Honeywell Pentax

[Socrates]

Honeywell was the importer and Pentax cameras were labeled as "Honeywell Pentax." I am the original owner of a Honeywell Pentax "Spotmatic" with f/1.4 lens, purchased in 1964. It was advertised as the "world's first automatic SLR" because there was no need to manually stop down the lens when taking a shot!

Once or twice each year, I shoot a small roll of film just to satisfy myself that it still works.

 

[nealjpage]

I hear it's a great camera. I've got the K1000, and love it. Glad you get out and shoot it.

 

[usayit]

I have a few "versions" in my collection. Also marketed under Tower (Sears) and Heiland in the US. The original company name was Asahi Optical and "Pentax" was the name given to their camera line. Takumar was the name referring to their line of lenses. It was later that Asahi spun off Pentax as a company of its own. Asahi Optical still exists in Japan...

Here are a few in my collection:

http://www.silveredemulsions.com/Equipment/Pentax/index.html

I absolutely love those early cameras. The quality and history behind them is 1st rate. It was because of those early cameras in my collection that I became an avid Pentax shooter early on. Unfortunately, the innovation and drive seem to run out heading into the 80s and Pentax took a back seat. I've been really disappointed with their offerings until just recently.... it is why I shoot mainly with a Canon SLR even though I am seriously considering heading back to Pentax with the K10D.

Also in my collection is the granddaddy of your camera... the Asahiflex IIB. Absolutely a joy to use... completely manual.. I mean completely manual... no auto stop down... I sometimes forget and end up with a completely over exposed frame LOL.

 

[Socrates]

I have a few "versions" in my collection. Also marketed under Tower (Sears) and Heiland in the US. The original company name was Asahi Optical and "Pentax" was the name given to their camera line. Takumar was the name referring to their line of lenses. It was later that Asahi spun off Pentax as a company of its own. Asahi Optical still exists in Japan...

Here are a few in my collection:

http://www.silveredemulsions.com/Equipment/Pentax/index.html

I absolutely love those early cameras. The quality and history behind them is 1st rate. It was because of those early cameras in my collection that I became an avid Pentax shooter early on. Unfortunately, the innovation and drive seem to run out heading into the 80s and Pentax took a back seat. I've been really disappointed with their offerings until just recently.... it is why I shoot mainly with a Canon SLR even though I am seriously considering heading back to Pentax with the K10D.

Also in my collection is the granddaddy of your camera... the Asahiflex IIB. Absolutely a joy to use... completely manual.. I mean completely manual... no auto stop down... I sometimes forget and end up with a completely over exposed frame LOL.

Wow, you have quite a Pentax museum!

I'm a Nikonomaniac now.

 

[usayit]

Thanks... that doesn't even include the lenses I've collected over the years. My wife thinks I'm nuts but hey.. what can you do?

I think I have A nikon laying around somewhere....

 

[jstuedle]

I loved the original Spotmatic, we had one at school that I used a lot before becoming a Nikonaholic. Even after diving into Nikon's, I had a Honeywell Strobonar flash. It was one of the most powerful handle mount strobes available at the time. Don't remember the model number, but 660 come to mind for some reason. It and a couple Nikon's were stolen from me in '71 and I never bought another. They had a great system back then.

 

[doobs]

I have a K1000 and I shoot it fairly often. I hear the Spotmatic is a great camera as well.