[Hawkfan]

Reading through the LX reviews I see that the LX is capable of exceptionally long auto exposure even though it's max dial slow speed shutter speed is 4s. . Does anyone know if the ME Super can do similar?

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Last edited by Unregistered User 8; 11-22-2020 at 06:09 PM.

[officiousbystander]

I need this confirmed but I think the ME Super will in auto mode extend exposure beyond 4s to account for available light. I discovered this when changing film in a darkish room and advancing the film and having to wait 20 seconds each time for the shutter to fire. But this doesn't offer you much control. If it's really long exposure you need isn't bulb the best way to go?

[Hawkfan]

I need this confirmed but I think the ME Super will in auto mode extend exposure beyond 4s to account for available light. I discovered this when changing film in a darkish room and advancing the film and having to wait 20 seconds each time for the shutter to fire. But this doesn't offer you much control. If it's really long exposure you need isn't bulb the best way to go?

Probably, and not sure I would ever use it. Just curious as I was reading the LX reviews and came across this Pentax LX - Pentax Manual Focus Film SLRs - Pentax Camera Reviews and Specifications
and it got me wondering about the ME Super. He says he did a 6 hr auto exposure with the LX. I know the title of my thread says K2 but it was a brain lapse and a have asked moderator to change it to ME Super. If you do confirm it, let me know please. It sounds like from your experience, it may. Much appreciate the response if you confirm.

[stevebrot]

Does anyone know if the ME Super can do similar?

The answer is no, the limit for automated exposure is 4 seconds maximum and reflects the sensitivity limits of the camera's metering system. (EV1001 to EV10019 with ISO 25 film allows down to a 4s exposure at f/1.4 with one stop grace to allow exposure compensation at ISO 12.)*


Steve

* Most films show reciprocity failure when exposures extend much beyond 1 second, so no harm, no foul. B mode is indicated at this point.

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Last edited by stevebrot; 11-22-2020 at 06:15 PM.

[Hawkfan]

The answer is no, the limit for automated exposure is 4 seconds maximum and reflects the sensitivity limits of the camera's metering system. (EV1001 to EV10019 with ISO 25 film allows down to a 4s exposure at f/1.4 with one stop grace to allow exposure compensation at ISO 12.)


Steve

Uh oh. One maybe and one no. Can we get another for consensus or more confusion?

[stevebrot]

Can we get another for consensus or more confusion?

How about we talk about how the LX metering system differs from that in the ME Super?

In short, the ME super meters its exposure times before opening the shutter. The LX, on the other hand has a meter that is able to measure light reflecting back from the surface of the film during a long exposure and will close the shutter when enough light has been measured.

That, along with a look at the ME Super manual should help a lot.


Steve

[Hawkfan]

How about we talk about how the LX metering system differs from that in the ME Super?

In short, the ME super meters its exposure times before opening the shutter. The LX, on the other hand has a meter that is able to measure light reflecting back from the surface of the film during a long exposure and will close the shutter when enough light has been measured.

That, along with a look at the ME Super manual should help a lot.


Steve

Thanks Steve. You know, I did look at bot the manuals for both cameras but didn't see it even really discussed (or how I understood) in even the LX manual.

[stevebrot]

I discovered this when changing film in a darkish room and advancing the film and having to wait 20 seconds each time for the shutter to fire.

My comments were based on the information in the user manual, though the manual does suggest setting the mode dial to 125x to avoid overly long waits while advancing film to the first frame. I don't have an ME Super at hand, but I do have my Super Program which shares the same meter as the ME Super. Although it supports manual speeds to 15 seconds, an attempt with Program AE with the cap on results in a blinking display with 4 seconds maximum and a 4 second exposure if I depress the release.

Edit: I repeated in aperture priority AE and found that in that mode the display shows a blinking "15" with cap on and will do a 15s exposure. Repeating with cap off at f/22 in a dim room at I get blinking "15" (EV1 at ISO 8, the lowest for that camera). Apparently, the good people at Pentax expect the user to respect the blinking display on the Super Program and the RED "Under on the ME Super.


Steve

[stevebrot]

Thanks Steve. You know, I did look at bot the manuals for both cameras but didn't see it even really discussed (or how I understood) in even the LX manual.

The feature is called Integrated Direct Metering (IDM). The LX manual mentions IDM light measurement in section on "The Benefits of LX Photography" and later on in the section on "Meter Coupling Range". IDM was a major marketing factor with the LX and one of its main draws.


Steve

[Hawkfan]

The feature is called Integrated Direct Metering (IDM). The LX manual mentions IDM light measurement in section on "The Benefits of LX Photography" and later on in the section on "Meter Coupling Range". IDM was a major marketing factor with the LX and one of its main draws.


Steve

Thanks for the info Steve. Very helpful indeed.

[officiousbystander]

the manual does suggest setting the mode dial to 125x to avoid overly long waits while advancing film to the first frame.

Isn't it great what can be discovered when you read the manual. Will be sure to do this next time. Thanks.

[womble]

The ME Super will keep the shutter open on auto for a looooong time in the dark but I very much doubt* it is a usefully measured or timed exposure, let alone allowing for any reciprocity failure issues. As was said above, use B for anything over 4 seconds.

*Polite English way of saying "it isn't"

[LesDMess]

The ME Super will keep the shutter open on auto for a looooong time in the dark but I very much doubt* it is a usefully measured or timed exposure, let alone allowing for any reciprocity failure issues. As was said above, use B for anything over 4 seconds.

*Polite English way of saying "it isn't"

In testing all my aperture priority capable cameras, I found the following:
All Canons will max out at 30 seconds.
All Minoltas vary up to many seconds but not repeatable.
All Nikons vary up to minutes but not repeatable.
Olympus OM-2, OM-2N and OM4 can vary to minutes. The OM-2 has the longest potential time but subject to many settings. Comprehensive info at -> Olympus OM-2
All Pentaxes - except for the LX, vary up to many seconds but not repeatable.

Are there any cameras - past or present, that can accomodate for reciprocity failure? All film docs I've seen state the generic test it for yourself and see. The Kodak Ektar 100 doc states, "For critical applications with longer exposure times, make tests under your conditions."

Under controlled lighting conditions, results scanned with my Coolscan with no pre or post work show no color shifts at all.





After these I didn't conduct any more testing as you can't even tell the difference.

The most color variations you will find are from ambient lighting. These from Kodak Ektar 100 - daylight and night shot