This is the Pentax K1000, an SLR that needs no introduction for many who are reading this. For the others, this is the ubiquitous student camera that has seen prices substantially increase in recent years. To read a great article about the K1000 versus another student camera (the Canon AE-1 Program) check out this one on Mike Eckman’s excellent site.
The light meter on this particular example works, and needs two fresh LR44-type batteries to function properly.
| Make | Pentax |
| Model | K1000 |
| Year | 1978 – 1984 |
| Format | 35mm |
| Shutter | cloth focal-plane |
| Speed | B, 1, 2, 4, 8, 15, 30, 60, 125, 250, 500, 1000 |
| Lens | Asahi Optical Co. SMC Pentax-M |
| f2 50mm | |
| Focus range | 0.45m – ∞ |
| Aperture | f1.4 – 22 |
| Light Meter | Yes (TTL CdS) |
| Focus System | SLR |
It was a cold and overcast day when I decided to drive from my home near Washington, DC to Staunton, VA. Along for the ride were my Pentax K-1000, Voigtländer Bessa L, and Fujifilm X-T20. The first stop was the Frontier Culture Museum, a place I have been going to since I was a kid. This visit was the first in over 25 years and I was amazed at how much it has changed.
Next was the Camera Heritage Museum, where I spent a couple of hours perusing the exhibit and chatting with curator David Schwartz
Sample images taken on Kodak 400TX stand-developed HC-110 for 30 minutes.
