The Reverse Pretzel of Marketing

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Pictured is the Pentax SP500 that I wrote about last year [Autodidactics and The Internet] - an eBay rescue from around 2018. As you can see, it's a beautifully-preserved example of the marque, and only cost me twenty-five quid at the time, which I consider to be an absolute bargain. It had a minor lubrication issue which, as I wrote at the time, was easily solved.

What is historically significant about this camera is its relationship with its more famous sibling, the Spotmatic - the one every camera buff over a certain age remembers as being the iconic '60s 35mm camera of choice of just about anyone in the fashion and documentary photography businesses as the time. The salient difference between the two is the question of its apparent maximum shutter speed.

The SP500, as can clearly be seen in the photo, was sold as having 1/500th sec. as its fastest speed, whereas the 'upmarket' Spotmatic could claim 1/1000th sec. - a whole stop of exposure faster [for those out there weaned on modern stuff, you'll just have to Google what all this really means in the analogue/chemical world].

The truth, known to anyone in the know - both at the time and in the intervening half-century - is that they were one and the same camera: the SP500 just a downgrade-rebadging of its more illustrious sister/brother. If one advances the shutter-speed dial a click beyond the 1/500th setting into the blank space beyond - bingo! you're shooting at 1/1000th sec. I can't think of a modern re-badging exercise working in such a negative direction. There must have been a reason for this seemingly mad decision, but I guess whoever made that decision is long dead by now. If anyone has any input on this I'd be grateful of the feedback!
 

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