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Mamiya/Sekor 1000DTLIn pre- TTL-metering days we used to judgean SLR by its 'classic feel', Classic feelmeant an unclunered camera that handledsmoothly, with focusing, film advance leverand shutter release in just the right positions.The Pentax has this classic feel. So has theNikon F without Photomic head. With theadvent of TTL-metering systems the un-cluttered look took a dive-more importantsimplicity and speed of operation regressed.Most professional SLR users today keepright on using those 'old' SV Pentaxes andNikon Fs, preferring a separate light meterand an occasional glance at the sky. Cert-ainly the non- TTL-SLR won't compute, butit obeys orders faster than its more com~pJicated brothers.

Pro's and amateurs are different breeds-for that matter, so are pro's and pro's. Somewant camera~based meters, others dislike'em. The problem for the TIL-SLR manu-facturer is to provide an efficient tool with aslittle excess of complication as possible,People don't want to think about thecamera, they want to think about the picturein the viewfinder-not including the mar-ginal decorations of follow-pointers, f num-bers, stop-and-go signals, and meter-fieldmarkings.

Those who like TIL-metering are going tobe very interested in the new Mamiya/Sekor 1000DTL, which has two separatemetering systems, one for spot readings, theother for average view readings. As this isthe big difference between this and othercameras, let's deal with it first.

Two meter systemsThere's lots of argument about the

respective merits of various TIL systems.Some employ one or two scanning cells toread the amount of light falling across theentire screen. Others 'improve' on this byplacing a third cell to 'compensate' forlight-leak through the viewfinder eyepiece.Other manufacturers narrow the meter-reading angle to coincide with the fieldoutlined by the central focusing spot.Narrower angle, more reading accuracy.Mamiya have gone one bener. by giving theoperator the choice of wide and narrowsystems. Fig. 1 shows the location of thethree cells used. one on either side of theeyepiece to give full-screen average read-ings, the other reading just a small rectanglecovering 6% of thetotal frame.

Before using either spot or averagingmethod, the automatic/manual selectorlever situated on the underside of the lensbarrel must be set to 'A', so that the auto~matic diaphragm is activated. Figs. 2 and 3.

Spot readingsMost useful when the subject is either

much lighter or darker than the general view.or in some landscape work. where a brightsky would register far higher than trees orbuildings at ground level. One value of thespot system is that you can measuJe thedarkest shadow and the brightest highlight

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Fig. 1: A: Location of one of the two CdS cells forAveraging System. 8: Exposure meter. C: CdS cell forSpot System. 0: Mirrcr. E: Spot/Average meter systemselector switch. F: Silver oxide battery

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

mamiyo/sekor ~ t.

Fig. 4

By RON SPILLMAN AIIP

Fig. 5

in which detail is required, then average thetwo. Another useful method is to placeadjacent dark and light tones (such as asection of dark branch against the sky)equally within the spot reading area of thescreen. and thus let the meter do the averag.ing for you. In Fig. 4 you can see the 6%measuring area outlined on the inclinedmirror. ',,'il

Having remembered to switch the auto· .matic/manual selector lever on the lens to'A', a further action is required. Move thespot/average selector switch to '$'. Fig. 5. iYou have a reminder in the viewfinder. An .arrow points to'S' within brackets outliningthe 6% area. ,.

Now for a third action. Wind on film,which will also switch on the meter circuitNote that the film advance lever, formerly inthe parked position shown in F~. 6. nowrests protruded as shown in Fig. 7. Focusthesubject sharply and arrange the area to 'be ;~Iread within the 6% area, press in the film- .advance lever against its spring, holding itthere while rotating the aperture ring untilthe needle at the right of the viewfinder is,centred on the reversed letter 'C'. You are,ready to shoot. '1'

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Average readingsThe spot/average switch. Fig. 5, is moved'

to 'A'. In the viewfinder the indicator arrow

PHOTOKINA1968Our Technical Editor RonSpillman has been inCologne for the 'big shoW'which ended on October 6,and will be reporting fullYin our next issue on themany interesting itemsdisplayed there,

Fig, 6

Fig. 7

will move to 'A', outside the 6% area. Focus,compose the picture, press in the film~advancelever and rotate the aperture ring asbefore, until the needle is centred on thereversed'C'. There seems a lot to remember,buthaving taken the camera out for the day Ifound the routine as automatic as thecamera.~;

fl..,(i) The auto/manual lever on the lens has

only to be switched on once, when youcommence shooting. Unless, for somespecial purpose you switch to manual,the switch stays there.

(ii) The fact that the meter is on only whenthe film has been advanced is a goodthing. That's when it's required, justbefore shooting, and it is an excellentreminder to wind on.

(iii) The spot/average switch will normallystay in one position, depending onyour personal metering preference. Inhurried situations you·J[ be on 'A'anyway, and in situations calling formore analytical use of the'S' systemyou'll be working slowly enough not tocurse the need to alter the switch.

If the film is still wound on after the lastShotof the session the film advance leverwill still be in the p'rojecting position. Press

'1'1 thebutton at the pivotal centre of the lever.• lhe..Iever will snap back to the parked

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POSltl?nand the meter circuit cut out. TheeVerISa smooth-working ratchet-type andcanbe advanced in a single long stroke, or

I severalShortones.

1: Microgrid, I Il

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. I e the Mamiya/Sekor 1000DTL's. 1 IVleWingScreen. The micro/diaprism grid is.. arge d

1 d b an snappy. It leaves little room ford~~ t, even with beginners. For subjects

'I . t~elCUltto focus, such as wooded hillsides,JhisOuter fresnel area can be used. I tried

-\''{ tltd' to focus on straight skin-tones by~:_fl\.j· Inaryroom lighting, and found it easy.;th PHo,Ic:-- .~ ,TOGRAPHY

LensThere are two 'standard' Mamiya/Sekor

lenses for this camera, an f/1.4 and an f/1.8,both of 55mm focal length. The former,which we have not tested, consists ofseven elements arranged in five groups andthe latter six elements in four groups. Thislatter was the one I put through its paces.Personally, I can go out, take a few shotswith a lens, process the film, and make upmy mind whether I'm satisfied or not. Mostrepairmen would agree with me that merelyobserving the lens-image at various aper-tures on the viewing screen provides a fairpreliminary indication of likely performance.I choose some sharply delineated object.focus, then rotate the lens so that the testobject shifts around from centre to edge,then right round the margins and corners. Idid all this and took some test shots, too. Iliked what I saw. Then I went along toVanguard Instruments at Brentford and wereally putthe lens through its paces.

f/1.8 55mm Mamiya/Sekor, No. 77859centre edgegood fairgood fairgood goodgood goodv.good v.goodv.good v.goodexcellent v.good

f/1.8f/2f/2.8f/4f/5.6f/8f/11f/16

contrast factor:flare factor:general corrections:mechanically:

highlowgoodexcellent. Smoothfinish, precisionthreading, preciseclicks at half-stopsbetween f/2 and f/11.

shutter speed setting knob is sensibly sizedand can be turned without the fingersfouling the shutter release or prism housing.Easy-to-read figures are white on black,with the 1/60th (top speed for, electronicflash) in red. ASA or DIN settings arealtered by lifting and rotating the knurledring around the shutter speed dial. Verygood functional action.

On the model tested speeds were asfollows:

Marked1/1000th1/500th1/250th1/125th1/60th1/30th1/15th1/8th1/41/21

Actual1j769th1/416th1/212th1/1 01th1/50th1/23rd1/12th1/8th1/41/21

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Having seen the bench performance, I'dsay that this is a good specimen of the type.The tendency nowadays is to build in a fairamount of contrast and, as long as resolvingpower is not sacrificed, this sharpens upimages in a satisfying way. Using FP4 andResofine 2-B during my practical tests, Ifound that from f/1.8 to f/2.8 I had all thequality necessary for situations calling forsuch apertures (so-called available lightshots), and from there on down the lenscoped well with pictorial situations.

General constructionThe camera is constructed to a fairly high

specification, and perhaps a little better thanmost Japanese cameras below the Nikonclass (and price). Styling is neat and thevarious switches sensibly placed. Therelease button is at the front of the top-plate,well-spaced between the shutter speedsetting knob and the film-wind lever. I findthis forward placing just right-it is wherethe index finger naturally settles.

The take-up spool is conventional and theback hinged. In Fig. 5, you see the broadlocking catch, which can be operated withone hand and has a good positive click. Theself re-setting film counter is large and easyto read. Rewind button is self-locking,conveniently situated on the baseplate.

ShutterSettings for the cloth-blind focal plane

shutter are from 1 second to 1/1 OOOth.The

Apart from that marked top speed whichwould give half a stop over-exposure(important with colour), all others were wellwithin expected tolerances. We tested themeter on a calibrator at 100ASA. checkingresponse against four opal windows atdifferent light levels. The meter gave deadaccurate readings over the whole range, onboth spot and averaging systems. A silveroxide battery (Eveready S-76E, MalloryMS-76, or Ray-O-Vac RS-76) fits into thebattery compartment on the baseplate,Fig.2, and lasts about a year depending onuse.

The flash contacts are well placed at theside of the mirror housing, so that flashcords will not dangle before the lens. On theFP socket, focal-plane bulbs can be usedbetween 1/60th and 1/1000th, while M-class bulbs will synchronise up to 1/30th.Using the FP socket. M-class bulbs syn-chronise up to 1/15th and electronic flashup to 1/60th.

One thing the Mamiya people don't use intheir advertising, though it fails me why, isthe fact that the mirror~lift is the quietest andmost vibration~free I've encountered on anySLR this side of the Leicaflex-which addsup to more sharpness at slower speeds.

The dimensions of the Mamiya/Sekor1000DTLare:

WidthHeightThicknessWeight

5.8in3.7in2.0in to lens throat, less lens25.50z less lens

As I stated earlier, with this camera youhave things to remember. For instance,before changing or removing an automaticlens the meter must be switched off and theauto/manual selector on the lens itselfswitched to 'A'. If you don't do this, there'llbe strong resistance when attempting tounscrew the lens, and ignoring this willcause serious damage. True, only the mostinept would ignore such resistance, and ifyou feel intellectually above making sucherrors, you could justifiably consider the1OOODTLjust your job.

Price: with f/l.4lens:with f/l.8Iens:

e.r~case :

£170£145£6 10s.

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