Asahi Pentax S3

Focus

Manual

Mount

M42

Format

35mm

Metering

none (optional external clip-on coupled meter)

Self Timer

No

Spec Notes

In Ricoh's official archive as its own model between the S2 and the SV. US market name: H3 - a period Asahi guide title reads 'Asahi Pentax S1a, S3 (H3), Pentax SV', and it was sold as the Honeywell Pentax H3 and the Honeywell Heiland Pentax H3. NOT an alias of anything already catalogued. YEAR OMITTED AND NO PRODUCTION-RANGE ROW: 1960 (AOHC, PentaxForums, mycameracabinet) versus 1961 (sunrise-camera, collection-appareils, collectiblend, davidde) is a genuine split with no maker document to settle it - Ricoh's archive gives only a '1960~' decade header. Distinguishers: the first PENTAX SLR with a fully automatic diaphragm, and 1/1000 top speed against the S2's 1/500. The SV that follows is the S3 plus a self-timer. WEIGHT OMITTED - 580 g vs 610 g conflict.

Film Advance

manual lever

Shutter Type

mechanical focal-plane (horizontal cloth)

Exposure Modes

manual

Viewfinder Type

SLR fixed pentaprism

Flash Sync Speed

1/50

Max Shutter Speed

1/1000