The Mamiya/Sekor 1000 R Black (~1980) is a cosmetic variant of the chrome Mamiya/Sekor 1000 R, sharing its internals entirely: M42 screw mount, electronic vertical-metal-blade shutter running to 1/1000s, and TTL stop-down center-weighted CdS metering. The body finish is black paint over die-cast aluminum rather than chrome, following an industry-wide convention of offering black-body variants at a modest price premium. No functional or optical differences from the standard chrome 1000 R have been documented.
Reference
Find film for your Mamiya Sekor 1000 R Black
Recommended film stocks for the 35mm format your camera takes.
**Battery dependency** - no mechanical fallback; the camera is entirely inoperable without a working SR44 battery. Test with fresh cells before assessing shutter function.
**Electronic shutter accuracy** - test the full speed range. Slow speeds (1s, 1/2s, 1/4s) are most prone to drift in aging electronic shutters. Use a shutter tester or audio timer app.
**Black paint condition** - inspect corners, strap lugs, and the film-advance lever tip for chips and brassing. Black paint over aluminum shows wear more prominently than chrome; heavily chipped examples have reduced collector value.
**CdS meter** - verify against a reference meter. CdS fatigue is common in cameras stored in bright conditions; a sluggish or inaccurate meter is the most frequent complaint.
**Stop-down lever** - confirm it actuates smoothly and springs back fully. A sticky lever indicates gummed lubricant in the mechanism.
**Foam light seals** - will be disintegrated in virtually all surviving examples; budget for replacement before shooting.
**Engineering plastic trim** - inspect bottom plate and film door trim for minor cracking at stress points.
About this camera
Black-painted version of Mamiya's last M42 manual SLR — the same electronic-shutter body as the chrome 1000 R, in darker livery.
Key Specs
Frequently asked questions
What film does the Mamiya Sekor 1000 R Black use?
The Mamiya Sekor 1000 R Black shoots 35mm film.
What battery does the Mamiya Sekor 1000 R Black take?
The Mamiya Sekor 1000 R Black uses a 2x SR44 battery.
What lens mount does the Mamiya Sekor 1000 R Black have?
The Mamiya Sekor 1000 R Black uses the M42 mount.
What shutter speeds does the Mamiya Sekor 1000 R Black offer?
The Mamiya Sekor 1000 R Black's shutter speeds range from 1s to 1/1000s.
What light meter does the Mamiya Sekor 1000 R Black use?
The Mamiya Sekor 1000 R Black meters with ttl-center-weighted-cds.
**Price tier** - black examples typically sell for $70-200 depending on condition, paint quality, and included lens. The chrome 1000 R sells for $50-160; the premium reflects cosmetics and relative scarcity, not performance.
Field
Value
Format
35mm
Mount
M42 screw
Finish
Black paint over die-cast aluminum
Years
~1980 - ~1982
Shutter
1s - 1/1000s, electronic vertical metal
Flash sync
1/60s
Meter
TTL stop-down center-weighted CdS
Modes
Manual
Weight
~615 g
Battery
2x SR44 (no mechanical fallback)
History
Mamiya introduced black-body variants of its consumer SLR line from the mid-1970s onward, concurrent with the broader Japanese industry practice initiated in the professional tier by cameras like the Nikon F2 Black and Canon F-1 in black. The MSX 1000 Black had appeared around 1976; the 1000 R Black followed when the 1000 R itself was introduced around 1980.
By 1980, offering a black-body option for a budget M42 camera was a largely symbolic move. The M42 mount had been commercially superseded as a professional standard by multiple bayonet systems since 1975, and the 1000 R's market position was the entry and budget tier in export markets — particularly the UK and continental Europe — where M42 bodies and lenses retained a functional user base. A black body in that context was aimed at buyers who wanted the aesthetic of a professional-looking camera without moving up to a more expensive system.
The Mamiya M42 lineage that the black 1000 R closes:
Mamiya MSX 1000 Black (~1976) - electronic shutter, dual spot/average CdS, black paint
Mamiya/Sekor 1000 R Black (~1980) - electronic shutter, center-weighted CdS, black paint, lighter body
Both the chrome and black 1000 R variants were discontinued around 1982 as Mamiya consolidated its consumer 35mm output around the CS-mount ZM Quartz and ZE-series bodies.
Why It Matters
The 1000 R Black has no photographic advantage over the chrome version. Its interest is threefold: it closes Mamiya's M42 black-body lineage (MSX 1000 Black - 1000 R Black), it is less commonly encountered than the chrome 1000 R, and it provides M42 shooters who prefer black-body aesthetics with a lightweight option at prices below more desirable black M42 bodies such as the Pentax Spotmatic F Black or Fujica ST901.
For collectors completing the Mamiya M42 variant set, the black 1000 R is the final piece. For practical shooters, its significance is the same as the chrome 1000 R: access to the wide M42 lens ecosystem at modest cost, in a lightweight body with no mechanical fallback.
Black-body premiums of 20-40% over chrome examples are typical for this era and brand, reflecting collector demand rather than any functional distinction.
Lenses & Accessories
M42 screw mount. Metering is stop-down throughout: depress the stop-down lever, read the match-needle in the viewfinder, then shoot. No open-aperture metering is supported.
Practical pairings:
Mamiya-Sekor 50mm f/2 — natural pairing for Mamiya M42 bodies; capable standard prime
Asahi SMC Takumar 50mm f/1.4 — the widely regarded M42 reference standard prime
Meyer-Optik Domiplan 50mm f/2.8 — economical East German triplet with characteristic rendering
Any M42 telephoto (135mm, 200mm) for the stop-down stop-needle metering to provide useful guidance
No dedicated winder, motor drive, or data back is documented for the 1000 R series.
Sample Photographers / Notable Use
Export-market advanced amateurs in the UK and continental Europe, circa 1980-1982, for whom the black body represented professional aesthetics at a budget price point.
No documented professional or notable photographic use; the camera reached the market after M42 had ceased to be a professional standard.
Fujifilm Superia X-TRA 400 (marketed as Superia 400 in some regions) is an ISO 400 C-41 consumer color negative film in 135 format, one of Fujifilm's most popular consumer films. It delivers warm, vibrant colors with moderate grain and remains in production in some markets.