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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
07-27-2023, 04:58 AM
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I got one in mint condition. The one with the 62mm filter thread. It's a bit of a strange design at the front because the front glass is not that large in diameter to many other M42 28mm designs except that the Prinzflex design simply screws on a wider front rim. At infinity f2.8 to f4 it's soft and really blurry around the edges but getting better to f5.6 where it's 7/10 sharp in the centre and still quite blurry around the edge. F8 upwards and it's really poor. I took it apart and re-seated all the glass, but it was all perfectly put together and still quite poor on all counts. The only saving of this lens is that it does not bend the edges like many old M42 28mm lenses do.
It feels like it's made superbly and it looks fabulous, but the photos it takes are truly poor.
Some say it's made by the mystical "Tomioka" factory and re-labelled "Prinzflex" (which would make it appear similar to the incredibly hyped up and madly expensive Revuenon equivalent with a 62mm filter thread) but all I know is that mine is worth about $10 on a good day.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
03-05-2023, 10:44 AM
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Yes, those rings pull and push the rear glass to achieve optimum sharpness and minimum chromatic distortions. Just removing the rear glass can shift everything a bit and getting it set up right involves hours of fiddling around. And the ones you marked up lock the adjustments in place once it's all set up right. Sadly, must people who like Tessar lens systems go on and on about the same stuff, and rarely attempt to extend the wider knowledge of how the variations of Tessar systems are different to each other.
But maybe your issue was caused by somebody swapping glass parts around in the past; the glass in the lens should all be as from the factory. Or, perhaps, the metal spacers between the lens cluster and focus helicoid have been tampered with? Taking one out moves the lens cluster closer to the film or sensor, while adding pushed it away. people fiddle with these as different digital adaptors - and even film cameras - have different distances between film planes or digital sensors.
Alternatively, some previous owners polish the lens surfaces to remove scratches. This also removes coatings and can remove enough glass surface to impact upon image quality.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
10-16-2022, 01:52 PM
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I've tried this twice, and even with adjusting the rear lens cluster to compensate, all I get is dreadful central blur and limited "swirl" and hardly noticeable "bokeh" in both lenses. Even spacing the front glass when reversed to ensure it does not smack against the second glass element makes little difference. One lens was a 44-2 KMZ and one other from another factory. Both gave identical results. Half the images I see on line that push the "swirly bokeh" effect look heavily software digitised to me. I've come to the conclusion that the lens is best used for what it was intended.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
01-17-2020, 04:17 AM
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That's so true! But, sadly, there are not many about! And lots of the ones that do come up for sale are in poor condition.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
01-13-2020, 05:03 AM
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The Chinese made versions are usually much more reasonably priced than the daft prices the metal ones get jacked up to. They are also a little lighter and just as well made as the Taiwan or Japan made ones in terms of function. Because they are more recent than the often worn-out or abused older Japanese ones, you can also find them in far better condition. So don't fall into the trap of assuming metal is good, plastic is bad. The metal ones hold their value more only because people have anti-plastic attitudes, so if you don't like photography based on taking great photos, but you do like making money selling gear, the Chinese version is no good for you.
I found the Chinese version to have a very strong top and bottom plate, a more basic prism focus centre, but it had a much better designed film pressure plate and roller system in the rear panel. One website I read was banging on about the Chinese having worse internal parts made of plastic and cheap metal, but mine was exactly the same as the Japanese version. Taking apart the Chinese version is much easier than the Japanese. After once owning the Chinese version, I came to the realisation that a lot of people are wrong to dismiss it just because it's not got a metal top and bottom.
Another way of thinking about it is that the A-series SMC lens system by Pentax has lots of plastic parts inside and with overall build but people love them and are willing to buy the lenses for seriously inflated prices. Plastic does not mean lower quality in terms of the photos you take with the gear.
Another way of thinking about it is that all modern cameras and all those built from roughly 1980 onwards have some aspects of plastic cases, tops, bottoms, and internal parts. It doesn't mean they are "bad" or dysfunctional.
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
07-23-2019, 10:46 PM
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Stan will eventually say "thanks for the advice and feedback" I am sure.
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
07-05-2019, 09:58 PM
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The older Spotmatic cameras like the SP1000 have limited light meter function in modern terms so you'll need a hand-held meter. They also suffer from meters that don't work and shutter curtain failure at some speeds. For every one you see for sale on Ebay, another will have an issue the seller won't mention openly; so don't buy one unless it has 30 days return offered. The ME is a far better camera and it is much lighter, but it's not manual as others have said. A far better camera is the ME Super. Both are prone to mirror lock-up failure so don't buy one with0ut some kind of return guarantee that will give you time to run a film through and have it developed.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
04-09-2019, 02:58 PM
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Thanks folks. Clearly something is at fault with both. It sounds pointless having them serviced out and replaced if old parts will be costed in. Looks like I'll just have to ignore these old ruined meters and enjoy taking good photos with a hand held meter for accuracy. They are so much easier to use, anyway.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
04-05-2019, 11:57 PM
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I bought one each Spotmatic SP2 and a SP1000 in fair condition from two different sellers and have just about got both ready to shoot with film.
Both have a working onboard light meter fitted with a proper voltage Wein Cell battery but they are both really sluggish and take too long to measure f-stop changes, but both meters are very fast with speed dial changes. They are so sluggish and it's so awkward to use the on/off meter switch to get a stable reading with f-stop changes that I was planning to use a hand held meter.
Yesterday, I finally got around to checking the light meter on the SP1000 and Spotmatic in comparison with a hand held meter, and two SLR onboard meter systems. The Spot and SP both showed a hugely way off ASA measurement. Each was reading 200ASA on the dial but was metering to 64ASA equivalent, and 400ASA on the dial is metering to 100ASA equivalent.
I can only assume that because both cameras are behaving in exactly the same way, that these metering systems are normally like this in function with both slow and unstable lens f-stop adjustment reaction and ASA dial interaction. Both cameras are so bad!
Is it normal for these old onboard light meters to function like this? Is it normal for the ASA dial to be so far out?
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
03-22-2019, 11:32 AM
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Go into business and rip folks off a bundle, or do the same and be kind to people. Looks superb.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
03-22-2019, 11:30 AM
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Why worry about it being unused? If that's seriously important, then find an unused camera and swap it out; but what's the point of that?
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
03-22-2019, 11:28 AM
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I'm surprised nobody is wondering what the heck those images are showing! From those images it looks like your camera has entered another time and space dimension. Is there a Black Hole inside it? Just put a cheap film through it with the back open while marking each frame stop with a permanent marker pen. If it's slipping you'll soon know. If it's not, ask for a refund from the developer.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
03-06-2019, 12:42 AM
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If you carry a phone, you can download an app and use the phone as a light meter. Alternatively, go to Ebay and buy the one I suggested for $30. Just check it's fully operational before you buy it. Simples! And a lot less expensive than another CleanLubeAdjust.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
02-17-2019, 01:38 AM
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Anyone who want a person to pay for no work done that made a difference is bound to be hesitant to offer a refund, so demand one. As far as the camera goes, it you can't sort it out then why not use a hand-held light meter? An old "Master V" that works well is better than an in-camera one and it only costs a fraction of a camera service; which may, or may not, fix anything as a messed up camera metering system.
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Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
02-04-2019, 12:06 AM
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Contact the seller on Ebay and demand a refund. They probably will not refuse because they know you can proceed and get a refund through Ebay. If a seller sells broken gear and does not state it, Ebay protects you as long as you have paid through paypal.
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