Pentax ME Super Shutter fires while advancing film

hgamelas · 01-28-2022, 07:48 AM

Hello friends,

I have my trusty ME Super for a number of years, and it has worked flawlessly, but recently been having a weird issue with it.
Sometimes, while advancing the film, the shutter releases by itself, which is strange, and wastes a lot of frames.
Has anybody come across this issue? I searched for a bit, but couldnt find any info.

Thanks!

**UncleVanya** · 01-28-2022, 11:00 AM

Originally posted by hgamelas

Hello friends,

I have my trusty ME Super for a number of years, and it has worked flawlessly, but recently been having a weird issue with it.
Sometimes, while advancing the film, the shutter releases by itself, which is strange, and wastes a lot of frames.
Has anybody come across this issue? I searched for a bit, but couldnt find any info.

Thanks!

Until you get it fixed you might put the lens cap on when advancing. If the shutter fires then keep the cap in place and use the procedure linked as if you were shooting the second shot of a double exposure. This will result in a dark frame shot overlapped with an actual shot. It will take effort but save film until you can get this fixed.

Flickr: Discussing Double Exposures in Pentax ME / ME Super - more than a photopool!

If it fires while cocking for the second shot keep trying as it won’t be exposing the film with a good lightproof cap in place.

Broadside · 01-28-2022, 11:03 AM

I expect someone with a better knowledge of how shutters operate will respond. In the meantime I'd suggest setting it to a low shutter speed (like half a second), opening the back (without film, obvs) and seeing how the shutter curtains behave as you wind it on: do they move normally?

**UncleVanya** · 01-28-2022, 11:10 AM

Or only cock when focused and ready to have a shot made. Then it won’t be wasted.

LesDMess · 01-29-2022, 10:36 AM

I've encountered this issue with two different brand/model manual film cameras (Nikon FM and Canon FTB) and in both cases it turned out to be a really simple adjustment if you're mechanically inclined. The principle is that when you advance the shutter, near the furthest point a lever will "catch" that will be released later when you fire the shutter. In both cases I opened the bottom plate and observed the movement of the linkages and found the ones involved and noticed near the end of the stroke there is a latch that is supposed to engage but didn't. In both cases there was dirt that made the mechanism slip and not latch and in one there was an adjustment to move it out a tad. I have not opened up an ME Super so I don't know if this applies although I would guess that it should.

I would guess these are the typical problems resolved when you send in a manual camera for CLA (Clean Lube Adjust).

01-28-2022, 07:48 AM	#1
hgamelas New Member Join Date: Jan 2022 Posts: 1	Pentax ME Super Shutter fires while advancing film Hello friends, I have my trusty ME Super for a number of years, and it has worked flawlessly, but recently been having a weird issue with it. Sometimes, while advancing the film, the shutter releases by itself, which is strange, and wastes a lot of frames. Has anybody come across this issue? I searched for a bit, but couldnt find any info. Thanks!

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01-28-2022, 11:00 AM	#2
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,401	Originally posted by hgamelas Hello friends, I have my trusty ME Super for a number of years, and it has worked flawlessly, but recently been having a weird issue with it. Sometimes, while advancing the film, the shutter releases by itself, which is strange, and wastes a lot of frames. Has anybody come across this issue? I searched for a bit, but couldnt find any info. Thanks! Until you get it fixed you might put the lens cap on when advancing. If the shutter fires then keep the cap in place and use the procedure linked as if you were shooting the second shot of a double exposure. This will result in a dark frame shot overlapped with an actual shot. It will take effort but save film until you can get this fixed. Flickr: Discussing Double Exposures in Pentax ME / ME Super - more than a photopool! If it fires while cocking for the second shot keep trying as it won’t be exposing the film with a good lightproof cap in place.

01-28-2022, 11:03 AM	#3
Broadside Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Posts: 86	I expect someone with a better knowledge of how shutters operate will respond. In the meantime I'd suggest setting it to a low shutter speed (like half a second), opening the back (without film, obvs) and seeing how the shutter curtains behave as you wind it on: do they move normally?

01-28-2022, 11:10 AM	#4
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,401	Or only cock when focused and ready to have a shot made. Then it won’t be wasted.

01-29-2022, 10:36 AM	#5
LesDMess Pentaxian Join Date: May 2011 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,235	I've encountered this issue with two different brand/model manual film cameras (Nikon FM and Canon FTB) and in both cases it turned out to be a really simple adjustment if you're mechanically inclined. The principle is that when you advance the shutter, near the furthest point a lever will "catch" that will be released later when you fire the shutter. In both cases I opened the bottom plate and observed the movement of the linkages and found the ones involved and noticed near the end of the stroke there is a latch that is supposed to engage but didn't. In both cases there was dirt that made the mechanism slip and not latch and in one there was an adjustment to move it out a tad. I have not opened up an ME Super so I don't know if this applies although I would guess that it should. I would guess these are the typical problems resolved when you send in a manual camera for CLA (Clean Lube Adjust).