K1000 Viewfinder Mold?

roflzzhaveridges · 12-10-2014, 08:28 PM

Hey guys,

I brought my K1000 out recently to shoot a couple rolls of film, but I found what I believe is mold whenever I look through my viewfinder. It's relatively small and gets annoying, I checked the mirror foam and everything looks fine. I also don't see any foam on the focus screen, so I was wondering if there was anywhere I could send the camera to get it checked out? Thanks.

**patrick9** · 12-10-2014, 08:33 PM

Can you post a picture of it?
If need be you could send it to Eric for a Clean ,Lube, and Adjustment.

photolady95 · 12-10-2014, 08:38 PM

Send Eric a PM he'll get back to you.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/8-pentax-film-slr-discussion/273314-change-address-eric.html

I have the same problem with my new to me K1000 and thought to try to attempt to fix it myself, but I am going to talk to Eric instead.

**pentaxus** · 12-10-2014, 11:56 PM

Most likely the problem is the prism silvering. Pull the viewfinder away from your eye while still looking through the eyepiece. If it gets clearer then it is the aluminum coating coming undone. Sadly there is no "fixing" the prism. It needs to be replaced. I am pretty sure the prism is no longer available new (the price would be pretty high anyway). In Pentaxes I have only seen it in K1000 cameras. Probably has to do with cost cutting to keep the price low. If you get a "parts" camera on e-bay make sure the prism is ok.

photolady95 · 12-11-2014, 12:02 AM

Pentaxus, I just checked what you suggested to do on mine but the black gunk/mold is still visible.

roflzzhaveridges · 12-15-2014, 02:42 AM

Sweet thanks guys, I've been studying for finals for the past week and haven't been able to reply. I'll check on the prism silvering when I get home, currently at school studying -___- and also get a picture of it. Appreciate the quick replies though guys!

odinkos · 12-23-2014, 06:05 PM

My first K1000 I bought second hand had the same type of issue as you describe. It looked like a moldy tree in the middle of the VF. Got up the guts to take off the top plate and inspect the prism. Turned out to be the reflective surface of the prism was coming off :/ Like Penatxus said, it's a replace not repair scenario, but considering Pentax made like a million K1000's your better off just trying to find one that's not jacked up. Best of luck either way, and thanks for keeping film alive!

benkaf · 01-12-2015, 06:35 PM

I removed the prism of my Chinese made SE and if what I have is what's being described, it's definitely in there.

Looks like a little Pentax gremlin waving at us.

roflzzhaveridges · 01-13-2015, 02:49 PM

Originally posted by benkaf

I removed the prism of my Chinese made SE and if what I have is what's being described, it's definitely in there.

Looks like a little Pentax gremlin waving at us.

That's very similar to what mine looks like, I'm just assuming it's the same thing D: time to find another K1000

benkaf · 01-21-2015, 09:44 AM

So, I was able to swap out the prism from another K1000 and now have a clear viewfinder. The job was the first real repair I've made to a camera and taking it apart and putting it back together was an interesting challenge.

However, I now have three small screws with no knowledge of where they were supposed to go . . . but the camera seems to work fine. Another disassembly might be in my future!

odinkos · 01-21-2015, 12:53 PM

Oh those, those are the extras you always have left over when ever you take anything apart. It's like the inverse to socks in the dryer law

photolady95 · 01-21-2015, 01:22 PM

There shouldn't be any extra parts. You might want to look at the video in this thread.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/8-pentax-film-slr-discussion/275670-servi...ual-k1000.html

I asked that question about taking mine apart and was given a youtube instructions video. Video is consise and easy to hear (I am hard of hearing).

benkaf · 01-22-2015, 02:01 PM

I thought about the socks in the dryer thing, but photolady95 has a point and I think this weekend I'm going to reopen the camera and see where I might have missed something.

However, I did watch the video and consult the service manual in taking apart the camera. Unfortunately, the K1000 SE seems to be slightly different than the cameras in both resources. There are screws in different places and some of the components are different. For instance, the SE has a plastic composite top. They are very similar, but I expect there were changes all during the production run that make the service manual sometimes a challenge to use.

I'll post my experience.

K David · 01-22-2015, 02:11 PM

That's desilvering of the prism and is due to poor silver adhesion and a chemical reaction over time. YOur K1000 probably says Made in China on the bottom. This problem plagues the MiC K1000 bodies. The prism will need to be replaced.

photolady95 · 01-22-2015, 02:19 PM

Mine isn't the SE and it doesn't say where it was made. The only stamp on it says Asahi Opt Co. Since it doesn't say MIC, I assume it was made in Japan.
Frontal view shows K1000 and above the prism it says Pentax. I remember the first I bought in 1995, had Asahi on the top above the word Pentax. Wish I had that one back.

12-10-2014, 08:28 PM	#1
roflzzhaveridges New Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 7	K1000 Viewfinder Mold? Hey guys, I brought my K1000 out recently to shoot a couple rolls of film, but I found what I believe is mold whenever I look through my viewfinder. It's relatively small and gets annoying, I checked the mirror foam and everything looks fine. I also don't see any foam on the focus screen, so I was wondering if there was anywhere I could send the camera to get it checked out? Thanks.

12-10-2014, 11:56 PM	#4
pentaxus Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Central Coast, CA Posts: 1,313	Silvering coming loose Most likely the problem is the prism silvering. Pull the viewfinder away from your eye while still looking through the eyepiece. If it gets clearer then it is the aluminum coating coming undone. Sadly there is no "fixing" the prism. It needs to be replaced. I am pretty sure the prism is no longer available new (the price would be pretty high anyway). In Pentaxes I have only seen it in K1000 cameras. Probably has to do with cost cutting to keep the price low. If you get a "parts" camera on e-bay make sure the prism is ok.

01-21-2015, 09:44 AM	#10
benkaf New Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 12	repair So, I was able to swap out the prism from another K1000 and now have a clear viewfinder. The job was the first real repair I've made to a camera and taking it apart and putting it back together was an interesting challenge. However, I now have three small screws with no knowledge of where they were supposed to go . . . but the camera seems to work fine. Another disassembly might be in my future!

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12-10-2014, 08:33 PM	#2
patrick9 Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Murfreesboro Tennessee Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,458	Can you post a picture of it? If need be you could send it to Eric for a Clean ,Lube, and Adjustment.

12-10-2014, 08:38 PM	#3
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	Send Eric a PM he'll get back to you. https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/8-pentax-film-slr-discussion/273314-change-address-eric.html I have the same problem with my new to me K1000 and thought to try to attempt to fix it myself, but I am going to talk to Eric instead.

12-11-2014, 12:02 AM	#5
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	Pentaxus, I just checked what you suggested to do on mine but the black gunk/mold is still visible.

12-15-2014, 02:42 AM	#6
roflzzhaveridges New Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 7 Original Poster	Sweet thanks guys, I've been studying for finals for the past week and haven't been able to reply. I'll check on the prism silvering when I get home, currently at school studying -___- and also get a picture of it. Appreciate the quick replies though guys!

12-23-2014, 06:05 PM	#7
odinkos Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 46	My first K1000 I bought second hand had the same type of issue as you describe. It looked like a moldy tree in the middle of the VF. Got up the guts to take off the top plate and inspect the prism. Turned out to be the reflective surface of the prism was coming off :/ Like Penatxus said, it's a replace not repair scenario, but considering Pentax made like a million K1000's your better off just trying to find one that's not jacked up. Best of luck either way, and thanks for keeping film alive!

01-13-2015, 02:49 PM	#9
roflzzhaveridges New Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 7 Original Poster	Originally posted by benkaf I removed the prism of my Chinese made SE and if what I have is what's being described, it's definitely in there. Looks like a little Pentax gremlin waving at us. That's very similar to what mine looks like, I'm just assuming it's the same thing D: time to find another K1000

01-21-2015, 12:53 PM	#11
odinkos Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 46	Oh those, those are the extras you always have left over when ever you take anything apart. It's like the inverse to socks in the dryer law

01-21-2015, 01:22 PM	#12
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	There shouldn't be any extra parts. You might want to look at the video in this thread. https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/8-pentax-film-slr-discussion/275670-servi...ual-k1000.html I asked that question about taking mine apart and was given a youtube instructions video. Video is consise and easy to hear (I am hard of hearing).

01-22-2015, 02:01 PM	#13
benkaf New Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 12	I thought about the socks in the dryer thing, but photolady95 has a point and I think this weekend I'm going to reopen the camera and see where I might have missed something. However, I did watch the video and consult the service manual in taking apart the camera. Unfortunately, the K1000 SE seems to be slightly different than the cameras in both resources. There are screws in different places and some of the components are different. For instance, the SE has a plastic composite top. They are very similar, but I expect there were changes all during the production run that make the service manual sometimes a challenge to use. I'll post my experience.

01-22-2015, 02:11 PM	#14
K David Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Colorado Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,437	That's desilvering of the prism and is due to poor silver adhesion and a chemical reaction over time. YOur K1000 probably says Made in China on the bottom. This problem plagues the MiC K1000 bodies. The prism will need to be replaced.

01-22-2015, 02:19 PM	#15
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	Mine isn't the SE and it doesn't say where it was made. The only stamp on it says Asahi Opt Co. Since it doesn't say MIC, I assume it was made in Japan. Frontal view shows K1000 and above the prism it says Pentax. I remember the first I bought in 1995, had Asahi on the top above the word Pentax. Wish I had that one back.