Visit MPB Visit MPB Visit MPB

Pentax ME Super help!!

Dan
Posted 23/01/2004 - 23:30 Link
Hi,
I am an new user of manual slr cameras, and recently purchased a 2nd hand pentax me super. After using one film, i rewound the film and tried to put another in, however, when i tried this i noticed that the wind lever was completley loose and moving freely and so wasn't winding the filem on. Therefore the rewind button is still depressed and cant be brought back out. When i looked through the viewfinder it was very grainy and the focusing ring is completely black, i took the lens off and i noticed that the mirror wasn't going all the way down to the correct position. I have been told that something may have been sprained as i wound on to the last frame..
Any help or somewhere where i can get this repaired reliably and cheaply in London.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
johnriley
Posted 24/01/2004 - 00:09 Link
It is certainly true that nothing should ever be forced on a camera. If the last wind on action stops half way, depress the rewind button before you complete the winding stroke to avoid tearing the film or damaging the mechanism.

Before you go for the repair though do try new batteries. If the batteries have failed the camera will not operate. Also, when rewinding film and loading and shooting blank frames set the shutter dial off auto to 100X to avoid unecessarily long exposures.

Another thought: sometimes switching off auto can release a locked up mirror, but it is difficult to judge without handling the camera.
Best regards, John
Dan
Posted 26/01/2004 - 02:15 Link
Thanks for that,
I tried new batteries and the problem is still occuring..any more help..or any relaible and reasonable places that i can take it to be repaired in london?
MattMatic
Posted 26/01/2004 - 07:34 Link
Dan,

Try www.asahiphoto.net - seem very helpful.

Matt
http://www.mattmatic.co.uk
(For gallery, tips and links)
Anonymous
Posted 29/01/2004 - 02:43 Link
i am a student in zirazona usa and i got a pentax me super i like it. the same problom accured to me. what you need to do is to try gentaly to extend the rapid winde lever a little more and then it should spring back in to action.
Kim C
Posted 01/02/2004 - 19:48 Link
Hi,
I have found the camera repairer to be very helpful and at a reasonable cost. Try an email to [email protected] or their website is http://www.camerarepairs-r-us.co.uk/
Kim
Anonymous
Posted 07/02/2004 - 16:34 Link
hi folks,

I have a Pentax ME Super (purchased new in 1984) and it's been working great.

My last 2 rolls of film (a 400 speed and an 800 speed) were developed at a local 60 minute (same one we've been using for 3 years) and a lot of the pictures didn't come out. On teh 800 spd, the last 6 frames out of 24 were printed. On the 400 spd, some frames at the beginning and some at the end, but we lost a bunch in the middle. The negatives were completely blank. The camera functioned just fine during use and gave no indication there was a problem.

I say it's the developer's processing machine, my wife thinks it's my camera.
Does anyone have any insight? Please email me at [email protected]

thanx
dan
George Lazarette
Posted 07/02/2004 - 17:09 Link
If negatives either side of those which were blank came out correctly, then it is almost impossible that the processing is to blame, unless you have some negatives that show an image on part of the frame but not right across.

The two most probable causes are the shutter failing to fire properly, and the lens diaghragm not stopping down properly, but in the latter case you are likely to get some sort of image on the neg, just an over-exposed one.

Of course, if you were taking the pictures in darkness with an out-of-sync flash, that would also explain it.

An over-exposed neg will be dark or black, and an under-exposed one will be very pale or completely clear.

It is also, I suppose, conceivable that the mirror could have failed to lift, but that would have been noticeable as you tripped the shutter, and some light might still get through under it.

The most likely cause in my view is shutter failure.
johnriley
Posted 07/02/2004 - 18:50 Link
I agree that a processing fault is very unlikely.

The ME Super shutter fires at 1/2000 sec without batteries, so an intermittent contact on the power supply could be a potential cause. Batteries should be wiped with a cloth before insertion, and not handled with fingers. The contacts in the battery chamber could be cleaned with an idia rubber or piece of glasspaper.

If all else fails, a repair may well be necessary.
Best regards, John
MattMatic
Posted 07/02/2004 - 21:56 Link
The ME Super suffers from a fault in the ISO setting dial. When dirt and dust gets inside, it does not form a good enough electrical contact and so meters for some crazy ISO setting like 6400 - making all the exposures black.

A temporary fix is to wiggle the ISO dial. However, eventually the variable resistor inside needs replacing. (I replaced three in total when I had an MEF and an ME Super- it seems somewhat a design flaw.)

Hope that helps,
Matt
http://www.mattmatic.co.uk
(For gallery, tips and links)
Anonymous
Posted 04/03/2004 - 19:51 Link
the rewind button has always been slightly reluctant, even when new.
i seem to recall a similar problem with mine (recently stolen).
but it didnt need repair -ever, and only occured once.as far as i remember a little (exceedingly) gentle persuasion of what is after all a mechanical setup unaffected by battery presence, and a subsequent clean was enough.However, i cant remember if there is a link between the rewinding and the shutter/mirror. it does not require batteries to function as without power it defaults to the 125x setting and can still be used.
If both the winder and shutter are stuck mid movement with the winder handle either completely loose or partially loose moving from left to right until it stops solid prior to its full travel, then the symptoms are the same as mine were. its a precise instrumental mechanism so be careful if twiddling and DO NOT force anything. i didnt have to, i remember that much and possibly the control ring had something to do with it but it was a while ago. other than that mine was faultless, robust and utterly reliable. except when over enthusiastic with the winding which i think is all you're problem is. good choice, good luck and i'll wait for the insurance!!
Dan
Posted 10/03/2004 - 04:03 Link
thanks for all the help,
i thought i had fixed it as it did need a little persuasion to continue winding on. The mirror etc went back to normal. However, now it seems to apparently be jumping frames...any help???!
thanks
Anonymous
Posted 16/03/2004 - 04:39 Link
Thanks George L, John R, and Matt M. When I get a moment to breathe from my hectic schedule, I will exercise your advice.

cheers-
dan

Add Comment

To leave a comment - Log in to Pentax User or create a new account.