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Dave

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Posted on Friday, April 02, 2004 - 08:40 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

I've got a Pentax ME Super with a strange problem. What happens is when I look through the viewfinder after putting it into the A mode, the green dot is next to the M and the shutter speed is fixed at what I had last set the manual speed at (indicating that the camera is still in Manual mode). Here's the weird thing.. when I apply a bit of pressure onto the selector ring (either by pressing down on it or pulling the sides of the selector ring towards the direction of my face) I can see in the viewfinder that the meter lights first become a bit erratic and then go into the A mode. The shutter speed will then change when I stop down or point the lens at light as it should it Auto mode. It stays steadily in A while applying pressure, but it goes back into M as soon as I remove the pressure on the selector ring. The small white button of the selector ring works as it is supposed to (the selector ring does stay in the locked A position and white button pops up, locking the selector into place when in A).

This led me to an uneducated assumption.. that this is somehow caused by gunk on the electrical contacts or by physical fatigue or distortion of the contacts themselves. Having never opened one of these cameras, I could only guess. Would opening it up and using some De Ox-id (non spray cramolin type contact cleaner) at the contact points correct the problem?

Has anyone heard of this problem before? I shoot chrome almost exclusively and the meter exposes perfectly in Manual, but I'd like to get it working in Auto. Any advice?
Thanks! Dave
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john

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Posted on Monday, April 19, 2004 - 12:36 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Hi Dave.It is possible to remove the top for cleaning the switches with very little difficulty. Remove the rewind lever and the wind on lever. The securers for the wind on lever are left hand threaded. Remove the screws around the top. Do not remove any of the mode control or shutter release button. Put the mode switch into auto. Remove the top slowly whilst the camera is on its back. Watch for a little pin which is in the shutter release button. When the top is off, note the position of a plastic lever in the body which is controlled by the mode switch.replace top and twiddle mode switch back into position.John.

By John on Sunday, April 18, 2004 - 06:44 am:


May I just clarify that when the top is put back on, the idea, is to twiddle the switch to "B" and the back to auto, you will hear and feel the mode switch go back into the position it needs to be in.regards, John.


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