Index Introduction Nomenclature Specifications How it works Battery insertion and check Film loading . . . . . . • . . Film winding . . . . . . . . . Setting ASA film speed Film type reminder dial Set shutter speed . . . Compose and focus . . Rotate diaphragm ring 1 2-3 4-5 6 8 - 9 10 - 11 .12 13 13 14 15 16 Shutter release Camera holding Bright field focusing . . . . . . . . . . Film unloading . . . . . . . . . Self-timer . . . . . . . . . . . . Flash synchronization . . . . .
_ _ _ ASAHI PENTAX Your Asahi Pentax Spotmatic is the finest photographic instrument on the market. The "SuperMulti-Coating" on the Takumar lens, developed by Pentax and available only on Takumars, reduces flare and boosts contrast to a degree far beyond what was previously possible in optical technology. It is a tougher coating than is available on any competitive lenses and results in pictures with more detail and richer colours than is possible with any other system at any price.
NOMENCLATURE • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 2 Shutter release button Exposure counter ASA film speed setting "Cocked" indicator / ~ O-ring lug Shutter speed dial O-ring Rapid wind lever Shutter speed index Self-timer release button Distance scale Self-timer cocking lever Deoth-of-field guide Diaphragm and distance index Focusing ring Diaphragm ring Preview lever Exposure meter switch FP flash terminal X flash terminal Film rewind crank/Back cover opener Film type reminder dial A - A
Film rewind crank Film chamber Battery housing cover Film rails Film guide rails Accessory fitting groove T r i pod receptacl e Viewfinder eyepiece Sprocket Film rewind button Film take-up spool Film roller Film pressure plate [ "",co.
SPECIFICATIONS _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Type: 35mm single-lens reflex with built-in light meter. Film and Picture Size: 35mm film (20 or 36 exposures). 24mm x 36mm ; Standard Lenses: Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 50mm ff 1.4 or 55mm ff 1.8 with fully automatic diaphragm. Filters and lenshood size : 49mm. Equipped with diaphragm preview lever which affords visual check of depth of field. Distance scale : 45cm (18") to infinity. Shutter: Focal plane shutter, with single non-rotating dial.
NOTICE: Features of Pentax products sold in Japan may differ from those of the export models sold outside of Japan. Film Advance: Ratchet-type rapid wind lever (for film advance and 0 shutter cocking). 10 pre-advancing and 160 0 advancing angle. "Cocked" Indicator: A red disk appears in a small window alongside the shutter release button when the shutter is cocked, and blacks out when it is released . Film Exposure Counter: Automatic re-set type .
HOW IT WORKS 1. After loading your film , set the ASA rating in the ASA window. 4. Turn on the meter switch. 6 A mercury battery is packed separately. Be sure to insert it into the battery housing before operating the camera. For insertion, refer to page 8. 2. Set the shutter speed. 5. Rotate the diaphragm ring , and stop when the meter needle matches the index . 3. Compose and focus by turning the focusing ring. 6. Release the shutter.
BATTERY INSERTION AND CHECK DANGER! A serious accident has been reported of a small child who has put a mercury battery into his mouth and has been hospitalized for serious gripes and stomach inflammation. Please always keep a mercury battery from the reach of small children. How to insert Open the battery housing cover on the bottom cover plate with a coin. Insert the battery with (+) side toward the top of the camera. For replacement, use Mallory PX-400 or RM-400-R or equivalent.
OFF How to check 1. Set the shutter speed dial to B (bulb) position. 2. Turn the ASA dial to ASAlOO. 3. Push the meter switch to "on" position . Look at the meter's needle through the viewfinder. If the needle rapidly drops, the meter battery has sufficient capacity ; if it does not , replace the mercury battery.
FILM LOADING 1. Open the back by pulling out the rewind knob until back cover snaps open. 2. Place the film cassette into the cassette chamber, and push back the rewind knob. Draw out the film leader and insert it into slot of the take-up spool. 3. Advance the film by alternately turning the rapid wind lever and releasing the shutter until both sprockets have properly engaged the film perforations. Close the back by pressing it firmly. 4.
Avoid direct sunlight when loading your film.
FILM WINDING The first portions of the film cannot be used for picture taking as · they have already been exposed to light. Generally , two blank exposures should be made before taking your first picture . Cock the rapid wind lever until it stops. Watch to see that the film rewind knob automatically turns counter-clockwise, indicating that the film is moving from cassette to take-up spool. Trip the shutter.
SETTING ASA FILM SPEED The ASA film speed rating of all 35mm films is given in the data sheet packed with each roll of film. The higher the ASA number, the more sensitive the film . Lift the outer ring of the shutter speed dial and rotate it until the ASA number of your film is opposite the red index mark . Be sure to set your film speed on the shutter speed dial because the dial is connected to the exposure meter system.
SET SHUTTER SPEED • Turn the shutter speed dial and set the speed you wish to use to the index. When outdoors, set the speed at 1/125 sec. or faster, depending upon the lighting. When indoors, set it at 1/30, or in its neighbourhood. Change the shutter speed later, when neccessary.
COMPOSE AND FOCUS While viewing through the viewfinder, turn the focusing ring until your subject image comes into sh arp focus. Pentax cameras have a Fresnel lens with a microprism center underneath the ground glass. As you look through the finder, you will see that the Fresnel lens consists of many concentric rings which provide the brightest image on th e ground glass. The microprism is the center portion of this diagram.
ROTATE DIAPHRAGM RING The net!dle moves up and down with the turn of the diaphragm ring. When the needle rests at the centre, you will get correct exposure. If the needle does not come to the centre no matter how far you turn the diaphragm ring, change the shutter speed. When the needle is off cen tre and close to the (+) mark, you will get over-exposure: change the shutter speed to a faster setting.
SHUTTER RELEASE At slow speeds slower than 1/30 support your camera rigidly or use a tripod to prevent movement of your camera. • Hold your camera firmly and trip the shutter. When the shutter is released, the meter switch will automatically turn off, and the needle will remain fixed off and underneath the centre . The diaphragm will reopen to its full aperture and the overall image will look brighter. Cock the rapid wind lever for the next picture .
CAMERA HOLDING In horizontal position A. Hold the camera firmly with your left hand, and draw your arm close to you·r body. In vertical position B. Hold your camera tightly to your forehead with your left hand, and draw your right arm close to your body. As a general rule , your camera should be held more firmly by the left hand which does not release the shutter. If you hold your camera with the right hand - the hand which releases the shutter - it may cause camera movement .
BRIGHT FIELD FOCUSING You can start viewing and focusing before and after cocking the rapid wind lever. When the preview lever is in "AUTO" (automatic) position, and the meter is at "OFF", the diaphragm is fully open except for the moment of exposure. Turn the distance scale ring until your subject image is clearly in focus. It is not always necessary for you to view and focus with the diaphragm fully open. In bright sunlight, you can easily focus with diaphragm closed to f/5 .
FILM UNLOADING After the final picutre on the roll has been taken, the rapid wind lever will not turn, indicating that the film must be rewound . Unfold the rewind crank . Depress the film rewind release button and turn the rewind crank as indicated to rewind the film into the film cassette. Rewind until the tension on the crank lessens, indicating that the leader end of the film has been released from the take-up spool.
SELF-TIMER Depending upon how far down you turn the selftimer cocking lever it will release the shutter in 5-13 seconds. When operating the self-timer, always depress the self-timer release button ~ to release the shutter. Do not depress the shutter button . . . it will immediately release the shutter without delayed action. The self-timer cocking lever should be turned down at least 90° or the release button will not operate.
FLASH SYNCHRONIZATION The Asahi Pentax has two terminals - FP and X. The table below shows which flash contact, which shutter speed and which flash bulb may be combined for maximum lamp efficiency. Unless these combinations are rigidly followed, there will be a failure in flash synchronization. Note the "X" setting is exactly at the 60 marked on the speed dial. This indicates the highest shutter speed at which electronic flash units may be used.
DEPTH-Of-fiELD GUIDE • 00 1 i • 10 1 1 • •2 3 J.J t 1 F4 Fa F16 F- 16 m F 4 ft ex> m I I 16 8 24 30 10 I" 8 4 5.6 fi +4 8 I 10 1 I I I 16 4 2.8 · 1.4. Distance ( m ) Depth of field is the range between the nearest and farth est distances which are in acceptable focus at different lens apertures. If you want to know how great the depth of field is at a certain aperture, look at the depth-of-field guide. In the above photograph, the distance scale is set at 5 meters .. .
AND TABLE ~ 0.45 0.6 F/1.4 0 ..45 - 0 .453 0.59 - 0.61 F/2 0 .45 - 0.454 0.59 - 0.61 F/2.8 - 0.46 F/4 Sc.le F Settln. 0 ..... - - 1.81 2.23 3 .94 -- 6 .S4 6.48 - 22 .05 18.14 - 1.36 1.68 1.75 .... 2.34 3.64 - - 8.03 1.66 - 1.24 1.8 9 - 0.58 ..... 0.62 0.94 ..... 1.07 F/8 0 ..... -0."7 0 .91 F/U 0.43 -0.47 0.57 - 0.63 0.56 - 0 .65 F/l6 -0.48 I ' 6 .2 " F/4 I ' 5 .6 " I ' 6 .c -- F/ 8 5. 5 " 6 .5 " " 6 .6 " 2.88 -1 9. 53 6.63 0.84 1.2 .. 1.16 - 2.16 3.
RANGE OF LIGHT MEASUREMENT The exposure meter of the Spotmatic measures the brightness of the ground glass. Therefore, the meter should be turned on after you have focused your subject on the ground glass. The following table shows the range of the meter's light measurement, and should not be interpreted as the camera's total range of f/stop-shutter speed combinations. As you will note from the table on the next page, with an ASAlOO film, you may use any shutter speed from 1 sec. to 1/1000 sec.
~hun.r ASA Speed 20 · (25) 32 · (40) · (50) 64 · (80) 100 · (125) · (160) 200 · (2,50) · (320) 400 · (500) · (640) 800 · (1000) · ( 1250) 1600 1 B 1/2 1/4 1/8 1/15 1/30 1/60 1/125 1/250 1/500 1/1000 A ~ The area A indicates the reading range of the meter. The area B indicates that although the shutter speed index is b lack and the meter needle moves, the meter is NOT operating properly .
INFR A-RE D · PHO TOG RAP HY I R + If you intend to take infra-re d photogr aphs, remember to use the infra-re d index marked with an orange line or a small "R" on the depth-of-field guide . 28 First , focus your lens on your subject. Determ ine the lens-to- subject distance from the distance scale. Then match your lens-to- subject distance to the infrared index by turning the distance scale accordin gly.
MULTIPLE EXPOSURE For deliberate multiple exposures, make the first exposure in the normaly way. Then tighten the film by turning the rewind knob (I), and keep hold of the rewind knob. Depress the film rewind release button (2) and cock the rapid wind lever. This tensions the shutter without advancing the film. Finally, release the shutter to make the second exposure. Then make one blank exposure, before taking the next picture, to avoid overlapping.
IMPORTANT NOTES 1 2 3 30 Always keep the meter switched off when not actually taking readings. Leaving the meter switched on will rapidly exhaust the battery. It is also necessary to keep the meter switched off when mounting a SuperTakumar or SMC Takumar lens on the Spotmatic II camera body . If it is switched on , the tip of the automatic diaphragm release pin of the lens will hit the pin release plate inside the camera body and it may get damaged .
Exposure increase factors which apply when taking pictures with filters, close-ups, macro- and microphotos, do not apply to the Spotmatic. Primarily made for use with the Spotmatic, the SMC Takumar 50mm ff 1.4 lens can also be used with the Pentax models ES, SL and SP 500. Further, it can be used with only two other cameras: Asahi Pentax SV and S I a with an orange-coloured R marking on the film rewind knob . Use with any other camera will damage the rear element lens.
PROCEDURE FOR REPAIR SERVICE All Asahi Pentax cameras purchased through authorized bona fide photographic distribution channels are guaranteed against defects of material or workmanship for a period of twelve months from date of purchase. Service will be rendered and defective parts will be replaced without cost to you within that period, provided the equipment has not been abused, altered, or operated contrary to instruction.
ASAHI OPTICAL CO ., LTD. c.p.a. 895. Tokyo 100·9 1, JAPAN ASAHI OPTICAL EUROPE S.A. Freight Bldg .• Brussels National Airport, 1930 Zaventem, BEL GIUM ASAHI OPTICAL EUROPE S.A. (Hamburg Office) 2000 Hamburg 50. Koenigstrasse 28. W EST G ERMANY ASAHI OPTICAL (AMERICA) INC. 31 East 28t h Street, New York, New Yo rk 100 16. U.S. A. ASAHI OPTICAL BRASILEIRA IND. E COM . LTDA. ex. Postal 7839 - Sao Paula.
.' 0473 Prin ted in Japan
