm release. I'll probably use a slightly later Auto-Tak with an auto/manual switch until I can get my mitts on a preset 55/f2.2.

The K came with a brown leather case, but it doesn't have the cut-out for the slow-speed dial so was probably designed for the H2.