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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras 09-24-2015, 03:26 PM  
Proud new owner of a Spotmatic F!
Posted By Street42
Replies: 4
Views: 1,443
Thanks!! I love the little pocket for an extra battery! Very cool :)

---------- Post added 09-24-15 at 03:29 PM ----------



It is quite a lovely machine! I considered getting a bayonet mount body and adapter for the few lenses I already have, but something about the SPF was irresistible to me...

---------- Post added 09-24-15 at 03:32 PM ----------

Hmmm, after triggering the shutter with repeated one-second shots, the mirror did eventually stick open one more time... I did see a video of someone adding a few micro-drops of lube to the internals inside the bottom-plate to remedy this type of behavior... wondering if I will need to do something similar to get it to always move freely...

I want to avoid sending it in for a proper CLA at the moment since my budget is very tight.
Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras 09-24-2015, 01:27 PM  
Proud new owner of a Spotmatic F!
Posted By Street42
Replies: 4
Views: 1,443
Just received my Spotmatic f in the mail!

The condition is quite good! Most everything looks clean, and it even came with a spotmatic leather case (but you can't remove the top flap?). The viewfinder is bright and clear with only a little dust. The shutter mechanism sounds right at various speeds, though I have to compare it head to head with a working camera later. When I tried the self-timer the mirror got stuck open(!!), but operating the shutter again seemed to clear it and I can't make it happen again.

I will have to check the meter later as well, possibly with an SR44 1.55v since I've read that you can make them work. I have a proper battery on order, though it is an alkaline 1.5v...

Overall I'm really pleased with the look and feel compared to the Mamiya 500 DTL I already have. The viewfinder was my major complaint with the Mamiya, it was so dark! But with the SPF the difference is like night and day, literally! I can actually see what I'm shooting now!!!

Very pleased with my purchase of this body-only SPF for around $40 on ebay. The only problem is now I'm already lusting after a Takumar SMC lens like the 55mm 1.8 though since all I have are stop-down lenses...
Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras 09-21-2015, 01:38 PM  
Just ordered a Spotmatic F on ebay!!!
Posted By Street42
Replies: 11
Views: 1,816
Thanks Tom!

I really enjoyed learning about the Mamiya and its dual-metering system when I got that body! There is an odd slightly translucent area of the mirror which the spot meter looks through, while the Average meter looks down through the prism. The match-arrow indicator was very new and interesting to me, and I look forward to comparing it to the Spotmatic F!

Can't wait for a viewfinder I can actually see things through 8)
Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras 09-21-2015, 12:13 PM  
Just ordered a Spotmatic F on ebay!!!
Posted By Street42
Replies: 11
Views: 1,816
Indeed, it looks like good copies are under $50! And I'd possibly have a radioactive lens, as well as a good conversation-starter ;)
Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras 09-21-2015, 12:02 PM  
Just ordered a Spotmatic F on ebay!!!
Posted By Street42
Replies: 11
Views: 1,816
Thanks for clarifying, Cuthbert. That doesn't pose a big problem for me since I got used to step-down with the Mamiya (you push the film lever towards the body to step down and activate the meter). And if I understand correctly, I will use the aperture preview lever on the left-side to step-down when using non-SMC lenses, though the meter is active any time light is hitting it.

I will also carefully try mounting each of my lenses on the new body, and test the shutter mechanism while focused close and to infinity to make sure I'm not going to run into trouble with the rear elements colliding with the mirror or mounting problems with long aperture pins...
Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras 09-21-2015, 11:34 AM  
Just ordered a Spotmatic F on ebay!!!
Posted By Street42
Replies: 11
Views: 1,816
Thanks for the replies!!

I will definitely assess the condition when it arrives, and will consider sending it off Eric for CLA. Great recommendation!

The Mamiya DTL 500 is a fun little brick of a camera. My copy has clearly taken a beating, with dents in a couple places on the top plate, and one of the lenses had a dent on the front rim that I was able to repair well enough for filters to mount again. But the viewfinder is ludicrously dark, to the point where I had to check that the lenscap was not on at one point when testing the step-down metering indoors. I was tempted to try and clean the focusing screen and/or prism, but after reading a bit it sounds like these Mamiyas are a nightmare to service partly due to a complex chain linkage between the meter and shutter speed control.

I'm really hoping my Spotmatic F has acceptable seals and everything when it arrives, since I'm trying to keep this project on the cheap. I'm married after all ;)

---------- Post added 09-21-15 at 11:41 AM ----------


Nice shot of the bike! I have a Sekor 50mm 2.0 which came with the Mamiya, and I'm planning on making that my primary lens.

The other M42 lenses I have are a Tamron Adaptall 80-210, a Kamero 135 2.8, and a Soligor 28-80 Macro. They're all fairly beautiful in their own right, and the build quality is superb!
Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras 09-21-2015, 10:39 AM  
Just ordered a Spotmatic F on ebay!!!
Posted By Street42
Replies: 11
Views: 1,816
I'm excited!! Hi everybody!!

This is my first post, so I'll introduce myself. I started shooting with a digital SLR a handful of years ago and absolutely fell in love. I own a Nikon D3000 body and D7000 body and have shot a few tens of thousands of frames with them. I shoot a lot of nature, macro, landscape, and some night sky shots. But I wanted to get back to basics with my photography, and so started investigating shooting film. I recently purchased a Nikon F100 film body on craigslist and have shot a couple rolls through it. I love the way I think about making my images when shooting film, and am now in love with analog photography!

I recently picked up a Mamiya Sekor DTL 500 body with M42 screw mount and a few lenses at a yard sale for $15! and just finished shooting a roll of black and white. And boy is the viewfinder dim and hard to use on the Mamiya!!! Still need to get that roll developed and scanned, but I immediately was left yearning for something with a better viewfinder, but a similar style. That's when I found the Spotmatic F, did some research, and decided I would give it a try.

Found a (supposedly) working and excellent condition body with functional meter on eBay and just placed my order!!

Since my main complaint about the Mamiya was the viewfinder, I'm wondering if anyone has experience with the Mamiya DTL 500 viewfinder compared to Spotmatic F? My Mamiya was dark, dusty, yellow, and just generally hard to use and VERY frustrating to focus with. I've read that the Spotmatic viewfinders are bright and pleasurable to use. Can anyone confirm?

This looks like an awesome community, and I'm excited to have a walk-on-part in it :)
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