Is my pentex k1000 broken?

Picture_Imperfect17 · Aug 12, 2017

Hello I've had my pentex k1000 for quite some time. My dad bought it for me for me. We bought it from a man at a flea market he said all we needed was a flash. I was under the that I could still use the camera in full light situations I've tried multiple times. All my pictures came out blurry or almost completely black. Im new to photography but I think something might be wrong.

Peeb · Aug 12, 2017

You've had the camera for quite some time but are just now trying it, I assume?

Do the images look sharp in the viewfinder? Sounds like either a shutter problem, a light leak, or both.

Picture_Imperfect17 · Aug 13, 2017

I've had it awhile yes. But I have used it several times. The image through the view finder is clear and undisturbed. The shutter and manual buttons all work. The man I got it from gave me a newer compatible lens for it . I am just having a problem then I develop pictures they look distorted and almost black. I will be purchasing a flash to see if it might help and ill get a new roll of film and try again. Thank you for responding

vintagesnaps · Aug 13, 2017

It would probably help to know how you're setting the camera for the existing light conditions. Is the meter working? are you using that to tell you if you have the camera set to be able to get a proper exposure?

If pictures are dark that could be too small an aperture setting, and blurry pictures could mean a slow shutter speed. But that's just a guess not knowing how the camera was set.

john.margetts · Aug 13, 2017

Flash won't help - unless you are photographing indoors or at night.

Are you developing the film yourself? Because that is a whole other can of worms.

Simple (and perhaps insulting) ideas: are you setting the ISO of the film on the camera? With film, the whole film has to be shot at the same ISO and that should be the ISO printed on the film carton. Are you keeping the back of the camera closed while there is film in the camera? I have known quite intelligent digital photographers make both those mistakes with film.

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john.margetts · Aug 13, 2017

Blurry is possibly because you are not focusing the lens. The K1000 is a manual focus camera. Again, I am not trying to be insulting but people get used to technology. If I pick up my Chinon CE4 (which I happen to have beside me at the moment) and look through the viewfinder, the image is bright and reasonably clear without me focusing the lens. If I took a photograph 'as is' it would be blurry and over-bright as I have the shutter set to 4 seconds and the lens is focused on infinity while the far wall of the room is 6-odd feet away.

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480sparky · Aug 13, 2017

The K1000 is also a manual-only camera in terms of exposure. It's not auto-exposure, auto-focus, DX-film auto-ISO (ASA back in the day), auto-loading..... auto-anything.

You need to manually set the ISO/ASA, focus the lens and read the meter to adjust the shutter speed and aperture.

limr · Aug 13, 2017

vintagesnaps said:
It would probably help to know how you're setting the camera for the existing light conditions. Is the meter working? are you using that to tell you if you have the camera set to be able to get a proper exposure?

If pictures are dark that could be too small an aperture setting, and blurry pictures could mean a slow shutter speed. But that's just a guess not knowing how the camera was set.

This. A flash is not required to use the camera. A battery is also not required to use the camera, but it IS necessary for the light meter to work. When there is no battery or if you have a dead battery, the needle you see in the viewfinder to show exposure will be stuck dead center, which makes it look like the exposure is correct. Point the camera at a very bright light or at a very dark shadow and see if that needle moves. If not, you need a fresh battery.

As mentioned, you should also check to be sure that you have manually set the correct ISO setting for the film you are using. Even with a working battery, the light meter may be taking the "wrong" reading based on what ISO the camera is set for and what is actually loaded.

Finally, pay attention to your shutter speed, which may be the reason for blurry pictures, if that blur is actually motion blur amd not a focus issue. The general rule of thumb is to go by your lens focal length: if you are using a 50mm lens, for example, don't shoot below 1/60th without using a tripod or stablizing the camera on a table or something.

If you have some pictures you can share, it might help with the diagnosis.

BananaRepublic · Aug 13, 2017

Is the parking brake down ?

Peeb · Aug 13, 2017

Do you have any images scanned that you could post?

Is your shutter speed 1/30 or faster?

Could you download a 'light meter' app for your phone to double check the camera's internal light meter reading?

webestang64 · Sep 1, 2017

K1000 manual........... http://stevespages.com/pdf/pentax_k1000_camera.pdf

480sparky · Sep 1, 2017

limr said:
........ When there is no battery or if you have a dead battery, the needle you see in the viewfinder to show exposure will be stuck dead center, which makes it look like the exposure is correct. Point the camera at a very bright light or at a very dark shadow and see if that needle moves. If not, you need a fresh battery............

K1000s are notorious for dead meters as well, given their advanced age these days. If the meter is pushing up daisies, a perfectly good battery may not do the trick. About half the K1000s I've come across with dead meters can be easily fixed. But you need to be somewhat mechanically inclined and know how to solder vary small connections.