squirrel$$$bandit
Veteran
Last week I botched up an otherwise pristine Pentax ME Super. The seller on eBay said the mirror bumper was not sticky foam, and I believed him, and when I went to clean off the dirty focus screen, the foam disintegrated and got all over EVERYTHING. I got most of it off, but some got on the screen, and now it has streaks that I can't remove without taking the camera apart. I ended up with a half refund, which is fine, caveat emptor and all that.
So when I bought another mint ME Super on eBay the next day, I was prepared. As soon as I got it I stuffed the cavity with cotton to protect the screen and mirror, removed the foam with alcohol and qtips, and replaced it with a strip of adhesive-backed felt. Then I turned it over and did the seals, and THEN I took the cotton out and cleaned everything.
PERFECT! Only took half an hour and the felt seems to be working great. Just your basic stuff from the craft store--I recommend it. I shot with the camera today--my third attempt at getting a good one--and it feels great. This camera with a Pentax-M 50/1.4, plus my Bessa with 21mm color skopar, makes for a wonderfully versatile day of shooting.
Don't believe anybody who tells you the foam is fine, unless they replaced it themselves!
So when I bought another mint ME Super on eBay the next day, I was prepared. As soon as I got it I stuffed the cavity with cotton to protect the screen and mirror, removed the foam with alcohol and qtips, and replaced it with a strip of adhesive-backed felt. Then I turned it over and did the seals, and THEN I took the cotton out and cleaned everything.
PERFECT! Only took half an hour and the felt seems to be working great. Just your basic stuff from the craft store--I recommend it. I shot with the camera today--my third attempt at getting a good one--and it feels great. This camera with a Pentax-M 50/1.4, plus my Bessa with 21mm color skopar, makes for a wonderfully versatile day of shooting.
Don't believe anybody who tells you the foam is fine, unless they replaced it themselves!