Is the Pentax K1000 Really the Best Student Camera?
Pentax K1000 overview
The Pentax K1000 was introduced in 1976 and was in production until. A total of 3 million (plus) models were shipped. Production was moved from Japan in 1978 to Hong Kong in 1978, and later to China in the year 1990. To reduce the cost of labour, Chinese cameras were produced using a range of lower-cost components. Chinese K1000s are identifiable by the absence of the “Asahi” name and logo on the cover of the pentaprism. Cameras that are not manufactured by Asahi should be avoided.
What you get from a K1000 is a fully manual camera that comes with aid for spot-focusing using a micro-prism. The control of exposure is made by the battery-powered light meter that uses an open aperture and a centre-the-needle technique. Shutter speeds vary from 1 to 1/1000th of a second and include Bulb and the flash X-sync function at 1/60th seconds.
The K1000 can be used with manual-focus lenses using lenses that use the Pentax K bayonet mount (introduced in 1975) and K-A mounting (introduced by 1983) as well as all following K lenses with an additional aperture ring. There are also many independently-produced Pentax-compatible lenses that are compatible with the.
This is a list of manuals of other manufacturers’ 35mm SLR cameras that have similar specifications. These are generally accessible and usually cheaper. This means that these cameras are entirely manual and have an open aperture metering and shutter speeds ranging between 1 and 1/000th of a second. In many cases, alternatives have more features and more excellent specifications. This isn’t a complete list.
Canon
The Feb comes with similar features; however, it has partial measurement (an area equal to 12 per cent of the central area of the lens). Additionally, it features a self-timer as well as a mirror lock-up. The Feb-N camera also has an indicator for the shutter speed of the viewfinder. Its lens mount uses Canon’s FD bayonet that is used for the lens.
Fujica
The ST705 and the ST705w have exceeded those specifications set by the K1000 and offer improved, faster and more precise silicone photo-cell meters, and a more bright viewfinder, and a slit-image rangefinder, the top speed is 1/1500th of a second, self-timer, and a preview of depth-of-field. It’s smaller and lighter.
The ST801 is similar to the ST705/w but has the top speed of 1/2000th of a second and a viewfinder that matches LED light metering and not needle pointers.
Lens mounts Fujica’s variation on the screw fitting M42 and is compatible with auto-Fujinon lenses to open aperture measuring.
Minolta
The SR-T101 (and its SR predecessors) is similar in the same manner as the K1000; however, it is also equipped with matrix metering. It is a brief description of a system that uses two separate metering cells located at different points of the pentaprism. This analyzes the light that falls on various parts of the viewfinder’s screen to produce a readout that takes into consideration the brightness of a scene. The viewfinder also comes with a that displays shutter speed as well as mirror lock-up, the depth-of-field preview and a self-timer. Its Lens mount is one of the Minolta “MC” (meter coupled) bayonet.
Pentax
The KM is precisely the same as the K1000 in every aspect. However, it also benefits from the added features of self-timers and depth-of-field previews.
Spotmatic F Spotmatic F was the predecessor to the KM and is identical in every aspect, except that it has a screw-fitting M42 lens, which requires SMC Takumar lenses or similar lenses from other manufacturers.
Praktica
Praktica produced a myriad of cameras that have slight differences in specifications. However, I believe that the closest analogue that was similar to K1000 came from the LLC. Lenses utilize an M42 screw-mount.
Yashica
The FX-2, FX-3/FX-7 and FX-3/FX-7 super conform to each other into K1000 design, including newer models incorporating LED viewfinders instead of an actual match-needle. Similar to Fujicas meters, the metering process is done through a more rapid and sensitive photo-cell made of silicone. The cameras are known for dependability. Their sturdy metal chassis and an outer shell made of plastic make them lighter and less bulky than the K1000. Lens mounts are one of the Contax/Yashica bayonets.
Other Yashica alternatives are the Contax replicas of the FR and FX-1 that have electronically controlled shutters and viewfinder apertures, and shutter speed indicators; however, these models aren’t top-rated.
Conclusions
The main attraction of the K1000 is not on the camera’s body but in its lens mount system and its ease of finding lenses. This isn’t to suggest that the price or availability of other lens systems are challenging; they may sometimes require a little longer to locate.
Open aperture metering used by the K1000 is not a crucial feature; it’s a simply helpful feature to have. Stop-down meters camera (..e. the aperture of the lens is required to be closed when an optical reading is taken) are appropriate for students or other users. Actually, the majority of alternatives listed above are also able of stop-down meters.
When stop-down-metering camera bodies are considered alternative to K1000, the pool of possible candidates is even more extensive. In addition, most stop-down metering camera models are older models in which the ordinary M42 screw mount lenses were standard.
In terms of design, Older lenses tend to be more bulky and compact. However, the latest lenses may be less durable because of their dependence upon plastic elements.
In the end, I’m not a great admirer of the K1000 due to its simplicity, and if we were searching to purchase a camera which would meet the demands of a course, for example, the K1000 would probably be a bit low on my list of choices. When you take relative costs into consideration, I find it absurd that the K1000 is available for sale at double the cost of its stable-mate, which is more expensive than is the KM.
