| Author: | | New Member Registered: November, 2019 Posts: 1 | | Review Date: March 18, 2023 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Very well-built. Access to a whole range of great M42 lenses. | | Cons: | None , given when it was in production. | |
I've twice owned Pentax Spotmatics. One that I owned in the early 1970's, which I bought as a 21st birthday present to myself in 1970. The other I bought recently out of nostalgia and is more of a working collectors item, along with a later Spotmatic F.
My first Spotmatic was only my second 35mm SLR, replacing a Zenit 2m. I bought it on the recommendation of a former school friend and his elder brother, who , at the time, were each making a good living as full-time 'glamour' photographers, and owned some five Pentax Spotmatics between them.
At the time I found my first Spotmatic an excellent camera and a huge improvement on my Zenit. My current Spotmatic, like my current Spotmatic F , doesn't have a working meter but still remains a superb camera with totally intuitive controls and a joy to use. The small selection of M42 Takumar and Super-Takumar lenses that I have all produce stunning results with black and white film, so the Spotmatic still remains a wonderfully useable camera
| | | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: November, 2010 Location: California Posts: 2,223 | | Review Date: December 11, 2017 | Recommended | Price: $85.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Easy to use, sharp photos, indestructible, looker | | Cons: | Maybe TTL metering and battery - Therefore Manual Metering | |
I finally got my Spotmatic without battery, so I shot my first roll based on Sunny 16 and experience. Yesterday, I shot my first roll with the Spotmatic F, it was a good experience. However, I think I had more fun with the SP. Definitely it is a great camera. Here are some of the shots I took this morning (I used Neopan 100 Across developed in Perceptol (1+3) 22min @ 68F):
 Fountain on a cloudy day by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr
 Bark by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr
 Bottled Water on a cloudy day by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr
 OPEN by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr
 Yes the same sign again. by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr
 This View by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr
 Another View by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr
 Life by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr
 Gardening by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr
 The Same Mandarine by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr
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I have several Spotmatic, some without the light meter, some black, etc. Here are samples of shots taken with another camera, my Spotmatic Black:
 San Juan Capistrano by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr
 San Juan Capistrano by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr
 San Juan Capistrano by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr
 San Juan Capistrano by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr
 San Juan Capistrano by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr
 San Juan Capistrano by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr
 San Juan Capistrano by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr
 San Juan Capistrano by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr
 San Juan Capistrano by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr
 San Juan Capistrano by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr
| | | | | Pentaxian Registered: September, 2015 Location: Toronto Posts: 5,153
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 15, 2015 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Build, weight, durability, simplicity, reliability, dead TTL meter, plethora of cheap, fast-ish and wide lenses | | Cons: | Prime lens (50/1.4) yellowed, took years to clear up, screw mount can be a bit slow if you change lenses a lot | |
I bought mine used from a photographer friend who took pity after my ~25-year old Rollei SL35 (which I continued using for ~20-years after dunking it in salt water, without so much as a CLA) gave up the ghost. It had a dead meter too.
Some people may be surprised that I put 'dead meter' as a positive aspect. It wasn't until I was forced to get a hand-held meter (a cheapo Sekonic autoleader) that I realized how much I hate manual TTL metering. It's a stupid pain in the ass that is far from bulletproof, and a significant distraction from picture-taking. Hand-held metering is also far from bulletproof, but it gets the job done and isn't a PITA (IMO).
Anyhoo, back to the spotmatic. Someone once said that a camera body is just a box you stick lenses on. This is absolutely true of the spotmatic and its ilk. This here is the main positive aspect: there's a crazy ton of easily obtainable screw mount lenses in the wild that are generally built to last (like most all photo gear, back in the day). No plastic here, nosiree. The lenses range as you might expect from optical rubbish to optical gold, in a surprisingly low price spread.
I own a couple of modern, all-auto (focus, exposure, film advance & rewind) film bodies, with kit zooms, and they are not easier to use than the spotmatic. They generally yielded roughly the same quality negatives, albeit with consistently 'perfect' exposures (how boring is that?). A door latch spring on my plastic Canon Rebel Ti broke after only a couple of years of use (I can still use it, but I have to be pretty careful with that latch. Anyway I don't use it, and that's the point). I still use an all-auto point-and-shoot film camera (an Olympus Stylus Epic).
I do miss the bayonet mount on the Rollei SLR -- even though I got an m42 adaptor so I could use screw mount lenses on it too.
| | | | | Pentaxian Registered: March, 2015 Posts: 6,381 | | Review Date: September 25, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $30.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Battery-independent, tough as nails. | | Cons: | No hotshoe, no split prism, bulky and boxy compared to more modern bodies | |
Curiosity overcame me to the point where I just had to get one of these cameras to see what it was like. I haven't been disappointed. Controls are easy once you get the hang of them. Manual stop-down metering (with the meter switch on the camera closing the aperture in auto mode) is the big difference from all the K-mount bodies and the late-model Spotmatics, but this is a feature you expect when you deliberately buy an early Spotty and cannot be counted against the camera. It's substantially bigger and more boxy than any of the other Pentax film bodies I own, and this takes a bit of getting used to - it's a world away from the moulded grips of the K-5 - but once again this was a feature back in the day. I wouldn't at all mind a smaller version, about the size of an MX, but with everything else the same.
I have quite a few Takumar (mostly SMC, some Super-Takumar) and third-party M42 lenses already, and it's refreshing to not have to mount an adapter before putting them on.
Film loading is trickier when compared to the P3 and P30T that brought me back into film, and I've messed up the loading of one roll already, only to figure it out several shots in (regretfully disposed of). It makes you appreciate just how clever and brilliant the P3-series' loading system was. Patience is required here. If you're in doubt, wind on a couple extra shots before you close the back and make sure all is going well and the film tongue hasn't slipped out of the holding groove. Better to miss out on a couple of frames than lose the whole roll!!!
Mine is a Honeywell; it came with a clip-on cold shoe (possibly bought later, as it is labelled Asahi Pentax) that attaches via the eyepiece slot and sits where future Pentax SLRs would have theirs integrated into the pentaprism. I cannot speak to flash performance as I have neither a PC cable nor a flash that can accept one. This makes it more or less a daylight camera, but I bought it in part for its independence from batteries where necessary.
Metering with a modern 1.5V SR41/392 battery (and rubber grommet to hold it in place) is in agreement with all my film bodies and only one stop faster than my DSLR with the same lens mounted in all cases. I will update this review when I get the first fully-metered roll of film back.
Inexperienced users should bear in mind that at least with the native Takumar lenses mounted and switched to auto, the aperture requires closing down with the metering switch on the left of the lens mount in order to get a reading, HOWEVER, subsequent shots taken with the same exposure settings (i.e. until the light changes or a significantly differently lit subject is chosen) do NOT require this; the shutter will stop down and reopen automatically, and refocusing can be done "wide open". Thanks to the helpful, classic book "The Asahi Pentax Way" for this important piece of information.
| | | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: October, 2012 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,437 | | Review Date: September 5, 2014 | Not Recommended | Price: $3.99
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | Ergonomics, known quantity, good quality | | Cons: | Stupid batteries. | |
It's the first and prototypical Spotmatic. It's a great and fine camera and at the time would have been a fantastic option. In today's market, however, you can pick up an SPII with its hot shoe, an SPF with better metering and the ability to take batteries that are still in production, or any of the other Spotmatics. Since an SPF isn't much more than this camera, I couldn't, in good faith, recommend this one over an SPF unless the F is a LOT more money.
Are there Spotmatics I would recommend this one over? Absolutely. The SP 1000, SP 500, and SPIIa should all be passed up for this model (all other things being equal.) The Spotmatic add the self-timer that the SP 1000 and SP 500 lack. The SPIIa has a not un-earned reputation for light leaks around the flash sensor. So, this is the typical and run-of-the-mill Spotmatic. It will last you a very long time, be reliable, and work well. And you will enjoy using it all the time. That, I think, is the highest accolade that can be paid to a camera.
 | | | | | New Member Registered: November, 2013 Posts: 14 | | Review Date: March 30, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $265.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | fully mechanic SLR, working horse | | Cons: | nothing, perhaps batteries | |
I've got two items of this SLR. My first Pentax. Love ist very much
extreme reliable.
excellent wide angle, standanrd and small tele single lenses for M42 screw mount available
I've made a lot of very nice analogue photos with it.
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: October, 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 8,092 | | Review Date: March 10, 2013 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Incredible classic rugged build & simple design. | | Cons: | No hot shoe or MLU switch. | |
I got my Spotmatic and a couple Super Takumar lenses from a retired fellow I used to work with. He was the original owner who bought the kit in 1968.
Pros:
Incredible classic rugged build. Lots of metal, a real workhorse that will last for decades.
Meter on/off switch. Even though the meter is a stopped down design, it’s nice to have an on/off switch. This is a lot better than the K1000, where the meter is turned on/off when you remove/put on the lens cap.
Simple design. This is a great looking camera that is the perfect size. The “K Series” film bodies that I love are based on the Spotmatic chassis
Cons:
Not really many negatives other than there is no hot shoe or MLU switch. You can get a clip-on shoe for the Spotmatic and get the mirror to lock up by tapping the shutter button, however this is less than ideal.
Summary:
I really like the Spotmatic and it’s a true classic, the camera that really made Asahi Pentax a household name.
Compared to the K1000, I would pick the Spotmatic as a better camera. The SP was the best camera Pentax made at the time and the K1000 was a stripped down design and the bottom of the K Series camera tree.
However if I had to recommend either the SP or K1000 to a new film shooter, I would probably go with the K1000. You can use any K-mount or Screw-mount (via adapter) lens on the K1000, with the SP there is no way to use any Pentax K-mount lenses. That’s the biggest shame with these Screw-mount film bodies, they were basically made obsolete in June 1975 when Pentax introduced the “K Series” . This has made the Pentax Screw-mount bodies more of a collectors item than a practical everyday camera.
Price:
I bought my Spotmatic as part of a full camera kit, so I can’t really estimate the cost of the camera alone.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: July, 2010 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 1,501 | | Review Date: January 24, 2013 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: N/A |
| Pros: | It's a real looker! | | Cons: | | |
I haven't really used the Spottie much since buying it to be honest... Only ran a couple of films through it to check it worked (one before new seals and one after) although it does have half a roll of film it it (no idea what's on the film though!!)
As such I've not rated it
I kinda decided I had to have one... And for some reason I kinda decided it had to be a Honeywell one... So this one was shipped from Israel as I couldn't find one in the UK...
It is the centrepeice of my camera collection... Something about the Spotmatic's design is timeless. It's beautiful, stylish, elegant and built like a tank... My livingroom would not be the same without it... So in my livingroom it shall stay... Until death do we part...
I really like to look at it... Sometimes I like to hold it... Mostly I just look at it... Yeah... Bit weired...
Here it is...
 | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: August, 2012 Location: Queensland Posts: 4,299
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: November 18, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $95.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Quality and what photography was all about. | | Cons: | Nothing important. No hot shoe or open aperture metering. | |
I now have a range of Spotmatics from the SP500, SP1000, Spotmatic, Spotmatic 11, and four versions of the Spotmatic "F" plus an ES11. They are very similar in most ways. True the "F" is the final development of the pure manual Spotmatics, but somehow that doesn't diminish the attraction of the "lesser" models, or even the pre-Spotmatics which have a charm all of their own.
It is the direct involvement with a manual camera that fascinates so many of us, and that input has a reward that automation can't meet. It is true that the manual cameras of this era can't shoot 7 frames a second or auto focus in a split second, or select the correct light temperature and a multitude of other demands. The point is that how often does one really need to have these things done for one? When I want to enjoy taking a photograph, my K5 stays in it's bag, and I choose from one of my thirty plus manual jewels.
You won't go wrong enjoying one of these pieces of history. By the way don't worry about batteries, if you can fit a silver oxide cell into it such as a LR41 with rubber washer spacer, it will work. I even found the LR41 would do the trick on my SP2, as the Spotmatic will adjust for the higher 1.55volt voltage.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: November, 2011 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 167 | | Review Date: November 1, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $75.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Ergonomics, M42 lens options, "cool" factor, built to last | | Cons: | If you own other cameras, you'll probably use them more | |
I'm too young to know for sure, but an older friend assures me that this was THE camera to have in Europe in the 1960s.
I loved the ergonomics, lenses, and general usability of my Spotmatic. I used it with Super-Tak 50/1.4, 28/3.5, and 105/2.8 lenses. The camera never got in the way of a picture. And as anyone who has used Pentax's M42 line of lenses can attest, it is impossible to overstate the build quality and pleasure of using Super Takumars.
I sold the camera after about a year, as I was using other cameras much more often. I had 4 SLR systems, and after the shutter on the Spottie jammed, it collected dust for about a year before I sold it. This is perhaps the camera's only downside: if you have other systems with more features, you'll likely use them more often.
So I suppose my advice is make this camera the only one you own, keep it well-maintained, and you'll be a happy clam.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: December, 2010 Location: Bucharest, Romania Posts: 1,465
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 21, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $10.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | classic design | | Cons: | meter, shutter | |
This is my all-time favourite camera. I have the black version, which is kind of a pain to use without scratching. I'd recommend this camera to absolutely anybody, from the total beginner to the pro photographer. It's that good. M42 lenses in particular are jewels. I like that the shutter speed dial turns from B to 1/1000, and the mirror lockup flick, which they kept until the ME Super (last was MX). The fact that it relies on mercury batteries is false, it has a bridge circuit that can adapt to both alkaline and silver oxide batteries. It can use the following contemporary batteries: AG9, AG3, Energizer/Camelion/Varta/whatever 389, Energizer E387S. There are probably more.
This camera is from the age when DOF preview was a necessity for metering, not a special feature, and flash shoes were an accessory.
IMGP8016.jpg by kcobain1992, on Flickr
IMGP5697.jpg by kcobain1992, on Flickr
| | | | | Moderator
Site Supporter Registered: June, 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Posts: 17,377 | | Review Date: May 16, 2011 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | well made | | Cons: | bigger than the AP/S/K and SV series | |
This thing is a reliable well made body with an integrated mirror that doesn't detract from its form factor. It is beefy compared to the "AP" or SV bodies.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: September, 2007 Location: Boardman, Oregon Posts: 106 | | Review Date: December 17, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $165.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Ease of use, reliability, metering accuracy.
| | Cons: | No hot shoe.
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| Pros | Ease of use, reliability, metering accuracy. | | Cons | No hot shoe. | | Rating | 9 | | Price (U.S. Dollars) | $165 with 55mm f1:1.8 Super Takumar lens | | Years Owned | Bought new in July, 1969. |
I can recommend this camera: Yes
Value, Features, Performance & Size
This camera has been around the world, spent over two years in West African dust and rain, and never missed a beat. Used Kodachrome (ASA 25) and Tri X for years. I don't think that the spot meter ever missed the exposure, and it has always been easy to focus.
The only thing wrong is that you can't put a modern lens on it!
Camera Review
I went camera shopping with some friends before our departure to Africa in the Peace Corps. We ended up with different brands, a Nikon, a Minolta, and a Pentax. I thought that I got the best deal because it was the lightest and smallest of them all. It turned out that I was right. I don't think that we even saw a Canon at that time.
My father had a Nikormat a few years later, but he borrowed my Spotmatic for a trip to New Zealand, because the Nikormat was not reliable enough. After he came back, with great photos, he bought another Nikormat. Go figure!
| | | | | Junior Member Registered: May, 2010 Location: Gold Coast, QLD Posts: 32 | | Review Date: October 19, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $1.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Robust body,accepts lots of lenses | | Cons: | Uses mercury batteries, no hot shoe | |
| Pros | Robust body,accepts lots of lenses | | Cons | Uses mercury batteries, no hot shoe | | Rating | 10 | | Price (U.S. Dollars) | 1 | | Years Owned | 3 months |
I can recommend this camera: Yes
Value, Features, Performance & Size
surprisingly robust construction
Can use external flash units using FP/X sync contacts
Accepts a wide variety of M42 lenses
Camera Review
What a excellent screwmount Pentax camera-the Spotmatic is very beautiful with a surprisingly robust construction.
The controls are placed perfectly and quite easy to get to grips with and despite being a metal bodied camera it's not tiring to hold at all.
As it has a M42 mount, you can use lots of lenses that were made in that mount.
I use 2 Takumar lenses with the camera and the viewfinder is bright and sharp.
Only downsides would be the use of mercury batteries and no hot shoe for external; flash units (you can use one by connecting it to the FP or X sync contacts and the shutter speed set to 60x)
Overall a impressive Pentax camera from the 1960's and it's just great to use everyday.
| | | | | Pentaxian Registered: December, 2007 Location: In the most populated state... state of denial Posts: 1,854 | | Review Date: October 13, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $300.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Construction, reliability, ease of use | | Cons: | Viewfinder can be a bit dim | |
| Pros | COnstruction, reliability, ease of use | | Cons | Viewfinder can be a bit dim compared to modern cameras | | Rating | 10 | | Price (U.S. Dollars) | ~300 (my father bought it new in 1973) | | Years Owned | Inherited from my father in 1985 |
I can recommend this camera: Yes
Value, Features, Performance & Size
This camera is the gold standard for manual cameras.
Excellent lightmeter; good viewfinder and wonderful ergonomics even 40 years after it was introduced.
I know many people fuss about batteries, but mine has used AgO batteries since the 1980s and got good results even with slide film.
Camera Review
I remember seeing this camera when my father came back form Japan in 1973, and always cherished it as the best camera. Have used it through the 80s and 90s; even for some professional gigs when other guys where scoffing at the camera. I think it beats the K-1000 by several miles.
Ergonomics are great, controls are logically placed and easy to handle. Shutter is reliable, and with a good maintenance every 10yrs or so it keeps working.
Lightmeter is very good, and works fine with AgO batteries (in mine at least)
Optics (SMC takumars and Super Takumars) are second to none and with some practice this camera is world class!
The only weak point is the stop-down metering which was very good in the 1960s and was solved in the F version. However, once you understand how that works is just intuitive.
PS (2021) My 16yr old wantes to learn about film photography, and of course I gave her the Spottie to learn photography with a basic camera. She has enjoyed the process of taking pictures and has gotten a lot better.
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