Pentax ME Super dark band on some shots, some not developing at all

**RedRuff** · 12-05-2018, 01:44 PM

Hi, my brother uses an ME Super and suffers from dark bands at the bottom of some pics. He uses various 200 and 400 asa Fuji/Kodak films then sends them off to a photo lab to be developed. About a third to half of his pics have this dark band at the bottom, as if the shutter is sticking somewhat, and one or two pics on his roll mysteriously vanish.

I looked at it using Bulb setting across various lenses and apertures to see if it sticks and it seemed fine. We then shot a roll of black and white at every shutter speed and they were all fine. He doesn't take notes on the settings he used so we can't pinpoint anything specific.

He did drop his camera before this started happening... Is there a specific part that may have suffered? I've un-jammed a couple of these before already but haven't delved past taking the electronics out the top!

Cheers!

Docrwm · 12-05-2018, 02:04 PM

Sounds like the shutter timing is off. Some are ok, some minor banding, some completely black - shutter timing.

stevebrot · 12-05-2018, 03:20 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by RedRuff

Hi, my brother uses an ME Super and suffers from dark bands at the bottom of some pics. He uses various 200 and 400 asa Fuji/Kodak films then sends them off to a photo lab to be developed. About a third to half of his pics have this dark band at the bottom, as if the shutter is sticking somewhat, and one or two pics on his roll mysteriously vanish.

I looked at it using Bulb setting across various lenses and apertures to see if it sticks and it seemed fine. We then shot a roll of black and white at every shutter speed and they were all fine. He doesn't take notes on the settings he used so we can't pinpoint anything specific.

He did drop his camera before this started happening... Is there a specific part that may have suffered? I've un-jammed a couple of these before already but haven't delved past taking the electronics out the top!

Cheers!

By bottom, do you mean the bottom of a horizontal frame in normal orientation (sky at top)?

Three things come to mind. Either the mirror is not fully flipping out of the way and is casting a shadow...

-- or --

...a shutter curtain travel problem that defies easy description (IIRC, the shutter moved top-to-bottom. Simple capping would result in a darker sky in that case.)...

-- or --

...the front of the everready case is intruding into the frame.

Take the lens off in B mode and observe the mirror movement for several cycles.

Steve

**RedRuff** · 12-05-2018, 03:43 PM

Originally posted by stevebrot

By bottom, do you mean the bottom of a horizontal frame in normal orientation (sky at top)?

Three things come to mind. Either the mirror is not fully flipping out of the way and is casting a shadow...

-- or --

...a shutter curtain travel problem that defies easy description (IIRC, the shutter moved top-to-bottom. Simple capping would result in a darker sky in that case.)...

-- or --

...the front of the everready case is intruding into the frame.

Take the lens off in B mode and observe the mirror movement for several cycles.

Steve

Yes it's the bottom of a regular landscape frame. I thought it might be the strap in the way but it happens on landscape shots, and he doesn't use an everready case.

I'll keep testing it using bulb but so far I haven't seen any issues with the shutter]

**BWG** · 12-05-2018, 04:09 PM

Several years ago my ME Super was doing the same thing. I took it to a camera repair place replaced the shutter mechanism. The repairman said the shutter was dirty and sticking. You might try to (gently) blow it out with some compressed air.

abruzzi · 12-05-2018, 05:42 PM

Remember that the bottom of the image for a landscape oriented shot is actually the top when the image is being shot.

**RedRuff** · 12-05-2018, 06:01 PM

Originally posted by abruzzi

Remember that the bottom of the image for a landscape oriented shot is actually the top when the image is being shot.

Useful! thanks. maybe it's the mirror getting in the way

12-05-2018, 01:44 PM	#1
RedRuff Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Midlands, UK Posts: 145	Pentax ME Super dark band on some shots, some not developing at all Hi, my brother uses an ME Super and suffers from dark bands at the bottom of some pics. He uses various 200 and 400 asa Fuji/Kodak films then sends them off to a photo lab to be developed. About a third to half of his pics have this dark band at the bottom, as if the shutter is sticking somewhat, and one or two pics on his roll mysteriously vanish. I looked at it using Bulb setting across various lenses and apertures to see if it sticks and it seemed fine. We then shot a roll of black and white at every shutter speed and they were all fine. He doesn't take notes on the settings he used so we can't pinpoint anything specific. He did drop his camera before this started happening... Is there a specific part that may have suffered? I've un-jammed a couple of these before already but haven't delved past taking the electronics out the top! Cheers!

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Pentax ME/ME Super/ME F Exposure Compensation	soly	Troubleshooting and Beginner Help	4	06-09-2018 09:20 AM
Pentax me super not focusing & its not the lens, please help :)	jayjya027	Troubleshooting and Beginner Help	6	12-18-2016 03:58 AM
New to developing, slightly lost by all the information	JelleSE	Film Processing, Scanning, and Darkroom	27	06-09-2016 10:08 AM
Nikon D750 Owners Reporting a Dark Band Problem That Causes Ugly Lens Flares	interested_observer	Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Other Camera Brands	5	01-07-2015 10:50 PM
People Strike Up The Band - (6th Grade Band)	atupdate	Post Your Photos!	4	12-12-2010 06:48 PM

12-05-2018, 02:04 PM	#2
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285	Sounds like the shutter timing is off. Some are ok, some minor banding, some completely black - shutter timing.

12-05-2018, 03:20 PM - 1 Like	#3
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by RedRuff Hi, my brother uses an ME Super and suffers from dark bands at the bottom of some pics. He uses various 200 and 400 asa Fuji/Kodak films then sends them off to a photo lab to be developed. About a third to half of his pics have this dark band at the bottom, as if the shutter is sticking somewhat, and one or two pics on his roll mysteriously vanish. I looked at it using Bulb setting across various lenses and apertures to see if it sticks and it seemed fine. We then shot a roll of black and white at every shutter speed and they were all fine. He doesn't take notes on the settings he used so we can't pinpoint anything specific. He did drop his camera before this started happening... Is there a specific part that may have suffered? I've un-jammed a couple of these before already but haven't delved past taking the electronics out the top! Cheers! By bottom, do you mean the bottom of a horizontal frame in normal orientation (sky at top)? Three things come to mind. Either the mirror is not fully flipping out of the way and is casting a shadow... -- or -- ...a shutter curtain travel problem that defies easy description (IIRC, the shutter moved top-to-bottom. Simple capping would result in a darker sky in that case.)... -- or -- ...the front of the everready case is intruding into the frame. Take the lens off in B mode and observe the mirror movement for several cycles. Steve

12-05-2018, 03:43 PM	#4
RedRuff Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Midlands, UK Posts: 145 Original Poster	Originally posted by stevebrot By bottom, do you mean the bottom of a horizontal frame in normal orientation (sky at top)? Three things come to mind. Either the mirror is not fully flipping out of the way and is casting a shadow... -- or -- ...a shutter curtain travel problem that defies easy description (IIRC, the shutter moved top-to-bottom. Simple capping would result in a darker sky in that case.)... -- or -- ...the front of the everready case is intruding into the frame. Take the lens off in B mode and observe the mirror movement for several cycles. Steve Yes it's the bottom of a regular landscape frame. I thought it might be the strap in the way but it happens on landscape shots, and he doesn't use an everready case. I'll keep testing it using bulb but so far I haven't seen any issues with the shutter]

12-05-2018, 04:09 PM	#5
BWG Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Monterey County, California Posts: 165	Several years ago my ME Super was doing the same thing. I took it to a camera repair place replaced the shutter mechanism. The repairman said the shutter was dirty and sticking. You might try to (gently) blow it out with some compressed air.

12-05-2018, 05:42 PM	#6
abruzzi Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: New Mexico Posts: 788	Remember that the bottom of the image for a landscape oriented shot is actually the top when the image is being shot.

12-05-2018, 06:01 PM	#7
RedRuff Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Midlands, UK Posts: 145 Original Poster	Originally posted by abruzzi Remember that the bottom of the image for a landscape oriented shot is actually the top when the image is being shot. Useful! thanks. maybe it's the mirror getting in the way