Cosina's budget mechanical K-mount SLR — the CT-1 Super, metered manual, 1985.
The Cosina CT-1 Super was a 35mm film SLR made from 1985 as an updated version of Cosina's budget K-mount CT-1 family. Cosina widely licensed and rebadged its bodies, and the CT-1 Super was among the more common of these affordable K-mount cameras, sold under Cosina's own name and others.
It is a single-lens-reflex camera for 35mm film on the Pentax K mount. The CT-1 Super is a metered-manual SLR with TTL metering and a mechanically controlled focal-plane shutter, so it can fire without a battery, the cell powering only the meter. Its layout stays simple and beginner-friendly.
It suits students and beginners looking for an inexpensive, mechanically shuttered body to learn on. The camera's simplicity and battery-independent shutter make it reliable for basic use, and the K mount gives cheap, plentiful lens options.
On the used market the CT-1 Super is very common and cheap. Check the foam seals and mirror-damper foam, confirm the mechanical shutter works at all speeds with the battery removed, and test the meter with a fresh cell. Inspect advance, rewind and screen; the build is basic, so watch for wear, though the mechanical shutter remains comparatively serviceable.