[ctrout]

Mine does have both the split screen and the collar on a field of ground glass. Does that make it an unmarked SE or not? Are there any experts here that can say for sure? I wonder what Eric could tell me if I drop him a note and ask when I send it off to him for CLA.

[Paul Ewins]

I sold that K1000 over 30 years ago, so can't confirm exactly what screen but I don't remember it having a micro prism field. I've had a look at all of the K series bodies I own - around 30 - and most have the simple micro prism spot in a matte circle. The K1000SEs all have a split image spot in a microprism circle as expected as do the K2DMDs. One KM just had a split image spot (like my first K1000), while the Chinese K1000s just have a micro prism spot.

[gofour3]

The early K1000's had either a SI (Split Image) or MP (Micro Prism) screen available as an option, just like the KM, KX, K2, ME & MX. The K2DMD was the first Pentax body with the combined SI/MP screen as the only choice. (As well as black only for the body)

Phil.

[Paul Ewins]

Did a bit more digging and found a price list from July 1977. It lists the K1000 with a MP (micro prism screen) for 219.50 and with a split image screen (SI) for 229.50. The K2 and KX are listed as MP only while the K2DMD, ME and MX could have either at the same price.

[gofour3]

Did a bit more digging and found a price list from July 1977. It lists the K1000 with a MP (micro prism screen) for 219.50 and with a split image screen (SI) for 229.50. The K2 and KX are listed as MP only while the K2DMD, ME and MX could have either at the same price.

Guess it depends on what market you are in. I had checked my price list from Jan 1978 and all bodies (except K2DMD) have both SI & MP screens available. I've also got a KX with a SI and two with a MP screen.

Phil.

[stevebrot]

ME and MX could have either at the same price.

The MX had interchangeable screens. I thought the ME was standard with Split-image/microprism.


Steve

[Paul Ewins]

Guess it depends on what market you are in...
Phil.

And when. Given that all of the K bodies would have used the same screens maybe the SI screen was introduced with the K2DMD and K1000 and then moved over to the K2 and KX as well as per your priceless from a year later. Or maybe it was always an option but just not important enough to mention in a little price list. Both of my price lists are from the USA, I don't know whether that makes a difference. Australia's local distributor, CR Kennedy, are said to have a very long and close relationship with Pentax so maybe they had access to some Japan only options.

I also checked the MEs and couldn't find any with a Microprism spot screen, but the ME SE has a diagonal split image instead of the usual horizontal one.

[ratsumi]

Hi, I acquire this in Japan years ago and was told it was an anniversary edition of the K1000. Is this the real thing or just a KX with a K1000 top and painted letters?

Thank you!

[Adam]

Hi, I acquire this in Japan years ago and was told it was an anniversary edition of the K1000. Is this the real thing or just a KX with a K1000 top and painted letters?

Thank you!

I haven't heard of a K1000 variant with gold lettering. Could be a custom job.

AFAIK this is the most collectible variant of the K1000, and it did not have the Asahi logo because of release in the mid 90's:

[Moe49]

is this a fake?
Hi, I acquire this in Japan years ago and was told it was an anniversary edition of the K1000. Is this the real thing or just a KX with a K1000 top and painted letters?

Thank you!

Very interesting K1000 you have there I have not seen one like that before.

The only "Anniversary Edition" K1000 I know of is the "API - Pentax 35th Anniversary" released in 1994. 300 units total with all documentation written in Italian.
[ the picture in post #24 above is my "Anniversary Edition" K1000, # 021/300 ]
It is very possible there were other "Special" K1000s built at the Pentax factories I don't know about, and yours may be one(?)

All K1000s I am aware of have one flash sync port on the front of the camera. Your K1000 has two flash sync ports, like a KM or KX.

Does your K1000 Viewfinder Info look like that of a KX ? I.e., has match needle metering display?
If not, my suspicion is that your camera was originally a Pentax KM, then had a K1000 top installed, and the gold lettering custom painted.

The $1200 question is: "Did the Pentax Factory build your camera that way, or were those modifications performed by an independent camera repair shop? "

[Lord Lucan]

I have Version #2 and it has brown leatherette. I have seen a K1000 SE with black leatherette and I would assume that the K1000 SE was also available with brown leatherette although I can't remember if I've ever seen one. Although mine has the brown leatherette, it is not marked as an SE. I was not aware that the standard model K1000 came in brown. Is this one an anomaly or was this a fairly common or well known configuration?

Standard K1000s were not brown. According to Danilo Cecchis book " Asahi Pentax and Pentax SLR 35mm Cameras 1952-1989" there were several special versions, some of which, including the "Gold", were cosmetic modifications by companies other than Pentax. A K1000 gold is now quite valuable. Sounds like yours is one of these specials, not a "Gold" but probably still quite valuable.

Pentax produced their own special which was called the K1000 SE, and according to Cecchi, this had a split image screen (the standard K1000 had a microprism). It was distinguished by a brown leatherette covering and the letters "SE" on the front.

The K1000 was always the bottom of the Pentax SLR range, and it is a bit surprising that it was chosen for so much special treatement, rather than the MX say. In its day, most "expert" commentators were pretty dismissive of it; technically it was already out-of-date on the day it was launched. Nevertheless, although simple, it was a quality camera that could take pictures as good as any Pentax 35mm film camera ever made, having the same lenses and precision (the pre-Chinese made models at least) as the flagships. But the special treatments reflected the fact that it had something of a cult and "arty" following (which still exists, rather like the VW Beetle has) not least because it was much used by art students who were invariably recommended it by their course leaders, in its day.

[ratsumi]

Very interesting K1000 you have there I have not seen one like that before.

The only "Anniversary Edition" K1000 I know of is the "API - Pentax 35th Anniversary" released in 1994. 300 units total with all documentation written in Italian.
It is very possible there were other "Special" K1000s built at the Pentax factories I don't know about, and yours may be one(?)

All K1000s I am aware of have one flash sync port on the front of the camera. Your K1000 has two flash sync ports, like a KM or KX.

Does your K1000 Viewfinder Info look like that of a KX ? I.e., has match needle metering display?
If not, my suspicion is that your camera was originally a Pentax KM, then had a K1000 top installed, and the gold lettering custom painted.

The $1200 question is: "Did the Pentax Factory build your camera that way, or were those modifications performed by an independent camera repair shop? "

Hi there, thank you for the input. Here is an actual image of the viewfinder made with my phone. Seems to be a standard for the K1000... What does this means?

R.

---------- Post added 09-12-17 at 03:34 PM ----------

I haven't heard of a K1000 variant with gold lettering. Could be a custom job.

AFAIK this is the most collectible variant of the K1000, and it did not have the Asahi logo because of release in the mid 90's:

Hi Adam, I've got this reply from Pentax (Ricoh):

Thank you for contacting the Ricoh Technology Support Center.

Sorry but he have no information on Legacy Film Cameras.


TSSC - RIAC (Camera Support)
RICOH USA, INC.
pentaxsupport@ricoh-usa.com

Really disappointing

R.

[Adam]

Hi Adam, I've got this reply from Pentax (Ricoh):

Not sure why you'd expect anything else What's why you have PF

Anyway, that does look like a standard K1000/KM viewfinder.

The $1200 question is: "Did the Pentax Factory build your camera that way, or were those modifications performed by an independent camera repair shop? "

After looking at the photos more closely, my guess is that this is a KM which has received the K1000's top plate along with custom gold lettering. Since the KM had a serial number on top, the lack of a serial number anywhere on your body supports this theory.

Could potentially be a counterfeit "limited edition" model scraped together to earn someone some extra cash. Nevertheless, an interesting piece!

[TwoUptons]

It's the special Las Vegas law enforcement edition ...

The serial number was removed to prevent tracing it, and the gold trim was part of Las Vegas government requirements in the late 1970s.

None of this is available on the internet because of the intense need for secrecy at the time.

There you go. Instant internet provenance 🙂

-Eric

[ChrisPlatt]

I have seen photos of several Pentax KM bodies with K1000 top covers.
IIRC a PF member mentioned owning one.

I was thinking of having one done up this way to interest my daughter.

These might be Franken-cameras, but they're much cheaper
and probably far more reliable than Russian Leica forgeries.

Chris