ME bodies are inexpensive and fairly plentiful.
Pentax optics are excellent.
K-mount accessories and other brand lenses are plentiful and cheap.
Very accurate meter.
Light weight yet quiet and remarkably vibration-free. (I've done macro-work with my ME and it never needed a mirror-lock.)
Has a hot shoe AND an X-sync port.
Can use a winder or a motor drive.
No manual mode. (I have cameras that are manual for when I want to get serious.)

Age.
Metal pentaprism housing dents fairly easily.
No manual mode.
No diopter adjustment. (a rarity back then on this level)

For what it is - an amateur oriented auto-exposure only camera - the ME is as good as it gets. It's small and light yet it is relatively rugged. The center-weighted meter is very accurate. It's about as quiet and vibration free as is possible with an SLR, at least when not used with a winder or motor drive. The viewfinder is bright and contrasty. Pentax optics are excellent and lenses and accessories are very common and reasonably priced as the Pentax K-mount was almost universal. What more could you want.

It's not professional grade but never pretended to be. You want a pro-level Pentax manual focus? Buy an MX or LX or an old KX or K2MD. You want an outstanding camera for casual photography yet one that will give consistently excellent results? An ME is pretty hard to beat. Yes there are others just as good but I believe there are none better in its class.

I have several camera but I seem to always grab the ME when I'm going on a family outing and want something far more capable than a point-and-shoot and less troublesome than a digital.

Customer Service

Manuals are still available from Pentax. There are countless user forums. Pentax won't fix a camera this old but they can usually still be repaired by independents and, like I said before, bodies are cheap and easy to find.

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Olympus OM1, OM20
Minolta X-700
Nikon FA
Canon AE1, and F

Auto-Exposure mode (You set the F-stop, the camera sets the shutter speed.) SOLID body in a small package. (I'd take this baby into a war zone.) Pentax lens compatibility. 1/100 sync and Bulb settings Compatible with ME-II Winder Features exposure compensation dial built into the ISO dial.

No manual shutter speed settings. (If you need manual control, get the Pentax ME Super.) It's a 20+ year old camera, so Pentax won't repair it ... you have to take it to a skilled local boy.

Many people have reviewed this camera, but many of the reviews have factual errors that make this camera look worse than it is. This is my FAVORITE Pentax backup body. And is a small, reliable tank that always delivers spot-on exposures! I've owned modern $600+ SLRs that don't deliver the way this old girl does.

Customer Service

Pentax won't repair a camera this old, but they will tell you where to find a qualified local repair shop. Pentax also still offers user manuals for this camera.

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Nikon EM, Pentax PZ-1

Construction & finish. Ergonomics. Flash sync Speed (1/100). Bright view Finder.

No Exposure Lock. No Self Timer. Lack of info in viewfinder (no aperture / shutter speed) No compensation (bracketing) control aside from film speed adjust. No DOF preview (yeah yeah, I know, most Pentax don''t have it)

Bought this as a backup / 2nd body. I already have a K1000 and wanted another cheap body that could use the same lenses. Has a good flash sync speed (1/100) and decent metering but lacks several nice options. (see weaknesses)

Similar Products Used:

K1000, ME Super, SP1000? Minolta XG-1

Accurate metering Small size Light weight

automatic mode only,

it''s making a very nice photos, ESPECIALLY with oryginal 50 mm /1.7 lens. The photos are always clear and sharp.

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zenith ttl

About as good as the Nikon Fs from that period, from what I can tell and what I''ve heard.

Motor winder and camera sometimes don''t talk to each other.B

Bought the ME before a bicycle trip overseas. A pro shooter buddy knew I liked my K1000, encouraged me to get the ME and a couple of extra lenses, and I got the winder too. Rode in England (cool and warm on same day), Scotland (wet, rainy, cold and warm on either side of hills, windy Grampian Plain, foggy Ben Nevis, Army bagpipe contests in pubs, Skye), Belgium & France (wet, hot, cool, and then a month of banging around with me at discos, restaurants, and everything tourists do. Dropped twice, once in mud...was it the wine or the girl?) I still have the Kodachromes from that trip, great saturation, sharp, thanks to a great film and a d*** fine camera.m

Customer Service

Pentax factory been good. Had camera worked on once for a sticking mirror. Lubed.

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Pentax K-1000, Mamiya 645 and 645S, Cambo 4x5, Canon G1,

Light and compact - good metering system

Auto only - you can use the ISO dial to bracket, but this is somewhat limited. Flim carrier is a little rough.

I've had this camera for about 20 years. I bought it so my wife would have an auto exposure camera to use, but I've used it a great deal myself, particularly while backpacking when weight becomes and issue. Had some great results.

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Pentax ME Super - Pentax MX

Nice and compact
Well-built
Very bright viewfinder- makes focusing easy
Can attach winder

Practically no way to obtain spare parts unless your repairer has some old bodies he/she can vandalize.

This is a very useable camera at very low prices, especially compared to the ME Super, that has a much higher second-hand price. Yes, the ME Super does allow for manual exposure setting, but in MOST cases the plus/minus two stop compensation dial is more than adequate. Even if it's not, you can alter the film speed to partially compensate. With a winder attached, you can hold larger-aperture, heavier lenses quite well. Without the winder the body is too small for such lenses, in my opinion. A very nice camera that will stay in my bag as a backup or if I need two cameras with zooms attached for faster shooting.

Customer Service

Not neeeded yet

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None

Gives very good quality shots. It is true that what you shoot is what you get.

The cursed light meter. After $ 125 in repairs, it still won't work. My negatives are either underdeveloped or over developed...but never just right.

It's purely automatic, so manually setting shutter speeds is nearly impossible.

I would not risk buying or even repairing this camerea for the sole fact that it's like an old car. Parts are expensive, and not gauranteed to work. If you have one that works, make sure that you keep it that way., If not, use it for a center piece for thanksgiving.

Customer Service

Pick one, and they'll all give you an outrageous quote.

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Canon AE-1 which I dearly miss.

Easy to read light meter
Simple setting for different speed film

Needed light meter fixed once about 6 years ago, and now it is shot again.
Since camera is so old now it is too expensive to fix ($150 quote) and a used working ME can be purchased for the same amount of money.

Used heavily for many years before needing repairs. Many beautiful photos taken, mainly portraits and action. Easy to read light meter for use without a flash, great results especially with 400 or 800 speed film. What you see is what you get when shooting.

Customer Service

NA

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None

I bought a Super, actually, but aside from the compensation dial and selectable shutter, it's the same. This camera is tougher than many and as good as most. Extremely quick to use and also discreet.

Yes, the light meter is always the first thing to go, even on a well kept camera. And it ain't no K-1000, and there ain't 8 billion of them floating around.

Great little piece, very comfortable in hands, fits in a coat pocket.

Customer Service

From the company-- nah. Had it repaired for a frozen battery door when it came in the mail, worked fine with 2 hearing aid batteries afterwards.

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Pz-1, K-1000, Yashica J, Mz-5n, Voigtlander Bessa L, Agfa fold-out bellows thing.