Pentax Spotmatic

The Pentax Spotmatic was launched in July 1964 and was manufactured up until 1973.  It was updated slightly in 1965, however, and this is one of the first versions that pre-date that update.

The name "Spotmatic" came from the intention, at least initially, for the camera to include a spot meter.  In the end, however, the camera was fitted with a centre-weighted through-the-lens meter.  The meter is activated by pushing up the button on the side of the lens mount, which can be seen in the attached photograph along with a white arrow and the word 'on' in orange.  This button closed the lens down the to chosen aperture and activated the meter.  A needle in the viewfinder indicated over- or under-exposure.  The shutter speeds ranged from 1 second to 1/1000 plus 'B'.  There is a self-timer lever on the front of the camera (not visible in the photograph).  Most Spotmatics were in a metallic finish, but they were also available in black like this model.  I have attached a Super-Takumar 55mm f/2 lens.

This camera was recently serviced by Eric Hendrickson and is seeing some use. 

The Spotmatic was in many ways the "iconic" Pentax camera of the 1960s and was very popular.  It was worthy of the slogan "Just hold a Pentax".