[bottlegardener]

Hi all,

I bought an as-is Spotmatic SP1000 and I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it's a half-frame version.

I have no idea if this is a factory or aftermarket modification (tho it does have a 1979 factory service sticker). If it were a camera repair person who modified this camera, it's a pretty elaborate job: the modified viewfinder mask is very clean and gearing modification to get it to advance the correct amount feels very smooth (and I've confirmed it's accurate).

If anyone has any information on this camera, I'd love to hear it. I won't be able to shoot a roll until I service it (capping at speeds > 1/250) but I'm eager to see the results.

Excuse the lousy the phone photos:

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[MarkJerling]

Welcome to the forum.
You may wish to check this thread and see if anyone there can offer any advice: The HALF-FRAME-35mm Club - PentaxForums.com

[leekil]

Do the viewfinder, focus, and mentoring seem to work normally, or maybe they are modified?

[pschlute]

Wow, I never even new this was a thing.

[Bob 256]

Reminds me of something from way back that only does portrait format ................. my cell phone. Really neat modification to the camera and a film saver too boot. Did it come with a 25mm lens?

[kypfer]

I remember doing something similar to an old Zeiss Netter 12-on-120 when I was at college, converted it to 16-on so's I could get more exposures on a roll of film

[bottlegardener]

Do the viewfinder, focus, and mentoring seem to work normally, or maybe they are modified?

The focus works as normal, the half-frame focal plane mask is at the same height as the normal rails. The viewfinder mask was modified to show the half frame. I'm not sure if there were any changes to the metering.

To the best of my knowledge, this camera came stock with centre-weighted metering so I reckon, left alone, it would be a sort of quasi-average metering that de-emphasizes the top and bottom of the frame.

[bottlegardener]

Reminds me of something from way back that only does portrait format ................. my cell phone. Really neat modification to the camera and a film saver too boot. Did it come with a 25mm lens?

It certainly feels weird to hold it sideways for landscape. It came with a standard SMC Takumar 55mm f1.8.

---------- Post added 11-28-22 at 12:26 PM ----------

I remember doing something similar to an old Zeiss Netter 12-on-120 when I was at college, converted it to 16-on so's I could get more exposures on a roll of film

That's a great idea. How did you figure out how far to advance?

[JohnMc]

That's a great idea. How did you figure out how far to advance?

It's much easier with film advance knobs, as opposed to levers which also serve to cock the shutter.

[kypfer]

That's a great idea. How did you figure out how far to advance?

Just make an extra hole in the rear cover, covered with a piece of red filter, to line up with the numbers on the paper backing.
There's three rows of numbers on the paper backing, one each for 8-on, 12-on and 16-on … align your new hole with the 16-on numbers and away you go
FWIW, it's the same row of numbers that are used if you cut a roll of 120 down for use in an 828 camera … bin there, dun that as well … see kodak classics - mischa koning

[titrisol]

Seems like an aftermarket modification, and yes is possible