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John Meyers
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 08, 2004 - 09:53 pm: | 
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Hi, I just got a Pentax ME Super in a garage sale with some kind of electrical problem I think. Without batteries in it, the shutter fires fine, (at the mechanical 1/125 speed I assume) whether set on Auto, M, or 1/125. I inserted brand new batteries yesterday, and I got no meter readings in the viewfinder, and when I fired the shutter, it would open and the mirror would go up, but then it would just stay there. When I opened the battery cover, then the shutter closed and the mirror came down. After leaving the batteries in the camera overnight, they were dead (I tried them in another camera to be sure). I would assume this is some kind of short in the electronics.
I have never attempted any kind of camera repair. Is this something for a novice to try to tackle, or should I simply toss the camera?
Thanks. |
Henry
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, December 09, 2004 - 07:07 am: |
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The second curtain is being held open electronically...which explains the dead batteries! There could be several causes. Worse case is that the timing chip is toasted. And I know of no source of replacement chips except donor cameras. Of course, it might simply be a bad capacitor or something equally simple.
The ME Super isn't that complicated a camera if one has a bit of experience. However, it sounds like you might have serious electronic problems. So, unless you possess electronic experience, I suggest you donate the camera to a fellow tinkerer on this site who has a mechanically busted Super. He might even trade you another old camera for it! (I personally don't need it. I have a handful of working M-series Pentax's and a boot box full of disassembled donors.)
But whatever you do...DON'T trash it!!!
Henry |
Haig Hovaness
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, December 09, 2004 - 07:27 am: |
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Alas, swapping the electronics in an ME Super is not a straightforward undertaking. The camera was produced in large quantities over several years, and Pentax made many small design changes in the electronics. Unfortunately, this means that not all of the electronics modules are interoperable.
Worst case, you have a decent flash camera. With an auto flash, 1/125 is all you need. |
John Meyers
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, December 09, 2004 - 09:38 am: |
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Thanks for your responses. It sounds as if this repair is beyond my novice repair abilities. So I will take the suggestion to donate to anyone on the list who would like it. Cosmetically, the camera is in excellent shape.
Since I got an old Pentax SP 500 in the same deal that I got the ME Super, I'd consider a trade for a screw mount lens. Preferably something other than a 50mm.
Please respond to me at [email protected]
Thanks.
John Meyers |
John Meyers
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 15, 2005 - 10:19 pm: |
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Just want to let anyone know that I no longer have the ME Super.
John Meyers |
andy mooser
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 02, 2005 - 06:42 pm: |
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These symtoms are typical of the batteries installed reverse polarity.
If you don't have a manual, and there is no polarity marking on the camera, and you are a logical thinker, then you will no doubt install the batteries incorrectly.
sorry.
The positive side enters the camera first. |
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