However, none of these cameras were commercial successes as AF technology was in its infancy in 1981. The ME F (and its ilk) could be expected to autofocus only under near-ideal conditions – brightly lit, high-contrast, well-centred and stationary subjects – that could be manually focused with ease. In more typical conditions, the ME F would focus imprecisely, or simply fail to focus. Instead, it might continuously but hopelessly turn its lens; "hunting" in vain for proper focus but succeeding in wasting limited battery power. In addition, since the ME F was compatible with only one autofocus lens, its flexibility as an interchangeable lens camera was almost negated. Photographers saw the ME F as little more than a curiosity, not worth its initial 50% price premium over the equivalent manual focus ME Super.