I sold my SP 1000 years ago but I do believe that it was assembled somewhere other than Japan, (might have been Hong Kong). I really wish I'd kept it.
At 06:19 PM 3/25/2002 -0500, you wrote: >I am ~quite~ certain that no Spotmatics were ever made anywhere but in Japan. >Could it be that a K1000 baseplate was stuck on it at some point? > >I don't have extensive Pentax literature, but Keppler's "The Pentax Way" (7th >Edition, 1973) states: > >"Asahi Optical Co.'s main factory is located in Mashiko, Japan, which is north >of Tokyo. It has another major factory in Itabashi, Tokyo. While some >optical blanks and raw glass are purchased from outside sources, all grinding, >polishing, assembly and lens design are done by Asahi engineers, technicians >and workmen in the Asahi plants." (the context of the quote seems to include >bodies as well as lenses, despite the direct reference to lenses here) > >As always, I ~may~ be wrong... > >regards, >frank > >Frantisek Vlcek wrote: > > > Hi friends, > > Somebody on another list I frequent asked this question, so I took > > the pleasure of putting it before the assemblage of screwey experts > > here myself (also as an owner of SP1000 - what a nice camera! - but > > without the baseplate he describes). I will forward the outcome > > there, or perhaps he's put an email at the bottom of his mail. > > > > Frantisek > > > > > This query would be better directed to the Pentax list, but I don't > > > subscribe to that and there are a number of Pentax experts here, so if > > > you'll all indulge me ... > > > > > > I picked up a Honeywell Pentax SP1000 today - no lens and a few scuffs > > > to the chrome, but everything seems to work as it should, and at the > > > princely sum of AU$28 (~US$15) it will make another good work platform > > > for M42 lenses. However, I was intrigued by the engraving on the > > > baseplate, which proudly declares: > > > > > > "Body assembled in Hong Kong" > > > > > > I was unaware that Spotmatics were manufactured outside of Japan. Would > > > someone provide some background here - was the HK plant only an assembly > > > line for Japanese manufactured components?? - or were the "bits" made in > > > Hong Kong too?? ... and was it only used for the Honeywell Pentax line > > > as distinct from cameras badged as Asahhi Pentax?? How did the quality > > > of the cameras made in HK compare to the identical product from Japan?? > > > > > > Curious minds etc etc ... > > > > > > -- > > > Richard Lindner [EMAIL PROTECTED] +61 (0)419 556 560 > > > What a long, strange trip it's been > > - > > This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, > > go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to > > visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org . > >-- >"The optimist thinks this is the best of all possible worlds. The pessimist >fears it is true." -J. Robert >Oppenheimer >- >This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, >go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to >visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org . - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
