Pentax Spotmatic: What Made It So Popular? - Camera Talk

[@CameraTalkVideos]

Each decade seems to have a camera that enjoyed immense popularity. This is one of them. It's not the only great camera from the 1960s, but it certainly is near the top of the list.

[@GaiusSonofGermanicus]

The Spotmatic hit a sweet spot (sorry) with it being well priced, capable but easy to use and probably most importantly came around at just the time when SLRs were moving into the amateur sector.

[@paulhyde1834]

My first Pentax! 1979.... love them!

[@andrewrothman7805]

Great video. I love Spotmatics and other Pentaxes, owning the SPII, ESII, and the earlier models K (with 55mm zebra lens) and SV. BTW, Beseler engraved its name on the Topcon RE Super that it imported into the U.S.

[@scrptwic]

I bought a Spotamatic SP11 camera kit it came with a 35mm3.5, 50mm1.4 and a 135mm3.5nall lenses came with the original metal lens hoods., extension tubes, 2X teleconverter. Various lens filters all for $ 100.00 I bought the kit mainly for the lenses and left the camera in my backpack for a couple years . I was given a roll of film and that's when I discovchered I needed to replace the light Seals which I did so inexpensively. I was waiting for the new Pentax film camera. When the Pentax 17 came out I decided to fix the Spotamatic as I wanted a full frame interchangeable lens camera

[@PabloCoronel70]

The Spottie is the camera I always come back to. It is probably one of the best compromises of design, weight, usability matched with very high quality lenses The camera doesn;t have an accessory shoe by itself, it is usually an accessory by itself (until the SPII)

[@GaiusSonofGermanicus]

I also quite liked the K1000, which was basically a late model Spottie with a K mount for more modern lenses. I had a couple of the original Japanese-built ones with the metal body (the later Chinese-assembled ones I think all had plastic). Either a Spotmatic or a K1000 is still a great entry point for someone starting out in 35mm film photography.

[@koby1960]

Love the Spotmatic mostly for it's solid build, lens quality, and that simple classic design it's a shame they were not fitted with split image focusing screen.

[@WRCzATL]

The 'Honeywell Pentax' designation wasn't that unusual for the time. Around that era, we also had cameras labeled 'Bell & Howell/Canon,' 'Beseler Topcon,' 'Hanimex Praktica,' some 'Argus/Cosinas,' and a few other examples I'm sure I've forgotten. It was a way for importers to ID their cameras, as opposed to gray market copies brought in independently. It's also worth noting that before Honeywell, they were labeled 'Heliand Pentax.'

[@inregionecaecorum]

I have one, but my favourite is the ME super. I think that moving to bayonet mount lenses was a good move, certainly more convenient.

[@jeli3953]

Fujica, Ricoh, Yashica, Olympus, Praktica, Chinon, and others used the M42 thread mount at some time.

[@Supertomiman]

Just bought an SPII on eBay. The gorgeous golden lens sold me on it. Plus I already own a Practika so I've got a few lenses to share between them.

[@CameraTalkVideos]

Good going. I hope that you have a lot of fun with it!

[@stevebarnett5048]

I’ve just got working an old Spotmatic and while they are lauded as being well made it isn’t up to the standard of Nikon in the same era. But they can be very nice to use and I can see why professionals used them given the amazing lenses in the range.

[@zerg_burger]

I fully deyellowed my lens in Thailand with the sunlight there and it took at least 3 days, maybe a week. The uv from the sunlight is extreme there which is the trick. I think 5-7 years have passed and i need to de yellow it again, and i think there is a better option for clearing it up - a plug in UV light. I will get back to you on my results

[@CameraTalkVideos]

The UV light bulb is an interesting idea. I wonder if it has enough intensity compared with the sun to clear the Takumar. I guess the light bulb to lens distance is a lot less than 93 million miles.

[@Whywas6scared]

A detailed review, but there's no discussion about the title...what made it so popular.

[@Foxhound330p4]

It is contradictory to say it is the Greatest Of All Time and then limit that to just the 1960s, or any decade for that matter, in my opinion.

[@CameraTalkVideos]

I know - it doesn't make sense, right? I was thinking about that the other day.

[@sdhute]

If the Mirror does not go back to viewing mode. Do you have the slide down the leaver opposite the meter to take the best photo ?

[@CameraTalkVideos]

If the mirror doesn't return to the resting position, the camera should be serviced. It could be something very minor, or it could be something more serious.

[@wlewisiii]

Goat? No. Nikon F. Spotty was good but not that good. Next question?

[@Whywas6scared]

That's debatable. The question is, greatest for who? The Nikon F was certainly the best for pros, but I doubt that many amateurs would prefer to lug around a significantly heavier and more bulky Nikon F with Photomic prism. The Spotmatic feels great to use.

[@robwhite461]

@@wlewisiii I think he’s adding a lot of factors to come to that conclusion. As you say the Nikon is the benchmark, but how many people can acquire one. The Spotmatic was made in large numbers, professionals used them and still do, amateurs could buy them and they gave you a camera that was within reach, and you felt if it was good enough to be accepted by the pro’s then you had a quality camera that performed very well, the lens availability was huge because of the M42 mount and they were easy to operate with the built in metering system. The Nikon was a better camera no doubt, but only for a select few. The Spotmatic’s are still around in big numbers, I have 2, an SP and an F. Light meters still function reasonably accurately and shutter speeds are close enough. The two cameras, super Takumar’s 28, 50, 55, 135, Hanimex 28-200 zoom all less than $270 AU. Can’t even get a Nikon F body for that. I love my Spotmatic’s and have no desire for a Nikon. Spotmatic brought quality to the masses, I recon it deserves a goat token just for that, it bridged the gap somewhat having a broader impact, the Nikon had a much narrower appeal and was mostly only used by professionals.