Pentax Me Super User Manual

Disassembly of Pentax ME Super

Attributed to Gordon Stalker

This camera proved to be one of the most popular Pentax shutter priority automatic
cameras.
This file shows you how to take one apart, and (rather importantly) put it back together
again for servicing. If your ME Super has never been serviced, take it from me, it is now long
overdue!
In the grand Pentax tradition of design the camera shares the same basic mechanical design
as the rest of the popular 'M' series ( MV, MV-1, MG, ME, ME Super, ME-F.). The only real
mechanical differences are those required to deal with the different metering electronics.
(Some models e.g., MV lack one or two parts internally, such as a mirror damper, but these
are not major components.) Therefore what follows should apply with only few differences
between models.
What follows is the basic disassembly of the camera into it's major sub-assemblies. It does
not show the disassembly of the sub-assemblies themselves, which is in most cases
unnecessary. I have only once had to disassemble these in two cases, once to correct a
misaligned mirror release latch, which is fairly straightforward once the mechanism is
exposed, and once to replace a part in the film advance, broken by trying to force a jammed
camera. (Don't ever force a jammed camera. You always break something when you do this,
and the cause of the jam is often something quite minor and easily rectified, or even
completely avoidable by regular servicing.)

Disassembly

Before starting, make sure that you have provided yourself with a notebook and a pencil.
There are a number of variants of the internal wiring, and these may not correspond with
the camera shown here. Also, make sure that you have a tray for small parts, and be
prepared to spend several hours on the job.
If during the procedure after releasing a part it is stiff, or difficult to remove, stop and check
that all the screws, wires etc' have been removed. Never try forcing the part, you risk
permanent damage if you do.
If you start to get tired, stop and come back to the job. You will make mistakes that you will
regret later, and you are much more likely to lose your temper with stubborn fixings if you
allow yourself to get too tired. (I am speaking from experience here!)
Also, it is likely that your camera has not been disassembled for servicing since it first left the
factory. If this is indeed the case, all the internal light seals will probably require
replacement. As this disassembly will expose all of the seals these should be replaced at this
time. Deterioration of the seals will not only increase the risk of film fogging, but they
actually fall apart and crumble.
The resulting particles consists of a sticky black goo which gets into the viewfinder and
shutter, it is difficult to clean off and corrosive. If you have paint flaking off the film door
margins, the cause is the door seals dissolving the paint! If it gets onto the focusing screen,
the only way to get it off is to use an ultrasonic cleaning bath. Don't be tempted to try
solvents. That will completely ruin the screen! Small ultrasonic cleaners can be bought for
less than £100 these days, or you could take it to your local jewellers who will probably have
one andcould clean it for you.
Suitable seal kits can be had from a number of internet vendors, and are not expensive. Shop
around for the most comprehensive, almost all of the types and thickness of material will be
encountered in a single camera.

2

Procedure.

First remove the cap on the advance lever. This can be done with a rubber lens tool as
shown, or a rubber bung, turning the cap clockwise. It has a left handed thread.

Apply pressure firmly with the ball of the thumb. If this does not loosen the cap, use a small
piece of self amalgamating tape to increase friction. If that fails you should obtain (or make)
a 16mm flexiclamp. Alternatively, if you are prepared to spend three-quarters of an hour
cleaning it off with a wooden scraper, glue the bung onto the cap with superglue!

3

This exposes the retaining nut. This is also left-handed, and may be removed with an
improvised tool.

There is a large washer beneath the winder.

4

The release button should not normally need to be removed, but if you do need to remove it
then proceed as follows. If not skip to removing the rewinder. Using an improvised tool

unscrew the collar around the release button. (This is often quite loose!)

Remove the mode selector knob. Note the little pin beside the 'AUTO' setting. This needs to
be removed and kept safe.

5

The mode selector has a long shaft which engages with a cam to select the mechanical
speeds.

The pin should be removed carefully, there is a tiny spring below it which could get lost.

6

The pin often comes out with the spring stuck to it.

But it is not attached!

7

There is a 'C' washer fitted here. This controls the seating of the threaded collar, and may be
absent in some examples.

The rewind crank can be removed by locking the engaging dog, and turning the crank.

8

Do not remove the rewind shaft unless you intend to remove the back at this point. Closing
the back without the rewind shaft makes it very difficult to release the latch. To make sure
you do not close the back inadvertently you can remove the back by sliding the screw shown
below down.
If you remove the back however, the shutter is exposed and may be vulnerable.

Removing the winder exposes the film speed selector retaining nut. This is conventionally
threaded.

9

Before removing the selector dial, it is useful to set it to a default position as shown in this
example.

In this position the locating tab is in the position shown.

10