[Need Repair] Pentax ES II - Needle Stuck

Popsy · Feb 16, 2017

Hi all,

A week ago, I bought a body of Pentax ES II include 4 new LR44 batteries. I try to check the batteries with battery check dial and swith the mode to automatic, but no movement from the needle. It stuck below the 8 indicator. But when i try to shoot with auto mode, the shutter seems responsive with light (though the needle stay the same).

I tought it was cause the LR44 type battery, try to change with SR44 but still the same. The good thing is, AV mode seems good and responsive to light depend on what f i choose. I don't know about the auto speed accuracy, not trying with film yet. I'm just curious about the needle, would be much happier if it works. Wonder if anyone knows about this problem, and a way to fix it. Thanks before

Here is my Babies ES II

*Try to load some film today, will post the result soon.

Long live analog!

shutterfinger · Feb 16, 2017

Sounds like the meter is bad even though the shutter operates in TTL mode. Also observe the aperture while looking through the lens, does it close down in TTL mode?
An instruction manual is available here if you need one: http://www.cameramanuals.org/pentax_pdf/pentax_es_ii.pdf

Bill Burk · Feb 16, 2017

You know that lens isn't the one that came with it. The 50mm f/1.8 SMCT for ES-II had a more ruggedized knurling. But the lens is fully-compatible. You don't have to worry about that.

The needle could just be stuck by some debris. A cleaning might be all it needs.

The fact the shutter sounds right is possibly true. You can probably trust it if the scene is "right" for an average light meter reading. The needle does not inherently control the shutter. It's just feedback that you are missing out on.

Most of the time I use my ES-II without batteries in manual mode with a handheld light meter.

Yours looks really nice. Good find.

Bill Burk · Feb 17, 2017

Haa, no.. it's a Super-Multi-Coated Takumar. It has the correct block to connect to open-aperture metering. It's just "Spotmatic-F" vintage instead of ES-II vintage. It's fully compatible.

Popsy · Feb 17, 2017

Wow.. Thanks @APUGuser19 @shutterfinger and @Bill Burk for the respond. Seem I should CLA this little gem. I'll start shooting with Kodak Max 400 today to check if the auto is in correct exp. Will post any result soon. Btw @Bill Burk do you also try the auto feature on ES II?

Popsy · Feb 17, 2017

Ok @APUGuser19 @Bill Burk here are the back of the lens. Is it correct lens?

Popsy · Feb 17, 2017

APUGuser19 said:
this lens is correct. The switch on the mirror box should be down. Possibly the circuit board inside the bottom of the camera has tarnished contacts or a battery wire has corroded itself broken. Or a piece of old foam has jammed the needle. Apparently you have an early esii here.

I think the auto has correct shutter choice. I pair it with my digital camera and it's abot the same setting in auto (If my feeling and hearing about shutter right). Seems i shoud clean the prism and mirror (the VF is a bit dirty).

In this picture below, the VF had two thick black lines in the right and left (its quite annoying honestly).

Popsy · Feb 17, 2017

APUGuser19 said:
Foam. That's probably the problem.

Yeah that's it probably.. Thanks mate!

Bill Burk · Feb 17, 2017

Sure I used the automatic shutter on my ES-II a lot! But now I do everything manually when I can.

Super-Takumar lenses are the ones which require stop-down metering. Yours is not that.

A very tiny pin, the square block and the lever which moves with the aperture... prove 100% compatibility with Spotmatic-F and ES, ES-II.

True, Asahi vs. Honeywell might explain the (cosmetic-only) difference in lens styling. But I just suspected that the previous owner swapped the lens out. A little projecting of my own devious nature here. My Honeywell ES-II has a similar style Asahi Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 50mm f/1.4 mounted to it because I swapped the lens out with my dad. He is stuck with my 50mm f/1.8 rugged knurl lens on his Asahi Spotmatic-II. The Spotmatic-II didn't need the block and lever, but the very tiny pin is there to support the Spotmatic-II.

The lens has a lever that switches between Manual and Auto. That describes the aperture automatically opening only, a confusing term. For the ES-II please make sure that you set that slider on the lens to Auto. The tiny pin is a safety interlock that prevents you from switching it to Manual, Manual is a bad setting for the ES-II. Won't break anything but it will ruin a lot of exposures. If you played with it, set it back to Auto.

Bill Burk · Feb 20, 2017

Rainy day so I got the ES-II out to check something I wasn't sure of.

Auto exposure will be off badly (it will grossly overexpose) if you move the Auto-Manual switch on the lens to Manual (especially obvious when stopped down like to f/16).

You can only switch lens to the ... bad for ES-II ... Manual if you play with the lens, put a rear cap on, ... or if you put the lens on an older M42 body. I used to have an H3V so this used to be a real problem for me when I would change lenses between bodies. Actually the rear cap is a pretty bad possibility. Bottom line, don't fidget with that lens lever.

Otherwise... with the lens in Auto position... which it will try to stay in. You will get correct auto-exposure shutter speed even if you press up the depth-of-field preview switch.

[Need Repair] Pentax ES II - Needle Stuck

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