pentax me

[mary_langholz]

Hello,

I have been given a pentax me camera with accesories (many lenses)

and have no manual for it. I have not own a camera like this one

before.

 

Would it be worth my time to find a manual and learn how to use it or,

possibly sell it and buy some type of new one?

 

I don't have a clue how much it is all worth, even for insurance

reasons.

 

Can anyone assist me with this?

 

Thank you!

 

Mary

[jamesp]

I have an ME Super and i think it's a great camera, although it has its limitations compared to its modern equivalents. A google search should turn up some kind of manual.

 

What kind of lenses do you have? If you do decide to sell, i may be interested in buying some of them.

[stephen hazelton]

I believe manuals are available for free download from the Pentax USA site. Do some searching for it.

 

What would probably help you as much as the manual is to find any good book on using manual SLR's. Your local library is the first place to start. For example, I've got the "SLR Photographers Handbook" by Carl Shipman, which is pretty decent.

 

As to value...good question. The lenses MAY be worth more than the body. If they are Pentax brand lenses, they are worth more than offbrands. Some of the uncommon lenses are worth quite a bit. A 20mm lens is a dinky little lens, but fetches a good price. I would figure the body itself is maybe $100 or so, depending on condition. Lenses can vary from $10 into several hundred, depending on what kind and brand they are.

 

Generally, 28mm, 35mm, and 135mm focal lengths have lost popularity and don't go for too much. 50's sell okay. Any fixed focal length shorter than 24 or longer than 135 is of more interest. I think they made some fast 80 or 85mm lenses that are worth more. Old zooms usually don't attract too much interest- the newer designs are usually better optically and lighter.

 

If you want to post back a list of lenses, we can kind of tell you what's a goodie and what's a dud.

 

I would say if you are interested in learning photography with a film camera, you probably have a good setup to get you going. If you want a set-up where you point the camera, click the button, and that's all the thought that goes into it, you'd be better off to sell it and buy something more automatic or more digital.

[jay t.]

I have an MX, which is similar to the ME but fully manual. Fantastic little camera. Not sure how much you really need the manual since these are very simple cameras. And if you have many lenses already, I would assume that most of them are primes rather than zooms, in which case you could have a dream setup and all for free! Do not bother with getting 'some type of new one' as the build quality is probably better with these older bodies and lenses. Just get out there and have fun with what sounds like a gift from camera heaven.

[the tightwad]

FWIW, ALL my 35mm camera's are the "older" all metal Pentax camera's

except one (a Pentax Pz-1p pro camera). Since you're willing to learn a

bit about the camera that you now have I'm certain that you'll find that it will out perform all the newer plastic bodied wonder cameras

sold today.

 

You can find a manual on line if you search a bit or you can find one

on E-bay for a small sum. Best of luck & enjoy......

[ronald_payne1]

The URL for ME Manual is: http://www.pentax.com/docstore/includes/downloadtime.cfm?filesize=842579&thispath=cat%5F197%5C&file=ME%2Epdf&appid=1

[keith_merrill]

The me is a small, lightweight camera that was a step down fromt the ME super in its day. The ME doens't allow you to change shutter speeds, except when using the exposure compensation with it. This is really the greatest downfall of the camera. You can adjust your aperature and exposure compensation to get a desired shutter speed if needed. It is about the same size as a MX too. If you have any A lenses, you can put the aperature at the A setting and make the camera a manual focus point and shoot.

 

 

Selling these on ebay will probably get you $80.00 with a 50f2 lens. Not all that much, but if you need it you need it. You could double that if it was a ME super. IF you have the winder and a bunch of good pentax glass, there is no reason I could see to not use it. You could also get another body, my recommendation would be a MX or a MZ-5n, and use the lenses and keep the ME as a back up body. It is small enough to not be a weight issue and will work when you need it to.