Pentax ME-F losing its battery contact

fearview · 10-23-2009, 07:50 AM

i just got it. everything seems oke. the body and mechanics. only at the battery bay of this camera, one of electrical contact is lost. this camera i know little bit rare, do you think i can find a subtitution from another camera which have similar contact?

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anybody ever have this camera ?

VF-19 · 10-23-2009, 10:04 AM

You might be able to know more if you can take the bottom plate off (post pics here too!). If you're handy with a sodering iron, you could simply re-soder a new battery contact tab.

titrisol · 10-24-2009, 09:30 AM

I think VF19 is right on the money
the MEF uses 4 batteries, and the rest of the M-family uses 2. Thus you'll have to open the bottom and resolder that contact or put a small piece of copper wire.

The battery door is a weak point of the camera, quite an awkward design

*ChrisPlatt* · 10-24-2009, 02:16 PM

I see non-working ME-F parts bodies regularly at KEH and on eBay.

I assume batteries are in series supplying 6 volts. If so it would be fairly simple to
build a remote battery pack to use a single PX28 cell, or even 4 AAA/AA batteries.

Chris

fearview · 10-27-2009, 04:04 AM

Originally Posted by VF-19

You might be able to know more if you can take the bottom plate off (post pics here too!). If you're handy with a sodering iron, you could simply re-soder a new battery contact tab.

im hoping i can do that. i try to unscrew the base plate..but one of the bolt is to tight from corrosion..so opt for bring it to camera shop.

im waiting in nervousness because at this moment idont know wheter that camera still have its metering mechanism still running..

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Originally Posted by titrisol

I think VF19 is right on the money
the MEF uses 4 batteries, and the rest of the M-family uses 2. Thus you'll have to open the bottom and resolder that contact or put a small piece of copper wire.

The battery door is a weak point of the camera, quite an awkward design

im agree the design quite akward..

..

Originally Posted by ChrisPlatt

I see non-working ME-F parts bodies regularly at KEH and on eBay.

I assume batteries are in series supplying 6 volts. If so it would be fairly simple to
build a remote battery pack to use a single PX28 cell, or even 4 AAA/AA batteries.

Chris

great idea... ill do that if the my camera man..cannot do anything about it..

..

titrisol · 10-27-2009, 01:55 PM

I checked with an ohm-meter and each pair of batteries seems to be independent, there is resistance of ~2K in the pair away from the hinge and about 20K in the other pair
Have you tried seeing what works?
IMHO the focus confirm and the lightmeter are independent

fearview · 10-28-2009, 12:13 AM

Originally Posted by titrisol

I checked with an ohm-meter and each pair of batteries seems to be independent, there is resistance of ~2K in the pair away from the hinge and about 20K in the other pair
Have you tried seeing what works?
IMHO the focus confirm and the lightmeter are independent

so it mean if i put a pair of battery into their correct place, it will make either its metering or focusing confirmation running again..

ill try to call the repairman ..

fearview · 11-06-2009, 07:46 AM

after two weeks in repairment.. it came back to me today..

Pentax ME-F

with smc PENTAX AF 35 -70 2.8

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they made it..!

titrisol · 11-08-2009, 04:42 AM

AWESOME!!!!
How is it working???

fearview · 11-08-2009, 06:51 AM

@titrisol

it working smooth. metering ok. shutter is oke too. and the lens, thing that always make me smile right now..is working too.

i put 4x AAA batt last night. and tried to see how the af works.. first time i tried , i dont know how to operate this camera. i thought the lens autofocusing system working by half press of shutter button.

well its not.

until i saw two buttons on the lens barrel. i pressed it few time.. and the barrel move. voila..!

it must be the slowest AF camera in the world at this moment.

i dont care. because now i know i have a relic from the past, a first 35mm autofocus slr in the world. which is a history i think.

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i dont have any plan to pair the AF 35-70 with this camera... i was thinking pairing it with smc Pentax m 50 1.7 .. it will look like a rangefinder, well it has some kind rangefinder clue in its viewfinder.

want some vintage looking camera with focus confirmation? buy and ME-F.

*ChrisPlatt* · 11-08-2009, 07:05 AM

Too bad Pentax never offered a 35-70mm f/2.8 manual focus zoom.

Chris

Dangermouse · 11-09-2009, 11:46 AM

Very nice - especially with the proper lens. You need the motor winder and an AF200S (or AF160S) flash now to complete your retro SLR. Neither would be particularly expensive for a good example and the resulting assembly would look great.

A tidy ME F is on my wish list, I've seen them for £45 or less. The £45 example looked very good and included a Pentax M 50mm, however as I have three of those now (1x f1.7, 2 x f2) I'm not entirely convinced that another one would be a good investment! That said, if I saw one in similar condition to my ME Super and at a similar price I'd pretty much bite the seller's hand off. Said ME Super included an M 50mm f1.7 and manual flash for a total of £36 including postage.

I'm guessing that the ME F has the same features as the ME Super, but with the addition of the AF/focus confirm circuits?

fearview · 11-10-2009, 06:36 AM

Originally Posted by ChrisPlatt

Too bad Pentax never offered a 35-70mm f/2.8 manual focus zoom.

Chris

hei..is that true.? i didnt notice that..

Originally Posted by Dangermouse

Very nice - especially with the proper lens. You need the motor winder and an AF200S (or AF160S) flash now to complete your retro SLR. Neither would be particularly expensive for a good example and the resulting assembly would look great.

A tidy ME F is on my wish list, I've seen them for £45 or less. The £45 example looked very good and included a Pentax M 50mm, however as I have three of those now (1x f1.7, 2 x f2) I'm not entirely convinced that another one would be a good investment! That said, if I saw one in similar condition to my ME Super and at a similar price I'd pretty much bite the seller's hand off. Said ME Super included an M 50mm f1.7 and manual flash for a total of £36 including postage.

I'm guessing that the ME F has the same features as the ME Super, but with the addition of the AF/focus confirm circuits?

i have the motor winder... i havent try on it. also af160s..but the flash is dead, seem its need a small surgery. ill post the picture lat,er ME-F with Winder and that small cute flash...

your claim is true, it have the same features with ME..but with addition of focus confirmation.

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