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Post by olroy2044 on Jan 5, 2008 16:02:27 GMT -5
This is a pic lifted from an E---y auction. Does anyone know what the round thingy is on the front of the body, right under the rewind crank?  Mine doesn't have it.  Thanks Roy |
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Post by herron on Jan 5, 2008 16:53:19 GMT -5
Roy -- Don't take this as gospel...I'm a Mamiya-freak, remember...and not all that well versed on things Pentax...but I'm pretty sure that "round thingy" was a sensor on the SPII that helped trigger the Honeywell Strobonar flash.  |
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Post by Randy on Jan 5, 2008 19:14:43 GMT -5
Boy ya got me, I have 8 Spotmatics and none of them have that.
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Post by olroy2044 on Jan 5, 2008 19:27:32 GMT -5
Ron, you nailed it! I lifted another view of the camera and Photoshopped the ***L out of the pic, and pulled up the model designator. It is in fact an SpIIA, which has the sensor in question. That's what I get for not looking closer.  Might take a run at this one------s-s-s-h-h-h--don't tell Mo!  ;D Roy Ebay 180201601327 |
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Post by olroy2044 on Jan 5, 2008 19:40:14 GMT -5
Shoot, all I had to do was scroll down and the seller identified the thing!!D-u-u-h-h! Ol' d-mb-ss Roy!  |
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Post by doubs43 on Jan 5, 2008 22:24:18 GMT -5
Roy, It is indeed an SP-IIa. They were sold ONLY on the US market. I have one in chrome and one in black. The "eye" on the front is designed to work with a Pentax flash unit to provide auto exposure. The idea was a good one but when thyristor flash units arrived with built-in sensors, further sales of the IIa were doomed. The IIa was also limited because it used a dedicated flash unit sold only by Honeywell.
Both of mine work well and the meters are accurate. I don't know about the built-in eye though as I don't have the flash needed to work it.
The IIa is around but isn't nearly as common as other Pentax models. If you take a run at it, good luck. Like all the other M42 Spotmatics, they are good cameras.
Walker
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Post by herron on Jan 9, 2008 21:11:00 GMT -5
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Post by olroy2044 on Jan 9, 2008 21:48:59 GMT -5
Ron-I do remember the Stobonar flash--really wanted one of those back in the "dark ages"LOL. Cooler heads prevailed, and I decided not to go for that SpIIa. Saw a 70mm telephoto for my 110 Pentax that I wanted worse. Got it, too, for such a low price I was almost embarrassed. Roy
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Post by kiev4a on Jan 9, 2008 22:03:29 GMT -5
Used the Strobonars when I shot for a newspaper--on Spotmatics and Yashica 124Gs (and one Rollei). As I remember they didn't put out THAT much power for their size. If your flash had a quick release mount the Strobonar made a great personal defense weapon, too.
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Mine doesn't have it.
Might take a run at this one------s-s-s-h-h-h--don't tell Mo! 
;D Roy
) ... don't know if the one I had is the same one made for the Pentax -- but you might remember the familiar shape of those old Strobonars...the 600 and above series were once every wannabe photographer's dream flash....