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Pentax KM
Camera Manual
Posted 12-10-'02
For reference use on many Chinon manual focus and metering cameras
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INDEX Nomenclature ....1 Flash Synchronization ....18 Specifications ....4 Depth-of-field Preview Button and Guide ....20 Lens Mounting.... 6 Helpful Hints on Exposure Problems ....22 Battery ....7 Manual Shutter Operation 23 Infra-red Photography ....24 Basic Operating Instructions ....8 Multiple Exposure ....25 Film Loading and Winding ....10 Range of Light Measurement ....26 Film Reminder Dial ....11 Open-aperture or Stop-down Metering ....27 Setting ASA Film Spee
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20. Self-timer (Start lever underneath) 21. Focusing ring 22. Strap ring lug 23. X flash terminal 24. FP flash terminal 25. Accessory fitting groove 26. Film guide rail 27. Film rail 28. Viewfinder eyepiece 29. Film chamber 30. Battery chamber4www.butkus.org 31. Tripod receptacle 32. Shutter curtains 33. Film rewind button 34. Sprocket 35. Film take-up spool 36. Film roller 37. Back cover 38. Film pressure plate
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SPECIFICATIONS Type 35mm SLR with built-in through-the-lens light meter. Film and Picture Size 35mm film. 24mm x 36mm. Standard Lenses SMC Pentax 50mm f/i .2, 50mm f/i .4 and 55mm f/i .8 with fully-automatic diaphragm. Filter size: 52mm. Focusing: 0.45m (1.5 ft.) to infinity. Shutter Horizontal run, focal-plane shutter of rubberized silk curtains. Speeds: B, 1 to i/l000sec. Self-timer
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LENS MOUNTING 1. Remove the rear lens and body caps. 2. Match the red dot (A) on the camera body with the red dot (B) on the lens. Insert the lens into the body and turn it clockwise until the lens locks with a click. 3. In the dark, when the red dots are difficult to see, align the white plastic bump (C) on the lens barrel with the lens release lever (D) by touch. Then turn and lock as above. 4. To detach, hold the camera with your left hand. Depress the lens release lever (D) w
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Set the shutter speed dial to B (bulb) position. Turn the ASA dial to ASA 100. Look at the meter needle through the viewfinder. If the needle is in "up" position and remains steady, the battery is good: if it does not, replace the battery. Check the battery frequently. And take spares with you when traveling.4www.butkus.org BASIC OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS 1.TURN ON LIGHT METER Remove the lens cap and the meter circuit is on. The CdS cells measure the light coming through the lens
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FILM LOADING AND WINDING Avoid direct light when loading your film. 1. Open the back by pulling up the rewind knob until the back opens. 2. Place the film cassette in the cassette chamber, and push down the rewind knob. Insert the film leader into the slot of th 3. Advance the film by alternately turning the rapid wind lever and depressing the shutter button until both sprockets engag perforations, top and bottom. Close the back by pressing it firmly. 4. Cock the rapid-win
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SETTING ASA FILM SPEED The ASA film speed rating of all 35mm films is given in the data sheet packed with each roll of film. The higher the ASA number, the more sensitive the film is to light. Lift the outer ring of the shutter speed dial and rotate it until the ASA number of your film is opposite the orange dot alongside the figure 1. Be sure to set your film speed on the shutter speed dial because the dial is connected to the exposure meter. While viewing through the viewfinde
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Vertical Position Hold you camera Horizontal Position tightly to your Hold teh camera firmly Vertical Position forehead with with your left hand, and Hold your camera tightly to your forehead with your left hand, and your left hand, draw your arms close to draw your right arm close to your body. raise you right your body. arm and draw your left arm to you body CAMERA HOLDING As a general rule, your camera should be held more firmly in the left hand, which does not release the shut
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FLASH SYNCHRONIZATION The KM has FP and X terminals on the front of the camera body, and a separate X contact on the built-in hot shoe. The table on the next page shows which flash contact, which shutter speed and which flash bulb may be combined for maximum lamp efficiency. Unless these combinations are rigidly followed, there will be a failure in flash synchronization. Note the "X" setting is exactly at the 60 marked on the speed dial. This indicates the highest shutter spee
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DEPTH FIELD PREVIEW BUTTON AND GUIDE Depth of field is the range between the nearest and farthest distances which are in focus at a given lens aperture. If you want to know how great the depth of field is at a certain aperture, focus on a subject and see through the viewfinder while depressing the depth-of-field preview button (A) . Or, after focusing, look at the depth-of-field preview button (A) Or after focusing look at teh depth-of-field guide on the lens. In the photograph below, the
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HELPFUL HINTS ON EXPOSURE PROBLEMS The light meter built into your KM correctly reads the average of the light reflected from the entire scene as seen through the viewfinder --with a little extra importance, or weight, given to what is in the center. Sometimes, however, there is a great difference between the light reflected from the background and the light reflected from the subject. In such a case, to achieve a really good photo, you must compensate for the difference by opening or
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from your own experience. Also, packed in with most types of 35mm film is a data sheet of suggestions for determining the correct exposure in a variety of situations. INFRA-RED PHOTOGRAPHY If you intend to take infra-red photographs, remember to use the infra-red index marked with an orange line on the depth-of-field guide. First, bring your subject into clear focus. Then determine the lens-to-subject distance from the distance scale on the lens. Then match your lens-to-subject
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RANGE OF LIGHT MEASUREMENT The exposure meter of the KM measures the brightness of the ground glass. Therefore, the meter needle should be centered after you have focused your subject on the ground glass. The area (A) in the table indicates the reading range of the meter, and should not be interpreted as the cameras total range of f/stop-shutter speed combinations. As you will note from the table, with an ASA 100 film, you may use any shutter speed from 1/4 sec. to 1/1000 sec. in combi
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USING CONVENTIONAL SCREW-MOUNT TAKUMAR LENSES Conventional screw-mount Taku mar lenses (both Super-Takumar and SMC Takumar) can be easily mounted onto your camera by attaching them first to a Mount Adaptor K. Use of the Mount Adaptor K does not affect any aspect of normal lens function except as regards the following two points: 1. Due to the difference in coupling systems, the automatic diaphragm will not function. 2. Full-aperture metering lenses will function as stop-down
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HOW TO USE MOUNT ADAPTOR K 1. Screw the conventional Takumar lens into the Mount Adaptor K. 2. Attach the Adaptor/lens unit to the camera body by aligning the red dots (A) and (B) and turning the lens clockwise until it locks with a click. (This takes slightly less than a quarter of a revolution.) 3. To remove only the lens, leaving the Mount Adaptor K attached to the camera body, simply unscrew the lens counter-clockwise. Other screw- mount Takumar lenses can then be attached
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as possible. As a guide, a temperature change of 10°C should be allowed to take place gradually over a period of at least 30 minutes. If this is not possible, keeping the camera in its case or bag will help somewhat in minimizing the effects of a rapid temperature change. Extremely low temperature reduces the efficiency of the battery. Therefore, the camera should be protected against low temperature. Put the batteries into the camera right before shooting. For extremely low temperature
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WARRANTY POLICY (FIX TEXT BELOW) All Asahi Pentax cameras purchased through authorized bona fide photographic distribution channels are guaranteed against defects of material or workmanship for a period of twelve months from date of purchase. Service will be rendered and defective parts will be replaced without cost to You within that period, provided the equipment has not been abused, altered, or operated contrary to instruction. Because the tolerances, quality, and design compat
