Pentax ME super question

I picked up a ME super with a SMC Pentax 50 1.7 the other week from a recycle centre, neither in A1 condition.
Anyhow couple of things regarding the body. I'm not sure if this is normal or not but the shutter release does not fire without a film inserted (I haven't tried with a film inserted). The winder clicks out of place from the body with a little touch and then winds from there and then needs manually click back into the body. As I wind the counter goes up but I can still press the release fully down without the shutter firing. Is this normal, would putting a film in do the trick or is this one for spares?

The other thing is the battery cover for the meter does not stay in place, like its a tiny bit too small. Just wondering if thats common or maybe the wrong one fitted?

I'm really keen to have a working ME super so if this ones no good I grab another.

Thanks for any help.

An ME Super should work without a film in. The battery cover should be a proper fit. The camera does need batteries to operate the shutter.

It doesn't sound like a very good example of the camera. The wind lever should return to its stand-off position smartly and that clearly is not happening either.

As John says the shutter does need batteries to operate, but the winder mechanism will wind on regardless of whether there is a film in the camera or batteries.

The winder lever stays in the stand off position after winding on and then should spring back flush with the body, when pushed.

Cheers John.

Well lucky for me I literally just won myself a supposed 'perfectly working' and excellent condition' one so fingers crossed.

The one thing missing from modern cameras is the sheer pleasure of operating the wind on mechanism of the ME Super. It should be as smooth as silk...gorgeous engineering.

The power winder also works very well but expensive on film

Sorry to contradict the above, but the ME Super shutter will fire without batteries if you set the mode dial to 125X (p. 11 of the manual). Obviously that is the only shutter speed you get, however!

I agree with John, the wind-on was lovely. For a camera which is now as common as muck and as cheap as chips (please excuse my mixed metaphors) it was a lovely piece of engineering. Not everyone likes the manual speed adjustment buttons but I started out on an ME Super and my index finger still reaches out for them when I want to change shutter speed.

Best wishes, Kris.

Well I've had another good play and still cant get the shutter to fire off, shame as the meter seems to work fine. I'm looking forward to receiving my next one. I plan to get an m42 to Bayonet adapter, I think I'm correct in saying that I will only be able to stop down meter with my Takumars used on my S1a, 28 f3.5 - 35 f3.5 - 50 f2 - 135 f3.5. Now I'll have to start collecting SMC glass too...more money!!

Well if you are planning to use them just on the ME Super you can get away with buying K or M series lenses which are quite a bit cheaper than A series ones.

Get a genuine Pentax adaptor as the third party ones sometimes have problems. They go for a surprising amount on ebay, often more than some lenses.

Best wishes, Kris.

K M and A series, looks like I need to do some more reading, any links to info on these.

Yup, the bible to all things K-mount related:

Bojidar Dimitrov's Pentax K-Mount Page

You mention that your first camera has a SMC 50mm 1.7 lens.

If the focus is smooth and glass clean this is a superb lens to start with.

You don't say if it;s an A or M lens, if it's an A you could sell on ebay and finance several other lenses, the SMC-A 50mm 1.7 seems to sell on ebay for around £30.

Anyhow enjoy your new body, if it works. If not the first thing to try is a set of new batteies and as Womble says, the shutter should fire without batteries at 125X setting.

Finally there's a manual here

Cheers for the link, bookmarked for a rainy day. Cant seem to find anything from a quick flick on the lens variations K M and A?

Its a M and sadly looks to have a kind of fine cobweb effect in a couple of small patches inside the elements, very smooth focusing though and aperture ring works nicely too.

Argh! it sounds like the lens has fungus!

DON'T put it in a case or bag with any other lenses, there's a chance it could 'infect' them.

see this, this and this for more help.