Pentax K1000

Pentax K1000 with SMC Pentax-A, 35–80mm f/4–5.6 (1990–97 version, assembled in China)

image by Süleyman Demir (Image rights)

K1000 is a 35mm film SLR camera made by Pentax and produced between 1976–97. Its design descends from the original Spotmatic series of screw-mount SLRs introduced in the 1960s.

An affordable camera for the amateur photographer, it was a fully mechanical, manual camera designed without any program modes. It survived much longer than originally intended and became the archetypal "student's camera." The K1000 was equipped with all features required for manual photography: a TTL metering system, wide-ranging shutter speeds from 1/1000 to 1 s, and the ability to use all the available K-mount lenses made by Pentax and licensees such as Ricoh and Cosina. The K1000 omitted some features found on more advanced models, such as depth-of-field preview, self-timer, and separate meter on/off switch.

Despite its great popularity and longevity of the same basic design, Pentax finally ceased production of the K1000 after more than 20 years in 1997.

The K series evolved from the classic Spotmatic SP 1000, in fact the K1000 itself is essentially a Spotmatic with a bayonet rather than M42×1 screw mount.

Versions[]

Original made in Japan, produced between 1976–78, metal body
Bodies assembled in Japan and Hong Kong between 1977–90, slightly modified, metal body
assembled in in China, between 1990–97, lid and bottom plate made of plastic

Asahi Pentax K1000 (original version) image by Alfred Sigaro (Image rights)

Specifications[]

Data of the camera shown on the right.

BODY

Lens release: lever on the right lower side of the lens mount, slide downward and turn the lens counter clockwise, when mounting the lens the red marks of the lens and the camera must be aligned
Focusing: manual front focusing, via Fresnel matte screen, ring and scale window on the lens
Shutter: horizontally traveling, rubberized silk focal plane, speeds: 1/1000–1 s +B; setting: speed dial knob on the top plate
Shutter release: on the top plate, with cable release socket
Cocking lever: also winds the film, short stroke, retractable, on the right of the top plate
Frame counter: additive type, auto-reset, window on the cocking lever
Viewfinder: eye level SLR pentaprism, needle index of exposure meter visible in it
Exposure meter: full frame averaging TTL metering with built-in coupled match-needle meter ASA range: 20–3200, setting: ring and window on the speed dial, lift and turn
Exposure setting: manual, turn the speed dial or aperture ring until the needle aligned to the center of the index, in the finder
Rewind: folding crank on the top plate, turns when winding
Rewind release: a button on the bottom plate
Flash PC socket: left lower front side of the camera, w/ removable lid, X-Sync. 1/60, red X mark on the speed dial
Hot-shoe
Self-timer: none
Back cover: hinged, opens by lifting the re-wind lever
Tripod socket: 1/4 in
Strap lugs
Battery: 1.5 V LR44 alkaline or SR44 silver oxide (only for exposure meter)
Battery chamber: on the bottom plate
Attention: leave the lens cap on when you are not using the camera, there is no on-off switch for the exposure meter, so it works continuously
Engraving on the bottom plate: Assembled in China and serial no. 6131802

LENS

(The lens shown on the right, different from kit lens)

SMC Pentax-A, 35-80mm f/4-f/5.6 w/ macro focus facility,
Pentax K-mount
Filter thread: 49mm
Aperture: f/4-f/22, setting: dial and ring on the lens
Zooming: dial and ring on the lens
Focus range: 0.4-5m +inf

Links[]

Pentax K mount SLR Cameras
K2 \| KX \| KM \| K1000 \| MX \| ME \| ME Super \| ME-F \| MV \| MV1 \| MG \| LX \| Super-A \| Program-A \| A3 \| P30 \| P50