Asahi Pentax ME-F Instruction Manual
Contents
1. ee in ET 38 Exposure On AUTO nn 39 Auto exposure compensation nnne nnnm nennen 42 Manual exposures at M tenter enne nter 44 Holding the camera a a s tenen tnnnne nnne tenen mener I 48 Unloading the film autistic te TT 49 Self timer Multiple eXDOSUFeS seen TTT 50 Using a tripod Time exposures at zi ERN 51 Flash photography with Pentax dedicated flash units een 52 Other flash UnitS cece 53 Shooting pointers ntn nnt nnnntn TE nennen 54 Depth of field scale anan 56 Depth of field table nent 57 Using screw mount Takumar lenses BM 58 infrared photography casas ene 60 Open aperture and stop down metering eerte tnnt tette nennen tenens nne tena enit tense ttn tenent nien enuntntn 61 Camera maintenance sent 62 Resistance to temperature extremes and variations T nennen nennen 63 Meter couplirig range u ie se a 64 Viewfinder diagram acca e Raa r 66 Sp2. AUTO FOCUS DESCRIPTION OF PARTS Power switch Focusing ring Fousing buttons Q Neck strap eyelet O Self timer lever Q Shutter mode index button Q Film rewind crank O Film rewind back cover release O Lens release lever Q Lens alignment index O Auto focus contacts Instant return mirror f X synch terminal D Aperture ring p Lens aperture index E Distance index D Distance scale 70mm D Lens alignment node eal BS6628 D Focusing ring ASA film speed index Exposure compensation dial p Audio focus switch J Electro focus selector LJ A Hotshoe Electro manual shutter speed buttons shutter mode indications amp Shutter cocked indicator Rapid wind lever p Shutter button D Cable release socket Exposure counter NS CONTENTS Basic operating instructions Your ME F Quick Course scene TN Inserting batteries T NNNM 10 Lens MOUNTING a 12 Film loading and winding nnne nnne nme nete ES 13 Setting the ASA film speed Memo holder nent 15 The shutter mode dial memneentnncennttnnnnnnennventenennnenternennnnnennnnnnn 16 Aperture setting sentent 18 Auto focus with SMC Pentax AF 35mm 70mm AUTO FOCUS ZOOM PENS Sn TTL electronic focus with regular SMC Pentax Interchangeable lenses mms 30 Manual fOGUS
3. GREEN 1 2000 sec shutter speed setting 1000 GREEN 1 1000 sec 500 GREEN 1 500 sec _ Indications 1 2000 sec thru 1 60 sec 250 GREEN 1 250 sec Un are given in green to signal adequate 125X GREEN 1 125 sec doubles as auto flash ih synch speed for handheld shooting GREEN 1 60 sec _ YELLOW 1 30 sec shutter speed setting _ eee YELLOW 1 15 sec eee aha aed Boo oo YELLOW 1 8 sec Indications for speeds 1 30 sec 4 YELLOW 1 4 sec thru 4 sec given in Yellow as D 7 7 YELLOW 4 2 sec orn ne ee nn warning against camera shake dr Sy YELLOW 1 sec al eq 1 YELLOW 2 sec YELLOW 4 sec UNDER RED Underexposure Warning p Direction to turn the lens to ocu Focusing in focus indicstidri LEDs TORRE p Ir NESE esee MEE tern s sys ee iy Dees LE ane dl fe Out of electronic focus range focus manually SPECIFICATIONS Type Body Mount Standard Lenses Shutter Flash Synch Exposure Control Viewfinder e 68 35mm full frame Auto Manual exposure SLR camera Pentax KF Mount accepts K Mount Lenses and KF mount AF lens SMC Pentax AF Zoom 35mm 70mm f 2 8 SMC Pentax M 50mm f 1 2 M 50mm f 1 4 M 50mm f 1 7 M 50mm f 2 M 40mm f 2 8 Seiko MFC E2 vertical run metal focal plane shutter automatic shutter speeds electronically controlled from 1 2
4. ente y x 1 n ii Im er spit Dm fiw cm uS a Rot PEE iri WARRANTY POLICY All Pentax cameras purchased through authorized bona fide photographic distribution channels are guaranteed against defects of material or work manship for a period of twelve months from date of purchase Service will be rendered and defective parts will be replaced without cost to you within that period provided the equipment has not been abused altered or operated contrary to instruction Because the tolerances quality and design compatibility of lenses other than Pentax lenses are beyond our control damage caused by use of such lenses will not be covered by this warranty policy The manufacturer or its authorized representatives shall not be liable for any repair or alterations except those made with its written consent and shal not be liable for damages from delay or loss of use or from other indirect or consequential damages of any kind whether caused by defective material or work manship or otherwise and it is expressly agreed that the liability of the manufacturer or its representatives under all guarantees or warranties whether expressed or implied is strictly limited to the replacement of parts as hereinbefore provided e 72 Procedure During 12 month Warranty Period Any Pentax which proves defective during the 12 month warranty period should be returned to the dealer from whom you purchased the
5. 4815 HR Breda THE NETHERLANDS Pentax Corporation 35 Inverness Drive East Englewood Colorado B0112 U S A Pentax Canada Inc 1760 West 3rd Avenue Vancouver B C V64 1K5 CANADA Asahi Optical Brasileira Ind e Com Ltda Rua Estados Unidos 1053 30 Pauio SP BRASIL Specifications are subject to change without notice 0621l amp NcG
6. For extremely low temperature use new batteries 63e METER COUPLING RANGE The meter coupling range of yoru ME F assures accurate exposure reading over a broad range of shutter speed film speed combinations The working EV range of for both auto and manual exposure systms also varies with the lens in use and is reflected in the chart to the right With the SMC Pentax AF zoom with ASA 100 film it extends from EV 1 f 2 8 at 4 seconds to EV 19 f 16 at 1 2000th second f 22 at 1 1000th second with the f 1 4 50mm standard lens it runs from EV 1 f 1 4 at 1 second to EV 19 f 16 at 1 2000th second f 22 at 1 1000th second You can calculate what the working EV range would be at other film speeds by mentally adjusting the accurate exposure coupling range Simply move the ASA arrow at the right of the chart up or down and adjust the chart accordingly At ASA 50 with the 50mm f 1 4 lens for example it would run from EV O f 1 4 at 2 seconds f 2 at 4 seconds to EV 18 f 22 at 1 500th second f 16 at 1 1000th second e 64 100 200 400 800 1600 Adjust vertically 4 65e VIEWFINDER DIAGRAM Indication Color Function EF RED Exposure compensation indicator EF Exposure Factor flashes red when exposure compensation is employed M GREEN 1 Manual Exposure Warning glows green 2 Auto Flash Ready ndicator flashes green when dedicated Auto Flash has charged OVER RED Overexposure Warning
7. INFRARED PHOTOGRAPHY If you intend to take infrared photographs remember to use the infrared mark indicated with an orange line on the depth of field scale First bring your subject into sharp focus Next h determine the subject to camera distance from CO 25 5 i the distance scale on the lens Then match your f of l lli 7 i subject to camera distance to the infrared mark m 8 444 8 by turning the focusing ring accordingly For 1 44 Bg instance if your subject is in focus at infinity turn the focusing ring and move the infinity o mark to the infrared mark 3 Resa sg 4 e NOTE An infrared focusing adjustment is not required when working with infrared color film e 60 OPEN APERTURE AND STOP DOWN METERING LENSES Open aperture SMC Pentax lenses have a diaphragm coupling lever on the back of the lens which couples with the camera body to permit open aperture metering The ultra telephotos do not have a diaphragm coupler so they must be used with the stop down metering system Use of the Auto Extension Tube Set K permits open aperture metering Use of other K Series accessories standard Extension Tube Set K Helicoid Extension Tube K Auto Bellows M and Bellows Unit lli requires stop down metering Whenever any one of these is used between the camera body and an SMC Pentax lens the stop down metering system must be used 61e CAMERA MAINTENANCE CLEANING e Always keep the viewfinder eyepiece l
8. LED OVEREXPOSURE If the RED LED beside the OVER indication at the top of the shutter speed scale lights your shot will be overexposed unless you adjust the lens aperture ring To correct for overexposure turn the aperture ring clockwise to a smaller aperture i e f 5 6 to f 8 f 11 etc until one of the GREEN LEDs light It is not necessary to stop when the LED lights at 2000 when more depth of field is desired use a slower shutter speed and smaller lens aperture see page 54 CAUTION 1f you should happen to press the shutter button while the shutter dial is set on AUTO with the lens cap on or in very poor lighting conditions the mirror may lock up resulting in abnormally long exposure To correct this the shutter can be quickly closed by turning the shutter dial to 125X After closing the shutter be sure to reset the shutter dial to AUTO e 40 YELLOW LED SLOW EXPOSURE CAMERA SHAKE WARNING When the shutter speed drops below 1 60 sec although exposure will be correct the slightest movement of the camera even vibration from pressing the shutter button often produces camera shake at the critical moment of exposure this in turn will cause blurred pictures The LEDs between 30 and 4S illuminate in yellow to warn against camera shake If a YELLOW LED lights first try a wider lens aperture i e f 5 6 to f 2 8 f 1 7 etc to see if a GREEN LED will appear 1f the GREEN LE
9. Page 12 2 Load the film with the shutter mode dial set at 125X and advance to the first exposure Page 13 e4 3 Set the ASA film speed Page 15 Set the exposure compensation dial at 1X Page 42 5 Set the lens aperture Page 18 30 gt ww n t 70mm 4 2216 11 8 56 8 6 Look through the viewfinder focus and compose the picture AUTO FOCUS WITH SMC PENTAX AF 35mm 70mm ZOOM LENS PAGE 19 1 3 uM E 38 D h 5 M ri 5 M A B oa stint d D 2 JN gt r 4 Insert the lens batteries Page e Set the power switch to ON e Set camera electro focus 21 Mount the lens Page 12 selector to 2 8 e Take photo when lens stops e Center subject in split image e Press either focus button on turning green LED glows at base center spot of viewfinder lens of finder m 0 I TTL ELECTRONIC FOCUS WITH REGULAR SMC PENTAX INTERCHANGEABLE LENSES PAGE 30 e Set the focus selector to 2 8 Center the subject in the split Press shutter button partway for standard lens for other image center spot of viewfinder to activate the finder display lenses see Page 31 e Stop when the green LED e Turn the lens in the direction of the arrow lights 12 E 6 S BENE ick 1 ag 8 4h 8 E 32518356 4 28 214 7 Activate the meter by pressing the shutter button partway
10. The best storage place is cool dry clean and weli ventilated Because of the possible build up of humidity it Is risky to store your camera in a cabinet or closet It s also a good idea to keep your camera in its bag or case while you are not using it RESISTANCE TO TEMPERATURE EXTREMES AND CHANGES The temperature range at which your camera will continue to function properly stretches from 50 C to 20 C However resistance to cold could be hampered by dirty oil Therefore if the camera is to operate at full efficiency in very cold conditions it must be overhauled and al oil must be replaced Sudden changes in temperature will often cause moisture to condense inside or outside your camera This is a possible source of rust which may be extremely harmful to the mechanism Furthermore if the camera is taken from a warm temperature to a sub freezing one further damage may result from the formation of icelets Thus sudden temperature changes should be avoided as much as possible As a guide a temperature change of 10 C should be allowed to take place gradually over a period of at least 30 minutes If this is not possible keeping the camera in its case or bag will help somewhat in minimizing the effects of a rapid temperature change Extremely low temperature reduces the efficiency of the battery Therefore the camera should be protected against low temperature Put the batteries into the camera right before shooting
11. 188 o o t oo 57e USING SCREW MOUNT TAKUMAR LENSES Conventional screw mount Takumar lenses both Super Takumar and SMC Takumar can be easily mounted onto your camera by attaching them first to the Mount Adaptor K However when Adaptor K is used the following is true Due to the difference in coupling systems the automatic diaphragm will not function Full aperture metering lenses will function as stop down metering lenses e 58 How to Use Mount Adaptor K 1 Screw the conventional Takumar lens into the Mount Adaptor K 2 Attach the Adapter lens unit to the camera body by aligning the red dots and 9 and turning the lens clockwise until it locks with a click This takes slightly less than a quarter of a revolution 3 To remove the lens leaving the Mount Adapter K attached to the camera body simply unscrew the lens counterclockwise Other screw mount Takumar lenses can then be attached in the normal way 1 To remove the Mount Adaptor K from the camera body first remove the screw mount lens Then press with your thumbnail or a pointed object such as a ballpoint pen against the spring pin 2 Turn the Mount Adaptor K counterclockwise until you feel it release and take it out 3 Since the mechanism for locking in the Mount Adapter K is totally different from that which locks in an SMC Pentax bayonet mount lens the lens release lever on the camera body plays no part at all
12. 2 106 1 869 2 152 1 818 2 224 1 754 2 329 1 657 2 506 1 569 2 971 1 430 3 366 _ 1 294 4 545 6 5 814 6 198 5 738 6 287 5 640 6 410 5 499 6 604 5 322 6 882 5 078 7 347 4 802 8 027 4 406 9 500 4 012 12 205 3m 2 846 3 172 2 785 3 252 2 708 3 365 2 599 3 550 2 468 3 832 2 294 4 351 2 10 122 1 861 7 978 1 631 21 588 8 7 667 8 364 7 533 8 530 7 361 8 763 7 118 9 137 6 818 9 690 6 414 10 660 5 973 12 190 5 361 16 04 7 4 778 25 969 unit meter Sm 15m 4 579 11 712 52 938 5 506 20 868 4 420 10 707 37 070 5 757 25 077 w 4 225 9 609 26 491 76 128 34 313 3 962 8 329 18 557 6 786 76 783 3 659 7 075 13 268 3 284 5 774 9 300 10 585 96 2 911 4 697 6 776 2 450 3 588 4 672 yo wa 2 061 2 799 3 410 OO oo unit feet 42 25 oc 11 252 21 905 173 686 12 856 29 122 10 960 20 802 121 623 13 267 31 339 10 593 19 495 86 915 13 845 34 884 10 087 17 817 60 884 14 824 42 020 0e 9 485 15 9B6 43 530 16 370 57 817 c 8 706 13 an 30 514 19 414 132 99 7 898 11 ay 22 231 25 319 cw S 6 845 9 617 15 329 61 597 c o 5 906 7 827 11
13. Page 39 41 If red OVER or UNDER LEDs light F 5 M OVER 2000 M Change the f stop until 250 green appears 1251 If YELLOW LEDs light between 30 and 4S 1 use a wider aper ture Page 18 2 use a tripod etc Page 51 3 use a flash unit Page 42 OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS i 4 q I 5 45 sa TTE lt Lad Low batteries nm INSERTING BATTERIES The electronic systems of your Pentax ME F operate on four 1 5 volt min batteries S76 etc which are packed separately with your camera To insert the batteries Open the battery compartment cover by sliding it in the direction of the arrow while depressing the battery compartment lock release button Place the four batteries in the chamber with polarity markings as shown Close the compartment cover and slide it so that it locks in place Battery Check After inserting the batteries make a quick check to see that the batteries are inserted properly and that the camera s electrical systems are functioning To check batteries Press the shutter button partway and observe the viewfinder LED shutter speed display One of the shutter speed LEDs i e those between 2000 and AS will glow continuously if the voltage supply for the camera s exposure system is adequate Low Battery Warning When batteries become too weak for the ex posure system to operate the viewfinder shutter LEDs will begin to flic
14. and take picture TO FOCUS SIMPLY TURN THE LENS IN THE DIRECTION OF THE ARROW WHEN THE GREEN LIGHT SHOWS TAKE THE PHOTO NOTE The subject doesn t have to be aligned precisely in the split image for correct focus with the electronic focus system 33e e 34 Audio Focus Indication The ME F provides you with an audible signa which accompanies the LED correct focus indicator This signal tells you when to take the picture To operate the audio focus indicator set the audio focus switch to the musical note When not needed turn the audio focus indicator off simply by sliding the switch from the musical note back to the black square Hints for good results Your ME F s TTL electronic focusing system will give you perfectly focused photos when used properly For best results be sure to place the highest contrast portion of the subject in the split image center spot For example if photographing a person focus on his or her sillouette as it stands out from the background For close up portraits focus on facial details Foreground Information The TTL electronic focus ing system focuses for the object in the center of the viewfinder that is closest to the camera For this reason make sure that objects in front of your key subject do not cross the split image center line Correct focus will be obtained even with foreground objects as long as they do not cross the split image center line Picture Composition Wh
15. setting Always keep the dial at this setting when exposure compensation is not needed Exposure Increase At the 2X and 4X settings the camera is programmed automatically to double and quadruple the light reaching the film Exposure Decrease Conversely at the 1 2X and 1 4X settings one half and one fourth the amount of light is delivered to the film To set the Dial Place your fingers on the outer rim of the dial and turn it until the figure representing the amount of compensation required aligns with the orange index pointer When exposure compensation is employed the red LED beside the EF indication at the top of the viewfinder scale will flash when you activate the exposure meter to warn that an exposure factor is being employed Compensation for Backlit Subjects For subjects with the sun behind them or against a bright snowy background brightly lit window etc increase the exposure by setting the dial either to 2X or 4X Use your own judgement of the brightness of the scene in determining which factor to use Compensation for Spotlighted Subjects When the subject is spotlighted on stage etc or for any intensely lit subject against a dark background decrease the exposure by setting the dial to 1 2X or 1 4X to help bring out the details of the subject compensated uncompensated ALWAYS SET THE EXPOSURE COMPENSATION DIAL BACK TO 1X WHEN COMPENSATION IS NO LONGER REQUIRED iie TS 43e e
16. shutter mode dial to 125X If you must load the film with the dial set to AUTO remove the lens cap and aim the camera toward a bright light source to avoid excessively long shutter speeds during film advance If you advance the film with the dial set to M make sure to use one of the faster manual shutter speeds a Open the camera back by lifting up sharply on the film rewind knob Insert the film cartridge in the film chamber and lock the car tridge in place by returning the film rewind knob to its original position Draw the film leader across the back and insert it into any of the white needles in the film take up spool Make sure the film is engaged properly on the spool by inserting the leader at least the width of one perforation Wind the film by alternately advancing the rapid wind lever and firing the shutter release button until both top and bottom sprockets engage the film perforations s When you are sure the film has engaged properly close the back cover and wind the film rewind crank in the direction of the arrow to take up any slack Continue advancing the film until the exposure counter registers 1 You can be sure the film is moving properly through the camera by checking to see that the film advance indicator on back of the camera flickers Reset the shutter dial to Auto SETTING THE ASA FILM SPEED MEMO HOLDER The ASA film speed rating of all 35mm films is given in the data sheet pac
17. the aperture also affects the overall sharpness of the photo you may occasionally wish to vary the aperture setting from the norm for different effects See page 54 AUTO FOCUS WITH SMC PENTAX AF 35mm 70mm ZOOM LENS The SMC Pentax AF 35mm 70mm Auto Focus Zoom Lens allows you to fully realize the potential of your ME F camera With this new system you can automatically focus by simply pressing a button on the lens Moreover because the auto focus control is inside the camera your lens is more compact than with non through the lens auto focus systems the only size additions being a micro motor and a battery compart ment If you are focusing with the auto focus lens please read this section carefully to fully understand all the benefits it has to offer If you are focusing with regular SMC Pentax interchangeable lenses skip to the electronic focusing section See page 30 Also be sure to read the manual focusing section 19e L DESCRIPTION OF PARTS e 20 Focusing ring Focusing buttons Power switch Push Pull zoom collar Battery compartment 3 Battery compartment lock release Auto focus contacts 40167 trettitre TTEERERI quater tdt t ER du cd f AERLE INSERTING BATTERIES P SS gt d Mey 1 A 2 7777 t j 2 ji d 4 zt P Att r 4 ARARA ww AANA P 2 24 FIFI fit fA CUI h ba S s The battery compartment fo
18. 000th to 4 seconds electronic manual speeds from 1 2000th to 4 seconds at 14 viewfinder settings plus 125X and B mechanical self timer with 4 10 second delay Automatic at 1 125 sec via hotshoe with Pentax AF 160 AF 200S AF 280T AF 080C manual at 1 125X via hotshoe or terminal on camera body with other units Open aperture center weighted through the lens light metering by GPD cells Exposure range from EV 1 to EV 19 ASA 100 f 1 4 ASA 12 1600 Auto exposure compensation up to 2EV via dial meter activated by light pressure on shutter button or focus button of AF lens 10 12 sec exposure display Pentaprism finder with split image microprism focusing screen shows 92 of picture area 0 87X magnification 50mm 1 4 lens 1 0 dioptor eyepiece Green LEDs in finder indicate handholdabie shutter speeds from 1 2000th second to 1 60th second yellow LED camera shake warning 1 30th to 4 sec red LED over under exposure warning Manual and Exposure compensation warnings flash synch ready indication Auto electro in focus directional and out of range indicators TTL EFC SYSTEM Power Source Film Transport Other Features Size Weight Through the Lens Electronic Focus Control Microcomputer circuitry inside camera and MOS image sensor measure subject contrast provide focus guidance with regular SMC Pentax Lenses 24mm 300mm full auto focus with Pentax AF Lens AF ZOOM 35mm 70mm
19. 44 MANUAL EXPOSURES While the shutter speed in the AUTO mode varies continuously in relation to lighting conditions the ME F revolutionary new pushbutton manual exposure system lets you freeze the shutter speed at any one of the 14 LED shutter speed settings displayed inside the viewfinder a handy feature for fast moving subjects and other special exposure situations To select the manual shutter speed just turn the exposure mode dial to M activate the exposure meter and press either the shutter speed increase or decrease button As shutter speed setting is done completely with the eye to the viewfinder the fumbling characteristic of the traditional shutter speed dial has been eliminated Exposure Metering After setting the exposure mode dial to M depress the shutter button lightly This activates the meter and lights the LED shutter speed display inside the viewfinder As with auto exposures the display remains lit for approx 10 sec and goes out If additional metering time is required simply press the shutter button lightly once again Manual Shutter Speed Indication Each time you activate the meter while operating in the manual mode the M manual indicator lights as a reminder that you are making manual exposures In addition the shutter speed to which the system was set prior to activating the meter will also light even when you turn the mode dial away from the M setting the manual exposure mem
20. D doesn t light before you reach the widest lens aperture do either of the following Shoot at the fastest possible shutter speed indicated by a YELLOW LED but brace the camera on a firm surface better still use a tripod to minimize camera shake page 51 or switch to flash page 52 53 RED UNDER LED UNDEREXPOSURE When light is extremely limited the RED LED beside the UNDER indication at the bottom of the scale glows to warn you against underexposure If this LED lights first try setting the lens to its widest aperture f 2 f 1 4 etc If a GREEN LED lights go ahead and shoot If a YELLOW LED appears follow the procedure outlined in YELLOW LED SLOW EXPOSURE above If the RED UNDER LED remains lit even at the widest aperture o make a time exposure using a tripod at the B mode setting or switch to flash page 52 53 AUTO EXPOSURE COMPENSATION In difficult lighting situations where there is an extreme contrast between the subject and the background the auto exposure system tends either to over or underexpose the subject somewhat which results in the loss of detail To compensate for such situations your ME F is provided with an exposure compensation dial which overrides the influence of the adverse lighting source The dial surrounds the film rewind crank and is scaled 4X 2X 1X 1 2X and 1 4X X indicates the exposure increase or decrease factor Normal Exposure is obtained at the 1X
21. X M 50mm LENS Distance scale 1 1 4 f 2 f 2 8 f 4 f 5 6 1 8 f 11 1 16 f 22 Distance scate f 1 4 1 2 1 2 8 f 4 f 5 6 f 8 f 11 1 16 13 22 0 45m 0 447 0 463 0 446 0 454 0 445 0 455 0 443 0 458 0 440 0 461 0 436 0 466 0 430 0 472 0 422 0 482 0 413 0 496 0 6m 0 595 0 605 0 593 0 608 0 590 0 611 0 586 0 615 0 580 0 622 0 572 0 631 0 562 0 644 0 546 0 667 0 529 0 696 1 9 1 884 1 916 1 878 1 923 1 869 3 932 1 856 1 946 1 839 1 965 1 815 1 995 1 785 2 033 2 101 1 737 1 684 2 188 1m 0 984 1 017 0 977 1 024 0 969 1 034 0 1 049 0 939 1 070 0 915 1 103 0 887 1 148 0 844 1 231 0 798 1 349 2 8 2 471 2 530 2 459 2 543 2 443 2 560 2 419 2 587 2 3B8 2 624 2 343 2 681 2 290 2 756 2 206 2 892 2 114 3 075 1 6m 1 557 1 645 1 539 1 666 1 516 1 694 1 per t t t ioto ib Om wh mG i J NN es Ne het m eh Wr UN h OO vv0 3 2 957 3 045 2 939 3 064 2 915 3 091 2 880 3 131 2 835 3 187 2 769 3 275 2 692 3 393 2 573 3 609 2 445 3 911 2m 1 932 2 073 1 904
22. ach time the shutter is cocked a double exposure will be counted as two frames JSING A TRIPOD TIME EXPOSURES AT B Using a Tripod The camera may be mounted directly to a tripod by screwing the tripod into the socket at the base of the camera Be sure the tripod screw protrudes no more than 5 5mm 0 22 in from the tripod This is the depth of your camera s tripod socket Don t use a longer screw as it may puncture the bottom of the tripod socket if tightened too firmly Finder Cap When you make exposures with your eye away from the viewfinder while using a tripod or at any other time cover the viewfinder eyepiece with the accessory Finder Cap otherwise light entering from the rear may adversely affect the exposure Time Exposures at B Exposures longer than 4 sec exceed the range of the camera s electronic shutter and must be made at the B setting of the exposure mode dial Here the shutter remains opened as long as the shutter release button is held depressed To prevent movement of the camera during exposure mount it on a tripod and attach a cable release to the hole in the shutter button to release the shutter For exposures lasting several minutes or hours use a cable release with a locking device FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY With Pentax Dedicated Flash Units When used with any one of the Pentax Dedicated Automatic Flash Units your ME F offers the convenience of dedicated flash aut
23. atures is not uncommon keep spares in a warm pocket e When not using the camera for long periods of time remove batteries to protect against leakage e 12 LENS MOUNTING NOTE Mounting instructions are the same for both regular SMC Pentax Lenses and the AF zoom lenses for screw mount lenses see page 58 With the auto focus zoom lens be sure to insert batteries first e Remove the rear lens and body mount covers Hold the camera firmly in your left hand and match the red dot on the camera body with the red dot B on the lens e Seat the lens in the body mount and turn it clockwise until it locks into place with a click In the dark when the red dots are difficult to see align the raised white node on the lens barrel with the lens release lever B by touch and mount the lens as described Removing the lens To remove the lens hold the camera in the left hand and press the lens release button while turning the lens counter clockwise with the right hand IMPORTANT f it becomes necessary to put the lens down without the rear lens cap make sure to rest the lens with the front element down never put the lens down with the front element up Long telephoto lenses should be laid on their side to avoid tumbling the auto focus lens may conveniently be rested on the battery compartment FILM LOADING AND WINDING To avoid unnecessary delays when loading the film before starting it s best to set the
24. buttons 1f the OVER LED still flashes stop the lens down to a smaller aperture i e f 5 6 to f 1 1 f 16 etc until it goes out If the UNDER LED remains lit set the lens to a wider aperture i e f 5 6 to f 2 f 1 4 etc Exposure is correct when the shutter speed and the M LED are the only LEDs that remain lit in the viewfinder da AM E att ET m Ll Li d mn A ne om an ent noe Gus ere Guo 45 puer une Aperture First Set the f number you wish to shoot at with the aperture control ring then match up the shutter speed with the shutter speed control pushbuttons When the OVER LED is lit increase the shutter speed until it goes out When the UNDER LED is lit decrease the shutter speed until the UNDER indication goes out Exposure is correct when the shutter speed and the M LED are the only LEDs that remain lit in the viewfinder Co gp moe Overexposure If the OVER LED fails to go out when you set the exposure by presetting the shutter speed use a faster shutter speed conversely if it remains lit when you preset the lens aperture use a smaller aperture Low Light Exposures Underexposure With either method when exposure conditions require that you use a siow shutter speed below 1 60 sec be sure to take precautions against camera shake If the underexposure LED remains lit even after you have given maximum expos
25. d is necessary to stop the action and prevent the subject from blurring With manual exposures this problem is solved by preselec ting a fast shutter speed such as 1 250 sec 1 500 sec 1 1000 sec etc However when shooting on AUTO you can usually select a shutter speed fast enough to stop the action simply by using a wide lens aperture As the camera automatically chooses the fastest possible shutter speed for the given exposure wide apertures will give you shutter speeds in excess of 1 250 sec when lighting is sufficient NOTE This technique does not work in low lighting as low lighting necessitates a slow shutter speed Depth of Field Control Depending upon the aperture in use the over all sharpness of the picture area in front and behind the subject will vary greatly This effect is known as depth of field and can be used to vary the over all effect of your photos Maximum Depth of Field The depth of field becomes progressively deeper as the lens is stopped down to smaller lens apertures and is greatest at minimum aperture Thus if you desire to have both your subject and the background in focus use a small aperture such as f 11 or f 16 be sure to take precautions against camera shake if a yellow LED lights Small apertures are also useful for critical close up work but for this refer to a close up photography guide Out of Focus Highlights The depth of field becomes progressively shallower at wide lens aper
26. ecifications L Samasqa RRS EE 68 Warranty POLICY cuc asan sassa DSRS E 72 e 2 Welcome to the World of Electro Focus Photography Your ME F is a truly unique camera which has a host of features to make SLR pho tography easier than ever before Its revolutionary built in through the lens Electronic Focus Control TTL EFC System has improved focusing accuracy and convenience for everyone When the ME F is used with the new Pentax AF Zoom 35mm 70mm f 2 8 Auto Focus Lens this system provides you with complete auto focus simply by pressing a button on the lens barrel Because the focus control is integrated into the camera body the Pentax auto focus zoom is more compact than the conventional external auto focusing systems for SLR cameras When the ME F is used with any of over 30 standard K mount SMC Pentax inter changeable lenses and also screw mount lenses with Mount Adaptor K the same built in electronic focus system provides focus guidance that enables quick and ac curate focus simply by turning the lens in the direction of an arrow When the large green viewfinder LED glows and an audible signal sounds it informs you that focus is correct Either way you use it for complete auto focus with the new AF Zoom lens or for focus guidance with your regular SMC Pentax interchangeable lenses this new system will help you to focus with more accuracy and speed than conventional focusing systems Aside from its revolutionary focusing sys
27. elease To disengage the lock reset the dial to the exposure mode desired and release the shutter 17e APERTURE SETTING Preselection of the lens aperture is optional when shooting in the M Manual mode However when shooting on AUTO it is recom mended that you preset the aperture This is because the shutter speed selected by the automatic exposure system is determined in relation to the lens aperture used By presetting the aperture control ring to an f number that is appropriate for lighting conditions in the picture problems of over and underexposure can be largely eliminated When shooting on AUTO or Manual when applicable preset the lens aperture as suggested in the following table Fine weather enim na s dei tuer 1 8 f 11 Gloudy weathers a n Aa f 4 f 5 6 NING ONS ron tu er a f 1 4 f 2 8 22 E mutum eget premises ee To set aperture The calibrations on the aperture control ring of the lens are referred to as f numbers or f stops and denote the size of the lens aperture To set the aperture align the figure equivalent to the recommended f number with the diamond index mark Note on f numbers Lower f numbers such as f 1 4 denote wider lens apertures while higher f numbers such as f 22 denote smaller apertures With the 50mm f 1 4 lens for example f 1 4 is the widest aperture or open aperture while f 22 is the smallest aperture or minimum aperture As the size of
28. en composing a picture first focus on the key subject Remember the focus ing system reads only the subject which bisects the split image line of the viewfinder so keep the subject in the center until you have finished focusing then frame as you like Zoom Lenses The best way to focus with a zoom lens ts at the maximum focal length setting then frame as you like This way distracting foreground matter can be easily eliminated e 36 On some occasions you will have to focus manually While your auto focus system is extremely accurate there will be occasions when you will have to focus manually When this occurs both LED arrows will light or flash depending on lighting conditions informing you to focus in the conventional manner as indicated on page 38 These situations arise mainly when lighting is insufficient or contrast is too flat for the sensor to read the subject Examples include photographing indoors in dimly lit room outdoors at dawn twilight or in heavy shade or overcast EV 4 at ASA 100 1 sec at f 4 Subjects without contrast such as a white wall also present a problem as do excessively bright subjects strong backlighting fast moving subjects very fine patterns or lines and subjects with extreme contrast over EV 16 at ASA 100 1 125 sec at f 22 Note Even with subjects lacking contrast the system can sometimes be made to work if some mark or distinguishing feature of the subject can be placed in t
29. ens and filters as clean as possible To remove loose dust and dirt first use the blower and then the brush of a lens brush Do not try to wipe off granular dirt or dust it s an excellent way of scratching the glass e Smudges such as fingerprints should be carefully wiped away with either lens tissue or a clean soft cloth Clean plain cotton handkerchiefs that have already been washed a few times are particularly good for this Breathing on the lens before wiping is effective but be sure to wipe away all moisture completely Commercial lens cleaners are also effective e Never touch the mirror or the shutter leaves Minor dirt or spots on the mirror will not affect the clarity of your pictures Take care not to drop the camera or knock it against anything solid Accidents or rough handling can easily damage the internal mechanism even though externally nothing seems to have been damaged e 62 KEEP YOUR CAMERA DRY e Your camera is not waterproof There are several places where water can get inside and do a great deal of damage Take care to protect both body and lens from rain or splashing water If your camera should get wet dry it off immediately with a clean soft cloth e f your camera becomes completely soaked it may malfunction In this instance bring it as soon as possible to an authorized Pentax service center STORAGE e Where to keep your camera while you are not using it is an important point
30. equip ment or to the manufacturer if there is no representative of the manufacturer in your country send the equipment to the manufacturer with postage prepaid In this case it will take a considerable length of time before the equip ment can be returned to you owing to the complicated customs procedures required in Japan in importing and re exporting photographic equipment If the equipment is covered by warranty repairs will be made and parts replaced free of charge and the equipment wil be returned to you upon completion of servicing If the equipment is not covered by warranty regular charges of the manufacturer or of its representatives will apply Shipping charges are to be borne by the owner If your Pentax was purchased outside of the country where you wish to have serviced during the warranty period regular handling and servicing fees may be charged by the manufacturer s representatives in that country Notwithstanding this your Pentax returned to the manufacturer will be serviced free of charge according to this procedure and warranty policy In any case however shipping charges and customs clearance fees are to be borne by the sender To prove the date of your purchase when required please keep the receipts or bills covering the purchase of your equipment for at least a year Before sending your equipment for servicing please make sure that you are sending it to the manufacturer s authorized representatives or thei
31. f 2 8 EV range from EV 4 to EV 16 with 50mm lens at f 1 4 electo focus switch varies image sensor sensitivity Four 1 5 volt silver oxide batteries S 76 or equivalent power all focus indication and exposure systems alkaline batteries not recommended Pentax Magic Needle Loading System single stroke rapid wind lever with 130 throw and 35 standoff angle crank film rewind built in shutter cocked indicator accepts Winder ME II ME for auto film advance Interchangeable camera back accepts data printer Dial Data ME Tripod socket strap hooks accepts wide range of Pentax system accessories 32mm x 87 bmm x 49mm 480g without batteries 675g with f 1 7 lens 69 e SMC PENTAX AF ZOOM 35mm 70mm f 2 8 Construction Mount Angle of View Focusing Diaphragm Aperture Range Minimum Focus Zooming System Lens Coating Power Source Switches Controls Filter Size Lens Hood Size Weight e 70 7 elements in 7 groups Pentax KF Mount for K Mount KF Mount cameras 63 5 at 35mm 34 5 at 70mm Complete TTL auto focus with Pentax ME F manual focus with K mount Pentaxes Fully automatic with open aperture metering 1 28 f 22 1 2 meters Push Pull zoom collar Pentax Super Multi Coating Four 1 5 volt AAA size batteries power micromotor Focus motor power switch focus button two on lens 58mm screw in type Slip on rubber hood 87mmiH x 73mm dia x 76 5mm Length 580 g without battereis HB MID
32. ght however or when lighting is limited such as at dusk dawn night indoors etc some additional adjustments may be required Usually it is sufficient to change the lens aperture but there will also be instances when use of a tripod electronic flash or the exposure compensation dial will bring improved results For exposures on Auto perform the following e Check that the film speed is set properly paye 15 e Check that the exposure compensation dial is set to 1X 1 Set the shutter mode dial to AUTO 2 Preset the lens aperture according to lighting conditions Exposure Check Look through the viewfinder and lightly press the shutter button the LED light emitting diode shutter speed display on the left hand side of the viewfinder will light The display shuts off automatically 10 seconds after you release your finger from the shutter button The figures seen in the viewfinder from 2 to 2000 refer to the shutter speeds in fractions of seconds i e 1 2 sec to 1 2000 sec 1 to 4S indicate full second shutter speeds GREEN LED CORRECT EXPOSURE Go ahead and shoot If one of the GREEN LEDs light i e those between 2000 and 60 no further adjustments are required Simply focus compose your picture and shoot by pressing the shutter button all the way down A GREEN LED indicates that the shutter speed is fast enough to shoot while holding the camera in your hand RED OVER
33. he center spot of the viewfinder such as the bicycle tire in the top photo When both LEDs light continuously you must focus manually Lighting or contrast is insufficent for Electronic Focus Special Purpose Photography The TTL electronic focus is also convenient for a wide range of special purpose applications such as close ups macrophotography photography with a microscope or with shift or bellows lenses In many of these instances you can focus in the normal manner as described above With bellows and lens extension accessories however the exposure A factor will make the lens aperture smaller Be sure to take this into account when you set the electro focus selector Although most standard filters can be used with the lens with dark black and white filters you should focus manually also for regular polarizing filters Battery Check Battery voltage is adequate for correct focus with the TTL Electronic Focusing System as long as the LED focusing display inside the viewfinder lights When the LEDs no longer light voltage is insufficient for electronic focusing If continued use of the electronic focus system is desired replace all four batteries together Do not mix battery brands or types this could actually shorten battery life and is dangerous IMPORTANT Always set the electro focus selector to OFF when the electron ic focusing system is not in use to ensure longer battery life 00 NOTE Battery vo
34. he rewind crank Depress the film rewind button and turn the rewind crank as indicated to rewind the film into its cartridge If the film is being properly rewound the film rewind indicator will flicker Rewind until the tension on the crank lessens indicating that the leader end of the fiim has been released from the take up spool Pull out the film rewind knob the back will open automatically and remove the film cartridge AVOID DIRECT LIGHT WHEN UNLOADING THE FILM 49 SELF TIMER MULTIPLE EXPOSURES Self T imer The self timer delays release of the shutter 4 10 sec depending upon how far the self timer lever is advanced To operate the self timer push the lever counterclockwise until it stops To start push up slightly on the self timer lever Note Cover the viewfinder eyepiece with the accessory Finder Cap when using the self timer otherwise light entering from the rear of the camera may adversely affect the exposure Multiple Exposures For deliberate multiple exposures make the first exposure in the normal way Then tighten the film by turning the rewind knob and keep hold of the rewind knob Depress the film rewind button 9 and advance the rapid wind lever This cocks the shutter without advancing the film Finally release the shutter to make the second exposure Then make one blank exposure before taking the next picture to avoid over lapping As the exposure counter continues to function e
35. ked with each roll of film The higher the ASA number the more sensitive the film is to light To set the index lift up the ASA dial and turn it until the ASA number of your film is opposite the orange index mark 250 320 500 640 1000 1250 4 e 400 800 1600 MEMO HOLDER As a reminder of the type of film in your camera tear off the top of film box and insert it into the ie ee Memo Holder on the back cover of the camera UN eie SS 365 36 EXPOSURES C 135 36 THE SHUTTER MODE DIAL Because the camera selects the shutter speed in the AUTO exposure mode and pushbuttons are used to set the shutter speed in the M electro touch manual mode the shutter speed dial has been eliminated on your ME F In its place is the shutter mode dial whereby you simply select the desired mode of exposure before photographing In addition to the four mode settings the dial also features a shutter button lock To set the dial Press down on the small white button on top of the dail and rotate the dial until the button aligns with the desired mode setting AUTO This is the most convenient exposure mode for general shooting Set the dial set to AUTO and the camera chooses the correct shutter speed for you automatically in relation to the preset lens aperture saving you the time required for setting the exposure entirely yourself and allowing you to concentrate on framing and composition For normal daylight shooting y
36. ker Although the camera will continue to make accurate exposures for both the AUTO and M electronic exposure modes until the display goes out completely all four batteries should be replaced promptly at this point to ensure uninterrupted operation NOTE LEDs other than the shutter speed LEDs i e OVER UNDER EF and M normally flicker depending on the operating modes tnis should be disregarded as low battery indication Mechanical Shutter Speeds 1f batteries fail and you re caught without spares manual exposures without the meter can be made at the 195X 1 125 sec and B mechanical shutter speeds See page 17 Battery Check for TTL Electronic Focusing System See page 37 Battery Care e Battery life will vary from a short time to several months depending on the frequency of operation of the electronic exposure and focusing systems Should batteries require replacement replace all four with equivalent 1 5 volt silver oxide batteries Eveready S76 MALLORY S76E etc e Do not mix battery brands and types nor old batteries with new batteries This is dangerous and could actually shorten battery life e Wipe the battery with a dry cloth before insertion and always handle by the edges to ensure proper contact e Keep spare batteries on hand to help avoid the inconvenience of battery failure during busy picture taking sessions When shooting in cold climates where temporarily failure due to extreme temper
37. ltage will be adequate for normal Auto or electronic manual exposures for a considerable time after voltage is no longer sufficient for electronic focusing Exposure can be made in the normal manner without TTL electronic focus See page 38 37e MANUAL FOCUS The ME F comes equipped with a split image microprism focusing screen which provides a split image center spot surrounded by a microprism collar on a matte field For situations where the TTL electronic focusing system does not apply you can focus manually using all three areas of the focusing screen To focus with the split image center spot simply turn the lens focusing ring until the broken image in the center spot of the viewfinder aligns as one To focus with the microprism collar When using the microprism collar surrounding the center spot rotate the lens focusing ring until the shimmering effect in the collar area seems to disappear The matte field This is quite handy for focusing with long telephoto lenses having small apertures to which electronic focusing doesn t apply To focus turn the focusing ring of the lens until the image on the matte field appears sharp and crisp EXPOSURES ON AUTO In the Auto exposure mode the camera automatically varies the shutter speed in relation to the preset lens aperture in most cases sharply focused well exposed photos are easily obtained simply by presetting the camera as outlined below When it is very bri
38. n the manual 125X setting is used IMPORTANT Use of dedicated flash units other than Pentax brand may damage the camera s electronic circuitry and precaution should be taken Also when using the Pentax Superlite Il synchronize for flash at the mechanical 125X shutter speed setting only SHOOTING POINTERS The tri colored viewfinder indications of your ME F s automatic exposure system and the electronic focusing make it extremely easy to obtain good results in a wide variety of shooting situations However there are also a few basic aperture and shutter speed control techniques which are handy in order to obtain good results with moving subjects creating interesting effects and so forth f SLR photography is relatively new to you it will certainly be worthwhile to take the time to learn these few basic techniques Optimum Apertures The aperture guide listed on page 18 is sufficient for almost all shooting purposes and correct exposure will be obtained as long as one of the green shutter speed LEDs light However you may add more interest to your pictures with certain subjects by varying from the norm Any aperture setting may be used as long as either a green or yellow LED shutter speed indicator lights in the case of the latter provided you take precautions against camera shake Stopping the Action With moving subjects such as bicycles auto mobiles horses children at play birds in flight etc a fast shutter spee
39. ns use only the single frame mode in the continuous mode with moving subjects focus will be correct only for the first frame AF ZOOM LENS FRONT CASE A specially designed case for carrying the 35mm 75mm Zoom Lens together with the ME F Optional AF ZOOM LENS CASE 9 Case for carrying the AF 35mm 70mm zoom lens separately optional LENS HOOD 9 An exclusive lens hood which screw to the threads on the front of the lens Optional FILTERS O Standard 58mm screw in and 58mm SMC Pentax screw in type filters are used in conjunction with your lens with certain dark black and white filters manual focus is required TTL ELECTRONIC FOCUS If you are using the ME F with regular SMC Pentax lenses both bayonet K mount lenses and screw mount lenses with mount adapter K you can enjoy the benefit of the cameras built in electronic focusing system When used with any of over 30 regular SMC Pentax lenses this system provides you with electronic focus guidance whereby you can obtain correct focus by simply turning the barrel in the direction of the arrow inside the viewfinder until the large LED correct focus indicator informs you that focus is correct Moreover the system is extremely accurate and can be used outdoors in almost all daylight shootingsituations or indoors in well lit rooms Be sure to read the instructions carefully so that focusing will become as easy and simple as possible e 30 To engage the elect
40. ntional manner with the split image microprism or entire focusing screen as indicated on page 38 These situations arise mainly when lighting is insufficient or contrast is too flat for the sensor to read the subject Examples include photographing indoors in dimly lit room outdoors at dawn twilight or in heavy shade or overcast EV 5 5 at ASA 100 1 sec at f 6 7 Subjects without contrast such as a white wall also present a problem as do excessively bright subjects strong backlighting fast moving subjects very fine patterns or lines and subjects with extreme contrast over EV 17 5 1 500 sec at f 19 Note Even with subjects lacking contrast the system can sometimes be made to work if some mark or distinguishing feature of the subject is placed in the center spot of the viewfinder such as the bicycle tire in the top photo Use with other cameras The 35bmm 75mm Auto Focus Lens may also be used as a standard non auto focus zoom lens with all other 35mm Pentax cameras featuring the standard Pentax Bayonet Mount In this instance set the power switch to OFF and focus in the conventional manner BATTERIES Sufficient voltage is needed for complete auto focus When the lens no longer rotates on pressing the focusing button the batteries are depleted The lens can still be focused with the TTL Electronic Focusing System or manually but for complete auto focus replace all four batteries immediately For TTL Electronic F
41. ocus see page 30 for manual focus page 38 Lens Batteries Battery life will vary from a short time to several months depending upon frequency of operation of the lens Should batteries require replacement replace all four with equivalent AAA size alkaline or manganese batteries Do not mix brands and types or old and new batteries this is dangerous and could actually shorten battery life Camera Batteries Auto Focus is also no longer possible when camera battery voltage is insufficient for the focusing LEDs to light For continued auto focus in this instance replace all four batteries together with equivalent silver oxide batteries do not use alkaline batteries or mix battery brands and types See Battery care page 11 Power Switch The power switch can be left on while using the lens When inserting the lens in its case or storing however set the switch to OFF Also set the switch to off and remove battereis when not using the lens for an extended period of time 27e PRECAUTIONS Auto Focus Contacts Be sure to keep the auto focus contacts of both the camera body mount and lens mount clean wipe occasionally with a dry cloth to keep them from becoming oily e 28 Tripod Depending upon the size of the tripod seat the lens cannot be used with some tripods at the 70mm focal length setting because the battery compartment will hit against the tripod Winder When using a winder with the auto focus le
42. omatic synchronization for flash on charging and flash ready indication right inside the viewfinder For Dedicated Auto Flash Leave the shutter mode dial of the camera set at Auto or M and attach the flash to the camera hotshoe Set the flash mode in accordance with the instructions provided with the unit and switch the flash on When the unit charges the camera synchronize automatically for flash at 1 125 second in addition the green M and 125X LEDs will flash inside the viewfinder signaling that the flash is ready After taking your photo the camera reverts to the non flash exposure mode in use until the unit has recycled To cancel the flash exposure simply switch the flash unit off Presently four of these are available AF 200S AF 160 AF 280T and AFQ80C Ring Light OTHER FLASH UNITS The ME F may also be used with a variety of other flash units including both hotshoe type units and bracket mount type requiring cord hook up 1f your flash is the hotshoe type it synchronizes directly via the hotshoe If it requires cord hook up plug the cord into the X synch terminal beside the lens mount For Flash Operation Synchronize the unit manually for flash by pressing the white button and setting the shutter mode dial to 125X Then set the flash exposure as indicated in the instruction manual accompanying your flash unit NOTE Viewfinder flash synchronization and flash ready indication are not given whe
43. on make sure that objects in front of your key subject do not cross the split image center line Correct focus will be obtained even with foreground objects as long as they do not cross the split image center line Picture Composition When composing a picture first focus on the key subject Remember the auto focusing system reads only the subject which bisects the split image line of the viewfinder so keep the subject in the center until the focus locks on the subject then frame your subject as you like ZOOMING To zoom pull the lens barrel out for wide angle settings and pull back for telephoto Best results are obtained if you focus at the telephoto setting first then adjust to the desired focal length This way you obtain a larger image for focusing and foreground matter which might distract the focusing sensor is easily eliminated IMPORTANT When con trast and lighting are insuf ficient for focusing the motor will turn back and forth slowly If this occurs stop focusing immediately to avoid wasting batteries On some occasions you will have to focus manually While your auto focus system is extremely accurate there will be occasions when you wil have to focus manually When manual focus is required both LEDs inside the viewfinder light simultaneously or flash depending on lighting conditions informing you to focus manually For manual focus turn the front of the lens barret and focus in the conve
44. ory circuit displays your previous manual shutter speed when you reactivate the meter on switching back to M Shutter Speed Control Pushbuttons Two shutter speed control pushbuttons are provided to enable rapid shutter speed selection in the manual mode These operate when the exposure mode dial is set to M manual and the shutter release button is partially depressed to light the LED display inside the viewfinder Shutter Speed Increase Forward Button Press the forward button and the LED shutter speeds inside the viewfinder will increase from bottom to top Let go of the button when the LED lights beside the desired shutter speed When the display reaches 2000 at the top of the scale it starts over from the bottom for example 1000 2000 45 25 1 2 500 1000 2000 4S 25 etc Shutter Speed Decrease Rear Button Press this button and the LED shutter speed display decreases from top to bottom At the bottom of the scale the display starts over again at the top thus 28 4S 2000 1000 15 8 4 2 1 2S 4S 2000 etc EXPOSURE SETTING With the manual exposure system you have the option of setting either the shutter speed or the lens aperture first The OVER and UNDER LEDs flash in the viewfinder to serve as quides for setting the correct exposure Shutter Speed First Set the desired shutter speed with the shutter speed control push
45. ou can preset the lens aperture at f 5 6 or f 8 and obtained well exposed photos simply by focusing and pressing the shutter button See EXPOSURES ON AUTO page 39 M Manual This is the ME F s extremely convenient electro touch manual exposure whereby you choose your desired shutter speed simply by pressing either of two push buttons Whereas shutter speeds vary continuously in the AUTO mode with the shutter dial set to M you may freeze the shutter speed at any one of fourteen view finder shutter speed settings See MANUAL EXPOSURE AT M page 44 125X This 1 125th second mechanical shutter speeds setting is provided primarily for flash synchronization with electronic flash units other than Pentax dedicated flash units See page 53 As the shutter operates without batteries it allows you to still operate the camera in case of battery failure In this instance set the dial to 125X and adjust the lens aperture according to subject brightness refer to the exposure guide lines accompanying your film B Bulb This setting is for long exposures exceeding the 4 second maximum shutter speed range of the camera s electronic exposure system Time exposures lasting several minutes or hours can be made at this setting See TIME EXPOSURES AT B page 51 L Lock Set the shutter dial to L and the shutter button may be locked while the shutter dial is cocked to prevent accidental shutter r
46. r accredited repair shops unless you are sending it directly to the manu facturer Always obtain a quotation of the service charge and only after you accept the quoted service charge instruct the service station to proceed with the servicing This warranty policy does not apply to Pentax products purchased in the U S A U K or Canada The local warranty policies available from Pentax distributors in those countries supersede this warranty policy Film chamber Film advance claw Film guide rail Film take up spool Back cover release lug Film pressure plate Battery compartment lock release amp Battery compartment Winder tripod receptacle Shutter Film rewind button Sprocket O Film transport coupler D Viewfinder eyepiece D Cordless Dial Data Contact B Memo holder Back cover D Film advance rewind indicator AH Asahi Optical Co Ltd C P O 895 Tokyo 100 91 JAPAN Asahi Optical Europe N V Weiveldlaan 3 5 1930 Zaventem Zuid 7 BELGIUM Pentax Handelsgeselischaft mbH 2000 Hamburg 54 ILokstedt Postfach 54 01 69 WEST GERMANY Pentax U K Limited Pentax House South Hill Avenue South Harrow Middlesex HA2 OLT UK Pentax France S A 72 76 rue Paul Vaillant Couturier 92300 Levallois Perret FRANCE Pentax Schweiz AG Industriestrasse 2 8305 Dietlikon ZH SWITZERLAND Pentax Svenska AB Hornsgatan 50A 11721 Stockholm SWEDEN Pentax Nederland Spinveld 25
47. r the auto focus lens is located at the back of the lens beneath the lens mount To open the compartment press the dial down and turn to the OPEN position The cap will release m insert four 1 5 volt AAA size batteries according to the direction inside the compartment Be sure to insert the batteries exactly as indicated for the motor to work To close the compartment replace the cover Push the dial down and turn to CLOSE Your lens is now ready for use s Mount the lens on the camera in the normal manner as described on page 12 Make sure to turn the lens until it clicks in place NOTE Use either alkaline or manganese batteries do not use rechargeable NiCad batteries 21e BST n AUTO FOCUS Set the power switch on the e Set the shutter mode dial of e Set the electro focus button front of the lens to ON the camera to Auto other on top of the camera to 2 8 settings except B may also be used e Look through the viewfinder and center your subject in the split image center spot e Press either of the focusing buttons on the lens barrel When it Make sure that the points of reaches the point of correct focus the lens will stop turning the large highest contrast bisect the split green LED display in the viewfinder will light indicating focus image line IS COrrect As the motor turns the following indications are possible ONE ARROW Direction in which the len
48. ronic focusing system Switch the electro focus selector on top of the camera to the maximum aperture setting of your lens as indicated below m 2 8 Use this setting for all lenses with a maximum aperture of f 2 8 or larger f 2 1 7 1 2etc This includes standard lenses wide angles zooms and short telephoto lenses 3 5 Use this setting for lenses having a maximum aperture of 1 3 5 to f 5 6 This includes wide angle zooms telephotos macro and bellows lenses THE OFF POSITION The electronic focusing system doesn t apply to lenses having a maximum aperture of f 5 6 or smaller When using these lenses set the focus switch to OFF and focus in the conventional manner with the viewfinder focusing screen See page 38 To focus 1 Set the shutter mode dial to Auto other settings except B also can be used 2 Look through the viewfinder and center your subject the split image center spot Make sure the points of highest contrast bisect the split image line 3 Press the shutter button down partway The bottom center view finder display will light and the audio focus indicator will give a short bleep when on This means the electronic focusing system is ready The viewfinder display will show you ona of three possible signals TWO ARROWS Lighting is insufficient or contrast is too flat or extreme for auto focus focus manually GREEN LIGHT LED Subject is in focus make exposure reading
49. s is focusing TWO ARROWS Lighting contrast is too flat for auto focus focus manually u E Y GREEN LIGHT LED Subject is in focus make the exposure reading and take the picture TO FOCUS PRESS THE BUTTON ON THE LENS BARREL CENTER THE SUBJECT IN VIEWFINDER TAKE PHOTO WHEN LENS STOPS TURNING NOTE The subject doesn t have to be aligned precisely in the split image center spot for correct focus with the auto focus lens 239 e 24 Audio Focus Indication The ME F provides you with an audible signal which accompanies the LED correct focus indicator This signal tells you when to take the picture To operate the audio focus indicator set the audio focus switch to the musical note When not needed turn the audio focus indicator off simply by sliding the switch from the musical note back to the black square Hints for good results Your ME F s through the lens auto focusing system will give you perfectly focused photos when used properly For best results be sure to place the highest contrast portion of the subject in the split image center spot For example if photographing a person focus on his or her sillouette as it stands out from the background For close up portraits focus on facial details Foreground Information The TTL auto focusing system focuses for the object in the center of the viewfinder that is closest to the camera For this reas
50. tem the ME F has several other improved features such as fully automatic exposure with tri color exposure guides pushbutton controlled manual exposures a super fast 1 2000th second top shutter speed a brilliant Clear Bright Matte viewfinder all in its easy handling compact body Also it operates in conjunction with over 200 Pentax system accessories including two winders four dedicated flash units and offers a wide range of special purpose photo capabilities from close up macrophotography and architectural photography with the shift lens to photomicrography and astrophotography For details ask your photo dealer for the booklet entitled PENTAX LENSES AND ACCESSORIES HOW TO USE THIS MANUAL To get you started right away we ve provided a Quick Course on pages 4 to 8 which gives you the basics of operating your camera in the auto exposure mode Use of the camera with the Auto Focus Lens is explained first followed by the electron ic focusing with other Pentax interchangeable lenses Be sure to first read the section which is pertinent for the type of lens you are using Also read the entire manual the first chance you get in order to make the most of all the benefits your camera has to offer Last but not least take good care of your ME F It s destined to become a classic BASIC OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS Your ME F Quick Course 1 Insert the four batteries as shown Page 10 Mount the lens
51. tures and is shallowest at f 2 f 1 7 or f 1 4 depending upon which is the maximum aperture of your lens A shallow depth of field produces an out of focus effect which highlights your subject As long as the LED does not light at the OVER setting you can obtain this effect even on a bright sunny day by using a wide maximum aperture DEPTH OF FIELD SCALE Depth of field is the range between the nearest and farthest distances which are in focus at a given lens aperture If you want to know how great the depth of field is at a certain aperture focus on the subject and look at the depth of field scale on the lens In the photograph below the distance scale is set at 5 meters that is the lens is focused on a subject 5 meters away The calibrations on each side of the distance index correspond to the diaphragm setting and indicate the range of in focus distance for different lens apertures For example if a lens opening of f 4 is to be used the range on the distance scale ring covered within the figure 4 on the depth of field scale indicates the area in focus at that lens opening You will note from the depth of field scale in the photograph that the range from approximately 4 to 7m is in focus Note that as the lens apertures change the effective depth of field also changes For the depth of field at different apertures and distances refer to the next page 3 1 O Distance m DEPTH OF FIELD TABLE SMC PENTA
52. ure either make a time exposure at the B setting page 51 or switch to flash photography pages 52 53 NOTE Shortcut When changing from a slow to a fast shutter speed it is not necessary to use the shutter speed increase button If the given shutter speed is 2 sec and you desire to increase to 1 1000 sec for example simply press the decrease button until the LED lights at 1000 When going from a fast to a slow shutter speed reverse the procedure by taking a shortcut with the shutter speed increase button 47e HOLDING THE CAMERA As a general rule your camera can be held more firmly in the left hand which does not release the shutter If you hold your camera with the right hand the hand that releases the shutter this may cause camera movement Often blurred pictures are due to camera movement Horizontal position A Vertical position B Vertical position C Hold the camera firmly with Hold your camera tightly to Hold your camera tightly to your your left hand and draw your your forehead with your left forehead with your left hand arms close to your body hand and draw your right raise your right arm and draw arm close to your body your left arm to your body UNLOADING THE FILM After the last picture on the roll has been taken the rapid wind lever will not advance any further Caution do not try to force the lever indicating that the film must be rewound Lift up t
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