Pentax K1000/50mm 1.7/Film... Pic heavy

jcdeboever · Jan 14, 2016

Sorry for posting so many but here are pics from a Pentax K1000/ 50mm 1.7 lens. I rebuilt this camera from the eternal moldy graveyard. It was a literal POS given to me but there was a great artist behind the hardware, so I kept her going. I bought 3 for a total of 15 bucks (not including shipping) to pilfer parts from in order to make one good one but I ended up with two....I think. This is the only roll I shot from it's overhaul. I gave to my daughter who is in college and wanted a film camera. She has yet to send me anything.... I am not holding my breath, she expects me to support her until she is 90. However, after a simple microdot graphite experience, I trust I may own a K1000 as well. The below pics have no post, sorry, I am tired.

Bad Ass Marine right here.

spiralout462 · Jan 14, 2016

Love 'em! They're great and inspiring.

timor · Jan 14, 2016

Very good. Now I know whom to send my broken cameras. :adoration:

Really good job.

jcdeboever · Jan 14, 2016

timor said:
Very good. Now I know whom to send my broken cameras. Really good job.

Mold is a pain. I wish to never do that again. It reacts as your trying to get rid of it. It moves as if it knows what you are doing.

timor · Jan 14, 2016

Leave it in good box with bleach fumes overnight and it will vanish in them. :allteeth:

DarkShadow · Jan 14, 2016

Nice B&W and good job on the repair.

480sparky · Jan 14, 2016

Classics captured by a classic!

jcdeboever · Jan 14, 2016

WOW! Did not expect this kind of response. I thought it would be a yawner post! Now I have to load some more film... off to the antique freezer.

smithdan · Jan 15, 2016

First serious camera a Spotmatic, couldn't afford a K1000 when they came out. Found one a year ago perfect condition $25 and a Tokina 70-210 $25.

Nice work on the repair and thanks for posting the great pix.

terri · Jan 15, 2016

These are lovely! You clearly did a great job on the repair. Kudos to you!

deeky · Jan 15, 2016

Nice shots. I put the K1000 down when I got my digital. Didn't get rid of it though. I think I might have a sensor issue since things seemed to consistently come out dark in the last roll or two. But I grew up with my mom shooting a K1000 and it was my first SLR. If nothing else, I geek on the nostalgia. But then again, I'm the guy that uses a 1949 Touchdown fountain pen as a daily writer with a couple others from the 1930's in my desk.

480sparky · Jan 15, 2016

deeky said:
Nice shots. I put the K1000 down when I got my digital. Didn't get rid of it though. I think I might have a sensor issue since things seemed to consistently come out dark in the last roll or two. ................

Yep. The sensors Pentax put in the K1000's weren't very good. :048:

Derrel · Jan 15, 2016

These are enjoyable photos! Reminds m of the times my grandfather took us to Antique Powerland's summer events. I liked the photos. Not sure how this post snuck by me until tonight...did not see this post!

deeky · Jan 15, 2016

480sparky said:
Yep. The sensors Pentax put in the K1000's weren't very good.

OK, it's late on a Friday night. Meant the light meter-sensor-indicator-thingamabob. You know..... that little movey thingy at the bottom.

Man, I need to go to bed.

480sparky · Jan 16, 2016

deeky said:
480sparky said:

Yep. The sensors Pentax put in the K1000's weren't very good.

Click to expand...

OK, it's late on a Friday night. Meant the light meter-sensor-indicator-thingamabob. You know..... that little movey thingy at the bottom.

Man, I need to go to bed.

If you mean the meter quit, there might be a very simple fix. All you need is a 2.0mm JIS screwdriver to find out. (you might get away with a small 'phillips' jewelers screwdriver, but you run the risk of damaging screws)

Start by removing the battery, and lay it and the battery holder/cover aside.

Remove the three screws that hold the bottom plate on the camera. Important note: Although all 3 are the same thread size & pitch, the middle one has a slightly smaller head. So you'll need to keep track of that one. Once the 3 screws are safely stowed away, separate the bottom cover of the camera by pulling it straight away from the body.

The place where the button battery sits is a small, moulded plastic piece held on by another 3 screws. Remove those screws. There might be a small wire in the way of one, so you'll need be carefully move it out of the way. Then, the plastic battery part should simply lift away from the camera. But don't pull too hard.... there's a wire attached to the other side.

Or..... is there? If the connection got corroded, the wire has become disconnected from the battery terminal attached to the plastic piece. If you have access to a small soldering rig, you can simply resolder the connection and reassemble everything.

Presto! A working K1000 meter!

I've rejuvenated 5 or 6 K1000s 'dead meters' this way over the years.