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05-05-2020, 12:07 PM   #1
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ME Super Jammed Shutter!

Dear UMC,

I hope you can help me with this. I was just getting ready to put an Pentax ME Super on eBay. I like to test everything on the camera. Shutter speeds were very close to the set speed (checked via a Phochron XA tester) and I thought I would do a self-timer test.

I cocked the shutter.

Wound the self-timer

Hit the shutter release...nothing

Checked the wind lever and then the self-timer lever started moving. When it got to the end of the movement...nothing.

Camera will not fire or cock.

Fresh batteries

After doing some research, I came across Gordon Stalker's "Disassembly of the Pentax ME Super" in which he, Gordon Stalker, said this was to fix a jammed camera. I am very handy, so I went step by step and took the camera apart. I can't get my shutter to work as he mentions in the article. Any real help, please try to avoid guesswork, would be greatly appreciated. I hope I took enough photos to show you all the mechanisms, and perhaps, reveal the issue!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10220163346421629&set=pcb.5454173294...&theater&ifg=1 is a link to some photos I took of the mechanism.

Thank you, Jim
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10220163343981568&set=pcb.5454173294...&theater&ifg=1
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10220163343981568&set=pcb.5454173294...&theater&ifg=1
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10220163344381578&set=pcb.5454173294...&theater&ifg=1
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10220163344261575&set=pcb.5454173294...&theater&ifg=1
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10220163345341602&set=pcb.5454173294...&theater&ifg=1
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10220163345021594&set=pcb.5454173294...&theater&ifg=1
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10220163345461605&set=pcb.5454173294...&theater&ifg=1
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10220163345981618&set=pcb.5454173294...&theater&ifg=1


Last edited by BigMackCam; 05-05-2020 at 12:14 PM. Reason: E-mail address removed for member's security
05-05-2020, 12:16 PM   #2
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Moved to Pentax Film SLR Discussion forum....
05-05-2020, 01:03 PM   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by Shutterspeedblog Quote
Dear UMC,

I hope you can help me with this. I was just getting ready to put an Pentax ME Super on eBay. I like to test everything on the camera. Shutter speeds were very close to the set speed (checked via a Phochron XA tester) and I thought I would do a self-timer test.

I cocked the shutter.

Wound the self-timer

Hit the shutter release...nothing

Checked the wind lever and then the self-timer lever started moving. When it got to the end of the movement...nothing.

Camera will not fire or cock.

Fresh batteries

After doing some research, I came across Gordon Stalker's "Disassembly of the Pentax ME Super" in which he, Gordon Stalker, said this was to fix a jammed camera. I am very handy, so I went step by step and took the camera apart. I can't get my shutter to work as he mentions in the article. Any real help, please try to avoid guesswork, would be greatly appreciated. I hope I took enough photos to show you all the mechanisms, and perhaps, reveal the issue!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10220163346421629&set=pcb.5454173294...&theater&ifg=1 is a link to some photos I took of the mechanism.

Thank you, Jim[IMG]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10220163343981568&set=pcb.5454173294...&theater&ifg=1
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10220163343981568&set=pcb.5454173294...&theater&ifg=1
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10220163344381578&set=pcb.5454173294...&theater&ifg=1
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10220163344261575&set=pcb.5454173294...&theater&ifg=1
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10220163345341602&set=pcb.5454173294...&theater&ifg=1
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10220163345021594&set=pcb.5454173294...&theater&ifg=1
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10220163345461605&set=pcb.5454173294...&theater&ifg=1
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10220163345981618&set=pcb.5454173294...&theater&ifg=1
Unfortunately the pictures are not accessible, perhaps they are only to view if you have facebook?

Last edited by Unregistered User; 05-05-2020 at 01:11 PM. Reason: A typo.
05-05-2020, 09:04 PM   #4
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After hours and hours, I finally found the small pieces of bumper inside the works! I am glad I have a lighted stereo microscope, otherwise I don't think I would have found them! I also had to recock the mirror. It appears it is working now. I have half the wires resoldered but time for bed!

05-06-2020, 01:56 AM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by Shutterspeedblog Quote
After hours and hours, I finally found the small pieces of bumper inside the works! I am glad I have a lighted stereo microscope, otherwise I don't think I would have found them! I also had to recock the mirror. It appears it is working now. I have half the wires resoldered but time for bed!
Glad you appear to have sorted the problem. My own trusty ME Super is currently away for what I suspect is its first ever CLA. I'm hoping to get another 15 years pleasure from it.
05-06-2020, 08:17 AM   #6
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Mysterious Spring!

I attached a couple of photos. One is the disassembled state of my camera and the other is a mysterious spring. I cannot find any reference to how it is to be placed in any of the searches. It was in the rewind/selector area when I disassembled the camera.
Attached Images
View Picture EXIF
PEN-F  Photo 
View Picture EXIF
PEN-F  Photo 

Last edited by Shutterspeedblog; 05-06-2020 at 01:03 PM.
05-06-2020, 01:19 PM   #7
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I think that is the spring that makes the frame counter return.

05-06-2020, 01:26 PM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by Shutterspeedblog Quote
mysterious spring.
QuoteOriginally posted by pentaxus Quote
I think that is the spring that makes the frame counter return.
I agree that it looks like the counter dial spring.

See the ME Super service manual at: http://www.pentax-manuals.com/manuals/service/me-s_sm.pdf (Password is Pentax, upper case P)

Page 18, Exploded Illustration Figure 3, top left section of the diagram, part C57 (the third part below the letters "PL" in EXPLODED)

- Craig

Last edited by c.a.m; 05-06-2020 at 01:42 PM.
05-06-2020, 08:23 PM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by pentaxus Quote
I think that is the spring that makes the frame counter return.
Thanks! It is people like you that make this forum great!
05-07-2020, 01:18 AM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by Shutterspeedblog Quote
Thanks! It is people like you that make this forum great!
Did you find out where the broken bumper came from and did you manage to obtain or make a replacement?
05-07-2020, 12:43 PM   #11
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Bumper and another issue!

The bumper I removed is shown in Gordan Stalker's "Disassembly of Pentax ME Super" article on page 29. In his article he writes "Indicated is the cause of most locked cameras and 'jammed shutter' faults. It is a rubber completely without harm, all it seems to be for is to reduce noise. Any additional jarring caused at this point will not add to camera shake, the picture has already been taken." Because of that I did not replace the bumper. The other bumper was not rubber, but a harder white plastic. It was in excellent shape.

Now it is all back together and all the electronics work, it winds, but will not fire the shutter unless I give the shutter button a rather forceful tap. Please see the attached video. Obviously, this is not the way I want to take pictures. Any thoughts on the problem?

Jim
Attached Files
File Type: avi P5070499_mpeg4.avi (1.56 MB, 76 views)
05-07-2020, 03:09 PM   #12
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Glad to hear that your camera is somewhat back to live. I assume, you already saw my collection of ME-Super repair documents, which I linked here Looking for an ME Super Disassembly Guide with photos - PentaxForums.com
05-07-2020, 08:35 PM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by UMC Quote
Glad to hear that your camera is somewhat back to live. I assume, you already saw my collection of ME-Super repair documents, which I linked here Looking for an ME Super Disassembly Guide with photos - PentaxForums.com
Yes, between yours and Gordan Stalker, I was able to fix the first problem. Any thoughts on the shutter button issue? See the video above.
05-08-2020, 10:04 AM   #14
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Fixed

I removed the top one more time to see if it there was anything I was missing. Everything worked fine with the top off. Put it back together and still no shutter. Removed the top again and placed a very thin washer (0.1mm thick) between the shutter release button and the small metal plunger. Works perfectly!

---------- Post added 05-08-20 at 10:43 AM ----------

How funny. Got it all backed together and firing perfectly and then I noticed the film counter wasn't counting. Had to reset that spring for the umpteenth time!
05-08-2020, 01:06 PM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by UMC Quote
Glad to hear that your camera is somewhat back to live. I assume, you already saw my collection of ME-Super repair documents, which I linked here Looking for an ME Super Disassembly Guide with photos - PentaxForums.com
Dear UMC,
I am testing the shutter speeds and the button to have the speeds go lower is not working. Did I miss a wire to resolder? I checked and double checked. It worked before I took it apart.
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