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Message |
    
Soonerbillz
Tinkerer
Username: Soonerbillz
Post Number: 1
Registered: 11-2011
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, November 12, 2011 - 12:00 pm: | 
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Hello all,
I hope you might help me. I just bought an Pentax ME at a auction. It showed some wear but it came with a nice 200mm telephoto, a factory 50mm reg lens and a speed winder as well as a bag full of various bits.
I figured I'd take a chance and got the set for $40. The camera obviously was not used for a long time. I bought new lf44 batteries for it. The old ones had that smell, you know like they do when sat too long.
Anyways I put the batteries in and...nothing! I think I'm correct in thinkin that pulling the winder a bbit starts the camera and/or slightly depressing the shutter maybe. Either way I get no action. Do you havt load the film first?
I really was hoping to try my hand at vintage photography and thought maybe this would be a good one to start with
bummed out in OK. |
Brcamera
Tinkerer
Username: Brcamera
Post Number: 127
Registered: 08-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, November 12, 2011 - 12:15 pm: |
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The Pentax ME will work on its mechanical shutter speed without batteries, so your problem is mechanical, not electrical. A likely issue in your case might be a broken advance lever click spring. You can check this easily by putting the advance lever against the camera body in the rest position and then pulling it out and you should feel a slight click. This click spring is what keeps the lever against the camera body and prevents it from flopping loose. No click=broken spring which has fallen into the wind mechanism and causing the problem. |
John_s
Tinkerer
Username: John_s
Post Number: 67
Registered: 07-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, November 12, 2011 - 12:54 pm: |
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"Pulling the winder a bit starts the camera and/or slightly depressing the shutter maybe" - no, you need to turn the film winder anticlockwise as far as it will go to cock the camera - around 150 degrees. If its jammed don't force it. Then the button should operate the shutter. It should work without film.
It's sometimes possible to free up a mechanical jam by removing the base of the camera (easy, just two or three little screws) and carefully moving the mechanism but its your call. |
Soonerbillz
Tinkerer
Username: Soonerbillz
Post Number: 2
Registered: 11-2011
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, November 12, 2011 - 01:50 pm: |
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Thanks again but I think I confuse everyone. That camera shutter and winder works fine but the camera Electrics won't come on |
Soonerbillz
Tinkerer
Username: Soonerbillz
Post Number: 3
Registered: 11-2011
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, November 12, 2011 - 02:10 pm: |
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And yes the winder headless is loose and floppy. It dos not hold tight against the body. Would that stop the camera powering on? |
Brcamera
Tinkerer
Username: Brcamera
Post Number: 128
Registered: 08-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, November 12, 2011 - 05:44 pm: |
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Could you please clarify the camera operation: You say that the shutter works fine, but is it just working on the mechanical fast speed? Does the shutter speed change with different light conditions? This is important troubleshooting information. If the shutter only delivers the fast speed and the LED display is not working, then you are not getting power to the circuit and the battery box or wiring could be the issue although more likely the main switch. I am assuming that the batteries are good and are installed properly and no corrosion on the battery box contacts.
If the wind lever is loose and does not hold against the body then the click spring is certainly broken. This problem would not usually cause the electronics to fail. However, the broken click spring is still somewhere in the camera and may be waiting to cause a problem in the future...
Bill |
Soonerbillz
Tinkerer
Username: Soonerbillz
Post Number: 4
Registered: 11-2011
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, November 12, 2011 - 07:51 pm: |
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I have not tried to install any film so I'm not sure if that affects the operation of the shutter but it does seem that the shutter speed does not change so I'll assume that it is operating at what you call the fast speed. The batteries are new and I checked them with a meter and they show good. I cleaned the contacts and know I am installing them correctly(neg to the cap). The led or the viewfinder scales do not operate so I think that yes the circuit is not operating.
Is there some where I can find info on dis-assembly and help for for this model? I will admit this is the first time I've messed with a camera but I am mechanical and have built and restored a number of motorcycles,cars and bicycles. I have worked on vintage audio as well so I am not afraid to tackle some repairs.
Any help is appreciated. Thanks |
Lrsnrl
Tinkerer
Username: Lrsnrl
Post Number: 20
Registered: 02-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, November 12, 2011 - 10:14 pm: |
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Remove the cover screw on the frame advance
lever. It is a left-hand thread. You will need
some kind of rubber "pressure" wrench to do this.
Sometimes I have had to epoxy a small piece of
metal, plastic, or leather lever to the top of
the cover to get it off. There had been some
glue applied to keep it from comming loose.
Remove the exposed nut from the frame advance
shaft.
Remove the two screws on the side of the switch
knob and remove it.
Remove the rewind knob: pull out the rewind knob.
open the film door and insert a screwdriver blade
into the forks of the rewind shaft and twist the
knob off, normal right-hand thread.
Remove the nut on the rewind shaft and remove the
ASA dial.
Remove the small screws on the top and in the
back.
Look in the articles section of this website.
There is an article about the ME Super. Very
similar.
Also google "Pentax ME repair" and do some
reading. It will save you a lot of trouble. |
Soonerbillz
Tinkerer
Username: Soonerbillz
Post Number: 5
Registered: 11-2011
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, November 13, 2011 - 06:00 am: |
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I really appreciate all the help!
I found a link through this site to a PDF of the Pentax repair manual. It is definitely meant for the pro though so your layman description is most helpful!
Where can I get the parts I need to complete the repairs? |
Donnie_strickland
Tinkerer
Username: Donnie_strickland
Post Number: 138
Registered: 09-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, November 13, 2011 - 09:50 am: |
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Parts would in all likelihood have to come from another ME. Another option would be to send it to Eric Hendrickson at pentaxs.com. |
Brcamera
Tinkerer
Username: Brcamera
Post Number: 129
Registered: 08-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, November 13, 2011 - 11:14 am: |
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Once you get into the camera and find out what parts you may need, please PM me as I have a large stock of new parts for Pentax including the ME series.
Bill |
Soonerbillz
Tinkerer
Username: Soonerbillz
Post Number: 6
Registered: 11-2011
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, November 13, 2011 - 12:50 pm: |
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Excellent! Hopefully I will have time this week to get into it. I am using the links here to prepare to work on this and am going to buy the needed supplies today.
On another note, I have a opportunity to buy another Pentax for $25 it's a K1000, again it is condition unknown though it looks clean from the pic I was sent. It comes with a zoom lens too.
Are these worth messing with? |
