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Message |
    
Lorriman
Tinkerer
Username: Lorriman
Post Number: 1
Registered: 06-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, June 29, 2008 - 08:50 am: | 
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Hi folks,
Any pointers to why my Pentax ME super is under-exposing by a reliable 1 stop? The meter always gives me 1 stop less than my Minolta xg-m or my digicam (all set to the same aperture).
I have swapped batteries, and cleaned the battery contacts.
The 1 stop under exposure suggests to me a simple cause, but I don't know enough about these things.
There is one possibility I can think of: as a newbie I didn't realise the lens needed to click in, and the resistance of the mount was sufficient to make me think that the lens was mounted. So I practice shot the camera with an improperly mounted lens. I realised my error before using my first film.
As it happens the photos came out fine since most needed 1 stop underexposure anyway (dark backgrounds) and I was using Fuji Reala with its large exposure latitude. |
Dragunov
Tinkerer
Username: Dragunov
Post Number: 78
Registered: 10-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 30, 2008 - 09:50 pm: |
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proper film speed set? filters in the way?
mind you, those other cameras may have different metering cells or metering patterns. perhaps try again on a uniform colour background in uniform lighting (SUNLIGHT!!!)...
you know, it could be a half stop under, the meter readout doesn't do half stops.
if you're sure it's one stop, you could always compensate for it... |
Lorriman
Tinkerer
Username: Lorriman
Post Number: 2
Registered: 06-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 01, 2008 - 03:20 am: |
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Hi, thanks for the reply.
I checked and double-checked. Did the uniform light thing in unchanging light.
I did test for half stop and it is a full stop of underexposure.
I would rather not be compensating: but at least it is reliable. |
Dragunov
Tinkerer
Username: Dragunov
Post Number: 79
Registered: 10-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 01, 2008 - 09:16 pm: |
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then if nothing else works... your meter must be fuzzed. i'd check it periodically to make sure it doesn't move any further from where it should be. electronics are like that sometime...
the good news: not hard to find a replacement ME super... but if you want to swap electronics- it's not worth it unless you are like a ninja with a soldering iron.
good luck! |
Lorriman
Tinkerer
Username: Lorriman
Post Number: 3
Registered: 06-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, July 02, 2008 - 01:58 am: |
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Ok, thanks for the advice.
I haven't soldered anything for 20 years, so I don't think I'll be trying that one. |
