[Douglas_of_Sweden]

There are two more on ebay now.

[Baard-Einar]

There are two more on ebay now.

Hi Douglas

On eBay and in chrome? I can't find them, whats the item number?

[Baard-Einar]

Another question: Did Pentax ever make a chrome Electro Spotmatic? The Japan-only version?

[Wild Mark]

An old thread for sure, but the only one with any relevance to the subject matter.

I have just acquired a chrome ES with serial 655XXXX in near perfect cosmetic condition. Waiting to see what the function is like. It looks from the serial database and general web searches that chrome ES are limited to the 655XXXX and 656XXXX batches, with black ones mingled amongst these occurrences.

It appears that the theoretical maximum number ever produced is 2000, but, with some black ones known to occur in this serial range then the real number is less.

A couple of questions for those interested:

Does anyone have a chrome ES outside the serial range indicted above?

How many 'black' ones are there in the specified range?

[Moe49]

Does anyone have a chrome ES outside the serial range indicted above?

I do not. My Chrome ES is No.6559557, right in the range you specified.

It also has "Honeywell Pentax" engraved on the top cover. I have never seen a Chrome ES engraved with "Asahi Pentax", and I have looked (still looking).

[Wild Mark]

Thanks for your response Moe - I noted your sample in the camera database.

I stumbled across this potential rarity as I was starting to think that I have most of the rarities in my collection. Nice to know there are some odd sods still out there.

It will be interesting to see what others bring in on this topic.

[monochrome]

I thought my chrome ESll was worth keeping for rarity value. Guess not.

[Moe49]

I thought my chrome ESll was worth keeping for rarity value. Guess not.

It is rarer than the black ES-IIs, by 50-1 (SWAG)
It is worth keeping because it is a very fine picture taker.
ES-II is my favorite Spotmatic era Pentax. I have two chrome ones, both with recent CLAs.

[monochrome]

It is rarer than the black ES-IIs, by 50-1 (SWAG)
It is worth keeping because it is a very fine picture taker.
ES-II is my favorite Spotmatic era Pentax. I have two chrome ones, both with recent CLAs.

I’m thinning out the cameras. My plan is to keep one KX, MX, LX, K2DMD and SV as user / collectibles. I had thought to keep the AP, K and Asahiflexes as CLA’ed collectibles and run a roll though now and then. I have a MIJ K1000 and a beater brown K1000SE for careless pocket carry. I didn’t know what to do with the SP-F and ESII since I sort of have both in K-mount form.

That means the S cameras (including a NOS S3 with foam and plastic), Spotties, extra KX’es, extra MX’es and K2’s can go. Or maybe film can go altogether and all the manual lenses. That decision is actually on the table for discussion.

[timw4mail]

I’m thinning out the cameras. My plan is to keep one KX, MX, LX, K2DMD and SV as user / collectibles. I had thought to keep the AP, K and Asahiflexes as CLA’ed collectibles and run a roll though now and then. I have a MIJ K1000 and a beater brown K1000SE for careless pocket carry. I didn’t know what to do with the SP-F and ESII since I sort of have both in K-mount form.

That means the S cameras (including a NOS S3 with foam and plastic), Spotties, extra KX’es, extra MX’es and K2’s can go. Or maybe film can go altogether and all the manual lenses. That decision is actually on the table for discussion.

I think you'd miss the K-series lenses if you went all autofocus.


There are also several cameras I should probably get rid of, including ES/ESII.


Besides, collecting stuff tends to be somewhat cyclical. You get everything, thin out the collection, reacquire things you missed, repeat

All of that to say, surely the chrome ES II is pretty enough to keep even if you don't use it much?

[Craftsman]

I also have both a Chrome Honeywell ES and a Chrome Asahi ES ll, I also have the Black versions of both. all in pretty much mint condition. As far as I know the Electro Spotmatic was only made in Black.