Notes

By the early 1970s, the original Spotmatic design was aging, and Pentax was preparing to introduce newer, more advanced models (like the Spotmatic F and the ES). To keep a foothold in the entry-level market, they released two stripped-down, budget-friendly versions of the classic Spotmatic: the SP 500 and the SP 1000.

The “1000” in the name denoted its top shutter speed of 1/1000th of a second. To cut manufacturing costs and lower the retail price, Pentax made one primary change from the standard Spotmatic: they completely removed the self-timer mechanism. Aside from the missing timer lever on the front of the body, it is functionally identical to the classic Spotmatic SP.