Inherited Film equipment - worth keeping/using? Fellow hoggers, I inherited this film equipment from my Dad who passed away several years ago. I remember him using this equipment when...

DavidM Loc: New Orleans, LA

Fellow hoggers, I inherited this film equipment from my Dad who passed away several years ago. I remember him using this equipment when I was a boy. I've only used digital equipment in the past and have no idea if this is worth pursuing to use/sell or even if film is worth the effort due to cost to develop or even if anyone still develops these days. I appreciate your comments! I do know he took great care with his equipment and am confident that it still works.

Pictures below if they all load on this site!

(Download)

rjaywallace Loc: Wisconsin

The Pentax 35mm Spotmatic was a perfectly fine camera. Some of those lenses (hard to tell without a detailed list) may not have been great quality, but they will be worth a try. 35mm film is available at B&H Photo and Adorama or elsewhere. I’ve gotten great reasonably-priced results developing from The Darkroom in San Clemente, CA. Good shooting! — Ralph

orrie smith Loc: Kansas

They should be fine to use, but in my opinion, it may be better to build a shadow box and display the camera and a few lenses in honor and memory of your father. Film is old school and many die hards prefer it, but I suppose I am lazy, I prefer digital. Good luck with whatever you do.

AndyH Loc: Massachusetts and New Hampshire

Many of us still shoot film. It’s fun, and the limited number of frames forces a little change in perspective. Film, development, and scanning are all fairly inexpensive. Why not give it a try?

I don’t use my film equipment often, but when I do, it’s a refreshing change.

Andy

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

rjaywallace wrote:

The Pentax 35mm Spotmatic was a perfectly fine camera. Some of those lenses (hard to tell without a detailed list) may not have been great quality, but they will be worth a try. 35mm film is available at B&H Photo and Adorama or elsewhere. I’ve gotten great reasonably-priced results developing from The Darkroom in San Clemente, CA. Good shooting! — Ralph

Do they return your negatives?

AndyH Loc: Massachusetts and New Hampshire

BHC wrote:

Do they return your negatives?

Yes

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

DavidM wrote:

Fellow hoggers, I inherited this film equipment fr... (show quote)

It looks like you may have an Asahi Pentax 35mm f/2.3 lens there, somewhat rare, I have one in a bit better condition and thought I got a really good deal when I bought it for $250.

rjaywallace Loc: Wisconsin

BHC wrote:

Do they return your negatives?

Yes, they do.

DavidM Loc: New Orleans, LA

Thanks all for your quick responses!

G Brown Loc: Sunny Bognor Regis West Sussex UK

For a few pounds you can get adapters to fit your Dad's lenses onto your DSLR. They are non electronic so you will have to shoot in manual. treat it as a bit of fun.
If you read up on 'macro' you will also find you can fit lenses face to face using a step filter ring. Again a cheap option to 'use' your lenses.
have fun

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

DavidM wrote:

Fellow hoggers, I inherited this film equipment fr... (show quote)

I can't fully ID any of the lenses from your pictures other than to say not all of them appear too be actual Asahi Pentax Takumar brand lenses. They were excellent lenses in their day. I have several of those and still use them on both my film and digital cameras. Off-brands are a mixed bag and one would just have to try them. Might be excellent. That one odd thing you have there is a variable soft edge vignetter. I have one, never used it. Can be done digitally today. The camera is of course a Honeywell imported and marketed Asahi Pentax Spotmatic camera. A very fine basic camera, I have one too. Your dad's is likely an earlier version. Mine is a Asahi Labelled later model. Buy some film, say B&W Ilford FP4 Plus (ISO 125), similar to Kodak Plus-X film, and shoot some film in the camera! B&H and Adorama both sell 35mm cassette film (135 format). Most Takumar (screw mount) lenses can be had used cheaply today. I still process my own B&W film at home. For color film, Costco works fine for me.

A foot note: There are a number of types of Pentax lenses you may find and use directly on your Spotmatic. These are from various times thru the production runs of Spotmatics over many years: Auto-Takumar (not at all what is sounds like - I own a 35mm f/3.5 one), Multicoated Takumar, and Super Multicoated Takumar. The later term smc-Pentax came from that for K-mount (bayonet mound) lenses. That would really be cool if you have a Asahi (Pentax) Takumar 35mm f/2.3 lens. Wish I had something in 35mm that fast for my seven Pentax film and digital cameras. I have f/1.4, f/1.7, and f/2 50mm lenses.

steve49 Loc: massachusetts

If it was me I would donate it to a local high school photography program.
Will get a lot of use and help some kids develop a love pf photography.

ELNikkor

Definitely don't donate it to a high school, these well-taken care of items deserve to be either tried by you or your offspring, or sold to someone who can appreciate them; not bash, scratch, drop, lose with little respect as takes place in most high school programs where kids who don't care are taking an elective for an "easy" grade. (Sorry, but that's the reality, both of my sons have just finished such a program, and they are the careful ones!.)

DavidM Loc: New Orleans, LA

DavidM wrote:

Fellow hoggers, I inherited this film equipment fr... (show quote)

Below are a few more items I have if you recognize them? Thanks again for your comments and recommendations!

(Download)

anotherview Loc: California

Generally, my view, too:

orrie smith wrote:

They should be fine to use, but in my opinion, it may be better to build a shadow box and display the camera and a few lenses in honor and memory of your father. Film is old school and many die hards prefer it, but I suppose I am lazy, I prefer digital. Good luck with whatever you do.