Tag: 1985

Pentax P30 35mm SLR

Another “K” mount camera, this time it’s a Pentax P30. A “Plastic fantastic” from 1985. Can I fixit? Should i fix it?

What the listing stated:

Pentax P30 35mm SLR Film Camera Body – Spares/ Repairs

The camera appears to be unresponsive upon testing.

EBay

Pentax P30

Here’s a little bit about this camera:

The Pentax P3 (US), P30 elsewhere, is a 35mm film SLR released by Pentax in 1985. The plastic body was a departure of the lineage that produced the ME and Super A; with a more amateurish camera. The P3 was a departure of the P5/50 as it returned to a speed dial instead of buttons.

It uses the KA-mount bayonet to convey aperture information and have P mode (Av when M or K series lenses are used) and can use any manual focus lens up to the FA series. 

  • Viewfinder covers 92% of image with 0.82x magnification. Split-image matte focusing screen (horizontal)
  • The P3/30 uses a classic manual film advance lever with 130° throw.
  • It has program, manual, X and B exposure modes on a dial with speeds of 1 to 1/1000 sec. However on P mode exposures up to 8s have been observed. The X mode provides automation with some Pentax flashes. No exposure compensation is available, but the camera has an Exposure Lock button.
  • The meter is a center-weighted type with a range of 1 to 18 EV. A scale of speeds is shown in the viewfinder and LEDs show the selected and recommended (blinking) speeds.
  • Film speeds can’t be set manually, the P3/30 uses DX Encoding film with a ISOrange of 25 to 1600. There is a plastic window in the film door.
  • Self timer is in the main power switch for ~12s.
  • DOF Preview lever is located above the bayonet lock.
  • It uses two 1.5v SR44 or LR44 button batteries.
  • The US version is all black, while in the rest of the world it was dark gray

There are two revisions of the body, early versions can’t use a cable remote release, while late versions can. 

A similar improved Pentax P30n/P3n/P30t became available three years later. This camera incorporated Aperture Priority exposure, and a diagonal focusing screen (P30t)

Camera-wiki.org

Another camera from the 80s – this one was 1985 when the manufacturers went plastic and the styling of the earlier cameras was starting to decline. Cameras were starting to look decidedly cheap and nasty, and this is probably the one that single-handedly punished Pentax, with a totally amateur looking camera, horrendous feedback at the time, and previously happy photographers were deserting Pentax for other manufacturers, who were offering better packages and capabilities at the time.

However this camera did have its fan base, and a lot of amateurs learnt their trade on these units due to their cost, and relatively low price for associated add ons such as lenses and flashes.

I never had one until now. I suspect the guy I usually buy from threw this in my direction, due to knowing he’d probably have issues selling it on. I’ve paid a total of £3:75GBP for this one. I think it’s worth it.

It’s the second “K” mount camera I’ve brought in two days. And guess what? I don’t have one of those lenses. Looks like I’m going to have to purchase one for my collection and for testing purposes.

Anyway, let’s await its arrival so we can assess its issues.

Assessment:

First things first, I’ve printed out a body cap on the 3D printer for when i complete the clean, allowing me to protect the mirror, shutter and lens chamber area.

A new body cap printed to protect the lens chamber

Overall the camera looks used, it’s in one piece meaning that everything is there that needs to be there but it does show signs of being a little bruised, battered and dirty.

Damaged around eye piece
Paint chips
Bumper is ok
Dirty around lens ring
Everything is there
Dirt

All seals appear ok, the mirror bumper felt is in a good condition as well, and the film chamber is clean. Shutter appears to be operating just as it should.

The only real issue I can see is a build up of dust and dirt behind the viewing lens, though this won’t affect any pictures being taken, a clean would help the photographer get a clearer view of what they are focusing on.

Repair:

The description has stated that the camera is unresponsive. Well I’ve put batteries in place, switched the camera on and it is dead. But I can see an issue. The battery cap appears tarnished. A quick attack of the tarnishing with the grinding pen and a good wipe over with a cotton bud soaked in IPA soon sees to the tarnished battery cap. Hey presto, life is restored when batteries are put back into place. The meter inside is fine, and showing lights and indicating as it should, the light that flashes when the self timer operates is also ok. To me everything is indicating just fine. That’s all that was causing the unresponsiveness, the dirty contacts.

The next step didn’t really need to be done, however me being me I just couldn’t let it go. There is quite a bit of build up of dirt behind the viewing glass and I will have to get into the camera to access this. There is no other way.

Removal of the top of the camera requires the removal of six screws, the winder handle and a couple of securing bolts, you can then carefully lift the top clear being careful not to damage the two hot-shoe cables in the prism area.

Top off
Look at the dirt build up

With the top off, a couple of more screws holding the viewer in place require removing to detach the viewer from the prism area. This then reveals a very dirty filtered triangular prism that has collected over forty years of airborne detritus. A simple clean with a swab is sufficient, followed by a good air blast to finish off. The small viewing lens has a similar clean and then the camera can be reassembled.

All electrics good and working

I’ve printed an eye cup to cover up that damages around the eyepiece, again it’s not really needed but just tidies the area up a bit.

New eyepiece printed

Just print a hotshoe cover for the top and that’s it all done.

Hot shoe cover

Finally it’s time for a good cleanup.

Result:

For an outlay of £3:75GBP this is a period and usable camera. Will I use it though? Probably not, I’ll probably pass this on to the hospice to get some money from, as to be quite honest I doubt I’ll be able to sell it on.

Looking tidy, and working

It’s a nice little learning camera, looks smart after a clean up, and has now had its life expectancy extended due to the easiest of repairs. I’ve said it before, how many similar units have just been disposed of due to only requiring a quick clean? Scandalous really.

Anyway, this one lives on. Someone will have a nice little camera what with the resurgence of film stock currently enjoying a second coming.

One more saved from landfill, small goals, small results.

Thanks for passing by, as always it is always very much appreciated.

Grandstand Convertors Deltatron

What you say?

I arrived home from work last evening to find my nephew at home. He’d been looking around his mum and dad’s attic to find his old star wars toy collection he had from the 80s-90s. Whilst in the loft he found this old toy from 1985 by a company called Yonezawa being sold under the Grandstand branding, and it isn’t working. Here is where it passes over to uncle Dave.

Uncle Dave, it’s not working

There’s no real value to these toys as they were produced in massive quantities off the back of all the transformer type toys that were available at the time. There are some accessories missing from this one that are obtainable via the auction sites, he may well ask me to source these, but at the moment he just wants me to get it working to pass onto his boys. The video below shows just what it does….and that’s not a lot. But the one I have here is totally dead and needs reviving just like Frankenstein.

Deltatron what it should do

So here we go…

Assessment:

My overriding surprise is that this has been in a loft space for close to 30 yrs and does not have that expected damp mustiness that usually comes with such an item. I must say, my brother in laws loft space is an exception, it’s obviously free from excessive moisture, mind you it’s only about 40 yrs old so building standards had probably advanced somewhat from when ours was built about 90 yrs ago.

It’s in a good condition and all its parts are there minus a few little additions that originally came with the toy. But as I have stated earlier these parts can be obtained on line if required.

Right, let’s have a look at what is or isn’t happening here…

Repair:

When batteries are installed and the remote control is operated, all that happens is that a light comes on in the toy. The motion that is required is non existent.

The motor unit
Motor removed, there is a cog mechanism to move the unit
The motor unit removed

When examined closer you can see there is a lot of surface rust on the side of the motor where the contacts go into the unit.

Really rusty
Quick clean later

The contacts were so rusty inside the motor unit that you’d get an intermittent running of the motor if you moved them. I’ve checked continuity and solder joints and they were fine. I’ve injected some contact cleaning spray into the motor and sat there manipulating the motor in both directions for about 5 minutes, this was sufficient to get the motor running freely once power was reapplied. The contacts were dirty and restricting the flow of power to the motor. I decided to use some IPA around the area to give it all a good clean and once again sprayed more contact cleaner through the motor.

Contact cleaner and silicone grease

Once I’d run the motor for a few minutes in both directions I then applied some silicone grease to the cogs and moving parts to allow a smoother operation. It’s worked. A nice simple fix.

Result:

It’s working and here’s a small video to prove it.

It’s now working

I’ve already handed it back and it’s a joy to see the smiles on my nephew and his dad’s face when they watched it working. Such a simple thing, bringing back treasured memories and laughs. Another old toy saved for another generation and best of all another item not going to a landfill.

Thanks for passing by, as always it is very much appreciated.