[s1120]

Walking through a yard sale over the weekend and open up a old bag.... what to I find? A old Pentax camera! I thought it was a k1000 like I already have, but it turned out to be a Honeywell Pentax sp1000. I know nothing about these at all other then what I have read hear the last day. Anyone have some care and feeding tips for me? Info, advice? Thanks for looking!

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[Nesster]

That's my favorite screw mount Pentax! I've had two, one I gave to my brother in law for his birthday, the second one my daughter stole - it's her favorite of all the cameras I have, which should say something, she's a connoisseur - and I had CLA'd by Eric.

Not much to say about feeding one; just give it all the film you can and shoot, shoot shoot!

[nparsons13]

Nice find! You'll need a 387s battery to power the meter. And if the light seals have never been replaced, you're liable to need new ones. Open the back and run your finger along the edge of the back. If there's sticky black gunk along the edge and in the corresponding grooves in the body of the camera, you need new seals. You'll probably need a new mirror bumper strip, too. Jon Goodman makes a complete seal and bumper kit for this camera; email him at jon_goodman@yahoo.com.

[s1120]

The seals are on the back cover top and bottom? Don't see any on the top, but something flaking on the bottom. I don't know what its called, but if you remove the lens, and above it in the bump up that holds the viewfinder.. ( how's that for not having a clue? ). There is some form of a seal strip that all nasty and braking down. Almost like rotting closed cell foam. Is that user replaceable? I'm very handy.... but have big fingers.

[Eulogy]

Side note: Holy magenta hues, batman!

[s1120]

Side note: Holy magenta hues, batman!

You mean the wonderfully high quality pictures my tablet camera produces ?

[TomB_tx]

I like the Spotmatics better than the K1000. The only thing you lose is open-aperture metering (except for the "F" model); but you gain fantastic mechanical quality in the lenses. Besides the light seals and mirror bumper, shutter bearings are usually dry by now so speeds may be inconsistent, and the CDS meter cells often deteriorate from moisture, so they begin to underexpose in low light. Although I've worked on several myself, I'd also advise sending it to Eric for a full service. He works wonders on these, and at a bargain price.

[nparsons13]

The seals are on the back cover top and bottom? Don't see any on the top, but something flaking on the bottom. I don't know what its called, but if you remove the lens, and above it in the bump up that holds the viewfinder.. ( how's that for not having a clue? ). There is some form of a seal strip that all nasty and braking down. Almost like rotting closed cell foam. Is that user replaceable? I'm very handy.... but have big fingers.

The seals are foam strips that fit into the grooves in the camera body that the edges of the back door fit into. That something flaking is probably old seal foam. The rotting closed cell foam inside the mirror box is the old mirror bumper.

Jon Goodman's foam replacement instructions for the SP are at http://www.kyphoto.com/classics/seal/Pentax_SpotmaticSP.pdf. I imagine the SP1000 is very similar if not the same. I don't have my copy close at hand at the moment to compare.

[s1120]

Thanks. Ill look into how to replace them. Or look into sending it in somewere. Might just as well do the seals in my K1000 also. Im assuming they ae about the same style?

So here the boys are! My garage sale finds!! BTW will that flash work with the SP1000 also??