View Full Version : Impulse buy: Pentax ME Super
manfromh
08-27-2007, 09:27
About 2 hours ago (or less) I saw an ad in an estonian photography forum about a Pentax ME Super + Takumar-a 28-80mm for about 64 dollars. Im not sure how much they are worth, but the price looked good to me. I called the guy and it turned out he lives in the same area of Tallinn as I do. Got his adress, went and bought the camera. Everything looks good. I've been wanting this camera since I first saw one for sale in a photostore.
Whooo I'm happy. I only need to find a manual for it in the internet.
Just expressing my joy :) ,
Matis
LazyHammock
08-27-2007, 09:29
The ME Super was my first "real" camera. It brought me many hours of joy. Have fun,
Nick
Glad you made a good deal on a good camera. Hey is Pentax becoming hip around here? :)
You might find a manual at mir.com.my.
If the camera is working well, Matis, that sounds like a very good deal. And no shipping charges or import duties! Having the seller nearby, and the ability to handle the item before committing to buy... very handy.
Here is a place to download a .pdf manual:
http://www.pentax-manuals.com/manuals/mf/mfmanuals.htm
Nice - the ME Super is an excellent SLR. And the price sounds good - I'd expect to pay more than $100 for that body/lens combination in the UK.
smiling gecko
08-27-2007, 21:48
...talk about impulse buying....i bought a pentax mv while prowling around a pawn shop.
it's basically an interchangeable lens p&s...no shutter speed or f-stop viewfinder info...just a green "glow" to indicate "correct exposure/shutter speed/f-stop and a red "glow" for incorrect etc/etc/etc.
afte a bit of fishing around i discovered pentax has a compact size series of lenses for it, the ME, MX & i suppose the LX. only had brief encounter with a super ME in the '80s...fine camera. there's even a connection and contacts for a winder!!
for $35.00 and the om1/2 - like dimensions...i couldn't pass it up. so far so good with the prints from kodak gold 400.
andy (akptc) donated a wondeful vivitar series one 70-210mm and am thrilled with it's results.
so many cameras...so little time!!
breathe, relax, and enjoy
the seeds we sow today are the harvest of today's and tomorrow's children of the world. (tm)
kenneth lockerman
NEVER FORGET BESLAN
www.neverforgetbeslan.org
www.neverforgetbeslan.com
manfromh
08-27-2007, 22:51
The first thing I noticed about it was that the viewfinder is bigger than on my Canon EOS 300v. When I got back home, I noticed the vf is also a lot brighter than my Canon. I havent used any film in it yet, but looking forward to it. Whats so bad about the lens? Lack of sharpness? Strange artifacts? If its the sharpness, then it wont be much of a problem, since recently I've been shooting a Helios-44 on wider apertures. :)
The ME-Super is my all time favourite SLR. Hope you enjoy yours as much as I enjoy mine.
A few weeks back I bought a Pentax ME. I found it with a 50mm f2 and a 135mm f2,5 lens in a second hand shop. I bought it for the lenses (to use them on my *ist DL), but also liked the idea of having a film body as backup. I was a bit disappointed when I realized that the ME has no manual shutter speeds (I only discovered it when I was in the car and had loaded a roll of film in the camera...). But the metering system is very easy to use and the bright, big viewfinder is great when compared to the *ist DL.
Bobfrance
08-28-2007, 13:44
I loved my ME Super I used it for years until it was stolen. :(
I have one, with the 50mm f1.7 lens. Nice and small and light, great for travelling. The split image focussing screen and the LEDs in the viewfinder work great for my old eyes, so I've been using it more lately.
Ed
Enjoy your ME super, I love mine. By the way, only the 'super' version has manual shutter speeds.
Regards,
Richard F.
By the way, only the 'super' version has manual shutter speeds.Right, the ME, MV, and MG variants are AE only. I think the ME Super is the first Pentax to have its manual shutter speed selection by up/down buttons rather than a rotating dial. And the original Pentax 645 camera was the same in that respect too.
I have an ME-F, same camera as the Super but with an optional autofocus setup (which I didn't buy). Got it new, it's been a lot of places.
It's a good idea to twist the ISO/exposure comp dial a few times before each roll, as the autoexposure system can go wonky and underexpose. On the other hand, it works beautifully as a manual camera. Great shutter sound!
Jon Goodman
08-28-2007, 19:14
Really a nice camera, the ME Super. If you need re-sealing instructions, I've written a set. You can see them here: http://www.kyphoto.com/classics/sealreplacement.html Hope you enjoy it. I have both the ME and ME Super, and both will do great work.
Jon
PS...if you need re-sealing material, just send me a PM.
Matis,
That little Pentax looks lost behind the zoom, I had a similar lens, the Pentax version on a P30t and the results were very good.
Even the little 1.7 50mm looks big on the Mseries cameras. See my well used example below.
Regards Richard F.
Here is another link for the Pentax ME Super Manual
http://www.butkus.org/chinon/pentax/pentax_me_super/pentax_me_super.htm
Randy
manfromh
08-31-2007, 04:37
Im planning on getting a m42 adapter and m42 mount industar-50 for it. Then it will almost be a pocket camera :D
like2fiddle
08-31-2007, 05:16
My son has the ME Super Program and it is an excellent camera. I think the body is smaller than an M body. I can't remember which 50 lens he has, but it makes great photos. I think it's the smallest 35mm SLR I've ever seen.
They're incredibly small, that's sure! That whole M series lineup, and the LX shares most of that size reduction too, and was probably the smallest pro-level film SLR.
Inspired by this thread, I've decided to send of my ME Super and MX for a CLA. You know, you can't keep a good Pentax down. I'll report back cost & service details when they're done, if there's interest.
cheers,
manfromh
09-06-2007, 09:39
Inspired by this thread, I've decided to send of my ME Super and MX for a CLA. You know, you can't keep a good Pentax down. I'll report back cost & service details when they're done, if there's interest.
cheers,
Good luck with your cameras!
That reminds me, I still havent used film in mine. I hope to get to it in the next few days.
Update: I had both cameras CLA'd by Eric Hendrickson (http://www.pentaxs.com/). He was very responsive to emails, turnaround was very quick (~week), and he warranties the work for 6 months. Cost was $65/camera.
charjohncarter
09-18-2007, 16:54
Matis, I think you got a good deal. I recently bought a SFn1 on Ebay ($36) with the same lens. I bought it because I have trouble focusing wide angle lenses. The SFn1 is not the camera the ME is and I had to pay $10-12 for shipping. I know you will like it. Keep your eyes open for another K mount lenses. I bought a 200mm SMC Pentax lense for $19 on ebay. The best deal (lens) I have is the 50mm f1.7 SMC A or AF. You will find happiness with the ME, even if it isn't a rangefinder. If you need help with anything, let me know, I have nothing but time.
Congrats on the find! You've inspired me to go dig out my MG.
I'm sure my wife just loves the cameras cluttering up the place as a result of surfing here the last few days...
Interestingly (perhaps only to me), the ME Super has a vertical metal shutter (just like my Bessa R), and the MX has a horizontal cloth shutter (just like my M6). Each has its own sound, though the MX is not any quieter than the ME Super (unlike the M6 vs. the R). ONe thing that does strike me is how compact the M series is compared to even my relatively small *ist DL. I also have the SMC-A 50/1.7. Supposedly the 1.4 is the one to get, but the 1.7 is a fine lens IMO.
I have pairs of ME Super, MX, and LX, and never paid much attention to subsequent 35mm Pentax models, but I've been getting more informed... The Super A (Super Program in the US) seems to be a bright spot, making use of SMCP-A series lenses.
And, moving on to autofocus, the MZ-3 and MZ-5n (ZX-5n in the US) look particularly attractive. They are light and compact, and still have rotating shutter speed dials for a reasonably traditional user interface. Easy loading and motor film advance like a Contax G or Hexar RF. I recently received a ZX-5n and liked it right away. So now I have a MZ-3 on the way from the UK... :o Pretty much the same camera, but the MZ-3 has faster X-sync and 1/4000 top speed instead of 1/2000.
manfromh
09-18-2007, 23:48
After using it I prefer it to every camera I've ever used. Its more comfortable than any of my rangefinders. This ones a keeper! I managed to get a russian-made m42 adapter for it. Here are some pics from the first rolls with a Jupiter-9
First two on Efke 50
http://mlans.pri.ee/pictures/plastmass.jpg
http://mlans.pri.ee/pictures/inimesed.jpg
and Efke 100
http://mlans.pri.ee/pictures/siluet.jpg
Kim Coxon
09-19-2007, 01:43
The best place for Pentax manuals is the website of one of your friendly moderators (but then again I may just be a little biased. :D )
www.pentax-manuals.com
MES manual on this page http://www.pentax-manuals.com/manuals/mf/mfmanuals.htm
Kim
About 2 hours ago (or less) I saw an ad in an estonian photography forum about a Pentax ME Super + Takumar-a 28-80mm for about 64 dollars. Im not sure how much they are worth, but the price looked good to me. I called the guy and it turned out he lives in the same area of Tallinn as I do. Got his adress, went and bought the camera. Everything looks good. I've been wanting this camera since I first saw one for sale in a photostore.
Whooo I'm happy. I only need to find a manual for it in the internet.
Just expressing my joy :) ,
Matis
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