Help please Pentax ZX-M

toten44 · 08-29-2009, 05:36 PM

Hi everyone, I'm new here. My Pentax's are a MV and ZX-M.The trouble is that the shutter sticks on the MV when set on Auto.To release the shutter I have to change setting to 1/100 or B. My ZX-M shot well until recently.Was shooting a roll of 400 24 exposure and after the 12th shot the ZX-M Auto rewind kicked in. Ever since then when I load film and turn to ON the camera eats the film. Will not advance to first exposure. I hope that this makes sense I am a newbie. Really love these cameras and hope some kind person will address these issues. Going crazy because the price of film and once loaded and turned to ON the film is GONE. Any suggestions? Thanks for your time!!

noblepa · 08-30-2009, 09:58 AM

It sounds like the battery in the MV might be dead. I don't have an MV, but I do have its cousin, the ME Super. The battery is used only for the meter and electronically controlled shutter. It is designed so that it can be used in B and at 1/100 second without battery power. Try a new battery.

The ZX-M sounds more serious. I can't help you there. There's a guy named Eric Hendrickson who has an excellent reputation for repairing Pentax cameras. His website is Home. However, it might be more cost-effective to replace the camera. ZX-M's are readily available on eBay for around $50, which is probably less than the repair cost.

Paul Noble

MJB DIGITAL · 08-31-2009, 06:09 AM

better in the 'film slr' forum

toten44 · 09-01-2009, 06:05 AM

Originally posted by noblepa

It sounds like the battery in the MV might be dead. I don't have an MV, but I do have its cousin, the ME Super. The battery is used only for the meter and electronically controlled shutter. It is designed so that it can be used in B and at 1/100 second without battery power. Try a new battery.

The ZX-M sounds more serious. I can't help you there. There's a guy named Eric Hendrickson who has an excellent reputation for repairing Pentax cameras. His website is Home. However, it might be more cost-effective to replace the camera. ZX-M's are readily available on eBay for around $50, which is probably less than the repair cost.

Paul Noble

Hi and thank you for the reply. The MV has two batterys. The thing that gets me is that while In Auto mode the light meter shows on the left side of the view finder. I figure that the battery would still be OK. I'LL try the batterys, also if it still has the same results as before should I have the shutter cleaned and oiled. I hope that this the right tech phrase and if so could you give a ballpark figure on cost? The ZX-M isn't really priority, I like metal not plastic.

08-29-2009, 05:36 PM	#1
toten44 Inactive Account Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Down south Posts: 7	Help please Pentax ZX-M Hi everyone, I'm new here. My Pentax's are a MV and ZX-M.The trouble is that the shutter sticks on the MV when set on Auto.To release the shutter I have to change setting to 1/100 or B. My ZX-M shot well until recently.Was shooting a roll of 400 24 exposure and after the 12th shot the ZX-M Auto rewind kicked in. Ever since then when I load film and turn to ON the camera eats the film. Will not advance to first exposure. I hope that this makes sense I am a newbie. Really love these cameras and hope some kind person will address these issues. Going crazy because the price of film and once loaded and turned to ON the film is GONE. Any suggestions? Thanks for your time!!

08-30-2009, 09:58 AM	#2
noblepa Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bay Village, Ohio USA Posts: 1,142	MV Shutter It sounds like the battery in the MV might be dead. I don't have an MV, but I do have its cousin, the ME Super. The battery is used only for the meter and electronically controlled shutter. It is designed so that it can be used in B and at 1/100 second without battery power. Try a new battery. The ZX-M sounds more serious. I can't help you there. There's a guy named Eric Hendrickson who has an excellent reputation for repairing Pentax cameras. His website is Home. However, it might be more cost-effective to replace the camera. ZX-M's are readily available on eBay for around $50, which is probably less than the repair cost. Paul Noble

08-31-2009, 06:09 AM	#3
MJB DIGITAL Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: st. louis Posts: 1,170	better in the 'film slr' forum

09-01-2009, 06:05 AM	#4
toten44 Inactive Account Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Down south Posts: 7 Original Poster	Originally posted by noblepa It sounds like the battery in the MV might be dead. I don't have an MV, but I do have its cousin, the ME Super. The battery is used only for the meter and electronically controlled shutter. It is designed so that it can be used in B and at 1/100 second without battery power. Try a new battery. The ZX-M sounds more serious. I can't help you there. There's a guy named Eric Hendrickson who has an excellent reputation for repairing Pentax cameras. His website is Home. However, it might be more cost-effective to replace the camera. ZX-M's are readily available on eBay for around $50, which is probably less than the repair cost. Paul Noble Hi and thank you for the reply. The MV has two batterys. The thing that gets me is that while In Auto mode the light meter shows on the left side of the view finder. I figure that the battery would still be OK. I'LL try the batterys, also if it still has the same results as before should I have the shutter cleaned and oiled. I hope that this the right tech phrase and if so could you give a ballpark figure on cost? The ZX-M isn't really priority, I like metal not plastic.