Originally posted by LesDMess I don't have a Petri lens - and camera, but I am not aware they made a K mount lens at least according to
Rick Olson's lens mount compilation. It does say that they did an M42 screw mount version which can take an M42 to K mount adapter and that should work normally without affecting the camera function at all except that you would have to stop it down manually to use different apertures and to meter the scene.
As you say, if the camera works consistently without the lens mounted then perhaps it is the cause. Of course easier to verify if you have another standard Pentax K mount lens.
It is a K Mount lens, it is just odd that the shutter slips only when it's on the camera. I wish I could test it with another, but being a poor student another lens is not in my future for a good while :'(
Originally posted by Jonathan Mac: My two K2s have a similar problem and it's due to accumulated goo/junk/dirt in the camera internals, gumming up the mechanism. It's an expensive thing to fix (at least on a K2) which is why I haven't done it yet, but it may be cheaper on an ME Super. It's unlikely to be worth it though.
I note this is the second thread I've replied to this week in which people have asked about problems with ME Supers from the 'bay. My best advice is never buy an ME Super you haven't tested yourself.
Originally posted by UMC: Regarding the ME Super problem: The good part of the anser is, yes it is a known problem and it can be repaired (depending on your skills even DIY). The bad part is that it involves significant strip down of the camera and thus it is economical nonsense unless performed by DIY.
You might want to google for a text called "ME Super ramblings" which describes the classic ME Super problems and their cure. Here are some examples of helpful sites that I remember:
Favorite Classics > Pentax ME Super Ramblings > Three Common Failure Problems
Repairing a Pentax ME film transport | Simon Hawketts's Photo Blog
BTW, the problems described there are typical for all the ME-based series of cameras, including all ME (Super / -F), MV(1), MG, Super (A | Program) and Program A.
Thanks for the advice, and the links! I figured it might be an expensive fix, and tbh I bought the camera for £4. I only got it for cheap because I wanted to learn 35mm and am on a student budget. The nearest servicer to me is Harrow Technical and they want £76 to service a ME Super, which is way too much! I could buy another functional camera and lens for that price.
I may try to fix it, but it seems you would need to remove the mirror box to clean the gunk out properly, and I can't find any guide on how to do that. Is there one out there? If not I might just have to abandon 35mm for the time being.