Pentax Total Station User Manual

[Amit Bolds]

Whenthe Pentax Spotmatic was introduced to the public at the 1960 Photokina, the photographic world's fair in Cologne, Germany, it attracted immediate and keen attention. Not available for purchase at that time, it was a model of the advanced features and design would be incorporated into cameras of the future.

Hidden within the camera body, its through-the-lens meter utilizes two highly sensitive Cadmium Sulfide sensors to accurately measure light seen 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 matching the exposure needle as seen through the viewfinder, you can be assured of properly exposed pictures under all but the most impossible lighting conditions. Macro or microphotography, pictures with telephoto lenses or with filters . . . the Honeywell Pentax

2.SET SHUTTER SPEED.

Turn the shutter speed dial and set the speed you wish to use to the index. When outdoors, 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 item 5, page 19.)

3.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.

Push up the switch button with your thumb, and the small window on the switch button will turn to red indicating that the meter is switched on. Through the viewfinder, you will observe the movement of the meters needle on the right side of the ground glass. Be sure to turn off the meters switch when not actually taking readings.

5. ROTATE DIAPHRAGM RING.

The needle moves up and down with the turn of the diaphragm ring. When the needle rests at the center, 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:

2. The first portions of the film cannot be used for picture taking as t hey have already been exposed to light. Generally, two blank exposures should be made before taking your first picture. Wind the rapid wind lover until it stops. Watch to see that the film rewind knob turns counterclockwise, indicating that the film is moving from cassette to take-up spool. Trip the shutter. Wind the rapid wind lever for the first picture; the exposure counter automatically turns to '1', indicating that the first picture is ready to be taken.

3. After the final picture on the roll (20 or 36 exposures) has been taken, the rapid wind- lever will not turn all the way as you stroke it. This indicates that the final picture has been taken on your film, and that the film must be rewound. DON'T open the back of the camera, or all exposed frames will be ruined.

1. You can start viewing and focusing before and after winding the rapid wind lever. When the preview lever is in "A" (automatic) position, and the meter is at "OFF the diaphragm is fully open except for the moment of exposure.

2. Turn the distance scale ring until your subject image is clearly in focus. It is not always necessary for you to view and focus with the diaphragm fully open. In bright sunlight, you can easily focus with diaphragm closed to f/5.6 or f/8, and still observe the depth of field. It is easier, however, to focus with the diaphragm fully open as your subject image is much brighter. When the letter "M" appears beside the lever, the lens is in manual position; when "A" appears, it is in automatic position.

Honeywell Pentax cameras have a Fresnel lens with a microprism center underneath the ground glass. As you look through the finder, you will see that the Fresnel lens consists of many concentric rings which provide the brightest possible image on the ground glass.

The microprism is the center portion of this diagram. When your subject is in focus, the image in the microprism will be sharp and perfectly clear. If your subject is not in focus, the microprism will break the image up into many small dots, much like an engravers screen. You can focus your subject on any portion of the ground glass.

When the preview lever is in "A" (automatic) position, and the exposure meter is turned to "OFF", the fully automatic diaphragm is at its largest aperture at all times, except for the instant of exposure, no matter what aperture is set on the diaphragm ring. When you release the shutter, the diaphragm automatically stops down to the predetermined aperture and the shutter curtains start traveling instantly. When the exposure is completed, the diaphragm reopens to maximum aperture completely automatically and you are ready to compose, focus, and shoot your next pictures. If you wish to visually check exact depth-of-field before making the exposure, move the preview lever to "M" Manual) position. This stops the diaphragm to the aperture selected and shows you exactly how much depth-of-field will appear in your picture. The preview lever may be moved back to "A" (automatic) position before or after making your exposure, or, if you are making pictures in bright sunlight, it may be left in manual position, which permits a constant ('heck of depth-of-field.

With the shutter speed dial set on B (bulb), the shutter will stay open as long as you depress the shutter button. As you release your finger from the shutter button, the shutter closes. When a long exposure is desired while using the B setting, attach a shutter release cable with a locking device to the shutter button. This will permit a "Time" exposure.

For example, if the lens opening of f/8 is to be used, the range on the distance scale ring covered within the figure 8 on the depth-of-field guide indicates the area in focus at the lens opening. You will note from the depth-of-field guide in the photograph that the range from approximately 10 to 25 feet is in focus. Note that as the lens apertures change, the effective depth of field also changes. For the depth of fields at different apertures and distances.

Refer to page 14.

If you want to know how great the depth of field is at a certain aperture, look at the depth-of-field guide. In the above photograph, the distance scale is set at 15 feet . . . the lens is focused on a subject 15 feet away. The calibrations on each side of the distance index correspond to the diaphragm setting and indicate the range of in-focus distance for different lens apertures.

The exposure meter of the Spotmatic measures the brightness of the ground glass. Therefore, the meter should be turned on after you have focused your subject on the ground glass. The following table shows the range of the meter's light measurement, and should not be interpreted as the camera's total range of f/stop-shutter speed combinations. As you will note from the table below, with an ASA100 film, you may use any shutter speed from 1 sec. to 1/1000 sec. in combination with any aperture that will bring the meter needle to the midpoint in the viewfinder.

The total range of the aperture settings is, of course, determined by the minimum and maximum apertures of the lens being used. For example, with the 50mm f/1.4 lens and ASA100 film, an aperture from f/1.4 (the maximum aperture of this lens) to f/16 (the minimum aperture) may be used with any shutter speed from 1 sec. to 1/1000 sec. that will bring the meter needle to midpoint.

2. Always keep the meter switched off when not actually taking readings. Leaving the meter switched on will rapidly exhaust the battery. It is also necessary to keep the meter switched off when mounting a Super-Takumar lens on the Spotmatic camera body. If it is switched on, the tip of the automatic diaphragm release pin of the lens will hit the pin release plate inside the camera body and it may get damaged.

4. When the index of the shutter speeds turns to red, it indicates that the shutter and film speed settings are off the meters measurability range. Change the shutter speed setting to a faster or slower setting. Refer to page 15.

5. When the meter is switched on, the lens any Super-Takumar lens) is in its manual position even when the diaphragm preview lever is in "A" (automatic) position. When the meter is switched off manually, or automatically after shutter release, the lens returns to its automatic position when it is set in "A" position.

8. The length of the tripods screw should not exceed the normal length of 3/16" 4.5mm). Do not extend it longer than this length when mounting your camera on tripod. Forcing longer screws into the tripod socket of the camera will damage the mechanism.

Because of the considerable depth of field of wide-angle lenses, you can use them as fixed focus lens-if the diaphragm and distance scales are set properly. For your convenience, the Super-Takumar lenses shown on page 22 have a fixed focus mark. Just align with the index the orange-colored figures of the diaphragm and distance scales, and the lens will be in fixed focus from foreground to infinity. You'll find this extremely convenient for fast shooting.

Resolving power of all Takumar lenses is factory-tested by skilled optical engineers. There are three types of tests: microscopic aerial test, projection test and photographed film test. Resolving power of a lens shown by LPM (lines per mm) varies depending upon the method of resolution test. Takumar lenses have been tested for resolving power to conform to Asahi Optical Company standards which are higher than those set by JIS (Japan Industrial Standards). All Takumar lenses bear the seal of the Japan Camera Inspection Institute which insures the highest standards of performance

When testing your lens performance . . .Use a slow-speed fine grain film. Generally, high speed films are grainy and are not suitable for resolution test. Support your camera on a good tripod. Use a shutter release cable to prevent camera movement. The definition of the picture on the negative film may decrease if exposure and developing time are not proper. Time your exposure and development correctly.

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