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PJ SEVERIN
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 20, 2004 - 09:00 am: | 
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Hello everybody
Fisrt of all, I apologise for my english writing as I am french, I try to do my best but .....
I was given a Pentax ME super camera by a friend. This camera has not been used for at least 4 or 5 years.
When I cock the advance lever, shutter latches correctly, but when pushing the "firing" button shutter does not trip. Film advance lever had to be cocked up 5 or 6 times to have the shutter trip, whatever the mode selector position.
I then discovered Favorite classics web site and the forum about camera repair, great web site indeed ....
From Q & A on the Repair Forum, I understand that if coking is OK (and I can see it by shutter movement during cock action and latching), random "firing" could occur because of dried lubricant ond dirt. Yesterday night, after manipulating a lot, it seemed to be OK (100 trails without any missfiring). But this morning, phenomenon was back, repetitive advancing was necessary before shutter to trip.
Who can have idea of investigation zone in the shutter mechanism ?
Thank you in advance for your answers, best regards
Pierre jean |
Stuart Willis
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 21, 2004 - 03:52 am: |
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Greetings Pierre from Queensland, Australia.
I have experieced precisely those symptoms with a Pentax MG - which in terms of mirror-box mechanism is near identical with the ME. The irritation was that after sitting overnight - the problem returned.
The cause of the malfunction was found to congealed lithium grease on the mirror-box mechanism. It is to do with the powerful spring which is sited underneath the mirror-box - and the associated detenting levers etc.
You will have to pull out the front end if you want to fix the issue. Not an easy job on an ME if you haven't done one before.
Best
Stuart Willis |
PJ SEVERIN
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 23, 2004 - 10:09 am: |
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Stuart,
thank you for answer.
From more analysis of this random phenomenon (and carefull reading of pages "Pentax ME super ramblings" by Henry Taber)it appears that when after winding action, wind lock lever remains in back position, shutter will not trip when shutter button pushed down. When after some winding actions, wind lock lever finaly goes nearer to axis, shutter trip occurs.
I precise that in all cases shutter is cocked from first action on wind lever.
Does it confirm grease aging to be the root cause of missfunction ?
Best regards
Pierre Jean |
Jeff Hamilton
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 19, 2004 - 08:34 pm: |
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I am no expert but, I have recently experienced the same problem. It seems ME Super holds a grudge if ignored for some time. What I found was that my batteries were dead. Once removed, the shutter cocked and fired just fine at flash sync speed and "B." I bought new batteries and the the LEDs didn't work. Reversed batteries and now the LEDs work AND the shutter works in Auto as well as flash sync and "B." The single battery in a K1000 goes in (-) first and the cap is marked "(+)" so I assumed the ME Super was the same. Obviously not. Not sure if the batteries fixed the shutter problem or if it's a fluke. Thank goodness for the 24 yo K1000 while the ME and MG were down.
Jeff NW Ohio, US |
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