Jammed camera??

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I was loading up my Pentax ME Super and was trying to wind it on but it seems to be jammed. The shutter button won’t press and it won’t wind on again. Any ideas??
 
I was loading up my Pentax ME Super and was trying to wind it on but it seems to be jammed. The shutter button won’t press and it won’t wind on again. Any ideas??

Well with jammed camera I unscrew the base plate and poke around with a large needle.....just be gentle when poking around and don't force anything.
 
Note the last frame number, put the camera into a changing bag, open the back, remove the film and rewind it back into the casette, leaving the tounge outside thou, investigate the issue in daylight, when sorted, re-insert the film, leave the lens cap on, and shoot to the frame number plus 1 and then continue shooting to the end of the film.
 
You may also have come to the end of the film

It’s right at the start of the film. So I I’ve probably wasted a frame or so as I’ve already opened the back! It’s the ‘investigate the problem’ that I’m unsure of. I have no idea what it could be!
 
Battery?
 
To check it's the battery, turn it to X or B. If it fires then replace the battery.

Actually my advice is based on a Pentax ME, which has no manual mode, so it may or may not apply. The ME is always in Aperture priority so needs the battery.
 
To check it's the battery, turn it to X or B. If it fires then replace the battery.

Actually my advice is based on a Pentax ME, which has no manual mode, so it may or may not apply. The ME is always in Aperture priority so needs the battery.

Don’t think it’s the batter as it’s still metering when I look through the viewfinder
 
Take the film out, with the back open try moving the sprockets the way they go to wind the film on, it may be they haven't moved quite enough to reset the shutter. You should get a click and they'll stop.
Failing that battery?
 
Yes, the lever that winds the film on won’t move. As though you haven’t pressed the shutter yet. But the shutter button won’t press either.
I meant the button on the camera base that you have to push in before rewinding the film. If this sticks in, you'll not be able to wind the film on.
 
The battery would be my first suggestion (probably only suggestion to be fair, given that's about where my technical know-how ends!). My OM-10 locks up completely when the batteries run low on power (even if I can still see some LEDs lit in the viewfinder), and I've found it to be the solution to similar issues with other cameras.
 
The battery would be my first suggestion (probably only suggestion to be fair, given that's about where my technical know-how ends!). My OM-10 locks up completely when the batteries run low on power (even if I can still see some LEDs lit in the viewfinder), and I've found it to be the solution to similar issues with other cameras.

I’ll try the battery then!
 
I don’t think this is related (hard to tell from your description;)) but I had the shutter button fail on my Olympus OM1. From memory ( it was around 1975) it was loose rather than ’tight’ and I used a cable release to fire the shutter. After a few repeats it was fine ever after :).
 
The ME super will fire without a battery on any setting, probably just one backup speed though.

It’s got a 1/125 setting - presumable that’s for when the bats have run out? So it’s a mechanical issue after all...
 
It’s got a 1/125 setting - presumable that’s for when the bats have run out? So it’s a mechanical issue after all...

If you have gone through all the suggestion above..you just undo about four screws (usually for most cameras) and the base plate comes off, then just make an intelligent guess what wheel or whatever is stuck and carefully use a needle on that part......I've fixed quite a few cameras like that esp getting them going cheap at the bootie because they were jammed. Some just need a tiny drop of oil for a part that is dried out.

In thread "M3 off to miles whitehead" *14 (my post)
Well I saw an ME at the bootie with lens and a few extras and the guy wanted £15, but did eventually buy a ME super body for £4 (told the guy I didn't want the zoom and to sell it separately) with the wind on jammed.....took the bottom plate off and un jammed it.

Just to add:-
"by intelligent guess" means is you carefully move the wind on lever you can see the movement in the base, then you can see what other parts might need to move that is connected, if you carefully poke with a needle you can get it working. Works for me most of the time and I'm not a camera mechanic.
 
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If you have gone through all the suggestion above..you just undo about four screws (usually for most cameras) and the base plate comes off, then just make an intelligent guess what wheel or whatever is stuck and carefully use a needle on that part......I've fixed quite a few cameras like that esp getting them going cheap at the bootie because they were jammed. Some just need a tiny drop of oil for a part that is dried out.

In thread "M3 off to miles whitehead" *14 (my post)
Well I saw an ME at the bootie with lens and a few extras and the guy wanted £15, but did eventually buy a ME super body for £4 (told the guy I didn't want the zoom and to sell it separately) with the wind on jammed.....took the bottom plate off and un jammed it.

Just to add:-
"by intelligent guess" means is you carefully move the wind on lever you can see the movement in the base, then you can see what other parts might need to move that is connected, if you carefully poke with a needle you can get it working. Works for me most of the time and I'm not a camera mechanic.

I took the bottom plate off and played around with the mechanisms - I have no idea what I did but after a bit of poking around it started working again!
 
I took the bottom plate off and played around with the mechanisms - I have no idea what I did but after a bit of poking around it started working again!

Well done, the problem is:- a camera mechanic would have a very good idea what the problem could be (assuming nothing is broken)...and after five minutes work won't say the bill is £5 but would want about £50 for a full service. :eek:
 
Well done, the problem is:- a camera mechanic would have a very good idea what the problem could be (assuming nothing is broken)...and after five minutes work won't say the bill is £5 but would want about £50 for a full service. :eek:

You’re probably right. Though it could probably do with a few squirts of lube in the right places - don’t think I’d pay £50 for it though :)
 
I’ve had a jammed ME super in my collection for nearly 10 years. I’ll need to have a look at taking the base off and having a poke around too.
 
Oil? and remember I'm not a camera mechanic o_O
well from my other posts:-
The guy at the bootie, I would guess, thought his Spotmatic in a soft leather case and 50mm f1.4 lens was only worth £5 as the mirror is jammed up......the shutter works OK but the mirror up seems to be more mechanical than just stuck up, so I'll have a tinker around with the bottom plate off.

And eventually solved the problem with the stuck up mirror

On the net it said it's a common problem and oil the black cog, well I did do it before but what I eventually did is: - just kept firing it while watching tv and eventually the mirror returned at all speeds....whether it needed oiling or just using I dunno.
Anyway I can't get the exposure meter to work on a hearing aid battery....h'mm that's no problem with a separate exposure meter.

Just to add:- the exposure meter decided to work after a while and is accurate enough for neg film.
 
I'd still suspect the coin battery is on it's last legs, they are dirt cheap online.
 
I'd still suspect the coin battery is on it's last legs, they are dirt cheap online.

H'mm you missed the post that the ME super will fire without a battery although it's a back up speed. ;)
 
<snip>And eventually solved the problem with the stuck up mirror

On the net it said it's a common problem and oil the black cog, well I did do it before but what I eventually did is: - just kept firing it while watching tv and eventually the mirror returned at all speeds....whether it needed oiling or just using I dunno.
Anyway I can't get the exposure meter to work on a hearing aid battery....h'mm that's no problem with a separate exposure meter.

Just to add:- the exposure meter decided to work after a while and is accurate enough for neg film.
This is my go-to solution for all old cameras - even ones that seem ok. Most film cameras on the market have not been used for decades and benefit from the moving parts moving. With light meters, I leave them pointing at a window for a couple of days (not possible with all cameras) and then the changing light (and dark) means that the meter parts also move for the first time in decades.
 
With light meters, I leave them pointing at a window for a couple of days (not possible with all cameras) and then the changing light (and dark) means that the meter parts also move for the first time in decades.

Thanks I'll try that for another camera with the meter not working well read on:- I might have a different problem in that it is probably only the needle not moving in the viewfinder (needed for manual) as set on semi auto, the meter system does work i.e. point the camera at something dark and the shutter speed operates slower compared to a bright light when it would go faster.
 
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