[Fernando Vergara]

Hi, i´m new to the site and to the film world. I wanted to try it and bought a Pentax ESII for cheap with a broken lens, stuck mirror and light meter not working properly. I replaced the lense for an EBC Fujinon 55mm 1.8 that i had until i can find a SMC Takumar (pretty rare where i live it seems). The stuck mirror was easy to solve thanks to the info in this site and some videos on Youtube, but the light meter still has problems.
The batteries that i could find are some new LR44W, I could not find the SR44 ones and for sale online are SR44W. Dont know the difference between the last two.

First: When testing the batteries in the camera (AUTO shutter and battery check button) the needle dorps down to 1/1000 and not to the middle (between 1/15 and 1/8) as the user manual says. I don't know if this is because of the slight difference of the batteries or the cameras light meter. If it´s the batteries then the second issue might be solved by installing the right ones.

Second: When using the auto mode with the stop-down switch engaged the meter shows 1/30s with a bright source and 1/4s or 1/8s with a dark one. Shutter speed doesn't seem to change.
Manual shuter seems to work fine so a can still use it but it would be better if the light meter could work too for auto.
I couldn't find anyone that had the same problem, that's why i'm writing this. Any help would be really appreciated.

The camera with lens:

Viewfinder at battery check:

Viewfinder at bright source (auto):

Viewfinder at dark source (auto):

[Johndav]

I think the Fujinon EBC m42 lenses may have a extra pin over normal m42 lenses - could this be conflicting with the ESII?

[tonyzoc]

I'm pretty sure the Fujinon EBC M42 is a standard M42 with no aperture pin like the SMC Takumars have. If so, then you would meter with the stop down switch... as you said you are doing. The shutter speeds are changing in the viewfinder but actual speeds stay the same? If that's the case then there is something wrong with the camera. Independent of whether the meter reading is correct, if the needle is in 1/4 sec but shutter fires at 1/125 there is a problem that needs service to repair, if even possible.

[Fernando Vergara]

I'm pretty sure the Fujinon EBC M42 is a standard M42 with no aperture pin like the SMC Takumars have. If so, then you would meter with the stop down switch... as you said you are doing. The shutter speeds are changing in the viewfinder but actual speeds stay the same? If that's the case then there is something wrong with the camera. Independent of whether the meter reading is correct, if the needle is in 1/4 sec but shutter fires at 1/125 there is a problem that needs service to repair, if even possible.

Thanks for the response. Yeah, the
EBC Fujinon doesn't have an aperture pin. Well I forgot to add that the meter shows the same 1/8s - 1/30s for all ASA. Maybe it adds to the fact that the camera needs service. I was hoping that someone would tell me that the batteries are the problem, but I still have hope. There's few people that really knows how to work in these cameras where I live.

[Fernando Vergara]

I think the Fujinon EBC m42 lenses may have a extra pin over normal m42 lenses - could this be conflicting with the ESII?

It doesn't. I think that it uses an small piece of metal in te aperture ring that doesn't interfere with anything in the ESII.