Please help me some infomation about pentaprism.

nplong · 01-30-2016, 09:06 AM

Dear all, I just won a pentax K1000 SE from ebay. It working good but it has a fungus sign at the center of viewfinder.
I has make some search on google and find out that is pentaprism problem and I have to replace the prism so I am finding an "as is" pentax k1000 to get the prism.
So my question is:
- Is the pentaprism on Pentax ME and Pentax K1000 are the same?
- My camera's serial is 5999946 and I cannot find it in the Pentax Serial Database, is it a fake one?
Thanks in advance.
(and sorry for my bad English)

Last edited by nplong; 02-03-2016 at 10:43 AM.

**UncleVanya** · 01-30-2016, 10:10 AM

The recent Eric H. interview mentioned that newer k1000 pentaprism shad trouble with tape deteriorating the mirror surfaces.

LesDMess · 01-30-2016, 10:14 AM

Welcome aboard.

These is probably no telling if all the K1000's have completely interchangeable parts given that it was in production a long time and seemingly three distinct builds: Japan, Hong Kong then China. As far as I know, the K1000 SE has only the differences in the screen, label and leather but likely all other mechanical parts are same as the plain K1000. The database here doesn't even distinguish it.

Good luck with your search and maybe the "as-is" K1000 is in better shape.

Simen1 · 01-30-2016, 10:16 AM

- I guess its sufficient to clean the pentaprism in your camera and put it back. The fungi might sit in various other parts of the view finder too.
- The database is made up of numbers registrated by the users. The reason its not in the database is that earlyer owners have not registered it to this database. The database is not an official Pentax database, but community driven.

aleonx3 · 01-30-2016, 10:23 AM

How do you know that it is not a problem with the focusing screen (which is a changeable part) rather than the Pentaprism? just curious...

nplong · 01-30-2016, 11:14 AM

Thank you all for read my thread and give me the answers.
@aleonx3: before I create this thread I has search on google and what I found on google is the same with what I saw in my camera viewfinder.

tomorrow I will try to open the top cover and see what stuck inside.

a5m · 01-30-2016, 11:30 AM

Originally posted by UncleVanya

The recent Eric Henderson interview mentioned that newer k1000 pentaprism shad trouble with tape deteriorating the mirror surfaces.

Eric Hendrickson not Henderson. For some reason I tend to make the same mistake too. I don't want people to see Henderson enough times and think that's the correct name.

JohnX · 01-30-2016, 11:53 AM

Not convinced that's fungus.

**TomB_tx** · 01-30-2016, 03:51 PM

It sound like de-silvering of the prism surface. It happens a lot with cameras of a certain age that have soft plastics (like foam) in contact with the prism surfaces, due to chemical breakdown of the foam reacting with the aluminum "silver" coating on the prism. Looks like a dark obstruction in the viewfinder image.
It is a common issue in Canon FT - Pellix models, and even Leicaflex SLs. When I get a Canon with a clear finder image I strip and remove the foam as a precaution.
From what Eric says it is the problem with later K1000s.

**Alex645** · 01-30-2016, 06:29 PM

From my experience, all Pentax K1000 and SE models had the same pentaprism. I had a pentaprism problem with my SE and cannibalized an As Is K1000 with a good pentaprism. Videotaping the disassembly process is helpful when it comes time to putting everything back. It was not easy, but it didn't require too much skill either. You can do it yourself with care and patience.

Xmas · 01-30-2016, 07:04 PM

Originally posted by Alex645

From my experience, all Pentax K1000 and SE models had the same pentaprism. I had a pentaprism problem with my SE and cannibalized an As Is K1000 with a good pentaprism. Videotaping the disassembly process is helpful when it comes time to putting everything back. It was not easy, but it didn't require too much skill either. You can do it yourself with care and patience.

a) it is unnecessary?
b) it needs skill and experience IMO

**Alex645** · 01-30-2016, 07:20 PM

Originally posted by Xmas

a) it is unnecessary?
b) it needs skill and experience IMO

Good questions:

Is it necessary? Yes and no. I did it because my tolerance for UFOs in my finder is relatively high, but if it is too obtrusive and distracting, I wanted (not needed) it fixed. HOWEVER, if it is fungus or mold....that should be dealt with or else the spores will spread to everything from mounted lenses to even the shutter curtain. But in the short term, a little haze in the finder or prism won't affect IQ.

Does it require skill and experience? I had zero experience when I did it. The lack of experience requires a lot of time acquiring a few jeweler tools, setting up at a clean, dust and pet hair free desk that can be left for breaks with a good light. I can change the oil in my car. I've installed one car audio deck. I can replace the battery in my watch. But I don't really have "skills" other than the disassembly of the donor camera will teach me what I need to know for replacing the pentaprism.

Honestly, if there were weather-seals, I wouldn't bother. But the K1000 is the VW bug of SLRs. I'm not hacking the computer on a VW turbo diesel Golf.....oh wait, never mind, VW did that.

nplong · 01-31-2016, 06:45 AM

This is my prism

the reason is the glue from white tape.

nplong · 01-31-2016, 06:50 AM

Does someone know how can I reinstall the black layer on prism?
or is there anything I can do to repair this prism ?

Xmas · 01-31-2016, 06:59 AM

Just put the prism back unless you are unlucky the missing coating won't show,...

01-30-2016, 09:06 AM	#1
nplong New Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 11	Please help me some infomation about pentaprism. Dear all, I just won a pentax K1000 SE from ebay. It working good but it has a fungus sign at the center of viewfinder. I has make some search on google and find out that is pentaprism problem and I have to replace the prism so I am finding an "as is" pentax k1000 to get the prism. So my question is: - Is the pentaprism on Pentax ME and Pentax K1000 are the same? - My camera's serial is 5999946 and I cannot find it in the Pentax Serial Database, is it a fake one? Thanks in advance. (and sorry for my bad English) Last edited by nplong; 02-03-2016 at 10:43 AM.

01-30-2016, 10:10 AM	#2
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,454	The recent Eric H. interview mentioned that newer k1000 pentaprism shad trouble with tape deteriorating the mirror surfaces. Last edited by UncleVanya; 01-30-2016 at 12:31 PM.

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01-30-2016, 10:14 AM	#3
LesDMess Pentaxian Join Date: May 2011 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,235	Welcome aboard. These is probably no telling if all the K1000's have completely interchangeable parts given that it was in production a long time and seemingly three distinct builds: Japan, Hong Kong then China. As far as I know, the K1000 SE has only the differences in the screen, label and leather but likely all other mechanical parts are same as the plain K1000. The database here doesn't even distinguish it. Good luck with your search and maybe the "as-is" K1000 is in better shape.

01-30-2016, 10:16 AM	#4
Simen1 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Tromsø, Norway Photos: Albums Posts: 1,031	- I guess its sufficient to clean the pentaprism in your camera and put it back. The fungi might sit in various other parts of the view finder too. - The database is made up of numbers registrated by the users. The reason its not in the database is that earlyer owners have not registered it to this database. The database is not an official Pentax database, but community driven.

01-30-2016, 10:23 AM	#5
aleonx3 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Brampton, Ontario Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,996	How do you know that it is not a problem with the focusing screen (which is a changeable part) rather than the Pentaprism? just curious...

01-30-2016, 11:14 AM	#6
nplong New Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 11 Original Poster	Thank you all for read my thread and give me the answers. @aleonx3: before I create this thread I has search on google and what I found on google is the same with what I saw in my camera viewfinder. tomorrow I will try to open the top cover and see what stuck inside.

01-30-2016, 11:30 AM	#7
a5m Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 576	Originally posted by UncleVanya The recent Eric Henderson interview mentioned that newer k1000 pentaprism shad trouble with tape deteriorating the mirror surfaces. Eric Hendrickson not Henderson. For some reason I tend to make the same mistake too. I don't want people to see Henderson enough times and think that's the correct name.

01-30-2016, 11:53 AM	#8
JohnX Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: London Posts: 1,116	Not convinced that's fungus.

01-30-2016, 03:51 PM	#9
TomB_tx Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,446	It sound like de-silvering of the prism surface. It happens a lot with cameras of a certain age that have soft plastics (like foam) in contact with the prism surfaces, due to chemical breakdown of the foam reacting with the aluminum "silver" coating on the prism. Looks like a dark obstruction in the viewfinder image. It is a common issue in Canon FT - Pellix models, and even Leicaflex SLs. When I get a Canon with a clear finder image I strip and remove the foam as a precaution. From what Eric says it is the problem with later K1000s.

01-30-2016, 06:29 PM	#10
Alex645 Site Supporter Join Date: May 2015 Location: Kaneohe, HI Photos: Albums Posts: 3,527	From my experience, all Pentax K1000 and SE models had the same pentaprism. I had a pentaprism problem with my SE and cannibalized an As Is K1000 with a good pentaprism. Videotaping the disassembly process is helpful when it comes time to putting everything back. It was not easy, but it didn't require too much skill either. You can do it yourself with care and patience.

01-30-2016, 07:04 PM	#11
Xmas Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 617	Originally posted by Alex645 From my experience, all Pentax K1000 and SE models had the same pentaprism. I had a pentaprism problem with my SE and cannibalized an As Is K1000 with a good pentaprism. Videotaping the disassembly process is helpful when it comes time to putting everything back. It was not easy, but it didn't require too much skill either. You can do it yourself with care and patience. a) it is unnecessary? b) it needs skill and experience IMO

01-30-2016, 07:20 PM	#12
Alex645 Site Supporter Join Date: May 2015 Location: Kaneohe, HI Photos: Albums Posts: 3,527	Originally posted by Xmas a) it is unnecessary? b) it needs skill and experience IMO Good questions: Is it necessary? Yes and no. I did it because my tolerance for UFOs in my finder is relatively high, but if it is too obtrusive and distracting, I wanted (not needed) it fixed. HOWEVER, if it is fungus or mold....that should be dealt with or else the spores will spread to everything from mounted lenses to even the shutter curtain. But in the short term, a little haze in the finder or prism won't affect IQ. Does it require skill and experience? I had zero experience when I did it. The lack of experience requires a lot of time acquiring a few jeweler tools, setting up at a clean, dust and pet hair free desk that can be left for breaks with a good light. I can change the oil in my car. I've installed one car audio deck. I can replace the battery in my watch. But I don't really have "skills" other than the disassembly of the donor camera will teach me what I need to know for replacing the pentaprism. Honestly, if there were weather-seals, I wouldn't bother. But the K1000 is the VW bug of SLRs. I'm not hacking the computer on a VW turbo diesel Golf.....oh wait, never mind, VW did that.

01-31-2016, 06:45 AM	#13
nplong New Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 11 Original Poster	This is my prism the reason is the glue from white tape.

01-31-2016, 06:50 AM	#14
nplong New Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 11 Original Poster	Does someone know how can I reinstall the black layer on prism? or is there anything I can do to repair this prism ?

01-31-2016, 06:59 AM	#15
Xmas Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 617	Just put the prism back unless you are unlucky the missing coating won't show,...