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Pentax ME Super

Reviews Views Date of last review
38 188,968 Sat March 16, 2024
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Recommended By Average Price Average User Rating
95% of reviewers $86.22 8.39
Pentax ME Super

Pentax ME Super
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Pentax ME Super
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Pentax ME Super
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Pentax ME Super
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Pentax ME Super
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Description:
The Pentax ME Super improved upon the original ME by introducing two push buttons on the top plate allowing the user to electronically dial in the desired shutter speed, giving him or her much more flexibility when shooting manually. This design was later carried over to the ME F (Pentax's first autofocus camera) and the Super A (which could set the aperture automatically and hence provided Tv and Program automation in addition to the Av and M exposure modes of the ME Super).

Other improvements over the ME was a faster top shutter speed of 1/2000 s and a warning light in the view finder when EV compensation was engaged.

Variants:
PENTAX ME Super: The original
PENTAX ME Super SE: A 'Special Edition' version was released in later years, featuring a diagonal split screen rather than a horizontal one

ME Super
Year introduced
1980
Mount
K
Meter range
1 - 19 EV
Meter pattern
c
ISO range
12-1600
DX ISO range
No DX coding
Exposure modes
Av, M, X, B
Exposure compensation
+/-2 EV
Exposure memory lock
No
Shutter speeds (auto)
4 - 1/2000s
Shutter speeds (manual)
4 - 1/2000s
Shutter speeds (mechanical)
1/125s, B
Self timer
Yes
Mirror lock-up
No
Auto bracketing
No
Multiple exposures
Yes
Winder
External winder 2 fps
Built-in flash
No
TTL flash
No
P-TTL flash
No
Sync speed
1/125s
Flash exposure comp
No
Autofocus
No
Autofocus sensitivity
Not applicable
Power zoom
No
Viewfinder
0.95x, 92%
Viewfinder type
Pentaprism
Diopter correction
No
Exchangeable screen
No
Depth of field preview
No
Image size
24 x 36 mm
Panorama format
No
Battery
2 x S76
Battery grip/pack
No
Size (W x H x D)
131.5 x 82.5 x 49.5 mm
Weight
445 g
Price History:



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Sort Reviews by: Date | Author | Rating | Recommendation | Likes (Descending) Showing Reviews 1-15 of 38
New Member

Registered: March, 2024
Posts: 3
Review Date: March 16, 2024 Recommended | Price: $75.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Fantastic bright finder, excellent design, 1/2000th of a second shutter speed.
Cons: my cameras meter overexposes a stop

The ME super was my first SLR - I had used other cameras before this (the K1000 when I was in school for example) but the ME super was the first one I owned.

I guess it does have some sentimental value for me, but I feel its an underrated camera in a lot of ways - the design and feature set is brilliant - excellent bright VF, 1/2000th of a second shutter speed, 1/125th flash sync, and goes down to 4 seconds.

yes it does have the possibility of failure, but speaking to camera repair technicians I'm told that its well designed and definitely repairable. I've had two copies, and found the electronics to be very reliable - I think the notion that the ME Super is a risky camera to get is overblown.

Definitely recommended from me.
   
Junior Member

Registered: March, 2014
Posts: 27

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: May 13, 2023 Not Recommended | Price: $25.00 | Rating: 3 

 
Pros: Great viewfinder, good light metering
Cons: lightweight and cheap construction

It's super compact, lightweight, has a huge viewfinder magnification, reliable lightmeter and was a great budget camera when it was sold new.
Nowadays the ME and ME super -in my experience- are models to avoid. The better they look, the bigger the chance that transport/ mirror/ shutter combination is not working anymore. The time and effort it will take to repair or cla are not worth it, better go for a SP or even older Pentax 35mm body, or stick to the K1000/ KM/ KX/ K2 generation of camera's if you like the PK mount, they are almost indestructible.
   
New Member

Registered: February, 2015
Posts: 6
Review Date: November 22, 2021 Recommended | Price: $300.00 | Rating: 5 

 
Pros: Low Cost
Cons: Durability

The ME Super was our second SLR Pentax after starting with an K1000 SE in the late seventies. Having started with the K1000, it was a comfortable transition moving up to a slightly more advanced platform.

The only real complaint was with the durability of the materials used in the shutter. After a few years we started to get what looked like black debris that would collect in the camera body and contaminate film within. It looks like the rubberized shutter material started to break down and flake off.

Not operable at this point, perhaps it has some salvage value for somebody out there?
   
New Member

Registered: September, 2020
Location: Derbyshire
Posts: 3
Review Date: August 22, 2021 Recommended | Price: None indicated | Rating: 6 

 
Pros: Small, light, viewfinder information, viewfinder magnification, robust
Cons: Split image screen, I just did not enjoy using it, too small.

There is no doubt that the ME Super was a very popular camera and I know people who swear by them.

I however just did not get on with it. It felt very unsubstantial to me and I used to worry about shots taken at the lower shutter speeds. I found the push button operation finicky too - give me a good old fashioned dial any day!!

The spilt micro-prism was a pain for me and unlike the MX could not be replaced. At the time I much preferred the OM-1n and even an OM-40 I had was better to use.

The viewfinder magnification was very useful - but undermined by the split micro-prism. I could not stand the M series lenses either - too small and not the best optically.

I have not got one E6 slide I like taken with the ME Super and M lens combo. I cannot explain it.

I gave my ME Super and 1.4 50mm M lens to a colleague who absolutely loves it for B&W photography and its still going strong I hear.

Handle one first before you buy is my advice.
   
Forum Member

Registered: June, 2014
Posts: 58
Review Date: October 1, 2020 Not Recommended | Price: $73.00 | Rating: 5 

 
Pros: Big and bright viewfinder, beautiful design, small size and and light weight
Cons: Unreliable aging electronics

The PentaxME Super certainly was a great camera 40 years ago. Now? Not so much.

It’s a beautiful camera. With the Pentax-M 50mm F1.7 lens it’s pleasantly small and light. The viewfinder is huge and bright, great for manual focusing! I wonder why Pentax doesn’t put such viewfinders in new DSLRs. Its only drawback is the lack of dioptre correction.

When I received the test roll from the lab, I was both surprised and disappointed. The 50mm F1.7 lens turned out to be an excellent performer, and due to the fantastic viewfinder, I nailed focus on every frame. This camera & lens combo can focus as well or better than my autofocus cameras.

Unfortunately, the light meter was AWOL in 8 cases out of 36 resulting in dark frames, and in cases when it actually worked it underexposed by about 1 stop.

Conclusion.You may want to get a clean copy of this camera to put in a cupboard to decorate your living room. However, if you want to actually take pictures, I suggest getting something more modern.


   
New Member

Registered: March, 2019
Posts: 2
Review Date: September 2, 2019 Recommended | Price: $45.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: light weight, 1/2000th shutter speed, aperture priority capability
Cons: some photos seem washed out, threading the film leader

I was a vintage lens collector and user before getting into film bodies. I wanted a Pentax body to use with my then 4 (now 6) Pentax m lenses so went looking for a suitable slr camera. After watching lots of YouTube clips and reading online forums I settled on an me super.
Things I like are its size and weight. It is light enough that I really don't notice it hanging around my neck or over my shoulder for hours on end.
The other major plus is the fastest shutter speed of 1/2000th of a second. This is double the speed of my other three film cameras and has definitely saved me a few times when the sun has come out while using iso400 film. I don't want to shoot at f16 or f22 and having a faster shutter speed means that f8 and f11 are still completely usable.
Finally, as a newby to film photography, I don't necessarily want to use manual all the time. In this regard the aperture priority system works beautifully. The rolls of film I have put through have come back well exposed. If anything, they are slightly overexposed but that is easily fixed in pp.
The only other slight negative is it isn't quite as easy to load the film leader into the white finned canister. There is no doubt that I will get better at this, but it certainly isn't as easy as my Minolta Konica film bodies.
Overall, this is a great little film camera. I love how it looks and how it feels in my hands. Once the film is loades it is super intuitive to use. Highly recommended.
   
New Member

Registered: February, 2019
Posts: 15
Review Date: February 16, 2019 Recommended | Price: $80.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: What it does and how it does it
Cons: None

Small, light, 1/2000th high speed, magnificent technology, well-made, easy to use. Basically, and for 95% of photographers, this is a Pentax LX without the ability to change prism. How often do you feel the need to change a prism for optical alteration? And the ME Super is a fraction of the price because it does not attract people who want to pay through their noses to pose with an LX around their necks, or in the living room display cabinet. If you don't use the ME Super then it can develop mechanical failure that locks up the mirror, or causes other failures linked to winding on. But why have one if you don't use it? Otherwise, there is nothing weak about this magnificent piece of superb film photography technology.
   
Pentaxian

Registered: September, 2017
Location: South Wales
Posts: 2,872
Review Date: September 10, 2017 Recommended | Price: $120.00 | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: Small, light, manual options, range of lenses, battery-less option
Cons: No aperture in viewfinder, no DoF preview

This was my first SLR, bought new after some research. I knew I wanted auto with manual overide. I found the having to take it down from my eye to check aperture a bit frustrating, and the shutter speed buttons seem a bit fiddly and gimmicky looking back on it (Pentax wanted to look "modern"?). However it was perfectly satisfactory as far as it went. I took some good pictures with it and was inspired to move up to an LX after a year.
   
Site Supporter

Registered: February, 2017
Posts: 1,977

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: April 2, 2017 Recommended | Price: None indicated | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: size, weight, manual controls, feel
Cons: no ae lock, no DoF preview, manual controls

I have borrowed or owned a few MES cameras over the years. Some have been sold due to pressing economic need or to finance another camera purchase. One was unfortunately dropped and stopped working, and my latest developed a wind on problem. For a long time the MES was my joint favourite film camera (the other a Mjnolta XE1). I still love them though I now am starting to prefer the MX. Tastes change.
Anyway these cameras are the dogs b*******ks! The size, light weight and feel, smooth wind, on huge bright viewfinder, excellent metering display and sturdiness of the body are the major points in its favour.
The manual metering control system is both a plus and a minus. Using the buttons to control shutter speed when the camera is at eye level is dead easy, but when you pick the camera up you have n't a clue what speed its set at! The control ring is also a little fiddly changing from lock (at least it has one) to AE to manual etc. An aperture window in the viewfinder would be nice as would AE lock and DofF preview. The Super A addresses many of these quibbles but not the AE lock nor fiddley control ring and despite sharing the same basic chassis manages not to feel quite so good in hand.
The major plus of the camera is of course it small size. with a small m series prime attached you can carry it around your neck all day with no. ache. You can carry it over one shoulder under a coat or jacket and no one will know you are carrying it and keep it safe from any bad weather.
Yes they can become a little unreliable in their old age, after all they are now over 30 years old, but most faults can be fixed, which is certainly worth having done and you can have many more years of service from them. My wind on fault complete with a service cost £80. The camera is now like new.
So in summary then a super little SLR which is highly recommended!
   
New Member

Registered: February, 2016
Location: Arnhem, Netherlands
Posts: 1
Review Date: October 12, 2016 Recommended | Price: $35.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Light weight, silent shutter, K-mount lenses, big viewfinder
Cons: Plastic feel

This camera has the perfect weight. Doesn't bother me when it's dangling from my shoulder & is nice and stable when shooting. I normally only take the 28mm (f 3.5 K version - yes!) and just leave it on the body. Shooting makes a lot less noise than with my old friend, the KX. The ME definitely is more suitable for street photography.
It feels less reliable than my KX though, even though I've not had any problems.
AND it's dirt cheap - mine came with the 28-80mm Takumar zoom and a motor drive (neither of which I've ever used) for the euro equivalent of $35, including the cost of the mail. I've had to renew the seals and clean the ground glass, which had remains of the old seals stuck to it. Removing the old gum was done in two minutes. Actually, alcohol did the job
For the price I've paid I will gladly buy a second ME, just to have a spare in case one of them dies.
   
Inactive Account

Registered: October, 2015
Posts: 2

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: November 1, 2015 Recommended | Price: $30.00 | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: Small size, good balanced weight, easy to use
Cons: Light seals turn to goop with age (common to nearly all cameras of this age though)

I absolutely love this camera.

I ended up purchasing these back in my college days when the local used camera dealer had run out of K-1000s. Definitely a happy accident!

The ME-Super is compact in size but has a decent weight to it meaning that it doesn't feel flimsy.

It is incredibly difficult to achieve anything but good results with the ME Super so makes a great beginner's camera in my opinion.

I recently wrote an article on my site about this camera so if you are interested, please go ahead and take a look
   
Pentaxian

Registered: April, 2009
Location: Madrid, Spain
Posts: 10,813

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: March 14, 2015 Recommended | Price: $40.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Small, light, easy to use, great viewfinder, 1/2000s shutter speed
Cons: no DoF preview

This review assumes that the ME Super is in good working condition - the vast majority of those still around today are not. Since I originally wrote this the light meter in mine has become completely unreliable, a typical problem with the electronics of these cameras.

The only thing really missing from the ME Super is a DoF preview button. Apart from that, it's my favourite of the smaller Pentaxes. I like the bigger, more solid K series but their viewfinders are considerably smaller and darker. The ME Super is much smaller and lighter, and with the fantastic viewfinder and good range of shutter speeds, it's the best all-rounder of my film cameras.

The shutter sound is wonderful.

I see a lot of threads in photo forums about ME Supers not working properly and of the three I have, only one works. One of the non-working ones was bought on ebay very cheap and was no great loss, the other I knew was broken but I wanted the lenses it came with. My point is this - don't ever spend more than $5 on an ME Super unless you've tested it to make sure it works. Most of the ones out there are broken in one way or another.
   
New Member

Registered: November, 2013
Location: Franken
Posts: 6
Review Date: March 14, 2015 Recommended | Price: None indicated | Rating: N/A 

 
Pros: small, light, ergonomically, good interface,
Cons: has no Stop-Down Button.

ME-Super - the perfect Dark-light Camera


The only important negative aspect is that it has no stop-down button.
So I use the ME-Super only for photography in dark light when I use to have the apperture wide open. At night I don´t need a stop-down button. But I need a bright control-interface in the viewfinder. The LED-Interface of the ME-Super is perfect. It shows everything that I need and nothing more.

(For daylight I use the Pentax K2.
It has a stop-down button. It has a needle-interface in the viewfinder which I prefer to LED, but it is not illuminated - so its very bad in dark light).

For me - the combination of ME-Super and K2 is a perfect combination. I always take these two bodys with two different kinds of film - one for night and one for day.
   
Junior Member

Registered: May, 2014
Posts: 37
Review Date: June 18, 2014 Recommended | Price: None indicated | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: Size, reliabilty, ruggedness
Cons: Shutter buttons

I'm writing this camera review retrospectively.

I started my camera journey with a Canon point and shoot, then moved on the my father's EOS 100 with 28-80 and used that for a few years. At the time I was doing a lot of mountaineering and the bulk of the EOS, as well as having to molly coddle it, became wearisome. I saw a ME Super in Jessops shop window with M50 f2.0 and ever ready case, so I picked it up, sold the Canon and never regretted it. Soon picked up and M28 f2.8 as well. Eventually i went digital with Olympus 4/3 before coming back to Pentax with K5.

Anyway, about the ME Super, not much can be added that hasn't been said. i found the shutter buttons a bit fiddly, and the combined iso/exposure comp dial meant you couldn't dial in +/- at the iso extremes.

The camera had a few bumps and knocks under my stewardship. One knock bent inwards the metal ring around the iso dial where the viewing cutout was, locking it in place. A quick tap with a hammer and screwdriver soon had it straightened out!

I remember the M lenses were a joy to focus on this camera.

O sold the camera only last year during a massive clear out - i wish I hadn't, for all I got for it! In fact I've been inspired to write a review as I'm finding myself drawn to aquiring another K mount manual camera...
   
Forum Member

Registered: September, 2013
Posts: 62
Review Date: January 5, 2014 Recommended | Price: $150.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: light, not expensive, easy-to-use
Cons: has no TTL flash metering, but for it's prise...

my first PENTAX camera.
still in use for more than 13 years!
not expensive, lightweight and very accurate light metering, useful AUTO mode.
just set dial at AUTO and choose aperture setting, and it is work.

very clear and big enough viewfinder.
I love it!
recommended if You still using film and manual lenses.
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