Introduction to the ME Super, Video 2 of 2
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 ก.ค. 2024
- After the ME, Pentax released the ME Super as an entry-level SLR. Better than the ME and MV, the ME Super had the option for manual camera use. The function was wonky and definitely encouraged automatic mode use, but a manual option existed.
Completing largely with the Olympus cameras to be the smallest 35mm film SLRs, the ME Super was smaller than the Olympus OM-2 and OM-2N as well as most other 35mm cameras on the market. Light and reliable, the ME Super presented a valid pathway for people upgrading from automatic or point-and-shoot cameras to SLRs.
Index:
Skip the Intro: 0:07
Len Mounting and Unmounting: 00:28
Film Loading and Unloading: 1:50
Changing the Batteries: 4:41
Reading the Light Meter: 7:35
How to Focus: 10:03
Some Tips on Metering and Usage: 10:47
Shameless Begging: 13:43
Link to Video 1:
• Introduction to the ME...
Music: Space Coast by Topher Mohr and Alex Elena, from the TH-cam Audio Library
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This is the most understandable introduction which clearly explaining step by step for a beginner like me.
I've just got my dad's camera and it's quite new to me.
Thank you! And great first camera!
I'm so stoked that you put up this video, as well as the first one! I just got the camera, and your videos helped a ton! Thanks so much.
You're very welcome! Take great photos!
Thanks for the post. I have and love this camera. Takes super crisp images and your info has been very informative. Keep up the good work!
Thank you so much for posting these videos! I have this camera that was originally purchased for my brother back in the early 80's. I haven't used it in years and am wanting to get back into it. It's so wonderful to have tutorials for this exact camera!
Thank you!
These are really a lot of fun to use and can take great photos. They're wonderful to carry around and shoot with.
The fact that all the functions were described in context, with explanations, helped me hugely, compared with other videos on this camera.
Thank you!
Thank you! I just got my dad's camera, and I am stoked to start shooting. It was so funny to watch my dad's album from when he was only 20 years old, and going on Interrail trip with his best buddy, with this exact camera. Man, it made me know my dad from a totally new view.. :)
Nice! It's fantastic to use family cameras. I have my dad's and grandfather's, and shooting with them is a great connection to the past.
I missed shooting using film. It’s a huge part of my childhood. I recently bought a secondhand Pentax ME Super and your video helped a lot to make me understand the mechanisms! Can’t wait to take pictures.
Thank you! And definitely enjoy. I like film a lot more than digital a lot of the time.
Thank you for this wonderful and easy to understand introductory video to the camera. I inherited this from my father who passed away. Initially I was upset that nobody could teach me, an amateur, how to use this Pentax. But this video was perfect! Thank you! :)
Thank you! These are still very nice cameras to use and I hope you get to take a lot of great photos with it.
I bought this camera last week. It has just arrived. I had little problem with understanding how it works but with your video, I can take photos! Greetings!
Fantastic! And thank you!
Thank you for this amazingly clear explanation and walkthrough of the manual mode.
Thank you!
Very helpful set of videos, that's for taking the time to make them! Can't wait until my batteries get delivered so I can get shooting!
Thank you! Have fun with it! These are great cameras.
I bought a Pentax ME Super a few weeks ago. I owned one in the 1980's but never did learn how to use it correctly. Your videos and instructions have been most helpful. Now we are in lockdown I am going to see if I can capture some images. I will search for your videos on projects etc. Thank you.
Thank you!
Dear David!
Thanks for these two videos.
Do you know what?
Your videos are from 2013, but I bought a Pentax ME Super today, 30th June of 2021 and I learn a lot about this camera.
Remember:
I trusted you always about photography, sorry for my last message about your dog!...
Thank you! Steinbeck says you're forgiven, too. :D
Hi David, Thanks for the clear step by step guide, about the throw some batteries and film in a ME Super that has been stored for 30 years so will see what happens. Also found your K3 videos a great help, keep up the good work! Subscribed.
Thank you!
Hi Ian, how did it go with the camera? I picked one up at a garage sale and suspect it has some gear that needs resetting and the previous owner did not want to spend $ to fix. Wondering if your 30 y.o. managed to come to life or you had a similar diagnosis.
Thanks for this video, a co-worker gave me this exact camera, these explanation helped a lot. Thanks
Thank you!
thank you so much for making this! just picked up this camera without the manual so this was super helpful :)
Thank you!
Here is the manual : www.butkus.org/chinon/pentax/pentax_me_super/pentax_me_super.htm
Thank you for your video; it is very helpful. I've just got this camera, starting my venture into film world. The efforts you made help people like me so much.
Please add explanations for the film counter, the little window on back side, top right corner, and the second screw (not the battery's) on bottom side.
Thank you!
The film counter resets when you open the film back. Before shooting, you need to advance the film so that the film advance window lines up with the "S". The window on the back is the eyepiece so that you can see what the image will look like. The smaller screw on the bottom is the motor drive cap.
I just picked this camera up. Our information was very helpful thanks.
Thank you!
thank you for the video, I've just bought a ME Super off ebay, this video has really helped me get to grips with the camera.
It's been a decade since I last shot some film.
+ade smith Thank you and welcome back to film! :D
I really appreciate your instruction. I am getting interested in film again. I have this camera, purchased back in early 80's with a 50mm, 1.4 lens. I had forgotten much even though I have an old instruction manual. Watching your video is better.
Thank you, Jerry!
Another great tutorial, thanks David!
Thank you!
Just picked up my ME Super today - and was scratching my head a bit. These two videos were really really really helpful. Very grateful to you and your time to help share your knowledge. Will be looking to develop my own film do you have videos for this? Many thanks Eddie Q
+eddieq1905 I do: th-cam.com/video/8Y586-3KdOA/w-d-xo.html
I also have some videos about things like making a film washers for less than $10 and some other DIY topics.
very useful information! thankyou very much for this video and occasional humour within the video:)
Thank you!
Hey David, Thanks for the video. Quick question... when I put my lens on the camera, it seems that I can no longer adjust the aperture, is that right? I move the aperture around and nothing happens at all. Not only does what I see through the viewfinder not change but the meter doesn't change either. Any idea why this might be?
Thank you!
Your camera is working exactly correctly. You won't ever be aware of the aperture closing for a photo if it works correctly. Try this. If you have film in the camera, this will waste one frame. Set the aperture to f/22 and the shutter to a full second. Then look at the camera and take a photo. The aperture should stop down then.
When the camera works properly. the aperture stops down at the same time that the mirror flips up (and blacks out the viewfinder.) Then the photo is taken. The aperture opens again as the mirror descends.
David Hancock - thanks again! I’ll give that a shot!
Just received this camera from my dad. I’d like to learn how to shoot film and this video helped a lot
Thank you!
Fantastic video, you are great! Thanks very much David :)
Josh Squash Thank you and you're welcome!Take great photos!
Just got my ME super today!!! Thanks for the video!
Nice!
Hi! Just tried using my camera today. It is sunny and I put my camera un Auto mode but I can see half dark and half clear in the viewfinder, the one where I should adjust to focus. Do you think there's a problem with my camera? I tried shooting indoors but I can see both sides clear and be able to align and focus. I am not sure if i took a good photo with the half dark half clear going on. Hope you could help me where to adjust! Thank you!
@@francezannquintos2074 hmm. What lens do you have and was it stopped down (aperture closed while looking through the viewfinder) outside? What you're describing is coming with some lenses, like ultra telephoto f/8 and f/11 lenses. It's also common if a lens' apperture is closed while looking through the viewfinder.
@@DavidHancock I'm using the SMC Pentax-M 50mm lens. And the aperture is at
f/16. I tried opening the aperture at f/4 then I can see clearly. I am following the sunny16 and have it at f16 when it is sunny but that it what I am having. I am not sure. I guess I just have to practice.
Thank you so much for this tutorial!
Thank you!
I found this video really helpful. I ended up buying a Pentax ME Super off the back of this video. Im interested in taking quite grainy shots with a largish depth of field so i'll probably hit you up for some advice like correct film and ISO settings when it arrives. Thanks for all the tips.
+Blake Mostyn You're very welcome.
As for advice on films, I won't make you wait till it arrives.
So you want grain? Well, there are some good options. You'll want, in general, a fast film. Here are some of the grainiest films I've used:
Ilford HP5+ (the graniest, I really dislike the look)
Rollei Retro 400 (awesome grain, I really like this film's look.)
Lucky SHD 100 (this film has the grain of a 400 ISO film, but you have to buy it from Alibaba and maybe eBay, no one imports it.)
Kodak Tri-X 400 (this film can be pulled to ISO 50 or pushed to 3200 --I've gone to both extremes) and it has a nice grain structure in the images.)
I have only ever used Delta 3200 in medium format, but it might be a film worth trying. I would imagine it has significant grain.
Another option is expired film, as that tends to develop grain and get highly contrasty with wage. Expired film should be overexposed by one stop for every five or seven years past the expiration code.
To get the greatest grain in your images, develop the film in Rodinal 1+25. Rodinal is also available in the less-toxic R09 formulation. If you're in the U.S., Freestyle Photo stocks R09. Some countries ban it, like Japan, however.
Another option for grain is to develop in Caffenol, which is made entirely with food-grade products that are pretty easy to get.
As for large depths of field, you'll want a wider lens. The wider the lens, the greater your depth of field will be. A 28mm lens can, often, focus from a few feet in front of the lens to infinity at f/16. Many 28mm lenses are formulated to have crazy depths of field. Pentax has a few amazing 28mm lenses to choose from, many of which are really inexpensive on the used market.
Let me know if that helps.
That's hugely helpful. Thank you for taking it upon yourself to answer my queries. I have bought one with a standard 50mm lense so hopefully I'll be able to play around with some different depth of fields with that to start with. As a complete novice to photography, I've been trying to get my head around the exposure triangle and how that will effect my shots. I'm sure it'll become a lot easier once I actually have my camera to experiment with.
Thanks once again for your help. I'll be sure you hit you up with any other questions if I get into trouble (if you don't mind). You the man!
For grainy pictures prefer ISO-400 or ISO-800 film. There used to also be ISO-1000 and ISO-1600 film available but I'm not sure about today. The 1/2000th high-speed shutter will definitely help if you are using this high-speed film outdoors! Also, if you want blurry (bokeh) photos, get the f1.4 lens if you can afford it (still > $100, even used, and worth every penny for candids & low-light photos.)
I think the question about the little window on the back refers to the orange film advance indicator. It appears to wiggle to let you know you’ve loaded the film correctly.
Yup!
Videos 1 and 2 are both excellent
Thank you!
Thanks, very helpful!!
Thank you!
thank you so much for your help!
You're welcome.
My dad let me borrow his ME Super for me to play around with, and he was complaining that it hasn't been working for ages. He even sent it to England for repairs and they sent it back saying it was fine. He's tried new batteries and cleaning the contactors and had just given up on fixing it. After watching this video I fixed it in 2 seconds. Turns out he had the batteries in upside down. -_-
Nice! I've done that exact same thing -- sent a camera in for repair because I loaded the batteries the wrong way.
Awesome video
Thank you
Thank you!
Hi David
I just brought the pentax me super for second hand but I have questions I don't know if you would have the answers to...... when I look through the view finder it's all black, how can I fix this? and can you still use the camera even if the knob to change film frames is broken?
thanks for this video !!!
Thank you!
Great videos, very informative and well filmed.
The LR44 batteries are a little hard for me to find. I'm wondering if you know any alternative batteries I can use that are more commonly found in hardware stores ect. I have come across 357 batteries - would these work? thanks
You can try watch stores?
great video ! Hey David i ordered the ME SUPER replace the other camera i have now. i looked around and saw that the ME SUPER needs Alkaline Batteries i think LR44 batteries. could the Energizer 357/303 1.55v Silver Oxide batteries work ? i couldn't find if that would mess up the Camera.
+Von Vock Thank you. A 357 or A76 battery will work just fine in your ME Super.
Hey David! Is there any way to fix the shudder problem? Also awesome video!
+Bella Saladbar Thank you!
As for the shutter, there may be. Can you describe the problem that your shutter is having?
Im new on this camera, also film photography (despite had experience using late 90's nikon model which is pretty much auto 16 years ago) now Im using this Pentax camera to advance my photography skill, but I'm a bit confused about reading frame on frame counter, for example : I think or I feel I took picture more than two frames inbetween 4-6 indicator numbers on frame counter, would you explain how this thing's work? Much appreciate!
The frame counter should just tick up one spot each time you take a frame. Some numbers aren't marked. The count should be accurate, but if you can glance at it and see that you're at, or near, frame 6, or frame 16, or frame 32, then it gives you an idea that you're some approximate number of shots away from the end of a roll.
Thanks for this video David! I have just found one of these cameras in my grandads old house and am trying to get to grips with shooting on film. I have a couple of questions... is there a way to tell what type of film is currently in the camera so as to make sure the ASA is correct? (Or do I just hope?..) also through the viewfinder I can’t seem to see any green or yellow lights? Any thoughts as to why this might be?
For the film type, just hope, and then develop it as normal. For the LED lights, make sure that you have two fresh batteries in the camera as the LEDs won't work without them (neither will automatic exposure and shutter speeds.)
Hello! Thank you so much for the very comprehensive video! I have just acquired my mum's old film camera (ME Super) which I am very excited about. As someone who is used to the Canon G7X, I now have a much greater understanding of the film camera world but I wanted to know which settings (ie. aperture and exposure) to use if I wanted to point and shoot? Would you recommend between 11-8 aperture, 1x exposure and keep it on auto? Thank you so much in advance!
Thank you! You could go with f/8 to f/16 and use zone focusing if you want to run and gun, yes. Then leave the exposure compensation set to neither over nor underexpose the film and the mode to auto.
thanks for the 2nd part, curious if you have a video on the different lens and how to use them .
sailawaybob I have not yet made a video about how to use different lenses (for TH-cam.) It's on the to-do list, but I have a huge backlog of videos that I've filmed and need to edit before I do anything new.
:)
sailawaybob Any K series lens will fit or any K adaptor from Tamron.. there are thousands on the market. :)
The f2.0 was a substandard lens and only benefit was its cheapness and compactness. The f1.7 was the sharpest lens among f1.7 and f1.8 lenses available - even better than the Nikon & Canon f1.8's. The f1.4 is also a very sharp lens but even used, > $100. There exists an f1.1 lens which is very large and is kind of a miracle I don't think any other camera maker ever release an f1.1 lens !! So you have lots of Pentax A-series lenses to choose from !! Oh the f1.1 might be a screw-mount I don't remember but there exists a screw-mount to K-mount (bayonet) adapter which lets you use any screw mount lens on this camera (but no auto mode)!! Also, all the minor japanese camera makers used the pentax standards - at first, screw mount, and layer, K-mount bayonets - Chiron, Yashica, Konica, Mimaya, etc ...
Hi David - thank you so much for this video, I got my hands on a Super ME and this was so helpful for a film beginner. I have an issue, my camera seems to take the image however I can’t see the LED light in the view finder to determine whether I’m over exposed or not. I’m still half way through a roll of film so don’t know if all my images are duds yet, so right now I’m just winging it. Do you have any advice? Is there a way around this? Thanks again!
Thank you! So the fastest way to check is to verify that you have two good batteries installed correctly, and that you are set to auto mode and not manual or flash sync. The camera won't work properly without them. If so, then point the camera at a light and take a photo. Next, cover the lens loosely with your hand and point it away. The shutter speeds should sound MUCH different. If yes, then the issue is that the LEDs are dead or otherwise not receiving power. If they shutter speeds are the same then there is a larger issue with the camera and the meter is not working.
love the videos, they really help me to understand the basics of photography (I've recently bought a pentax me super of ebay). What does the ASA mean in green on the exposure compensation ring?
Thank you!
The ASA is the same as the ISO and should be adjusted to match the film's speed (such as 400), which can be found on the box or cassette.
For a beginner, it's the film sensitivity. ASA-400 is pretty sensitive film, good for indoors, churches, etc., but ASA-800 is even better - large grains on the film, the film is more sensitive and works better in low-light. There is no equivalence in digital cameras - you get one sensitivity and cannot change it, it's the sensor size! (1/2.3, 1", etc.) If you take ASA/ISO-400 film outside your camera will need the 1/2000th fast shutter speed (this was the fastest camera of its generation). ASA-25 is great for bright, outdoors, in the sunshine, it gives exquisite detail, no grain is visible, you can blow up a giant print and still, no grain is visible, the particles on the film are very small.
Great video! Just bought one today as I love taking photos with my canon, but wanted to challenge myself and take it on film. I have taken photos on film before but it was years ago. Just a question my camera is a pentax me super. For some reason there are not red or green dots where it displays the exposure and whether your on manual or auto? I thought it may be because of the batteries but I have them and the camera's working fine. Any suggestions?
+Ella Bennett It's possible that the LEDs are dead.
The LEDs are the only indicators on this camera that the camera has power. Are you sure you have installed the batteries correctly?
Great video, thanks so much David!! Just wondering if you happen to know how I could tell if the batteries are low? Do they usually last for quite long? Thank you! :)
Thank you! The batteries should last for about a year. Short of buying a battery tester, there's no real way to know except that the camera will stop working.
What temperatures do you think this camera could shoot in? Would it be bad for the camera if I were to take it in sub-zero (Celsius) temperatures?
That's going to be more dependent on the batteries. They'll stop sending a charge to the camera due to cold before the camera locks up. The manual should indicate an operating range for the camera. The Butkus camera manual site would have a PDF of it (there may be a link in the video description.)
i have a few questions, please understand this is my first day having a film camera so I'm a rookie. How do I know what aperture distance to shoot at ? do i take a rough estimation as to how far the object that i am aiming to shoot and then change the aperture dial to say 8 if the object is 8 feet away?I do not understand how to use the aperture dial for my shots
With this camera, you simply look through the viewfinder and focus. If the image is in focus in the viewfinder, then it's in focus on the film. The aperture numbers are a mathematical ratio. Basically, f8 means that the aperture diameter is 1/8th the lens focal distance. F8 on an 80mm lens means the aperture is 10mm across. That's the most simple explanation.
Aperture affects depth of field but the number does not directly correspond to the number of feet that are in focus. In fact, depth of field changes base on how far the subject is from you. If you focus on something five feet away, the f8 DoF may only be three feet in each direction. If you focus on something 200 feet away, the f8 DoF will be maybe 50 feet in each direction (all those numbers are only for explanation purposes and don't reflect actual lens performance.)
Great video David. I just bought my pentax and it really helped.
I have one problem though. My camera isn't a ME super, but just ME and when I bought it i was able to see the light indicaters when focusing, in the camera. But now i can't, there is no dot, not even in the over or under "bottom". Do you know why?
Lotte Sørensen The ME and ME Super have a slightly different interface, I think. Here's my video for the ME: th-cam.com/video/LVv-VbTKISk/w-d-xo.html
Let me know if that helps.
Oh, great! Thanks
The crank doesn't spin when I advance my film but I can feel the resistance when I rewind it a little bit. Does this mean I'm loading my film improperly or is the crank nor working right? How do I resolve this and will my photos still be able to shoot properly?
Hmm. So run through the whole process with me. You've loaded your film, actuated the shutter, and are now trying to advance your film, correct? And you haven't taken any photos with the film yet?
Hi, thanks for this video it really helped. I picked up an old ME-F from a car boot sale and had no idea how to use it, i'm trained digitally so was clueless. However, I do have a problem, which I believe I think your camera has, when I pull back the shutter arm thing, and then release it, it automatically releases the shutter (meaning I haven't pressed the button and it still exposes) also the shutter arm sometimes will only go half way and not ready the next shot, not sure if its me or if i have a faulty camera? thanks :)
BakerVisionStudios Well, one of the ME Supers I was loaned did have that problem. That means that there's either a stripped gear or a broken connection of some type inside the camera's mechanism. That's an issue that requires a professional repair. Honestly, your best bet is to sell the camera for parts on eBay and buy a different ME Super. They're plentiful enough that you can get a working one for a reasonable price.
Have you done any videos on aperture? I'm really new to this, and I am currently loaning my fathers old ME Super. These two clips have been a massive help!
I don't have a video dedicated to aperture use. There are a lot of options on YT for that, however.
Use a handheld light meter for the correct f.stop & aperture. Its a good investment will help you learn photography.
Hi David, I just recently acquired this camera and have the same problem you did with the shutter operation at 2:06. Do you have any idea how to fix it? I've really been anticipating using this camera.
Yeah, it needs a professional repair. Something inside it has either broken or come off of a linkage. I'd start with Eric at Pentaxs.com. I forget whether or not he repairs M series cameras.
thanks man, great video.
quick question. i often shoot at night but in auto mode, (and manual for that matter) the camera refuses to use a shutter speed above 1/30.to avoid a blurred photo i need 1/60. is there a way around this? would exposure compensation allow me to achieve a better shutter speed? otherwise the camera always tells me im over or under exposed.even if i preselect the speed in manual mode it always tells me the exposures wrong. this doesnt seem to be an issue in bright environments (which is not a suprise really).
thanks
Hmm. I know that the camera has a safeguard to prevent slow-speed exposures during automatic shooting. It should allow slow speed shots in manual mode and will during bulb shooting.
If you are shooting at night the correct exposure is probably 1/30th or even slower! I remember taking exposures of 10s in the snow outside at night using a remote trigger and the "B" setting for a 5-10s exposure! If you get a much faster f1.1 lens or f1.4 lens (both are hundreds of dollars, still) maybe you can get 1/30th? Those are very fast lenses. Another possibility is to go to auto mode, and set the film ASA to one step higher (i.e. if you have ISO-400 film, set the film ring to ISO-800). Then tell the film processor to "push process" the film to 2x higher ASA. They can increase the film speed in the developing step. My first use of an ME super was to attend a wedding in a dark church. I had ASA-400 (ISO-800) film but it wasn't enough. I shot the film at ASA-800 (ISO-800) and push-processed it to ASA-800. Best to only change the ASA/ISO by at most 1 step when you push-process film.
I just got this camera to add to my collection but the only problem is that I don't know exactly when the image is focused... in the view finder I can never get it to focus fully on near objects !! is this the norm or is something wrong (far images are only clear in the viewfinder outside in the day and near objects can never focus fully)
It depends on your lens. If you have the standard 50mm, it will only focus as close as a couple of feet. Any closer and it won't work. Try focusing on something about five feet away and see if that works.
Hey David ! Was wondering if you can help me with filming a nite shot, I want to film a moon shot because we have some really cool moon rises in the summer over a mountain range here. Not sure how to set the camera up for this and what ASA film is best for this, and can a 28-70mm 1:3.5 -4.5 lens be used, I know I'll need to use the tripod. By the way, thanks for the refresher course and thanks for any assistance you can provide me.
robert gagne I think that moon shots, to properly expose the moon, are f/8, 1/250th, with ISO 400 film. But the moon is bright enough that if you put it in the center of the frame you can take a meter reading and then use the ME Super's manual override to set a manual shutter speed to the meter reading. That will allow you to recompose.
If you do it that way, your moon will be grayish-white and your foreground, if you have one, a silhouette. The technique I described is the best if you want to take just the moon.
Also, for your 35-70, your moon will be just a tiny dot on the negative and not really a usable image by itself. So your best bet is to make the moon an element of your overall image composition. To that end, once you have your meter reading, if you give yourself two to four additional stops of light by increasing the shutter speed (and taking multiple images with different settings is a good idea in this case) you're more likely to have a good shot.
David Hancock Dave , thank you for the info and responding to my question. I'll give that a go and see how the end product turns out. U Da Man!
I just got this camera from a pawn shop. I thought it would be cool to get into film photography, but I'm not sure if it works. I can't seem to take off the battery cover. It's really in there. You think it's possible to take it a camera store and ask for help?
Definitely yes. I also have a video that shows how to remove a stuck battery cap:
th-cam.com/video/0BQNSsM1okU/w-d-xo.html
If the battery leaked inside it, however, there is a risk that the corrosion could follow the electrical cables into the camera. So it would be worth having it repaired if that's the case. Eric Hendrickson at www.pentaxs.com is a very experienced Pentax repairman who knows these cameras better than anyone else.
Hi! i just pulled out my mums Pentax ME F, and the shutter doesnt seem to go when i click the button to take a photo. any ideas?
First suggestion would be the batteries. The F needs those to operate except in the manual speed setting. Also the film advance lever will need to be advanced for the shutter to fire.
When I look through the lens finder I don't see a green or yellow dot at all. When you say you are pressing the shutter, what exactly are you pressing, which button? I am very new to this camera, if you couldn't tell lol.
Press down lightly - about 50% - on the shutter button to turn on the electronics. If you hear a click then you've taken a photo and have gone too far.
what should I do if I don’t see the green and red dots in the light meter ? Great video !:)
First thing to check is the batteries and make sure that they work and are new. If replacing them makes the lights work, problem solved. If not, then check that the camera's auto functions work with the new batteries. Firstly, after installing the new batteries, set the ISO (ASA) to 400 and aperture to 5.6. Then take a photo pointing the camera at a light or outside. Then try it again (indoors) with your hand about a half inch (1.25CM) in front of the lens. The shutter speeds should be noticeably different. If so, then the LEDs are dead. If not, then there's a larger issue with the camera that means it likely needs a professional repair.
Hi, i have this problem with my pentax me super where the view finder just turns black and only shows whats inside my lens ( as in looking straight through the lens of the camera when dismounted) rather than what i should see. could you help me out here? ive tried changing the batteries but it solved the problem for a short while but it came back even before i finished one film. im not sure if its a battery problem or a camera problem
Hmm. That's a tough one. I'm not exactly sure what you're describing, so here are a few questions.
1- When the viewfinder turns black, take the lens off and what do you see? If the mirror flipped up? If so, is the shutter opened or closed?
2- Under what conditions does the mirror flip back down and the viewfinder stop being black?
3- What shutter setting are you using? What film speed? What aperture?
When you are looking through the viewfinder the mirror extends down at 45 degrees to reflect the light up into the penta-prism. When you take a picture it quickly flips up horizontal, hitting the square base of the penta prism. There is black foam to cushion this shock. Sometimes the mirror sticks because of aged, black, sticky foam. All old cameras of this type need to be "re-foamed", also to avoid foam particles fouling the shutter. There are several former Pentax service people on the internet offering a camera refurbishment - new foams, cleaning, lubrication, replace minor parts, for about $80-$120, worth it, imho, i did it with 2 cameras (pristine condition but foam has turned to mush).
How's it going David, I recently acquired this camera for my first film camera and didn't come with manuals but your 2 videos helped me so much! I pretty much learned the basics but still yet to buy film for my camera. What type of film do you suggest me purchasing?
HipHopFiend710 I'm glad my videos helped. For film, there are a LOT of options. The three basic types are black and white, color print, and color reversal (slide) films.
For black and white, try out Ilford HP5+ to start. It's a good, fast film. You can also give Ilford's Delta 100 a go for a slower film. They're good films and less expensive than Kodak and Fuji. In the U.S., Ultrafine Online sells good 400 and 100 films that are excellent choices for learning with.
For color print, Kodak Ektar is the best bet. I think the colors are the best. It's expensive, though. I'm not a particular fan of Fuji's color films' color rendition (though their quality is great.)
For reversal film, Fuji's 50 ISO Velvia and 100 ISO (I forget the name of it) are stupendous.
I'd suggest learning on black and white as it's the most forgiving.
Hey how do you do double exposures with this camera? Thank you so much! These videos were very helpful!
Thank you! For that you would hold down the film rewind button and film rewind knob while advancing the film after your first exposure so that the film stays in place while the shutter arms. My new film camera manuals go into detail about the math and procedure behind it. I believe that my recent Pentax S2 Super video, part 2, shows how to do it and the process and details are all the same.
There is an orange "zebra" window right below the winder knob that moves when the film is winding. By holding down both the film-release button (bottom of the camera, right side in an indent) and the film-rewind lever (upper left of the camera), when you wind the camera, this orange zebra window will not move, indicating you have cocked the shutter without advancing the film.
Thank you for the video! One question, why would you use the exposure comp dial when you can more easily change your shutter speed in manual?
Thank you!
For the EV compensation vs. manual, EV compensation is stepless. So if a proper one-stop-under shutter speed is 1/364th, the camera can do that. However, if you're in manual mode you're locked into 1/500th or 1/250th. Also, EV compensation is good for users who want to stay in a semi-automatic mode.
@@DavidHancock perfect thank you David.
@@KidClassic1 Also you can run film from ASA-ISO 6-6400 with the exposure compensation dial cranked to one end or the other, something the TH-cam video failed to point out, which makes this camera more competitive with high-end cameras.
Very Helpful indeed. :)
Thank you!
I've put batteries in it already but I don't know the reason why I don't see any green or yellow dots at the shutter speed scale through the viewfinder!
Are the batteries good and are they inserted correctly? Also, what setting is your control dial (around the ring) set to?
Hi I believe the mount for this camera is k-f I have 2 super takuma lenses for this camera which I want to find an adaptor to fit to my Fuji x mount mirrorless camera, I cannot find an adaptor that says k-f to Fuji x most say k or pk do you know if there is a k-f adaptor or is it just k ?
You're looking or a Pentax K or PK to Fuji X Adapter. K-F isn't, that I know of, a Pentax mount designation. There's the later K-AF series but those are for autofocus, which this camera doesn't have. Think this was the Pentax K-A mount for the specific sub-designation. That said, you won't need that much detail looking for an adapter as there isn't a specific (that I know of) A variation made. You just need a Pentax K adapter. If you want to go crazy with it, you can also get a Pentax K to Fuji tilt adapter, but those are honestly of limited usability is most situations are a re bit more expensive.
David Hancock thank you for getting back to me, it’s strange as I googled the mount for the me and it said k-f on the Wikipedia page but I could not find more information about a k-f mount anywhere else.....thank you again
I love this Camera i use the 125x mode because the manual mode is messed up the shutter door doesn’t open but I really love the camera I picked it up at a flea market for 30$!
The 125X mode is a really nice feature. I'm glad you're able to use it to some extent.
This camera has several features that make it THE BEST ONE when I got mine in 1981, (a) Fastest shutter, 1/2000th leaf shutter, (b) Smallest, (c) Able to shoot ISO-6 to ISO-6400 using the aperture ring + exposure compensation ring, (d) Able to shoot in 1/125th mode without batteries.
Hello, I'm little confuse about the light meter. Can I over or sub exposure a photgraphy using the light meter? Or should I use the exposure compesation 1/2X, 1/4X, 2X and/or 4X options? am I being clear?
Thanks and the video explanation is great!
You can over- and underexpose images with manual mode ust by changing the shutter speed or aperture. In program mode you would need to use the exposure compensation dial.
@@DavidHancock Perfect, I got it. In Manual mode in the light meter you can see how many stops you are over and under exposse?
In that case, what do you think about this camera and MX?, there is a big difference in the price between both.Thanks for you respond!! :) Really appreciate!
The easy question first, I like the MX more. It's built much better than these are and they're more reliable as the electronic components are simpler. Also, they don't need a battery to operate; the MX only uses the battery for the light meter.
As for intentional over- and under-exposing, the easiest way to figure out how many stops is just to count the clicks on the shutter or aperture dial.
@@DavidHancock Thank you! I was decided to buy the ME super due to the price and it has manual mode (difference from the ME) but then I started looking the MX and I found one with lower price than all the ones that are published and I think I'm going to that one. The only thing is it has a little dent in the top where Ashai name is. It's only esthetic.
Dave , I forgot to mention I am using the Pentex ME Super
David Hancock, I have seen both this video and the one you made for the Pentax MX.
I currently shoot a DSLR and a TLR (Lubitel 2).
As I am interested in getting a SLR, I would really like to know which one you would choose and why, based on your experience with both models.
Definitely the MX. Yes, the ME Super has aperture-priority shooting, but they're not as resilient as the MX and are more expensive to repair. I also tend to like the MX's ergonomics and light meter a bit better.
+David Hancock thanks for the feedback!
I cross threaded a battery cover, however I fixed it easily, I replaced the whole bottom plate.
That'll fix it.
Hi David,
Thanks for the video. I got this camera from my father as a hand me down (his name is David too lol).
I noticed that there is still film in this camera from 1998. Is this film no longer good and should I just throw this film away? The camera has been kept in its case all this time.
On another note, and my more important question, I cranked the film crank arm clockwise to tighten the film and although there was some very minor resistance, I was able to easily turn that arm clockwise. Is this supposed to happen? In other words, should there be much more resistance when I "tighten" the film? Also, by doing this did I do damage to the future processing of my film?
I'm totally new to any kind of photography so please excuse my apparent cluelessness…thanks to the answers and the graciousness in advance.
Peter Chung That's an awesome hand-me-down. So the film may well be good. I'd say finish shooting the roll and see what shots you get. If you get some photos of your family on it, it might be neat to have a single roll with photos of the same people separated by 16 years. I did that with an old roll of film my girlfriend's dad shot half of in the late 1980s, but it's at the photo lab this week so I don't know how it looks yet.
As for tightening, that's totally normal. The film roll is basically a loose spring, so as it sits in the camera it slowly uncoils. Even when out shooting, unless you burn through a roll of film in a couple hours, it's a good idea to periodically tighten up the roll. That helps keep the film flat on plane and improve image sharpness.
And welcome to film photography. It's a whole lot different and, I think, more fun that digital. It's addictive, too, and the results film can give are simply stunning.
Hi I just recently bought this camera, your videos have been super helpful! :) But when I look through the viewfinder i don't see any thing light up, there are no indicators. Does that just mean I need to change the batteries or will my camera work properly without the indicators? Once again, your videos have helped me out a lot, I look forward to hearing from you! Please help me, haha!
+Matty Scott Thank you.
So there are two common and easy solutions to your issue. The first is making sure that there are fresh batteries, as you noted. The second is ensuring they're installed correctly.
If that doesn't work, let me know and we'll try some basic troubleshooting.
Thank you!!
Hi! So I just got new batteries according to the instructions of your video and I still see no light indicators.
Make sure you're also in auto mode. If you're in B or 125X the camera may not illuminate the LEDs (I forget for sure.)
If nothing makes the LEDs light up, then it sounds like the LEDs are shot or there's another issue.
If the shutter speed varies based on lighting (to test this, set the ISO to 400 and aperture to 5.6, point the camera at a light and take a photo with the camera in auto mode. After that, put your hand in front of the lens to block most of the light and see if it's a longer shutter time.) If the camera is still firing at different times, it's usable but won't be able to communicate with you.
Ultimately, I'd send it in for a repair since that will find other latent issues with it and return it to near-factory specs. I use www.pentaxs.com for repairs.
Hi I’ve recently just bought a me super as my first camera I think everything is all good but I’ve noticed that after I advance the film to take a shot the lever locks out and I’m unable keep winding it to advance the film to start taking pictures
Sounds normal. You'll just need to trigger the shutter each time you want to advance.
When loading film, the method is, load the film on the barrel, wind camera, take a shot, wind camera, take a shot, wind camera. The first 2-3 shots are just to get the film moving as the film was open to light it will be over-exposed and will not develop into anything anyway.
I don't know if this question is relevant or not but can you use the exposure compensation while on manual mode? Or should I just play with the ISO a little bit (even though I have read you should stick to your film's ISO, mostly with color films)
--> rookie here
Definitely relevant. I'm not sure if it works (I never tried that with this camera), but it's easier to simply adjust either the aperture or shutter speed instead.
I am pretty certain these wheels probably change the inputs from the lens input-lever by however-many f-stops so they are probably active in manual mode. If you notice, doubling the ISO on the ISO wheel is the same amount of movement as -1/2x on the exposure compensation wheel.
I just recently picked up this camera as my first camera. I'm pretty sure I have the batteries in correctly, as well as the film. However, when I look through the viewfinder, I do not see the colored dots on the left side by the numbers. Does this mean I did something wrong, or is there something wrong with the camera itself?
Could be a few different things. There's a dial next to the shutter button. What setting do you have it at? Also, are you half-depressing the shutter button (you'll need to do that to see the LEDs light up.)
David Hancock I currently just have it at auto. And I've been trying using varying levels of pressure on the shutter button but I can't seem to make it work, and see the LED lights. So it makes me question whether or not I'm actually successfully taking photos haha
So you have film in it right now, correct? There's a simple test that we can do, but it will waste a frame or two. But first, it's worth taking the batteries out and making sure that they're placed correctly, that the batteries are clean, and that the battery cap and camera terminal are clean.
I'm having the same problem, I have the batteries in correctly and its all clean in there but I can't see the LED lights in automatic or manual mode so I have just have been shooting on 125x and hoping the pictures aren't all going to come out horridly under/over exposed! Any ideas?
hi, can I use AG 13 battery on it?
Yup.
Looks like I'll be needing your help, couldn't release the lens, by trying (too hard maybe) I broke the release button. Is there another way to release it? Please thanks for your help.
Oh dear. That's beyond my skills. If you're in the U.S., I'd send it to www.pentaxs.com. There may be a way to get a screwdriver or something into the lens release button to undo it, but the only other way I can think of to unmount the lens is to take the camera apart. The Fix Old Cameras channel may have some ideas, too, for things you can do yourself.
David Hancock thanks for your reply. Too bad. I'm in France. I'll try to find the French site to send it to. I'll keep you posted. But you release it so easily, mine wasn't moving at all. Also please how do you make the white spot on the lens drop down next the release button? By the way just got the camera, never used it, and already broken..😖
Thank you!
The white spot doesn't drop down. That's a fixed, raised part. The idea is that once a photographer is familiar enough with the system they can line up that dot with the film release button by braille and mount and remove lenses without looking at them. So you can hold the lens so that one side of your thumb touches the white dot and the other feels for the lens release button. Put the lens into the flange and turn. It's a pretty nifty trick. Unfortunately, Pentax just stopped putting them on lenses this year.
Push the lens release directly INTO the body (dont' push it sideways on the body, push INTO the body), and while holding this black button pushed into the body, rotate the lens clockwise 1/6th. good luck!
hi and thanks for the videos, they really helped!
i found my dad's old pentax ME super and its still in good condition however i might have a little big problem. the mirror wont flip when i try to take a photo and the shutter wont open either. i was wondering maybe you have any idea how i can try to fix this or repair it myself unless there is totally no hope and i have to send it off for professional repair.
thanks again and hope you can help, i was pretty excited when i found it :)
Shannon Pace Does your ME have fresh batteries? The camera needs fresh batteries in order to cycle the shutter.
David Hancock Yes those were the first things i replaced but nothing changed, they seem stuck. The LEDs however work fine so it surely doesn't have anything to do with the batteries
Yes, as soon as I advance it all the way the shutter appears to start opening but gets stuck and does not open
(thanks for your time I appreciate)
Shannon Pace I'm glad to help. Camera problems can be a mystery sometimes.
So I think that what's happened is that the mechanical components of your camera have gotten gummy. This happens when lubricating oils break down or the foam light seals turn gummy and get into the shutter mechanism. If that's the case, it can be fixed with a professional overhaul. I don't know exactly how much that is, but I think it's in the $75 range at www.pentaxs.com. If you elect to have it repaired at PentaxS (I think it would be worth it since the camera was your dad's, and an overhaul could give it 20 more years of life, or more,) let Eric know who referred you. You won't get anything for it, but when I see him in June it will give us something to talk about. :D
Don't try to force it to work. That could cause the shutter leafs to come off their track.
David Hancock I see, okay. It seems worth it since I'm willing to get it repaired rather than buying a more modern one. I had thought about the lubricating oils but I wasn't sure but how you explained it does make sense now since it hasn't been used for years now.
Thanks a lot again for all the help and I will sure to tell him :)
What lens mount does it have?
Pentax K
Does ME Super support Double Exposure, David ?
Yes, but it's fidly. To do a double exposure, you'll first tighten the film with the rewind crank -- just until you get resistance. Then take the first photo. Before advancing the film, hold the rewind knob and push the film release button on the bottom. Then cock the shutter (while continuing to depress the film release button and hold the rewind knob.) Then take your second frame. Because the registration can be altered by that, be sure to take a dead frame with the lens cap on after the double exposure. You'll also need to compensate for the exposure by adjusting the ISO. If you have ISO 100, set the dial to 200 to make sure it gets half as much light.
thank so much !
Hi David, You mention when looking through the viewfinder that E F stands for electronic flash, but it actually stands for Exposure Factor. This flashes red if you move the exposure compensation dial from 1X.
You are correct. Well, shoot. I didn't realize I got that wrong in the video.
Отличное и очень конкретное видео. Спасибо))). Вопрос к Вам - как Вы считаете, хорошая и надежная ли эта фотокамера?
Спасибо и вообще да. У ME Super есть недостатки в электронике. Если они выходят из строя, ремонт либо ОЧЕНЬ дорог, либо невозможен. Но если ваш ME Super работает, это отличная камера.
@@DavidHancock Спасибо за ответ!
Hey, how do I know in the viewfinder if the exposure is correct?
If your settings are correct, mostly it's trust. If you want to get a sense of if your exposure is correct, during the daytime, if you have a subject in full (NOT the sun, but say a tree or bush in the sun) and you set your aperture to f/16, your exposure speed should be about the same as your film speed.
David Hancock hmm, i saw that when under exposed and over exposed there are leds that indicate that in the viewfinder. but when the exposure is correct, is that indicated in the viewfinder?
RUS Hmm. I'm not sure. I don't have one of these on my shelf right now and I haven't used one in a few years. I think that there's a round LED between the plus and minus (if that's not correct, let me know; I could be mixing this up with another camera.) and that rough LED indicated proper exposure.
David Hancock ah okay, i've got the manual but lost the bidding for this camera on ebay, so... won't bother to know much details about this camera unfortunately.. thank you for your kind help
What are the batteries for in this camera?
Two A76, S76, or LR44 (all are the same thing.)
I mean what do the batteries power? I know a couple of the settings are mechanical :)
Hiya David,
Thanks for this, really helped. I have the ME and was wondering if you've ever encountered this problem, but my light reading aren't green or amber they're red all the way even when I change apperture, the dot is always red. is that a problem?
***** You're welcome and I'm glad my video was helpful.
So when you say they're all red, does that mean that the light is red regardless of whether the light next to the 1/1,000th or the 1/4 is lit? Or are only the lights slower than 1/30th being illuminated?
David Hancock Thanks for your reply! Yep the light/dot is red all the way through, from OVER to UNDER and through all the numbers
***** Hmm. Interesting. It sounds like it may just be a production variation. As long as the reading is correct, it should be no issue.
David Hancock ah could very well be, the readings seem to be fine, so I guess it is just that, Thanks again!
You're welcome. Take great photos!
How do you know when to change the batteries?
When the viewfinder LEDs don't light up is the best indication. If you shoot a couple of rolls a month, the batteries should last about a year.
When you press down lightly on the viewfinder, the electronic system comes on (but don't press to hard or you'll take a picture), and LEDs should light up in the viewfinder. If you're on 1/125th "no battery" mode, there will not be any lights btw. When the lights don't come on in Auto mode or M mode, you need new batteries.
I have this camera - love it but everytime I try to wind up the film afterwards, it gets caught...any suggestions?
Phyllis Langley Let's troubleshoot. First and easiest thing, are you holding the film rewind button down when you rewind the film? Some camera need the button held down for the entire film rewinding duration.
Hi David - Thanks for the response. Sorry for the delay on my end.
Currently, the film rewind button has been pressed and is staying inside the camera. When I go to wind the film it easily winds but I can tell there is no film being wound up inside (it got caught awhile ago).
I actually just opened the back up in a dark room and found that the film had been ripped from the holder and was all wrapped up in the wind still...so had to take it out. Not sure what the problem is. The teeth on the wind seem to have a hard time keeping the film in.
Sorry - I think my problem really lies in how I insert the film. I am just beginning to shoot 35mm and I've been told to do it so the roll just naturally gets wound around in a clockwise motion. But this is done counter clockwise, correct?
This one winds clockwise, I think. It is more likely it has to do with the way that the film cassette is sitting in the cassette chamber. If the door closes with the cassette at an angle, then the film gets pinched or a sprocket hole can catch on one of the guide rails, causing it to jam. (True story, once I had that happen on my K-1000 and I just thought it was having problems winding since I hadn't used it in years, and it turned out I tore every sprocket hole on the film advancing the film. That was a real mess when I went to develop it.)
Have you already used a few images? If not, you could try advancing a roll for a couple of shots with the back open right when you load it. It would waste a couple of shots, but you'd be able to see that the film is being taken up and moving through the body properly.
Hello David, and thanks for this video ! I think i'm missing something though. If I have a subject that is underexposed, I should move 1x towards 2x or 4x, right ? So why has the shutter speed been reduced ? (let's say it was originally at 1/125 originally, at 2x it's now 1/60, like in your example). In my mind it should increase the speed, allowing you to take a well exposed picture in a dark scene ? I think it's a reasonning mistake from me, but I can't explain myself why... Thanks for trying to explain it to me, and have a nice day ! ;-)
Tom Gar No problem, Tom, it's confusing but I think I can help it make sense. The compensation (1/2X, 1X, 2X) has to do with the amount of light hitting the film, not the shutter sped. So at 2X, twice the light is going to hit the film compared to a 1X (proper) exposure. So the camera, to double the light hitting the film, doubles the shutter speed.
I'll avoid going into too technical a discussion, but cameras work on a principle called reciprocity. To maintain an even exposure value across apertures or shutter speeds, it needs to change the other (either aperture or shutter speed) an equal amount to maintain a reciprocal exposure value. In principle, the same number of protons hit the film at 1/125th and f/5.6 as they do at 1/60th and f/8 or 1/250th and f/4. So using the 2X overrides the camera's need to maintain a reciprocal exposure value and doubles the amount of light.
Each time you increase a shutter speed from a baseline, you double the amount of light. So from 1/125th, 1/60th is 2X the amount of light. 1/30th is 2X as much light as 1/60th, so 1/30th is 4X the amount of light of 1/125th. Likewise, 1/250th is 1/2 the amount of light of 1/125th and 1/500th is 1/2 the amount of light of 1/250th. So 1/500th is 1/4 the amount of light as 1/125th. Keep going at 1/1,000th is 1/8th the amount of light as 1/125th or 1/15th is 8X the amount of light (that all assumes that the aperture remains the same.)
Let me know if that explains it or not.
David Hancock Hey David ! Actually, writing down my comment made me realize my mistakes. You actually want to use exposure compensation when you're not happy with the estimated exposure of the device? For example, you're shooting against the light, indoor, and the SLR thinks you're trying to shoot what's outside the window. So if you want your subject to be well exposed, you'll change your exposure compensation to 2x or 4x (and then, to preserve reciprocity, the shutter speed will be lowered). Is my example the right way to think ?
I really got it all wrong, thinking that exposure correction would allow you to shoot 'brighter' in a dark scene, but rendering a noisier picture.
I'm not perfectly sure my english is correct but I think you'll understand :)
Thanks a lot for your technical explaination though, it conforts me in what I'm thinking now. I hope you won't tell me I'm wrong, or else I'll be completely lost! Thank you for your time !
Tom Gar You're absolutely correct! :D And you're very welcome. Take great photos!
The 1x, 2x, 1/2x, 1/4x tells the camera "gather this much light". So pick 2x, 4x to over-expose, 1/2x, 1/4x to under-expose.
@@dgillies5420 It´s just the Pentax way of saying +1, +2, -1 and -2 stops. Nothing complicated.
Just below the film cocking lever there is a little window with a black and red strip. This wiggles when the film moves, either during loading or during rewinding, so you can check this any time to make sure the film is moving properly and don't need to check the rewinding lever movement. You can see this when demonstrating loading the film between 2:39 and 3:10.
Also I don't think you explained that when you load the film you set the ASA on the dial around the rewind lever to the ASA of the film (apologies if you did; I haven't watched every second of the vid); the same one as the exposure compensation. This is v.important to make sure you get the correct exposure as, unlike digital, you can't change ASA (ISO) on the fly; once the film is in it's set! eg. if you have a 200 ASA film in but your ASA dial is set to 100 everything will be 2x overexposed!
Mark Keohane Yeah, I did not do the best job of explaining the film loading procedure that I've ever done.
Hey, not to worry; we live and learn. You can always do ME Super vol.3. At least you're out there and posting stuff, so respect for that.
The simplest thing as placing the batteries confused me a lot, until I saw this video. I reversed them and the shutter got stuck in loaded position and the only way to release it was to remove the batteries. Thankfully that did not ruin the camera and now works fine with the batteries placed properly.
Yes, that gets me often, too, still. You can also unstick the shutter by switching to the manual shutter speed.
I want this camera so bad but it is almost impossible to find one here in Perú. :'( I'm gonna keep looking though. Great videos!
+Julio Medina Do you ever buy from Amazon? Some of the Amazon sellers will ship overseas.
www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00CBGP6VE/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used
David Hancock I haven't tried before but finally after spamming most photo groups from my country I've found a Pentax. It is the Super Program at a very good price (I think) 70 US Dollars and it comes with a SMC A 50mm f/2 lens. Thanks for the response. Cheers!
@@xjulitox Its a good price and its an even batter camera! It's an ME Super with one extra automatic mode and I think it has depth of field preview, good choice!
How much does the two batteries last?
Under normal shooting, about a year.
@@DavidHancock thanks!
about 1500 photos if you shoot film regularly.
Are you still answering questions here? I just noticed this video is about 5 years old.
I just got one of these cameras from my boss recently and I still need to get some new batteries for it and make sure that works. But other than that the camera seems to be in working order. I'll be taking a trip to England soon and am not bringing my big DSLR camera with me, just my phone. But now I am thinking about how fun it would be to bring this little guy with me and shoot on film. I may have questions about using it and I enjoyed your videos on the camera so thought you might be a good person to ask if something comes up.
Thanks.
Looks like my first question will be how to shoot with this without batteries. I replaced the batteries but the lights inside the view finder don't seem to work. Hmmn
First thing to check is that the batteries are good and installed correctly. If the answer to both of those is yes, there may be a problem with the camera.
Thanks for the reply. The batteries are new and I installed them as I saw on your video. The camera itself seems to be in great condition. But I will say that the batteries that were in it had some corrosion. The bottom battery took some poking at to get it out of there. I was very careful and when I did get it out everything looked fine inside. I took an eraser and tried to clean it as well. But perhaps the electronics inside are just gone or the wire that takes the power to the battery is no longer good.
Looking around I guess you can still shoot with it, but it seems it will take a bit more know how to do so. I've read some people saying that the electronics to help you out is kind of the point of this camera as you shoot in aperture priority mode. I don't see how you can set the shutter speed manually on this.
Thanks for the help.
@@levisimpson516 Without batteries you set the camera on 1/125 and you'll need a photo guide for that shutter speed. In the old days some 35mm film packages had guidelines for aperture at 1/125 speed, like outdoors, use f8 or f11, indoors, use f1.7. It's probably on the internet somewhere.
You can get the camera fixed there are a few Pentax repair people who still overhaul Pentax ME Super Cameras I had mine re-foamed in 2014.
Thank you!
I always fold the end of the film so it hooks into the rollers
Thank you. That's a great idea.
Yes. The way the film is loaded in the video is wrong. Take the end of the film and place it between the white bars CLOSEST to the film canister because it would wind on the INSIDE of the take-up barrel, clockwise when you look down on the camera from on top. Being a poor student I could sometimes get 1 extra photo by loading the film on the barrel but closing the camera immediately before winding, but it would come loose if you put the film into the outer part of the barrel - put it into the inner part of the. barrel near the center of the camera!
Insert the batteries in the battery cover, then screw the cover into the camera, I find that easier....
Thank you! That works well, too.