# K1000 Blank Exposures



## steelphoto12 (Dec 2, 2012)

Hi All, 

I am new to this forum and have been taking photos for about 2.5-3 years now. My girlfriend bought me an old school K1000 Pentax for my Bday last year. I have been reading and watching lots of informational articles online and so i decided to load up a roll of film in there and just test it out. I have now gone through 3 rolls of film, all different brands bought at different stores. The issue i am having is all the rolls are blank with no exposures/frames. I have tried both color and B/W. my latest roll was an Ilford HP5 Plus 400 B/W. 

Any ideas as to why this might be happening? I can confirm the shutter works fine, i have tested that with various speeds and modes it works fine. I actually took a few night shots on "Bulb" with a tripod and absolutely nothing on the roll of film. 

I am just puzzled and dont know how to figure this out. 

Thanks 
David


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## snowbear (Dec 2, 2012)

Is it possible the film advance is not advancing the film?  When you rewind, can you feel the tension of the film?

I'm not familiar withy that camera - I'm assuming it has manual advance and rewind.


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## MK3Brent (Dec 2, 2012)

So you have confirmed that the shutter does work... opens and closes? 

Are your develops black? 

Film in correctly? 

When you're at the end of the roll, does the advance lever stop and lock?


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## 480sparky (Dec 2, 2012)

Open the back and look... trip the shutter and you should see the rear of the lens.  If not, even at longer shutter speeds, then your shutter it toast.


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## MK3Brent (Dec 2, 2012)

another simple thing to check is your meter. 

Make sure you're not metering for 400 film with 3200 ASA.

Here's a picture of my K1000 set to 3200:


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## 480sparky (Dec 2, 2012)

MK3Brent said:


> another simple thing to check is your meter.
> 
> Make sure you're not metering for 400 film with 3200 ASA.
> 
> Here's a picture of my K1000 set to 3200:



Two stops UE should not render the film black.


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## Patrice (Dec 2, 2012)

I think he might have a film advance problem.

OP,

Rewind some of that developed blank film back in the little can and put it back in your camera. Before you do though put some numbers or letters on the back of the film with a white marker or grease pencil. Advance the film, click the shutter, advance the film, open the back, look at the number. Repeat, if the number has not changed then the film has not advanced.

Are you sure you are properly engaging the film leader on the advance cogs before you shut the back? You should be able to advance the film a couple of frames before you shut the back just to check you've done it right.

As as been asked above, are you sure the shutter is operating? Look through the back of the camera as you click the shutter. You should b able to see light as the shutter opens.

I've had one of those many moons ago, they are very simple machines and easy to diagnose. Repairs might be a problem.


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## MK3Brent (Dec 2, 2012)

You should notice the rewind knob turning while you advance also... make sure it is.


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## steelphoto12 (Dec 3, 2012)

Thank you all for the replies. 

the shutter works for sure, the film also advances, and the ASA settings at set to 400 (same as the film). also i uploaded the below youtube video that i just recorded with my phone, (quality might not be the greatest but this will give you a good idea)

I have tried to take pictures using the light meter which works fine btw, i have replaced the battery and when i move the camera from pointing it to a light bulb in the room to a dark side i see the lever moving. 

K1000 issue blank film - YouTube


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## curtyoungblood (Dec 3, 2012)

I couldn't really tell from the video if the shutter is in fact working. It was too dark in there.  I'd take the film out, take the lens off, and run it through the shutter speeds. If you can see light, then the shutter is working. (Look through the back of the camera).  

I noticed in the video that you had the shutter speed set to 1/1000.  That's a pretty fast shutter speed. Is that a setting you were actually using? If so, were you outside in bright sunlight.  If not, then there's either something really wrong w/ the meeter or you're not using the meter correctly. What type of camera have you been using, what mode is it in, and do you have a good understanding of metering and how cameras work? [If this sounds condescending, that isn't my goal. Everyone starts photography with absolutely no understanding of this stuff and I don't know where you are in the process]

The next most likely culprit is something is going wrong in developing. What films, specifically, have you run through the camera and how are you getting them developed.  (For example, if you took that HP5 to wal-mart, then they're using the wrong chemicals and it won't develop or if you're doing it yourself, you've probably got the chemicals out of order or mixed wrong.)


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## steelphoto12 (Dec 3, 2012)

hi Courtyoungblood, Before putting a new roll in there i did test out the shutter where the lens was off and yes i did see the light come all the way through. (your dont sound condescending lol its ok). I have gone through 3 rolls of film with all different shutter speeds. I am starting to think that the film is not being developed correctly, i take them to walgreens.

I have been using a canon 7d for about a year and half now.


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## MK3Brent (Dec 3, 2012)

steelphoto12 said:


> hi Courtyoungblood, Before putting a new roll in there i did test out the shutter where the lens was off and yes i did see the light come all the way through. (your dont sound condescending lol its ok). I have gone through 3 rolls of film with all different shutter speeds. I am starting to think that the film is not being developed correctly, i take them to walgreens.
> 
> I have been using a canon 7d for about a year and half now.



 You cannot develop B/W film at those stores.


http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110109183333AAR89yX


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## usayit (Dec 3, 2012)

The lightmeter on the K1000 is not coupled to the aperture/shutter....   

I've never seen a walgreens who was equipped to develop B&W negatives.


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## steelphoto12 (Dec 3, 2012)

i knew that might have been the issue.... and that A-hole (same guy! all  three times!!!) looked at the film and said "o nice, its B/W, give us  24 hours and they will be ready"... 

Thank you all for the input, i will take this roll to a photo shop where they specialize in this field.

Stay tuned..


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## 480sparky (Dec 3, 2012)

I see the MIRROR working, but can't see if the SHUTTER is.  


Remove the film. Open the back. Set the shutter to a long shutter speed (say, 1/2 second) and aim the camera at a bright light.  Press the shutter button and you should be able to see the back of your lens.

If you can't see any light through the back of the camera, no matter how bright your light is and how long the shutter is open, then the shutter is dead.


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## BrianV (Dec 3, 2012)

1) The K-1000 is a Pentax K-Mount camera, the light meter is coupled to the shutter-speed and aperture. It was the older Spotmatic that required "stop-Down" metering.

Look at the negatives. There should be exposure numbers and film type at the edge of the film. these are placed on the film at time of manufacture, and will show up if the film is developed properly. If the negative strip is entirely blank, then it is the developing that is the issue. If numbers and film type show up on the edges, it's the camera.


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## usayit (Dec 3, 2012)

By coupled, I am referring to the cameras ability to set exposure either by shutter or by aperture priority.  The K1000 is still matched needle... meaning the OP in this thread shot at various settings resulting in the same black frames... followed by a discussion related to the meter.  In the case of the k1000, the discussion about the cameras meter is irrevelant since it is match needle.


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## timor (Dec 4, 2012)

Deleted. Question about edge markings on the film already asked.


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## Tuffythepug (Dec 4, 2012)

Just a side note:  In my experience Walgreens employees know exactly NOTHING  at all about film photography.  When I bought a used Bronica I called my local Walgreens and asked to talk the mgr. of the photo dept.  When I asked if they carried 120 film she paused and then replied "uh.........I see that we have 400 ?"


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## timor (Dec 4, 2012)

So, do you see a chance, that they pour fixer first ?


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## 480sparky (Dec 4, 2012)

Run a roll of plain Jane everyday ordinary -color- film through it.


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## curtyoungblood (Dec 4, 2012)

480sparky said:


> Run a roll of plain Jane everyday ordinary -color- film through it.



I agree with this. Go to Walgreens, buy a roll of their color film and see what happens.


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## BrianV (Dec 4, 2012)

steelphoto12 said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I have now gone through 3 rolls of film, all different brands bought at different stores. The issue i am having is all the rolls are blank with no exposures/frames. I have tried both color and B/W. my latest roll was an Ilford HP5 Plus 400 B/W.
> 
> David



The OP tried color film, and it is likely to have been C-41 process. That roll should have frame-number markings on it. Should indicate whether it is the camera at fault. I would check those negatives before trying another roll of film. As mentioned: after loading a roll of film, gently take up the slack using the Rewind knob. As the film is advaned, watch that the rewind knob spins- will indicate that film is being advanced. This single test has saved me from a lot of blank rolls.


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## Tuffythepug (Dec 4, 2012)

BrianV said:


> steelphoto12 said:
> 
> 
> > Hi All,
> ...



This is the best test for checking the film advance mechanism.    Also, and I don't remember where I learned this, I leave the rewind knob with the little crank in the rewind position (not folded up) because it's easier to see it turn when you advance to frame #1.  After I verify film advancement I fold it back in.


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## curtyoungblood (Dec 4, 2012)

The film advance mechanism isn't his problem.  He posted a video that shows it works. The roll of film in the video didn't have the film markings on it, but it was also HP5, so it probably got developed with a C-41 machine.

to the OP, what kind of color film have you used with the camera and what does it look like?


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## timor (Dec 4, 2012)

Is the OP still with us ? The info about edge markings is crucial.


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## timor (Apr 12, 2013)

Hi David. 4 months passed, did you figure out what the problem was ?


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