[puderse]

I recently got an S3 with what I call the "round meter". I have a "square meter" on an SL marked "SL" on the meter.

Can anyone direct me to a source, or let me know from first hand knowledge, what meters were for what cameras? Years available as new, how they connected to the cameras, zero adjust, user manuals, etc.

I've 15 or so M42 Pentax cameras and I'm looking for something along the lines of desoutz's excellent collection and typology site only for pentax M42

[Not a Number]

I see a photo of an S3 with the Clip-on Exposure Meter (model II?) attached on the AOHC (Asahi Optical History Club) website.

http://www.aohc.it/_old/cameras/s3_01.jpg

The user manual for the Model II on Pentax-Manuals.com shows it mounted on an SV but doesn't say anything about it limited to certain models. Probably usable at least up to the SV and perhaps even later models.

Only the S1a/SV user manual mention the Clip-On Exposure Meter. The SL, S1/S2/S3, S and K manual merely mention that the accessory clip can hold a miniature exposure meter. I used to have a couple of those - not even Asahi Optical.

Pictures would be nice.

[puderse]

It would appear that either meter will couple to any Pentax with a groove cut adjacent to the "T" or "B" on the shutter speed dial. Which, "round" or "square", meter is the older? Years available new?

[noblepa]

I believe that the SL meter is unique the Pentax SL model, which is a Spotmatic without the built-in meter.

The round meter will work with any of the S or H-series cameras. There was a different version that had a more squarish body, that also worked on the S/H series cameras.

The Pentax SL had different spacing between the prism and the shutter speed dial, so the two types are not interchangeable, even though they look almost alike.

I believe that the SL was the last 35mm camera that Pentax offered without a meter, so your meter won't fit any newer cameras. Besides, they all had hot shoes atop the prism, until they came up with built-in, pop-up flashes.

BTW, the clip-on meters for the S/H series are not exactly common, but they're not terribly rare, either. They regularly show up on eBay. The SL meters, OTOH, are rare as hens' teeth. In ten years of watching Pentax stuff on eBay, I've only seen one SL meter offered.

[puderse]

I plan to keep using the SL, so upon your comments I'll keep looking for a nice "square" meter.

BTW, Were any of the meters offered in all black to match my black pre-Spotmatics?

Is there a good typology site for Pentax M42 that is as easy to use as the one for Nikon Fs from Switzerland?

[Not a Number]

The closest is the Asahi Optical Historical Club website I mentioned before. They've just rolled out a new version which is not as well organized as the old one. Link to old page:

Screwmount

Asahi would show what ever was the latest model body at the time a manual for accessories was released. The Model II manual shows the SV which had productions dates of 1962-1968. The SL was produced from 1968-71

Die Cast Pro - Asahi Pentax CdS Clip-on Exposure Meters for S1/H1-S3v/H3v and SL




From the photos on this web page there doesn't seem to be any difference between the SL meter and the Model II meter other than the name plate.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/8-pentax-film-slr-discussion/175958-penta...ter-cells.html



I'm guessing the Model I is the round meter.

[puderse]

Although it works, I see now that the meter is missing the high/low switch.
[IMG]
[/IMG]