Pentax in 1965

**PenPusher** · 10-06-2017, 02:29 AM - **1 Like**

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Came across this old 1965 catalogue from Wallace Heaton £1 in todays money = £17.77 = US$ 13.5 at todays exchange rate, well it did a couple of minutes ago.

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biz-engineer · 10-06-2017, 03:28 AM

Pentax Spotmatic would be at the price of a Pentax K1. Not sure prices would translate with the same ratio from price in USD in 1965 to price in USD of today. According to web calculator, 1 USD of 1965 would be equivalent to 7.74 USD today.

pathdoc · 10-06-2017, 03:38 AM - **1 Like**

Amusing in light of current events to see Ricoh and Pentax cameras on the same page.

I always thought Ricoh had been an M42-mount company before they went to K mount, but here we see the Singlex with a Nikon bayonet. Or did they have a bet each way?

**Skodadriver** · 10-06-2017, 04:00 AM

According to the Office for National Statistics, the Great British Pound experienced an average inflation rate of 5.74% per year. Prices in 2017 are 1724.2% higher than prices in 1965. In other words, £1 in the year 1965 is equivalent to £18.24 in 2017, a difference of £17.24 over 52 years.

So an early Super Tak zoom (70-150mm F4.5) is the most expensive lens on the list!

**c.a.m** · 10-06-2017, 04:14 AM

The Spotmatic is listed as having a Super Takumar 50mm f/1.4 8 element as standard. Interesting.

Lord Lucan · 10-06-2017, 05:49 AM

The Spotmatic there, with cosmetic changes and given a K lens mount, automatic diaphragm and a hotshoe, became the KM of 1975, and then, stripped of its self-timer, DoF button, and film reminder dial, became the K1000 of 1976; still being made over 30 years later, and now 50 years later it is being offered at almost exactly the same price on ebay, used, as Wallace Heaton was asking new.
PENTAX K1000 35mm SLR Film Camera + Pentax-M SMC 50mm F/2 SMC Lens | eBay

biz-engineer · 10-06-2017, 10:53 AM - **1 Like**

Thanks for sharing. After a google search , I found that article here. Pentax Spotmatic Review - Pop Photo April 1965 ... interesting read , at least for me, as I wasn't yet born in 65.

**goatsNdonkey** · 10-06-2017, 11:27 AM

Originally posted by pathdoc

Amusing in light of current events to see Ricoh and Pentax cameras on the same page.

I always thought Ricoh had been an M42-mount company before they went to K mount, but here we see the Singlex with a Nikon bayonet. Or did they have a bet each way?

The Ricoh TLS Singlex, sold by Sears before a lot of Ricohs were relabeled as Sears, WAS an m42 body. It was my first SLR, and my only SLR for many years.

stevebrot · 10-06-2017, 11:33 AM

Originally posted by pathdoc

Amusing in light of current events to see Ricoh and Pentax cameras on the same page.

Even more amusing is that the Ricoh pictured is Nikon F mount and except for small details is the same as the original Nikkorex F (later Nikomat) camera of similar vintage. The history is cloudy, but involves Nikon, Mamiya, Ricoh and the Copal "square" shutter that was a persistent feature of the Nikomat/Nikkormat line as well as Ricoh SLRs for many years.

I had the pleasure several years ago of comparing the original Singlex and Nikkorex F side by side. I can't say that either is a camera I would like to own, even as a collector's item. The execution was...errr...a little rough. The Nikomat and later Ricoh Singlex TLS are much nicer cameras.

Steve

stevebrot · 10-06-2017, 11:38 AM

Originally posted by goatsNdonkey

The Ricoh TLS Singlex, sold by Sears before a lot of Ricohs were relabeled as Sears, WAS an m42 body. It was my first SLR, and my only SLR for many years.

Mine too (black Singlex TLS). Many years after I passed mine on to a family member, I bought a near-mint copy on eBay in about 1995 and it still works well. I do believe it has the loudest shutter of any camera I have ever fired.

Steve

**Alex645** · 10-06-2017, 12:17 PM

Sorry, but I canʻt help but think something is getting lost in translation here. The new Spotmatic for £149 in 1965, according to your numbers would be $USD 2012 in 2017? According to £149 in 1965 ? 2017 | UK Inflation Calculator it would be over £2718. That is really hard to believe.

My first SLR (1974) was a new Yashica TL-Electro with a 50mm prime. This was essentially a Spotmatic II clone. I remember paying $150. 1974 to 2017 dollars is about 1:5, so it was the equivalent of $750 today. In 1976, I got my second SLR, a new Minolta SRT-202 with 58mm f/1.2 Rokkor prime. I remember paying right around $400 at that time for it.

Lord Lucan · 10-06-2017, 12:22 PM

According to Danilo Cecchi's book, the prototype Spotmatic was demonstrated at the 1960 Photokina. In the prototype the metering cell was on an arm which moved into the frame area during metering, which was done by a lever on the side of the light box which also reduced the lens aperture to its preset value for the purpose of metering (but as a bonus you also got a DoF preview). The metering cell was quite small (it had to be or it would block your view), so in fact it was a spot meter. Asahi Pentax therefore called the camera the Spot-Matic (note the hyphen).

However, by the time production models emerged 5 years later, they had replaced the arm with the spot meter by a pair of photocells by the pentaprism which were sensitive to the whole of its illumination - an arrangement which the majority of SLRs have used ever since. Nevertheless, they kept the name as Spotmatic (no hyphen) so it was really a misnomer. The lever was still required to stop down for metering and switch the meter on.

The need to stop down for metering continued until the Spotmatic F, which simulated the stopping down when used in combination with the newer SMC-Takumar lenses; but the lever on the side of the lightbox was retained for older lenses and DoF preview. The same lever seems to have been re-used in the subsequent K2 and KX for mirror lock-up.

The Spotmatic F had a short production run, but it was reborn with a K mount as the KM and subsequently as the K1000. It is interesting that the review linked by biz-engineer shows the viewfinder view, which is entirely recognisable as continued in the KM and K1000. "Built without much effort as far as design was concerned, the KM was the connecting link between the Spotmatics and future generations." wrote Cecchi. I would say that the Spotmatic F was also part of that link; both it and the KM had short production lives.

**TomB_tx** · 10-06-2017, 12:25 PM

Memories indeed. In 1965 the Spotmatic was above my budget, so I bought an H1a for US $149. Still one of my favorite cameras.

**PenPusher** · 10-06-2017, 02:29 PM

Originally posted by stevebrot

Mine too (black Singlex TLS). I do believe it has the loudest shutter of any camera I have ever fired.

Steve

No that honour goes to the Exa IIb my first SLR, after you released the shutter people looked round to see who'd been shot, you just would the mirror back up again and pretended nothing had happened.

**Alex645** · 10-06-2017, 03:24 PM

Originally posted by PenPusher

No that honour goes to the Exa IIb my first SLR, after you released the shutter people looked round to see who'd been shot, you just would the mirror back up again and pretended nothing had happened.

But have you heard a Bronica ETR-S or Zenza S2a? Hearing protection recommended. My Pentax 645 or the Mamiya RB67 canʻt compete.

You Tube

You Tube

10-06-2017, 11:33 AM	#9
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by pathdoc Amusing in light of current events to see Ricoh and Pentax cameras on the same page. Even more amusing is that the Ricoh pictured is Nikon F mount and except for small details is the same as the original Nikkorex F (later Nikomat) camera of similar vintage. The history is cloudy, but involves Nikon, Mamiya, Ricoh and the Copal "square" shutter that was a persistent feature of the Nikomat/Nikkormat line as well as Ricoh SLRs for many years. I had the pleasure several years ago of comparing the original Singlex and Nikkorex F side by side. I can't say that either is a camera I would like to own, even as a collector's item. The execution was...errr...a little rough. The Nikomat and later Ricoh Singlex TLS are much nicer cameras. Steve Last edited by stevebrot; 10-06-2017 at 11:40 AM.

10-06-2017, 12:22 PM	#12
Lord Lucan Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: South Wales Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,977	Spotmatic - a Misnomer According to Danilo Cecchi's book, the prototype Spotmatic was demonstrated at the 1960 Photokina. In the prototype the metering cell was on an arm which moved into the frame area during metering, which was done by a lever on the side of the light box which also reduced the lens aperture to its preset value for the purpose of metering (but as a bonus you also got a DoF preview). The metering cell was quite small (it had to be or it would block your view), so in fact it was a spot meter. Asahi Pentax therefore called the camera the Spot-Matic (note the hyphen). However, by the time production models emerged 5 years later, they had replaced the arm with the spot meter by a pair of photocells by the pentaprism which were sensitive to the whole of its illumination - an arrangement which the majority of SLRs have used ever since. Nevertheless, they kept the name as Spotmatic (no hyphen) so it was really a misnomer. The lever was still required to stop down for metering and switch the meter on. The need to stop down for metering continued until the Spotmatic F, which simulated the stopping down when used in combination with the newer SMC-Takumar lenses; but the lever on the side of the lightbox was retained for older lenses and DoF preview. The same lever seems to have been re-used in the subsequent K2 and KX for mirror lock-up. The Spotmatic F had a short production run, but it was reborn with a K mount as the KM and subsequently as the K1000. It is interesting that the review linked by biz-engineer shows the viewfinder view, which is entirely recognisable as continued in the KM and K1000. "Built without much effort as far as design was concerned, the KM was the connecting link between the Spotmatics and future generations." wrote Cecchi. I would say that the Spotmatic F was also part of that link; both it and the KM had short production lives.

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10-06-2017, 03:28 AM	#2
biz-engineer Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2015 Photos: Gallery Posts: 12,246	Pentax Spotmatic would be at the price of a Pentax K1. Not sure prices would translate with the same ratio from price in USD in 1965 to price in USD of today. According to web calculator, 1 USD of 1965 would be equivalent to 7.74 USD today.

10-06-2017, 03:38 AM - 1 Like	#3
pathdoc Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2015 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,381	Amusing in light of current events to see Ricoh and Pentax cameras on the same page. I always thought Ricoh had been an M42-mount company before they went to K mount, but here we see the Singlex with a Nikon bayonet. Or did they have a bet each way?

10-06-2017, 04:00 AM	#4
Skodadriver Site Supporter Join Date: May 2015 Location: Hampshire Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 892	According to the Office for National Statistics, the Great British Pound experienced an average inflation rate of 5.74% per year. Prices in 2017 are 1724.2% higher than prices in 1965. In other words, £1 in the year 1965 is equivalent to £18.24 in 2017, a difference of £17.24 over 52 years. So an early Super Tak zoom (70-150mm F4.5) is the most expensive lens on the list!

10-06-2017, 04:14 AM	#5
c.a.m Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Ottawa, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,193	The Spotmatic is listed as having a Super Takumar 50mm f/1.4 8 element as standard. Interesting.

10-06-2017, 05:49 AM	#6
Lord Lucan Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: South Wales Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,977	The Spotmatic there, with cosmetic changes and given a K lens mount, automatic diaphragm and a hotshoe, became the KM of 1975, and then, stripped of its self-timer, DoF button, and film reminder dial, became the K1000 of 1976; still being made over 30 years later, and now 50 years later it is being offered at almost exactly the same price on ebay, used, as Wallace Heaton was asking new. PENTAX K1000 35mm SLR Film Camera + Pentax-M SMC 50mm F/2 SMC Lens \| eBay

10-06-2017, 10:53 AM - 1 Like	#7
biz-engineer Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2015 Photos: Gallery Posts: 12,246	Thanks for sharing. After a google search , I found that article here. Pentax Spotmatic Review - Pop Photo April 1965 ... interesting read , at least for me, as I wasn't yet born in 65.

10-06-2017, 11:27 AM	#8
goatsNdonkey Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Fulton County, Illinois Posts: 3,736	Originally posted by pathdoc Amusing in light of current events to see Ricoh and Pentax cameras on the same page. I always thought Ricoh had been an M42-mount company before they went to K mount, but here we see the Singlex with a Nikon bayonet. Or did they have a bet each way? The Ricoh TLS Singlex, sold by Sears before a lot of Ricohs were relabeled as Sears, WAS an m42 body. It was my first SLR, and my only SLR for many years.

10-06-2017, 11:38 AM	#10
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by goatsNdonkey The Ricoh TLS Singlex, sold by Sears before a lot of Ricohs were relabeled as Sears, WAS an m42 body. It was my first SLR, and my only SLR for many years. Mine too (black Singlex TLS). Many years after I passed mine on to a family member, I bought a near-mint copy on eBay in about 1995 and it still works well. I do believe it has the loudest shutter of any camera I have ever fired. Steve

10-06-2017, 12:17 PM	#11
Alex645 Site Supporter Join Date: May 2015 Location: Kaneohe, HI Photos: Albums Posts: 3,527	Sorry, but I canʻt help but think something is getting lost in translation here. The new Spotmatic for £149 in 1965, according to your numbers would be $USD 2012 in 2017? According to £149 in 1965 ? 2017 \| UK Inflation Calculator it would be over £2718. That is really hard to believe. My first SLR (1974) was a new Yashica TL-Electro with a 50mm prime. This was essentially a Spotmatic II clone. I remember paying $150. 1974 to 2017 dollars is about 1:5, so it was the equivalent of $750 today. In 1976, I got my second SLR, a new Minolta SRT-202 with 58mm f/1.2 Rokkor prime. I remember paying right around $400 at that time for it.

10-06-2017, 12:25 PM	#13
TomB_tx Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,446	Memories indeed. In 1965 the Spotmatic was above my budget, so I bought an H1a for US $149. Still one of my favorite cameras.

10-06-2017, 02:29 PM	#14
PenPusher Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ireland Posts: 1,048 Original Poster	Originally posted by stevebrot Mine too (black Singlex TLS). I do believe it has the loudest shutter of any camera I have ever fired. Steve No that honour goes to the Exa IIb my first SLR, after you released the shutter people looked round to see who'd been shot, you just would the mirror back up again and pretended nothing had happened.