Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
07-09-2019, 10:59 AM - 4 Likes   #1
Senior Member




Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Morelia, Michoacán
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 126
Pentax Spotmatic advertising 1971

Hello Pentaxonians,

I found this in an old National Geographic magazine, I thought you might be interested. I attach the ad and the cover for reference.

Cheers, Steffen

Attached Images
View Picture EXIF
WAS-LX3  Photo 
View Picture EXIF
WAS-LX3  Photo 
07-09-2019, 11:21 AM - 1 Like   #2
Veteran Member
Cuthbert's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2013
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 1,740
Ouch! $2000 today? Were Spotties that expensive?
07-09-2019, 11:50 AM - 1 Like   #3
Site Supporter
Site Supporter




Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central Coast, CA
Posts: 1,312
"List price" was 340. Most stores would have sold it for 10-20% less. In Japan, it probably sold for $160 ( I got my Spotmatic with 1.4 from Japan for $129 ). In those days Japanese companies had to have a US importer- hence Honeywell Pentax. That added another layer of cost onto the camera. Canon cameras were imported by Bell & Howell. Nikon cameras by Erenreich Photo Optical Industries.
07-09-2019, 11:50 AM   #4
szs
Senior Member




Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Morelia, Michoacán
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 126
Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by Cuthbert Quote
Ouch! $2000 today? Were Spotties that expensive?
Is it a factor 10? Would be interesting to see what the other cameras at that time cost...

07-09-2019, 11:57 AM - 1 Like   #5
Veteran Member
Cuthbert's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2013
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 1,740
QuoteOriginally posted by pentaxus Quote
"List price" was 340. Most stores would have sold it for 10-20% less. In Japan, it probably sold for $160 ( I got my Spotmatic with 1.4 from Japan for $129 ). In those days Japanese companies had to have a US importer- hence Honeywell Pentax. That added another layer of cost onto the camera. Canon cameras were imported by Bell & Howell. Nikon cameras by Erenreich Photo Optical Industries.
Yes of course until recently (e-commerce) the importers charged a lot of money (even 50%) foreign goods, but even with 20% discount we are talking about $1600.

Last edited by Cuthbert; 07-09-2019 at 12:11 PM.
07-09-2019, 01:10 PM - 1 Like   #6
Pentaxian
Wasp's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Pretoria
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 4,650
They make SMC sound invincible, i.e. completely flare-proof. Not quite...

And the TTL meter was much better than a handheld meter, but far from foolproof.

Truth in advertising? Sort of.

Thanks for sharing.
07-09-2019, 09:33 PM - 1 Like   #7
Site Supporter
Site Supporter




Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 110
Sending coupons ... those were the days!

07-10-2019, 01:03 AM - 1 Like   #8
Pentaxian
Jonathan Mac's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Madrid, Spain
Posts: 10,851
It's always interesting to see the old advertising, especially the way they were written back then. From what it says, it seems that most of the advantages come from the lenses rather than the camera, which is probably true.

I particularly like the last paragraph which suggests that some dealers don't meet the lofty standards of Pentax and should therefore be avoided .
07-10-2019, 04:04 AM - 1 Like   #9
Veteran Member
Cuthbert's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2013
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 1,740
QuoteOriginally posted by Wasp Quote
They make SMC sound invincible, i.e. completely flare-proof. Not quite...

And the TTL meter was much better than a handheld meter, but far from foolproof.

Truth in advertising? Sort of.

Thanks for sharing.
At that time I am pretty sure Pentax SMC was the most advanced coating available on the market and of course the Spotmatic was the first TTL camera to reach the market therefore they were boasting it.
07-10-2019, 11:06 AM - 2 Likes   #10
Veteran Member
Ontarian50's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 530
QuoteOriginally posted by Cuthbert Quote
Ouch! $2000 today? Were Spotties that expensive?
Yes, $340 was quite a pile of cash in those days, and yet the things sold quite well.

Since I was only a little kid back then, I can't relate entirely to how it was, but I get the idea that a young man with a good first job needed an apartment, a car, a tv and a hi-fi. After that, a good camera was definitely on the want list.

How could he contemplate spending $340 (I do believe it was possible to rent a decent small apartment for $50 a month or so at that time)? Well, he didn't need a new cellphone every few years, and a monthly contract to go along with his regular phone bill, cable tv bill, and internet bill (and Netflix account, Amazon account, HBO account, Playstation account, etc. etc.). He also wasn't buying a new laptop every few years. He wasn't buying Blu-Rays, DVDs, or video games, since they didn't exist either. He also didn't have a credit card, most likely, so no monthly bill there either.

I do get the impression that a lot of our modern conveniences come with monthly bills to nibble away at disposable income - which makes a $2,000 camera kit an insurmountable obstacle for many otherwise interested photographers.

Last edited by Ontarian50; 07-11-2019 at 07:35 AM.
07-10-2019, 01:08 PM - 1 Like   #11
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
EssJayEff's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: near Saxapahaw, NC
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 956
I found a Brooks Camera advertisement for both cameras in the San Francisco Examiner, 26 Feb 1971. For the Spotmatic II with a 55mm f1.4 the price was $339.50, and the SP 500 with the 55mm f/2 was $199.50 (USD). Adjusted for inflation, that's $2,146.75 and $1,261.49 in 2019 USD.
07-11-2019, 07:26 AM - 1 Like   #12
Veteran Member
Cuthbert's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2013
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 1,740
QuoteOriginally posted by Ontarian50 Quote
Yes, $340 was quite a pile of cash in those days, and yet the things sold quite well.

Since I was only a little kid back then, I can't relate entirely to how it was, but I get the idea that a young man with a good first job needed an apartment, a car, a tv and a hi-fi. After that, a good camera was definitely on the want list.

How could he contemplate spending $340 (I do believe it was possible to rent a decent small apartment for $50 a month or so at that time)? Well, he didn't need a new cellphone every few years, and a monthly contract to go along with his regular phone bill, cable telephone bill, and internet bill (and Netflix account, Amazon account, HBO account, Playstation account, etc. etc.). He also wasn't buying a new laptop every few years. He wasn't buying Blu-Rays, DVDs, or video games, since they didn't exist either. He also didn't have a credit card, most likely, so no monthly bill there either.

I do get the impression that a lot of our modern conveniences come with monthly bills to nibble away at disposable income - which makes a $2,000 camera kit an insurmountable obstacle for many otherwise interested photographers.
I think the main difference today is the cost of renting, in certain cases that "eats out" half of the salary of a new graduate. Cell phones, DVDs and videogames are marginal but thinking out renting an apartment for $300 today in a great city is simply a pipedream.

QuoteOriginally posted by EssJayEff Quote
I found a Brooks Camera advertisement for both cameras in the San Francisco Examiner, 26 Feb 1971. For the Spotmatic II with a 55mm f1.4 the price was $339.50, and the SP 500 with the 55mm f/2 was $199.50 (USD). Adjusted for inflation, that's $2,146.75 and $1,261.49 in 2019 USD.
As a matter of fact now that I recall among all the parents of my schoolmates in the early 80s the only father who had a "high range" Japanese SLR was a wealthy merchant who has a Canon FTb that he bought in the early 70s when he got successful in his business. Simple chromed body and FD50mm f1.8, nothing too fancy...then in 1986 or so he purchased the first "working" AF camera, a Minolta 7000, however he kept the old Canon and still now his son has both cameras in perfectly working conditions.

I think those who bought them consider it an investment as unlike moden digital ones they didn't come obsolete and were supposed to last for decades.

Last edited by Cuthbert; 07-11-2019 at 07:35 AM.
07-11-2019, 07:28 AM   #13
szs
Senior Member




Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Morelia, Michoacán
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 126
Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by Ontarian50 Quote
Yes, $340 was quite a pile of cash in those days, and yet the things sold quite well.
....

I do get the impression that a lot of our modern conveniences come with monthly bills to nibble away at disposable income - which makes a $2,000 camera kit an insurmountable obstacle for many otherwise interested photographers.

Food for thought.

Thank you!
07-11-2019, 07:31 AM - 1 Like   #14
Senior Member
AAlfano's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 139
QuoteOriginally posted by Cuthbert Quote
I think the main difference today is the cost of renting, in certain cases that "eats out" half of the salary of a new graduate. Cell phones, DVDs and videogames are marginal but thinking out renting an apartment for $300 today in a great city is simply a pipedream.
Not to mention paying back a fortune in student loans, which most young men (and women) with good first jobs need to do these days.
07-11-2019, 07:38 AM - 1 Like   #15
Veteran Member
Cuthbert's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2013
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 1,740
QuoteOriginally posted by AAlfano Quote
Not to mention paying back a fortune in student loans, which most young men (and women) with good first jobs need to do these days.
I am lucky to be born in a country where education was still affordable, actually the government gave me a small grant (few thousands of euros per year) to help my family as I was a very good student. But yes people with my background in the US or the UK don't get a degree or they are chocked by those loans until they retire.
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
pentax spotmatic, spotmatic advertisement
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Vienna 1971 Elroy Jetson Monthly Photo Contests 2 09-09-2018 02:08 PM
Night Not since 1971 ........ daacon Post Your Photos! 14 08-01-2018 03:04 AM
Pentax is advertising, Pentax is advertising!!! bladerunner6 Photographic Industry and Professionals 21 05-14-2016 02:05 PM
Summer 1971 in Spain eyry Monthly Photo Contests 7 04-16-2016 09:04 PM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 03:56 AM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top