The Pentax Spotmatic F is the last of the famous Spotmatic series. It also was the first in the series to have open-aperture metering. I found the one in the photo in an antique shop back in January for $17. It is in great shape. I am getting to where I am leaning toward only getting cameras that I see in person. While I have had good experiences most of the time getting cameras off places like Ebay, being able to examine the camera in person has increasing appeal for me. Also in a way it seems more fun to see what I can discover by chance rather than going online where I can find almost anything. I think that my finding of so many Pentax cameras locally in the past year has helped with this choice.
Other then the metering in usage the Spotmatic F is pretty much the same as the other Spotmatics. And to me at least the Spotmatic is one of the most pleasant cameras to handle and use. I believe it is one of the cameras that anyone who is into photography should experience at least once.
Details of the Pentax Spotmatic F
Pentax Spotmatic F SLR Completely Disassembled and Laid Out
Images with the SMC Takumar 1:1.8/55mm lens on HP5
The Spotmatic is on my short list. I'm not sure I care which one. Problem is, online they go for more than I'm willing to pay.
ReplyDeleteI hear you about the charm of buying a camera in person. I don't get to do that very often. Holding the thing in my hands tells me so much about whether I want the thing or not. I tend to buy stuff in person I wouldn't buy online, and vice versa.
If you get the chance to hit some church sales, flea markets, or antique shops you might find one. I haven't had much luck in finding the better cameras at garage sales or thrift shops.
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