Pentax SP500 User manual

HONEYWELL PENTAX
OPERATING MANUAL

Index
Introduction . j
Major working parts of the Honeywell Pentax SP 500 . 2
Specifications . 4
Short operating course. g
How to hold your camera . 3
Film loading. g
Film wind and rewind. 10
Bright field focusing . H
Microprism . H
Automatic diaphragm . 12
Shutter . 13
Depth-of-field guide . 13
Depth-of-field tables . 14
Range of light measurement . 15
Mercury battery. lg
Flash synchronization . 17
Important notes . 13
Infra-red photography . 20
How to make deliberate double exposure. 20
Difference of angle of Takumar lenses. 22
Asahi Pentax warranty policy . 23

Honeywell Pentax SP 500
This is the Pentax SP 500 - another proud member of the world-famous
Pentax family whose name has become synonymous with design innova¬
tions and precision craftsmanship in 35mm single-lens-reflex cameras.
When the first Pentax Spotmatic was introduced to the public at the 1960
PHOTOKINA, the world’s largest photographic fair, in Cologne, Germany,
it attracted the instant and close attention of photographers and photo¬
graphic engineers alike. Not available for purchase at that time, it was
a model of the advanced design and features that would be incorporated
into cameras of the future. Pentax cameras and other brands as well.
Several years of extensive research preceded its introduction, and four
more years of research and experimentation followed before the meticu¬
lous Pentax engineers and technicians felt the camera was truly ready.
At last, in late 1964, it reached the eager hands of serious amateur and
professional photographers around the world. Like that early Spotmatic,
your Honeywell Pentax SP 500 is a computer camera. Hidden within its
body, its unique, behind-the-lens exposure meter utilizes two highly sen¬
sitive Cadmium Sulphide sensors to accurately measure the light gathered
by the camera’s lens as it is reflected from the subject being photographed.
Therefore, by measuring the light as it passes through the lens and match¬
ing the exposure needle as seen through the viewfinder, you can be as¬
sured of properly exposed pictures under all but the most impossible light¬
ing conditions. Whether you’re using special, macro- or microphotographic
lenses, telephoto lenses, or simply filters on normal lenses, your Honeywell
Pentax SP 500 will give you correctly exposed photographs without the
use of external meters or the need for difficult, time-consuming exposure
calculations!
Your SP 500 may also be set manually the same as any other quality
35mm camera if special lighting or selective focus effects are desired.
Just leave the exposure meter switch in its OFF position and select the
f/stop and speed settings for the desired effect.
The traditional classic design and simple elegance associated with earlier
models of the famous Pentax have been retained in the SP 500 despite
the incorporation of many highly advanced features and many internal
improvements that have been developed over the years.
Like the other members of the Pentax family, the Honeywell Pentax
SP 500 has a 42mm threaded lens mount that accepts any of the superb
Takumar lenses from the ultra-wide-angle 17mm Takumar to the super¬
telephoto 1000mm Takumar, a wide range of optics that will satisfy the
demands of even the most critical professional.
Moreover, the list of fine accessories is always growing - to help you
keep growing photographically.
1

Major working parts of the
A — Shutter speed index
B — Shutter speed dial
C — Rapid wind lever
D — ASA film speed setting
E — Shutter release
F — Automatic reset exposure counter
G — ‘Cocked’ indicator
H — D-ring lug
I — Focusing ring
J — X flash terminal
2
O
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OS
(A
HONEYWELL PENTAX
K — FP flash terminal
L — Preview lever
M — Exposure meter switch
N — Film type reminder dial
O — Rewind knob
P — Rewind crank
Q — Film type index
R — Diaphragm ring
S — Diaphragm and distance index
T — Distance scale
U — Exposure counter index
V — Depth-of-field guide
oa.

Specifications
TYPE
35mm single-lens reflex with built-in light
meter.
FILM AND PICTURE SIZE
35mm film (20 or 36 exposures). 24mm x
36mm.
STANDARD LENS
Super-Takumar 55mm f/2 with fully auto¬
matic diaphragm. Filters and lenshood size:
49mm. Equipped with diaphragm preview
lever which affords visual check of depth of
field. Distance scale: 45cm (18*) to infinity.
SHUTTER
Focal plane shutter, with single non-rotating
dial. Speeds: B, 1 — 1/500 sec. Film speed
(ASA) setting dial and window on shutter
speed dial. Shutter curtains of special rub¬
berized silk.
WARNING SIGNAL
The index of shutter speeds turns to red
when the shutter and film speed settings
are off the meter’s measurability range.
Refer to page 15.
FINDER
Pentaprism finder with microprism Fresnel
lens for instant focusing; approximately life-
size magnification with 55mm lens.
FOCUSING
Turn the distance scale ring until the subject
image on the ground glass comes into focus.
REFLEX MIRROR
Instant return type with special shock ab¬
sorbers for minimum vibrations.
FILM ADVANCE
Ratchet-type rapid wind lever (for film ad¬
vance and shutter cocking). 10° pre-ad-
vancing and 160° advancing angle.

"COCKED" INDICATOR
A red disk appears in a small window along¬
side the shutter release button when the
shutter is cocked, and blacks out when it
is released.
FILM EXPOSURE COUNTER
Automatic re-set type.
LENS MOUNT
42mm threaded lens mount.
FLASH SYNCHRONIZATION
Equipped with FP and X flash terminals.
Electronic synchronization at 1/60 sec.
EXPOSURE METER
Built-in meter measures the brightness of
the ground glass, and couples directly to
shutter and film speed settings. Film speed
(ASA) setting ranges from 20 to 1600 (LV1-
18 for ASA-100 film with standard lens).
Meter is powered with a mercury battery.
FILM REWIND
Rapid rewind crank for speedy film take-up.
Film rewind release button on bottom of
camera body rotates while film is being re¬
wound.
LOADED FILM INDICATOR
Loaded film reminder dial underneath film
rewind knob is marked "PANCHRO” (black-
and-white), "COLOR” and "EMPTY”.
DIMENSION
Width 5.6* (143mm) x height 3.6* (92mm)
X thickness 3.4* (88mm).
WEIGHT
820grams (lib. 13oz.) with standard lens.
Body alone: 610 grams (1 lb. 6 oz.).

Short operating course
A mercury battery for the light meter is packed separately. Be sure to
insert it into the battery housing when operating the camera. For bat¬
tery insertion, refer to page 16.
SET FILM SPEED
Lift the outer ring of the shutter speed dial,
and rotate to set the ASA number of the
loaded film to the small red index which
appears alongside the figure 1. Then cock
the rapid wind lever.
SET SHUTTER SPEED
Turn the shutter speed dial and set the speed
you wish to use to the index. When out¬
doors, set the speed at 1/125 sec. or faster,
depending upon the lighting. When indoors,
set it at 1/30, or in its neighborhood. Change
the shutter speed later, when necessary.
(Refer to second paragragh, page 7.)
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COMPOSE AND FOCUS
While viewing through the viewfinder, turn
the distance scale ring with your thumb and
index finger until you get the sharpest image
of your subject at the microprism center of
the finder.
6

ROTATE DIAPHRAGM RING
The needle moves up and down with the turn
of the diaphragm ring. When the needle rests
at the centre, you will get correct exposure.
If the needle does not come to the center no
matter how far you turn the diaphragm ring,
change the shutter speed. When the needle is
off center and close to the (+) mark, you will
get over-exposure: change the shutter speed
to a faster setting. If the needle is closer to
the ( —) mark, you will get under-exposure:
change the shutter speed to a slower setting.
TURN ON LIGHT METER SWITCH
Push up the switch button with your thumb.
Through the viewfinder, you will observe the
movement of the meter's needle on the right
side of the ground glass. Be sure to turn off
the meter's switch when not actually taking
readings.
RELEASE SHUTTER
Hold your camera firmly and trip the shut¬
ter. When the shutter is released, the meter
switch will automatically turn off, and the
needle will drop to the ’'OFF” position below
center. The diaphragm will reopen to its
full aperture and the overall image will look
brighter. Cock the rapid wind lever for the
next picture. (When taking a series of pic¬
tures under the same lighting conditions, it
is not necessary to repeat instructions 4
and 5.)

How to hold your camera
In horizontal position A. Hold
the camera firmly with your
left hand, and draw your arm
close to your body.
In vortical position B. Hold
your camera tightly to your fore¬
head with your left hand, and
draw your right arm close to
your body.
In vertical position C. Hold
your camera tightly to your fore¬
head with your left hand, raise
your right arm and draw your
left arm to your body.
As a general rule, your camera should
be held more firmly by the left hand
which does not release the shutter.
If you hold your camera with the
right hand—the hand which releases
the shutter — it may cause camera
movement. Very often, pictures
which are not sharp are due to move¬
ment of the camera. When you focus
with the camera held horizontally
(Position A\ hold the lens barrel as
illustrated. Cradle the camera with
your left hand thumb and little fin¬
ger. Turn the distance scale ring with
your thumb and index finger. When
holding the camera vertically, some
people release the shutter with the
thumb (Position B), while others re¬
lease it with the index finger (Posi¬
tion C). Position C is more desirable
for fast focusing and shooting. With
the Honeywell Pentax, whether held
vertically or horizontally, you see
your subject image through the tak¬
ing lens, enabling you to compose,
focus and shoot with a minimum of
time and effort.
8