Camera review: The Pentax SV

The camera

This review is about the Pentax SV single lens reflex camera. The SV is, one might argue, the last version of the original Asahi Pentax SLR series introduced in 1957. It predates the Pentax Spotmatic series and is, together with the lower-budget S1a released at the same time, the last of the first generation of Asahi Pentax SLRs. The SV was introduced in 1962 and remained in production until 1968 with 481.696 cameras built. There are two versions of the SV, the later one has an orange 'R' on the rewind knob to indicate that the camera can use the 50mm f/1.4 lens which protrudes further into the camera than other 50mm versions. The 50mm f/1.4 cannot fit on the earlier version.

My Asahi Pentax SV fitted with a Carl Zeiss Planar T* 50mm f/1.4 ZS

This really is a beautiful camera. This early SLR design has clean straight lines, not hampered by the boxy shape of a flash hot shoe, a clean body surface without extra buttons and an undisturbed view through the view finder. Yet it packs a self timer on the top of the camera, it has a high 1/1000th of a second shutter speed and can be fitted with an additional cold shoe for the use of a flash and an add-on light meter as the SV doesn't have an inbuilt meter.

Specifications

Camera:                        Asahi Pentax SV/Honeywell Pentax H3v

Built:                            1962-1968

Mount:                          M42

Shutter speeds:             1-1/1000 seconds, B

Self timer:                    yes

Size:                             140 mm wide, 92mm high and 50mm deep

Weight:                        600 grams

Light metering:             no, add-on light meters available

Battery:                        none

Shooting

I acquired this SV as part of my Pentax Project a few years ago. It is the later version with the orange 'R'. I loaded some Paradies 200/24 (which is rebranded Fuji) economy color negative film, shot a few images and then moved house. The SV was displayed in a small display cabinet in my new house and stood there until I realized that there was still film in it. So I took it on my first outing and finished the roll. I used two lenses with the SV, a Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 28mm f/3.5 and a Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 105mm f/2.8. The SV is a joy to use. I used 'sunny 16' for exposure but there are add-on light meters available, both vintage and modern, that can be used with the SV. The view finder is perhaps a bit darker when compared to later Pentaxes but focusing is a breeze. And after spending time with Soviet lenses and their eccentric ways it is so good to hold and use smoothly functioning lenses such as these Takumars. This SV found its way back to my camera bag and is there to stay. 

Images

All shot with a Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 28mm f/3.5

Shot with a Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 105mm f/2.8

All in all I am pretty pleased with how these shots came out, given that the film was in the camera for quite some time. I've since shot some black and white with it, these rolls will be developed once I finish the last roll.