My Second 'Real' Camera is Now My Latest Acquisition

480sparky · Apr 15, 2017

I started out taking photos with a Pentax K1000, and after a couple years had saved up enough money to buy my dream camera.... A Pentax MESuper. If I had a nickle for every frame of Kodachrome 25 I took with that camera, I'd be able to buy my own country.

Today, while in the local brick-n-mortar camera store, there sat this little gem in the used camera section:

I just could not pass it up.

John Galt · Apr 15, 2017

Very Nice! What lens? What did you pay? I am an MX and K1000 fan myself (Prefer manual with a meter). There are a couple nice ME Supers around central NY for sale.

narsuitus · Apr 15, 2017

480sparky said:
...my dream camera.... A Pentax MESuper.

Congratulations!

When I need to carry an automatic/electronic camera that is smaller, lighter, and less expensive than my Nikon F4, I carry a Pentax ME.

Pentax ME & Nikon F4 by Narsuitus, on Flickr

480sparky · Apr 15, 2017

John Galt said:
Very Nice! What lens? What did you pay? I am an MX and K1000 fan myself (Prefer manual with a meter). There are a couple nice ME Supers around central NY for sale.

I'm trading my SuperProgram straight across for it. No lenses for either. Body for body.

I have a K1000 now and will start looking for getting an MX to go with these (I used the MESuper for K25, and added an MX for Pan-X).

mshchem · Apr 15, 2017

My first "Real" non Instamatic camera was a Honeywell Pentax SP 500. I found a MINT example in a box of stuff at my local guy. Bought with the understanding NO Guarantee. Came with a mint (except for SSN engraved) 135mm SMC Takumar . $10 total. I put a battery in it works like new. Screwed on a Super Takumar 55mm f2. Just like I started with in 1969. This is cool in that you need to stop down the lens to meter. If you leave the meter on (The aperture preview on later cameras) it clicks to the off position when you fire the shutter.

cooltouch · Apr 16, 2017

480sparky said:
I'm trading my SuperProgram straight across for it. No lenses for either. Body for body.

I own a Super Program and years ago, owned a plain ME. I don't have any experience with the ME Super, but I've always thought of it as a step below the Super Program, since it doesn't have a Program mode setting. But the Super Program has an aperture-priority setting, which should make it the functional equivalent to the ME Super. So, I'm curious -- what is it about the ME Super that you prefer it over the Super Program?

480sparky · Apr 16, 2017

cooltouch said:
.............what is it about the ME Super that you prefer it over the Super Program?

I never owned a Super Program 'back in the day'. The ME Super is where my heart lies. When I picked it up, my muscle memory kicked right in and it still felt natural.

Sirius Glass · Apr 16, 2017

My first camera was a Kodak Brownie Hawkeye. My first real camera was a Voightlander Vito II. Both long gone, but now I again have one of each.

Chan Tran · Apr 16, 2017

480sparky said:
I started out taking photos with a Pentax K1000, and after a couple years had saved up enough money to buy my dream camera.... A Pentax MESuper. If I had a nickle for every frame of Kodachrome 25 I took with that camera, I'd be able to buy my own country.

Today, while in the local brick-n-mortar camera store, there sat this little gem in the used camera section:

I just could not pass it up.

How much is a country worth. I can bet that you shot no more than 100,000 frames of Kodachrome 25 with that camera and if you shot that much a country for you is only $5000?

Chan Tran · Apr 16, 2017

In fact among the Pentax line I think I hate the K1000 most and the ME series next. I much rather have either the old Spotmatic. If an early K would be a KX or a little later an MX or an LX.

cooltouch · Apr 16, 2017

480sparky said:
I never owned a Super Program 'back in the day'. The ME Super is where my heart lies. When I picked it up, my muscle memory kicked right in and it still felt natural.

Aye, and there's no denying that. I'm the same way with the old Canons -- the FTb and the old F-1. They just feel natural in my hands.

Chan Tran said:
In fact among the Pentax line I think I hate the K1000 most and the ME series next. I much rather have either the old Spotmatic. If an early K would be a KX or a little later an MX or an LX.

Well, hate is a very strong word. I agree with your sentiments, however. To me the K1000 is too simplistic. Even the KM is too simplistic to me. But the KX is just right. A true workhorse and a great tool. And yes, Pentax got it right with the small form-factor MX and LX. If you like the small form factor. I own one of each and I'm still getting used to how small they are. I owned an ME for a while, and I gotta say that I really didn't care for it -- mostly because it was Aperture priority only. My feelings might have been different toward the ME Super had I ever owned one of them. But generally I don't care for push buttons, so, even though it's bigger and heavier, I think I'd prefer the K2 over an ME Super.

darinwc · Apr 17, 2017

Personally i think the ME, ME Super, and Super Program are the most under-rated cameras.
They are well designed cameras, and very enjoyable to use.

cooltouch · Apr 17, 2017

darinwc said:
Personally i think the ME, ME Super, and Super Program are the most under-rated cameras.
They are well designed cameras, and very enjoyable to use.

Well, I don't own an ME anymore, although I have a very clear recollection of it, I've never owned an ME Super, but I do own a Super Program. However, it's been a while since I've done anything with it. So last night, after reading your post, I loaded it up with a 3v battery and sat down and played around with it for a while. I can see how you feel the way you do about it -- and since the ME Super's controls are almost identical, I can see why you like it as well. I dunno -- I guess once you get used to the buttons, it's not so bad to use. Some might even argue it's easier to use than a camera that has a rotating shutter speed dial. But I'm just not much of a fan of LCDs. I prefer either match needles or vertical rows of LEDs. Besides, my Super Program has developed a notchiness to the shutter release that I don't much care for. I reckon I'll have to pull the top cover to address that issue. So, give me the match needles of the KX or the LEDs of the MX or LX and I'm a happy camper.

My Second 'Real' Camera is Now My Latest Acquisition

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