Trying to rewind/remove the film in a Pentax ME Super

nady94 · 10-26-2010, 02:16 PM

I just bought a Pentax ME Super that I think already has film in it. It just reached the number 36 and the rapid wind lever won't move anymore. I followed these instructions from the manual on a website:
I lifted up the rewind crank, pressed the film rewind button and then turned the rewind crank as indicated. Then it says the film rewind indicator should flicker and it's not. It says 'rewind until the tension on the crank lessons' but there wasn't any tension to begin with. Please help - have I broken this camera already? Thanks. The website I used was: http://www.cameramanuals.org/pentax_pdf/pentax_me_super-2.pdf
Should I just open the back? But how do I do that?

drougge · 10-26-2010, 02:30 PM - **1 Like**

There are two ways to interpret what you said. Either you did it right, and there is no film, or you did it wrong and need to do it right.

If "lifted" could be replaced with "unfolded" in your description, I think you did it right, and there's no film. If you lifted it in the sense that the crank is now above the camera on a shaft, do this:

Push the crank down again (you may need to rotate it a little before it will go all the way down). Now turn it, and there should be some resistance. (If there's a lot you didn't push the rewind button, or something else is wrong.) Turn it until resistance lessens, and then lift it up. When it's up, pull it up some more and the back opens.

Most cameras can be wound indefinitely without film, so I would guess you do have film, but I don't really know about this one. Either way, it's not your film, so there's not much harm in just opening the back. (Pulling the rewind lever up, and then more up.)

nady94 · 10-26-2010, 02:38 PM

Originally posted by drougge

There are two ways to interpret what you said. Either you did it right, and there is no film, or you did it wrong and need to do it right.

If "lifted" could be replaced with "unfolded" in your description, I think you did it right, and there's no film. If you lifted it in the sense that the crank is now above the camera on a shaft, do this:

Push the crank down again (you may need to rotate it a little before it will go all the way down). Now turn it, and there should be some resistance. (If there's a lot you didn't push the rewind button, or something else is wrong.) Turn it until resistance lessens, and then lift it up. When it's up, pull it up some more and the back opens.

Most cameras can be wound indefinitely without film, so I would guess you do have film, but I don't really know about this one. Either way, it's not your film, so there's not much harm in just opening the back. (Pulling the rewind lever up, and then more up.)

Lifted as in lifted up the rewind crank but not so that whole'first layer' was above the rest. It was not on a shaft. There is no resistance thought so what do I do? How do I open the back now?

Ratmagiclady · 10-26-2010, 02:39 PM

Yeah. With the crank unfolded, but not lifted, it will turn quite easily if there's no film in there. A little less easily if there's a rewound can of film in there, and you'll be able to hear/feel it if film needs rewinding. You sound like you have an empty camera there.

To open the back, just pull upward on the rewind crank, it'll pop open.

nady94 · 10-26-2010, 02:47 PM

Originally posted by Ratmagiclady

Yeah. With the crank unfolded, but not lifted, it will turn quite easily if there's no film in there. A little less easily if there's a rewound can of film in there, and you'll be able to hear/feel it if film needs rewinding. You sound like you have an empty camera there.

To open the back, just pull upward on the rewind crank, it'll pop open.

Yay it opened - thanks!

HGMonaro · 10-27-2010, 09:42 PM

was there film in there though?

Arjay Bee · 10-28-2010, 12:10 AM

Having lived with range finders and SLRs for forty years reading this thread reminded me of the danish youtube film of the Medieval help desk...

You Tube

No offence intended - as it is just that what seems trivial for one person is perplexing for others from a different schema.

Bramela · 10-28-2010, 12:24 AM

Brilliant, Arjay, just what I needed...... a good laugh.

10-26-2010, 02:16 PM	#1
nady94 Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: London Posts: 5	Trying to rewind/remove the film in a Pentax ME Super I just bought a Pentax ME Super that I think already has film in it. It just reached the number 36 and the rapid wind lever won't move anymore. I followed these instructions from the manual on a website: I lifted up the rewind crank, pressed the film rewind button and then turned the rewind crank as indicated. Then it says the film rewind indicator should flicker and it's not. It says 'rewind until the tension on the crank lessons' but there wasn't any tension to begin with. Please help - have I broken this camera already? Thanks. The website I used was: http://www.cameramanuals.org/pentax_pdf/pentax_me_super-2.pdf Should I just open the back? But how do I do that?

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10-26-2010, 02:30 PM - 1 Like	#2
drougge Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Malmö Photos: Gallery Posts: 787	There are two ways to interpret what you said. Either you did it right, and there is no film, or you did it wrong and need to do it right. If "lifted" could be replaced with "unfolded" in your description, I think you did it right, and there's no film. If you lifted it in the sense that the crank is now above the camera on a shaft, do this: Push the crank down again (you may need to rotate it a little before it will go all the way down). Now turn it, and there should be some resistance. (If there's a lot you didn't push the rewind button, or something else is wrong.) Turn it until resistance lessens, and then lift it up. When it's up, pull it up some more and the back opens. Most cameras can be wound indefinitely without film, so I would guess you do have film, but I don't really know about this one. Either way, it's not your film, so there's not much harm in just opening the back. (Pulling the rewind lever up, and then more up.)

10-26-2010, 02:38 PM	#3
nady94 Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: London Posts: 5 Original Poster	Originally posted by drougge There are two ways to interpret what you said. Either you did it right, and there is no film, or you did it wrong and need to do it right. If "lifted" could be replaced with "unfolded" in your description, I think you did it right, and there's no film. If you lifted it in the sense that the crank is now above the camera on a shaft, do this: Push the crank down again (you may need to rotate it a little before it will go all the way down). Now turn it, and there should be some resistance. (If there's a lot you didn't push the rewind button, or something else is wrong.) Turn it until resistance lessens, and then lift it up. When it's up, pull it up some more and the back opens. Most cameras can be wound indefinitely without film, so I would guess you do have film, but I don't really know about this one. Either way, it's not your film, so there's not much harm in just opening the back. (Pulling the rewind lever up, and then more up.) Lifted as in lifted up the rewind crank but not so that whole'first layer' was above the rest. It was not on a shaft. There is no resistance thought so what do I do? How do I open the back now?

10-26-2010, 02:39 PM	#4
Ratmagiclady Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: GA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,563	Yeah. With the crank unfolded, but not lifted, it will turn quite easily if there's no film in there. A little less easily if there's a rewound can of film in there, and you'll be able to hear/feel it if film needs rewinding. You sound like you have an empty camera there. To open the back, just pull upward on the rewind crank, it'll pop open.

10-26-2010, 02:47 PM	#5
nady94 Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: London Posts: 5 Original Poster	Originally posted by Ratmagiclady Yeah. With the crank unfolded, but not lifted, it will turn quite easily if there's no film in there. A little less easily if there's a rewound can of film in there, and you'll be able to hear/feel it if film needs rewinding. You sound like you have an empty camera there. To open the back, just pull upward on the rewind crank, it'll pop open. Yay it opened - thanks!

10-27-2010, 09:42 PM	#6
HGMonaro Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Melb. Aust Posts: 840	was there film in there though?

10-28-2010, 12:24 AM	#8
Bramela Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Newcastle Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,284	Brilliant, Arjay, just what I needed...... a good laugh.

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