Pentax ME super metering question

[Blooze]

I've put the first two rolls of film through one of my old Pentax cameras to check it out, ME Super. Both rolls were Arista Premium shot at 400 using the in-camera metering. A yellow #8 filter was used on and off through both rolls. Both rolls were developed in ID-11 (the first for 9 minutes at 72F which was room temp, the 2nd for 10 minutes at 68F), Ilfostop for 20-30 seconds, Ilford rapid fixer for 4 minutes (checked time to clear and doubled it), Ilford method rinse 5,10,20,30, 40, 50 inversions with filtered water, and a final rinse for 4 minutes in filtered water with one drop of LFS. I inverted for the first 10 seconds of each developing cycle, then 3 inversions every minute after that. Same with the stop and fixer.

Anyway, the negatives on both rolls look to me to be underexposed. Lots of clear, especially on dark scenes. Filter didn't seem to make any difference. Now that I look back at my notes most of the shots at f/16 and f/11 were getting auto shutter speeds of 1/500 and 1/1000 with the filter on. The ones without a filter were always the same or higher. I checked it against my Pentax MX and Luna Pro SBC (reflective) and for the same f-stop it was always a stop faster on the shutter speed. So the MX would read f/11 at 1/500 on a clear blue sky while the ME would be 1/1000 (both set to 400asa). With the asa moved to 200, then it matched the MX and Luna. I plan on sending it off for a CLA this fall, but in the meantime would it be worth trying the ME set at half the films box speed, then developing it at box speed? Just thinking of a way to use the camera meter.

FWIW, I've not had the Luna meter checked, but in reflective mode it matches both of my Nikon dslr's matrix metering dead on, and it matches the Pentax MX and a Canon AE-1's metering as well.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as I like using the ME for walk around shooting.

 

[BMbikerider]

It may seem like a fundamental question but did you set the correct film speed. The ME Super as I recall does not have DX Film speed setting.

 

[lxdude]

The ME Super does not have DX. One thing to check though, is that the exposure compensation dial is seated well in its indent, and it would not hurt to move it through its range a few times. Do the same to the ASA dial.

 

[Blooze]

Film speed was set to 400 on the dial. I've exercised the exposure compensation dial as well before using it. The ASA dial and exposure comp. dial both seem to adjust the meter accordingly. I'm thinking the meter is just off by a stop or so across the board.

 

[Too old to care]

I used to own a ME Super, nice camera. I gave it to my niece who destroyed it. Anyway, one of my cameras is off by an f-stop too (Rollei 35SE), always has been. I do like you suggested in your post, I just set it to 1/2 the ISO.

 

[Blooze]

I used to own a ME Super, nice camera. I gave it to my niece who destroyed it. Anyway, one of my cameras is off by an f-stop too (Rollei 35SE), always has been. I do like you suggested in your post, I just set it to 1/2 the ISO.

I think that's what I'll do. Just set at 1/2 ISO. Would I start with the developing time for 400, as opposed to the shorter developing time for 200?

 

[removed account4]

did you change the battery ?
i have a me super and when the battery
is't fully loaded, well, the meter doesn't work well

 

[Blooze]

did you change the battery ?
i have a me super and when the battery
is't fully loaded, well, the meter doesn't work well

New batteries and cleaned the contacts as well.

 

[lxdude]

It could be the aperture follower. They get dry and stick. Mine did and gave inaccurate readings until I got it CLA'd. I don't remember how much it was off or if the readings were off the same amount all the time.

 

[Too old to care]

I think that's what I'll do. Just set at 1/2 ISO. Would I start with the developing time for 400, as opposed to the shorter developing time for 200?

Leave the development time alone since the film will now be correctly exposed if one f-stop is enough compensation. In not, cut the ISO more, not the development time.

 

[Blooze]

Leave the development time alone since the film will now be correctly exposed if one f-stop is enough compensation. In not, cut the ISO more, not the development time.

Thank you. That's what I thought, but being forgetful and new to developing film again I needed some confirmation by those that know what they're doing.

 

[Blooze]

Well, I had a few photos that I took at the same time with my Nikon D200 that I got around to looking at and looking at the exposure data for those against the same shots on the ME, the ME is always underexposed by a stop to 1 1/2 stops compared to the Nikon. Guess that's what I get for not completely checking the ME out before hand. Ah well, they were just test rolls anyway