Index Introduction 1 Major working parts of the Honeywell Pentax SP 500... 2 Specifications . 4 Short operating course . 6 How to hold your camera 8 Film loading 9 Film wind and rewind . 10 Bright field focusing Micro prism Automatic diaphragm Shutter oe Depth-of field guide . . Depth-of field tables Range of light measurement Mercury battery Flash synchronization .
Honeywell Pentax SP 500 This is the Pentax SP 500 — another proud member of the world-famous Pentax family whose name has become synonymous with design innovations and precision craftsmanship in 35mm cameras. When the first Pentax Symptomatic was introduced to the public at the 1960 PHOTOSTATTING, the world’s largest photographic fair, in Cologne, Germany, it attracted the instant and close attention of photographers and photographic engineers alike.
Major working parts of the A — Shutter speed index B — Shutter speed dial C — Rapid wind Ever D — ASA film speed setting E — Shutter release F ~ Automatic reset exposure counter G — ‘Cocked’ indicator H — D-ring lug 1 — Focusing ring J ~X flash terminal
HONEYWELL PENTAX flash terminal L — Preview lever M — Exposure meter switch N ~ Film type reminder dial 0 — Rewind knob P — Rewind crank Q Film type index R Diaphragm ring 8 — Diaphragm and distance index T — Distance scale U ~ Exposure counter index V Depth-of-field guide
Specifications TYPE 35mm single-lens reflex with built-in light meter. FILM AND PICTURE SIZE 35mm film (20 or 36 exposures). 24mmx 36mm, STANDARD LENS Super-Tamarack 55mm f/2 with fully auto. masc diaphragm. Filters and lens hood 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. Speeds: B, Film speed (ASA) setting dial and window on shatter speed dial.
“COCKEYED” 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. LENS MOUNT 42mm threaded lens mount. FLASH SYNCHRONIZATION Equipped with FP and X flash terminals. Electronic synchronization at 1/60 sec. EXPOSURE METER Built-in meter measures the brightness of the ground glass, and couples directly to shutter and film speed settings. Film speed (ASA) setting ranges.
Short operating course A mercury battery for the light meter is packed separately. Be sure to insert it into the battery housing when operating the camera. For bat. trey insertion, refer to page 18. SET FILM SPEED Lift the outer ring of the shutter speed dial, and rotate to set the ASA number of the loaded film to the small red index which appears alongside the figure I. Then cock the rapid wing lever. SET SHUTTER SPEED Turn the shutter speed dial and set the speed you wish to use to the index.
TURN ON LIGHT METER SWITCH Push up the switch button with your thumb. Through the viewfinder, you will observe the movement of the meter’s needle on the right side of the ground glass. Be sure to turn off the meters switch when not actually taking readings. ROTATE DIAPHRAGM RING The needle moves up and down with the turn of the diaphragm ring. When the needle rests at the center, you will get correct exposure.
How to hold your camera in horizontal position A. Hold the caterer firmly with your close to your body. your body As a general rule, your camera should be held more firmly by the left hand which does not release the shutter. Hf you hold your camera with the right hand ~the hand which releases the shutter —it may cause camera movement. Very often, pictures in vertical position B.
Use the film type dial to show what type of film is in your camera. Simply turn the dial so that the type of film in the camera is opposite the 4 mark. To check whether the camera is loaded, turn the film rewind knob clockwise. If it turns freely, the camera is not loaded. Film loading Avoid direct sunlight when loading your film, 1. Open the back by pulling out the rewind knob until back cover snaps open. 2. Place the film cassette into the cas. sett chamber, and push back the re. wind knob.
10 1. The first portions of the film can. nat be used for picture taking as they have already been exposed to light. Generally, two blank ex. postures should be made before taking your first picture. Cock the rapid wind lever until it stops. Watch topee that the film rewind knob automatically turns coin. yer-clockwise, indicating that the film is moving from cassette to take-up spool.
Bright field focusing 1. You can start viewing and focusing before and after cocking the rapid wind lever. When the preview fever is in "AUTO" (automatic) position, and the meter is at "OFF", the diaphragm is fully open except for the moment of exposure. 2, Turn the distance scale ring until your subject image is clearly in focus, it is not always necessary for you to view and fours with the diaphragm fully open. In bright sunlight, you can easily focus with diaphragm closed to £/5.
12 Automatic diaphragm OUT OF FOCUS iN FOCUS When the preview lever is in "AUTO" (automatic) petition, and the exposure meter is turned to “OFF”, the fully automatic diaphragm is at its largest pare. true at all times, except for the instant of exposure, no matter what aperture is set on the diaphragm ring. When you release the shutter, the diaphragm automatically stops down to the predetermined aperture and the shutter curtains start traveling instantly.
Turn the shutter speed dial clock. wise or counter-clockwise to the shutter speed desired. The shutter 1 At slow speeds — slower than 1/30 —support your camera rigidly or use a tripod to prevent movement of your camera. Shutter speed may be set either before or after cocking the rapid wind lever. As you cock the shooter by turning the rapid wind lever, the “cocked” indicator turns to red showing that the shutter is cocked. The indicator window blacks ont as you trip the shutter button.
Depth-of-field table: Super-Tamarack 55mm lens NT Scale | 0.45 Setting 0.45 0.5¢ 098 1.46 1.92 4.53 82¢ | 61s 045 0.61 102 150 208 55¢ | 1272 «= 2.8 0.45 0.59 098 aa 1.89 4.36 7.20 | 2298 . 643 esl 1.03 1.56 212 044 0.59 0.97 1.42 1.85 413 REX) 046 0.61 104 1.59 217 633 | tarn oo £/5.6 0.44 0.58 [3 139 1.80 387 27 | 1652 0.48 0.62 1.05 1.83 2.25 109 | 2457 w= t/8 Ta 0.58 093 134 £73 353 5.41 1.58 048 0.67 1.08 170 2.38 865 | 70.27 0 #11 Ces | 037 o9 1.29 184 118 £62 Bad 0.47 0.63 1 179 257 0.43 0.56 0.67 1.
Range of light measurement The exposure meter of the Symptomatic measures the brightness of the ground glass. Therefore, the meter should be turned on afire 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 speed combinations, As vou will note from the table below, with an SAD film, you may use any shutter speed from sec. to 1/500sec.
DANGER! A serious accident has been battery anti his mouth and has been ho spit fon. 16 Mercury battery How to insert it Open the battery housing cover on the bottom cover plate with coin. Insert the battery with side toward the top of the camera. For replacement, use Malory PX.400 or RM.400-R or equivalent. How to check it 1. Set the shutter speed dial to B (bulb) position. 2. Turn the ASA dial to ASA 100. 3. Push the meter switch to “on” position, Look at the meter's needle through the viewfinder.
Flash synchronization The Honeywell Pentax has two sets of term annals 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 syn. synchronization. Note the “X” setting is exactly at the 60 marked on the speed dial. This indicates the highest shutter speed at which Honeywell Stroboscopes or other electronic flash units may be used.
18 Important notes Always keep the meter switched off when 1 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 Super. Tamarack or SMC Tamarack fens on the Symptomatic camera body.
Exposure factor No! x1.63 x1.86 * x320 x4.80 x5.48 Exposure increase factors which apply when taking pictures with filters, close-ups, macro and micro-photos, do not apply to the Symptomatic. The length of the tripod’s screw should not exceed the normal length of 3/16” (45cm). Do not extend it longer than this length when mounting your camera on tripod.
Infra-red photography If you intend to take infra-red photo. graphs, remember to use the small “R” index marked on the depth-of field guide. First, focus your lens on your subject. Determine the lens to subject distance from the distance scale. Then match your lens to subject distance to the "R" mark by turning the distance scale accordingly, For instance, if your subject is in focus at infinity, turn the distance ring and move the infinity (on) mark to the "R" index.
Interchangeable Lenses The Honeywell Pentax offers many interchangeable lenses in a wide variety of focal lengths, all of which ave highly respected by both professional and amateur photographers for their fine resolution. The photographic coverage of the various Tamarack lenses is illustrated on page 22. With focal length longer than 55mm, the subject image is seen through the viewfinder larger than its life size.
* DIFFERENCE ill In 30~ 55mm All photographs were taken from the same location and distance from the subject.
Warranty p GD policy Your new Honeywell Pentax camera is warranted for one year against defects in material or workmanship, This covers either the original purchaser or the gift recipient.
CAUTION Mercury Battery “The mercury battery should be kept dry. Don't touch it with your finger unnecessarily. Before inserting it into its housing, wipe its surface completely with a dry piece of cloth. Don't try to measure the short current or to charge the battery, to prevent rapid deterioration. Don’t throw a used battery into fire it may ex. poled. Keep the battery out of the cameras battery housing when you do not intend to use it for a lengthy period of time. See page 16.
