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10-28-2015, 01:56 PM   #1
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Question about ME without battery power

Ok, so I understand that in the absence of battery power, the ME can still shoot with a 1/100 or a Bulb shutter setting.

What I want to know is, can I use this knob still?



I know that's exposure compensation... so my guess is it slows or speeds up the shutter speed. I understand that with the batteries working, and in AUTO, the camera uses aperture to choose shutter speed and that with that knob on the left, you can adjust up or down two stops worth... so that effectively speeds up or slows the shutter (since the aperture is MC). Is that mechanical or electronic? Meaning, even with the batteries dead/missing, will that knob mechanically speed up or slow down the shutter?

What I am trying to determine is, without battery power and set to 1/100 shutter, will the correction knob still adjust shutter speed (and how exactly). I'm guessing that "stops" up or down are following Sunny 16, just trying to understand that (and understand Sunny 16).

I am trying to see how effective I can use this camera with zero electricity.

10-28-2015, 02:03 PM   #2
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You can use that knob if you want, but it won't do anything.

The exposure compensation dial affects the meter (in very basic terms) and has no affect whatsoever on the shutter speed when using the camera without batteries.
10-28-2015, 02:07 PM   #3
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Ahhh so the dial is a sort of electronic meter aperture, controlling sensitivity. The meter then decides how much light it is getting, and electronically sets shutter speed in AUTO. Right?

So while in AUTO:

A-ring ---> meter ---> shutter speed.
OR
A-ring ---> compensation dial ---> meter ---> shutter speed.

Yes?
10-28-2015, 02:52 PM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by Suleeto Quote
Ahhh so the dial is a sort of electronic meter aperture, controlling sensitivity. The meter then decides how much light it is getting, and electronically sets shutter speed in AUTO. Right?

So while in AUTO:

A-ring ---> meter ---> shutter speed.
OR
A-ring ---> compensation dial ---> meter ---> shutter speed.

Yes?
I think that the compensation dial is just a part of the ISO dial which is electronically coupled to the meter.
If you have the the ISO set to 100, and you change the compensation to 2X, you're basically changing the ISO to 50.

10-28-2015, 03:13 PM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by Swift1 Quote
I think that the compensation dial is just a part of the ISO dial which is electronically coupled to the meter.
If you have the the ISO set to 100, and you change the compensation to 2X, you're basically changing the ISO to 50.
SO without battery power... what is the ISO effectively set at? I'm confused now LOL
10-28-2015, 04:20 PM   #6
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The ISO isn't set if there is no battery. The shutter fires at 1/100s (or bulb) no matter how you set the leftmost dial. The aperture will be whatever value you set on the lens. Don't use the 'A' setting on the lens (if it has one).
10-28-2015, 04:43 PM   #7
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If you shoot without a battery, you don't have any metering, therefore the camera doesn't know or care about the ISO. YOU have to know the ISO of your film, and estimate the correct aperture based the ISO and available light. Look up the "sunny f/16" rule (basically, on a sunny day, at 1/100 and ISO 100, f/16 should get a correct exposure.) Bulb mode is only going to be useful for long exposures and counting "one potato, two potato" after you work out the correct aperture based on your film and lighting conditions. This is pretty old-school stuff.

10-28-2015, 10:37 PM   #8
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Old school maybe.

Most film packs came with a table for

Sunny day picture
125
/11
Two clouds
125
/8

Etc.

Some packs still do

Or you used a calculator

PHOTOGRAPHIC EXPOSURE CALCULATION - A HISTORY

With practice and reducing the ISO by two you are ok with mono, colour was more difficult.
10-29-2015, 08:03 AM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by Suleeto Quote
I am trying to see how effective I can use this camera with zero electricity.
Shooting with no batteries may sound cool, but it's really only for emergencies and on this camera pretty useless.

Phil.
10-29-2015, 09:44 AM   #10
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Here's the manual for the ME: http://www.cameramanuals.org/pentax_pdf/pentax_me.pdf
It should help you out.
10-29-2015, 11:07 AM   #11
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The ME isn't very useful without batteries. Fortunately, batteries for it are easy to obtain. If you really want to do without batteries, I recommend the K1000, KX, or MX.
10-30-2015, 01:23 AM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by AquaDome Quote
The ME isn't very useful without batteries. Fortunately, batteries for it are easy to obtain. If you really want to do without batteries, I recommend the K1000, KX, or MX.
Confirmed my K1000 never sees a battery but when it is two hours to sunset im in a coffee shop sipping a latte,

Google sunny side f16 derate 400 ISO to 200
10-30-2015, 10:31 AM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by AquaDome Quote
If you really want to do without batteries, I recommend the K1000, KX, or MX.
One could also consider a Spotmatic, but then you're limited to the Takumar lenses. It's fine for those who want to collect and experiment with M42 screw-mount lenses (I already had a few, so my Spottie came to me "body only" with lenses ready to go), but if it isn't, then AquaDome's recommendations are good ones.
10-30-2015, 10:50 AM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by Suleeto Quote
Ahhh so the dial is a sort of electronic meter aperture, controlling sensitivity.
I don't believe it actually controls the sensitivity of the meter's sensor, it just tells the meter to lie to the camera and photographer about what it's sensing. i.e. if the scene is EV14 and you have the compensation set at +1 the light meter will lie and tell the camera (and/or you) that the scene is only EV13 so the camera in an auto mode or you in manual will choose a slower shutter speed or larger aperture.

Last edited by Parallax; 10-30-2015 at 10:56 AM.
10-31-2015, 08:26 PM   #15
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Basically the camera shoots at 1/100 and whatever aperture you have.
The compenstion is useles at this point

QuoteOriginally posted by Suleeto Quote
Ok, so I understand that in the absence of battery power, the ME can still shoot with a 1/100 or a Bulb shutter setting.

What I want to know is, can I use this knob still?



I know that's exposure compensation... so my guess is it slows or speeds up the shutter speed. I understand that with the batteries working, and in AUTO, the camera uses aperture to choose shutter speed and that with that knob on the left, you can adjust up or down two stops worth... so that effectively speeds up or slows the shutter (since the aperture is MC). Is that mechanical or electronic? Meaning, even with the batteries dead/missing, will that knob mechanically speed up or slow down the shutter?

What I am trying to determine is, without battery power and set to 1/100 shutter, will the correction knob still adjust shutter speed (and how exactly). I'm guessing that "stops" up or down are following Sunny 16, just trying to understand that (and understand Sunny 16).

I am trying to see how effective I can use this camera with zero electricity.
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