When taking a picture the film does not advance. It must be shut off and turned back on again. After developing those pictures, the top half of the picture is black indicating that the film is not advancing.

To open back cover lift knob on top of camera ( this knob has a small arm that unfolds - used in rewinding).
Once open you will see which side is the film side ( under this knob) and the take up side. On the film side raise the knob again in order to insert film case, the top of this should flip over later used to rewind film. with film trail out toward back of camera. Now push the knob down. Film should only be loaded one way so the knob can be lowered into film canister. Lower knob and Film canister is now secure.
Next thread film leader onto take up spool. Some times these have a slot , but most Just have the teeth that fit the film edge.thread the film into slot then unto teeth. You will need to use film advance arm (There should be an arm on the top opposite side of film knob) you would move that would advance film.
as you move this arm ( with cover open ) film holes should engage the teeth on bottom and top. ( if you can't advance after 1 or 2 advance arm swings) press take picture button ( releases springs).
continue until film is captured top and bottom. Use the film spool knob gently wind film back into canniester until snug don't over wind. Close cover, take a picture with lens cap on, repeat that. As you wind ,the film cartridge knob should rotate.
You are not wasting pictures film was designed for this waste.
you should know how many photos were on film 12/24/36 pictures.
you may have a knob to set to that number.
When your ready to remove film ,push silver button on bottom and use winder handle ,rotating until free and easy. Open cover mention earlier.
wow can't believe I remembered all that and hope that helps.

Are you looking at the picture as in a print OR are you holding the negative up to the light and looking at it that way. Don't touch the negatives, they should be in a protective sleeve but you can see through it. You should be able to see if the spacing between the frames is messed up and if you have lighter and darker negatives. Looking at a print from an automated one hour service isn't worth the time of day to determine a problem. The Pentax K1000 is the work horse of the century for students learning photography and a lot of them have seen extensive use, also the camera is quite old. What I expect is if the negatives are showing overlapping frames AND the exposure is off sometimes over and other times underexposed then the camera needs service lubrication and adjustment. It's great that the light meter is working but the shutter speed could be off and the advance is skipping giving the overlap. I don't know where you are in this world but in Canada that's a $80.00 to $120.00 fix and have the repair person change the light seals while he/she has it apart.
The Pentax K1000 is still a great camera it's up to you whether or not to spend the money. I can't tell you what to do but I can suggest that if you are going to shoot film you find some place that does it with a little more human touch. Hope this was a help

There are a couple of possibilities that I can think of:

First, film must be loaded into the camera for the picture counter to increment.

Second, if you've loaded film, but the counter still does not change, it is possible the film is not advancing (the film release button/knob/lever that you use to rewind the film may be activated) or the film has slipped off the sprockets on the take-up spool.

If you can stand to lose the photos you may have already taken, just open the back of the camera and make sure the film is advancing when you take a photo.

If you can't possibly lose the photos, rewind the film and take the film to be developed. Try to find a local developer that only charges for the photos that "came out"... This can save a lot of money if only a few frames develop properly (or if none come out!)

The film is either at the end or stuck. The shutter will not release unless the film advance lever has gone all the way and back.
Make a note of the frame counter. Rewind the film and remove it from the camera (When you feel the film to come loose from the receiving spool, stop rewinding to prevent the end of the film to disappear inside the can. This way you can reload it if it was stuck in the middle.) If the film was completely exposed, take it to be developed.
With the empty camera, try to advance the lever and release the shutter. If this works, the problem was the film and not the camera. Everything is fine. If the problem persists, take it to be repaired.
If the film was stuck in the middle, load it again into the camera. With the lense cap on (preferably in a dark room or similar) 'shoot' as many 'empty' frames as you had on the counter plus two more. Finish the film and develop the pictures.
If the film stucks again at the same place, rewind it and develop normally. It was a bad film.
Hope this helped you to solve the problem.

Hello

This problem could have a number of causes,

To check to see if it is a camera fault of developing fault you could try using a cheap colour film in the camera and getting it developed at a normal photo processor.
This will determine in which half of the process the fault lies.
If the pictures from the colour film are the same then it must be a camera usage problem or fault.
If the pictures are ok from the colour film then it will be a problem in either the film being used, developing problem (poor mix of chemicals etc).

This will just speed up the diagnosis a bit.

check the developed film if the sproket holes are intact.

check your camera without film.

(1) open the back, do it as if you were taking pictures with different apartures/shutter speeds. If you can see the light coming in from the lens (no matter how little or how fast), your shutter and aparture diaphram are good.
if not, send it for service.

(2) if yes, check that the winding sproket wheel turns when you advance film.

(3) if it goes freely, try it again with finger pressing the sproket wheel. if this stops the wheel to turn, it is the gear/shaft inside disengaged. send it for service, of course.

(4) if your camera has a button for multiple exposure, ensure that it can be turned on/off as you wish, or you do not pressed it unnoticed.

good luck

pc-cook

depending on the type of film you are using and where you are taking it could be the problem. if you are using professional film and taking it to a pharmacy to get developed, the chemicals used at these places will erase the images off the film and appear as if the film is blank.

Looks like you are not loading the film onto the take-up spool correctly.

Go back to the development store and ask them if they can give you a spool of waste film (e.g. one that got exposed to the light or something). Otherwise buy the cheapest film you can find.

Load the film in the camera. Take a few frames. Open the camera back up a bit, the film should have advanced. You will be able to tell this because there is more film on the takeup spool. The frames are also numbered nearby.

It might take you a few goes to get the film to load correctly. If no luck, maybe the file wind-on is broken and the camera needs repair.

Transport mechanism problem; the drag on the film as it is being pulled by the transport motor triggers the rewind mechanism and your camera rewinds the film. Remedy : remove bottom cover and clean loose dirt and anything foreign out of the visible gear-train. Assemble and try again.

A panoramic photo on 35mm film is just cutting off the top and bottom. even if you can't set the camera that way, you can ask your local photo store to print any shot that way for you. Usually 2x the price of 4x6.