20 Most Recent Pentax Program Plus 35mm SLR Camera Questions & Answers

One old camera. You have an electronic shutter and mechanical (backup) so you may have a dead electronic shutter. I would check the battery and contacts. If they are good... the shutter is bad. You have a standard K-mount body, any lenes will fit any Pentax camera, film or digital. The lenses will go on more modern Pentax bodies but will not auto-focus if on an AF body. These bodies are some 25+ years old, many places are selling them for $30 or so.. there are just thousands out there. If you want to stick with film, go for a newer AF body and you can still manually focus.

Mirror is stuck.

Try cocking the shutter with the camera back open, if that does not pop up the rewind button the camera may need service and lubrication.

Your shutter may be stuck open... this will give the appearance of the shutter not opening as well as no image when you look through the viewfinder.

Open the back of the camera, as if you were replacing the film, and look to see if the shutter is open. If it is, you can probably see light coming through the lens when looking from the back of the camera.

If this is the case, you will need to find out why the shutter is stuck open.

Some cameras use a battery to activate the shutter, some cameras have a "bulb" setting that keeps the shutter open for long exposures.

Whatever you do, do NOT force the shutter... I might jiggle it a little bit to see if it will close, but I wouldn't recommend more than a slight jiggle.

While you have camera open, inspect the mirror. If the shutter is closed but the mirror is stuck "up" (to allow light to reach the shutter/firm), there is a chance that you would not be able to activate the shutter.

Try setting the shutter to B and see if you can trip the shutter. If no go then it has mechanical problem. If it works on B but not on other shutter speeds, you have electronic problems.

Start with cleaning the battery cap and contact inside the camera with a pencil eraser to make them shiny. A fresh set of S76 button cells would be the next step. The camera is electronic and requires battery power to operate.

Good camera. Go here for the free download:

http://pentaxcanada.com/support/general/index_film.php

You have yourself a camera with pedigree and it would be a shame not to put a few rolls of film through it before you decide whether to continue to use it, store it as a collectible or sell it on. Using a manual film camera is interesting and rewarding and can be fun - it is an experience no one should miss. Like learning to drive, at first there seems too many things to think of but with the help of a little reading most people soon master the basics. There is plenty of information online - see link below... https://www.google.com/search?q=K1000+Pentax+camera&rlz=1C1CAFB_enGB673GB676&oq=K1000+Pentax+camera&aqs=chrome..69i57&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 Have fun!

Probably means the film has not loaded correctly.

Parlez Anglais, s'il vous plait.

Try replacing the battery, or else use a separate meter.

Who, exactly, are 'they' ? There are many models of Pentax SLR camera, both film and digital, and there is a different manual pertaining to the care and operation of each of these. If you go to the Pentax Service Centre relevant to your place of residence, all the available manuals will probably be there. If the one that you require is not available, you may find it by doing a Google search for the make and model, followed by the word Manual.

Eric Hendrickson: http://www.pentaxs.com/index.html

Contact Eric Hendrickson, the Pentax repair person: http://www.pentaxs.com/index.html or http://www.pentaxcamerarepair.com/

Please, which camera model? Are we talking about the external flash or one built in? If it is built in the camera may think there is not enough light thus setting the flash to fire. That is what auto does, it takes all the decisions away from the camera operator.

I think the 'o____' is intended as a pictorial representation of a roll of 35mm film, the 'E' signifying an error in loading it. Not used this particular Pentax model myself, but some of them have a slot in the take-up spool where the 'tongue' of the film should be inserted - is that the case with yours ?