Just bought a nice looking Nikon F and everything seemed fine at first, but when I opened the back I discovered that the rear shutter curtain for some reason doesn't close completely. The shutter mechanism works perfectly, but the curtain just doesn't travel far enough.
Anyone know what the problem could be, and if it's an easy fix? I've done simple repairs before so I'm not afraid to open up a camera if necessary. I'd rather not replace the complete curtain though.
Or should I try to get a refund? Apart from this the camera looks almost unused, no scuffs or scratches at all.
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Camera-Specific Properties: Equipment Make FUJIFILM Camera Model X-E1 Camera Software Digital Camera X-E1 Ver2.40 Maximum Lens Aperture f/2.8 Sensing Method One-Chip Color Area Focal Length (35mm Equiv) 51 mm Maker Note Version 0130 Image-Specific Properties: Image Orientation Top, Left-Hand Horizontal Resolution 72 dpi Vertical Resolution 72 dpi Image Created 2015:12:23 03:36:46 Exposure Time 1/30 sec F-Number f/3.6 Exposure Program Shutter Priority ISO Speed Rating 250 Lens Aperture f/3.6 Brightness 3.0 EV Exposure Bias -0.3 EV Metering Mode Pattern Light Source Unknown Flash No Flash, Compulsory Focal Length 34.30 mm Color Space Information sRGB Image Width 1000 Image Height 667 Rendering Normal Exposure Mode Auto White Balance Auto Scene Capture Type Standard Sharpness Normal Subject Distance Range Unknown Sharpness Normal White Balance Auto Chroma Saturation Normal Flash Mode Off Macro Mode Off Focus Mode Auto Slow Synchro Mode Off Picture Mode Shutter Prior AE Continuous/Bracketing Mode Off Blur Status OK Focus Status OK Auto Exposure Status OK
Get a refund, it is completely useless in its current state
>>2726872
This
>bought a camera without looking at the shutter
You forgot to check whether the most important part of the camera was in good shape? You dun goofed.
Maybe it's an easy fix and maybe it isn't but either way you should return it and buy a camera that works, repairing the camera should be on the seller and not on you.
>>2726965
>You forgot to check whether the most important part of the camera was in good shape? You dun goofed.
You're right, that was pretty stupid of me.
I bought it on a local second hand site, and I had asked first about the usual stuff (scratches, fungus, dents, does it fire on all speeds?, etc.), so I figured there was little risk. Of course I should've just asked for a pic of the shutter too.
I'm a bit reluctant to send it back because the Nikkor Auto-S 50/1.4 that came with it looks pretty much perfect and I'd like to try it out on my digital camera to see how it compares with my SMC Takumar 50/1.4.
I bought it for a pretty good price (seller didn't know anything about cameras, and the listing was vague and in the wrong category, so no other bidders), and I think I'm going to try to get a partial refund to get the price down to at most the value of the lens. So the camera would essentially be free and I can try to get it working properly again.
>>2727038
Nikkor-S Auto 50/1.4 I mean.
The blind tapes are broken top and bottom. Cam requires new set of blinds. In UK 200GBP repair. Cannot do it yourself. How you gonna reset shutter speeds 1 sec to 1 thousandth? Have you seen the slow speed mech behind the tripod bush. Man that's a ball ache to remove and reset. Swiss watch territory. Keep the glass. Britfag ex Nikon repairer now doing Rolleiflexes. They are worth it. F2 better choice for Nikon nuts anyway. Get a prim head version the photomic adds weight and is not very accurate. Buy a Lunasix or Pentax spotmeter..
>>2726871
If the camera is pristine otherwise, it would probably be worth repairing.
How much did you pay for this heap?
>>2727059
Thanks anon. This is exactly the kind of advice I was looking for.
>>2727070
I paid €100, the seller's minimum bid. Maybe that's too much, but I thought that was pretty good considering how nice it looked and the fact it came with a 50/1.4. Probably should've done more research on the average price first.
There are a few very tiny scuffs on the body, but it really looks almost like new. A 200GBP repair is way, way too much for me though.
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Camera-Specific Properties: Equipment Make FUJIFILM Camera Model X-E1 Camera Software Capture One 8 Windows Sensing Method One-Chip Color Area Image-Specific Properties: Horizontal Resolution 300 dpi Vertical Resolution 300 dpi Image Created 2015:12:23 09:15:00 Image Created 2015:12:23 09:15:00 Exposure Time 1/125 sec F-Number f/0.0 Exposure Program Manual ISO Speed Rating 1600 Brightness -1.1 EV Exposure Bias 0 EV Metering Mode Pattern Light Source Unknown Flash No Flash, Compulsory Image Width 1000 Image Height 667 Exposure Mode Manual White Balance Auto Sharpness Normal Subject Distance Range Unknown
>>2727121
100 quid isn't exactly a buttfucking.
The repair is probably still worth it, but again you'd only get your money back if you sold the camera and lense as an outfit.
Don't be such a scrooge though.
It won't be long before all of the old dudes with the skill and parts to repair these are retired or dead, and they're not making any more of them.
Look, if the camera is in a very good condition externaly speaking, i would personally repair it. Mostly because the F(1) is a great camera and a great piece of history, also worth a lot when working. But anyways, is a matter of personal taste
>>2727056
I have one that came with my F2, I like it but everyone tells me the f/1.8 is much better
Buy one in a bad shape of the same model for as cheap as you can get.
Disassemble it, and learn the inner mechanism from inside out.
Then fix your camera.
They are mechanical cameras, there isn't much to really break.
YE
eah old Nikon fixer dude here - not long left here. Can say the Nikon F was a fanstastic machine when it came out but the F2 is way way better. All the crinkles ironed out, up front Nikkor glass and a separate meter - choose prism head change the flat fresnel to a grid screen and get a decent separate meter Lunasix pref. Stick an 85mm f1.8 portrait on this and earn thousands as I did back in the 70s. Still best for today - retro bw portraits in cooled light as only Nikkor lenses can shoot. Way way ahead still...
>>2727221
>They are mechanical cameras, there isn't much to really break.
daily reminder that these are the people giving advice on /p/
>>2727395
You're an idiot, but so is that guy.
>>2727221
dude are you retarded? have you got any idea how complex mechanical cameras are? theres literally thousands of parts and youre asking this guy to reverse engineer with no tools.
ffs
>>2727268
My F2 is completely functional apart from the 1 second shutter speed, it opens, makes the noise but then never closes. Any idea how hard that would be to fix?
>>2727611
>using meme camera
>fucked up shutter
>surprise
Since it's Nikon film camera thread i'll ask here.
I need a compact, reliable and kinda cheap 35 mm film back for 50/1.8D, 24/2.8D and 35-70/3.3-4.5. I found a lot of FE about 100$ in "near mint" cosmetic condition and unknown workng state. Is it worth it? Or should I look on FE2 or even FM2?
>>2727708
yes
no
>>2727708
I don't know what you'd expect to get from those other cameras that you couldn't get from the FE. Maybe if you need 1/4000 sec?
>>2727777
I can get mechanical 1/250 and x-sync on the same speed from FE2 instead of 1/90 and 1/125 respectively from FE.
I still can't quite believe it, but I think I just managed to fix the problem.
... Well, as you can see the curtain still doesn't go as far to the left as it should, but right now it's at least completely light-tight, so the camera's become usable again.
Didn't open up the camera though. I found a service manual, and the inner mechanisms looked very complex and too easy to fuck up.
So I was just screwing around with the camera in frustration when I noticed that, when in mirror lockup mode, if you advance the film just slightly so the edge of the rear curtain reaches about 1/2-3/4 of the "frame" and turn the rewind knob, the curtains snap back into the idle position, but with the rear curtain very slightly more to the left than before.
After doing this 3 or 4 times, the left side of the rear curtain got more than far enough to make it light-tight (but unfortunately it wouldn't go any further anymore, to its proper position).
I've now released the shutter at least 200 times, and the curtains don't seem to creep back and leave a gap again, so I hope it's fine now and I can finally shoot some pictures with the camera.
Nice!
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Camera-Specific Properties: Equipment Make FUJIFILM Camera Model X-E1 Camera Software Photo Ninja 1.2.4 Maximum Lens Aperture f/inf Sensing Method One-Chip Color Area Focal Length (35mm Equiv) 0 mm Image-Specific Properties: Image Orientation Top, Left-Hand Horizontal Resolution 72 dpi Vertical Resolution 72 dpi Image Created 2015:12:24 09:34:15 Exposure Time 1/80 sec F-Number f/inf Exposure Program Aperture Priority ISO Speed Rating 320 Lens Aperture f/inf Brightness -1.8 EV Exposure Bias -1 EV Metering Mode Pattern Light Source Unknown Flash No Flash, Compulsory Focal Length 0.00 mm Image Width 1000 Image Height 664 Exposure Mode Auto White Balance Auto Scene Capture Type Standard Sharpness Normal
This. The Nikon F can't be killed and its parts normally don't wear down.
Most Nikon F can be cured by removing the bottom plate (around the tripod bush) and spraying a bit of WD40 on the moving parts.
>>2728063
HOLY SHIT ANON
I just did the same thing to my Nikon F3 whose shutter wasn't closing in any shutter speed slower than 1/60.
AND IT CAME BACK TO LIFE
FUCK I'M SO HAPPY RIGHT NOW
>>2728063
No, really, if you ever come to Rio de Janeiro, I owe you a beer.
>>2730238
NOOOO!
WD40 is a CLEANER not a lubricant. Use lithium grease. WD40 will evaporate and dry everything out (including any lubricant). I learned this the hard way.
>>2730238
>Most Nikon F can be cured by taking them to someone who knows what they're doing.
FTFY
Not OP but can someone help please? I've been trying to attach this piece to the rewind knob but it just seems impossible to do it...camera is a Nikon FM2n. Thank you.
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Camera-Specific Properties: Camera Model LG-H500f Camera Software MediaTek Camera Application_ Equipment Make LG Electronics Image-Specific Properties: Image Orientation Top, Left-Hand Image Created 2015:12:27 15:38:11 Vertical Resolution 72 dpi Horizontal Resolution 72 dpi Color Space Information sRGB F-Number f/2.4 Exposure Program Not Defined Focal Length 3.17 mm White Balance Auto Image Width 3264 Metering Mode Center Weighted Average Light Source Other Exposure Mode Auto Image Height 2448 Flash No Flash Exposure Bias 0 EV Scene Capture Type Standard ISO Speed Rating 50 Exposure Time 833/50000 sec
>>2730260
Still looking for help...
>>2730260
Look up a service manual or a diagram.
Can't you just remove the entire rewind knob by turning counterclockwise while blocking the "fork", like on most cameras, and then figure out the rest? Really doesn't seem that difficult desu.
Needs new slow speed mechanism. This mech determines speeds 1 sec to 1/15th sec. Then secondary mechanism does 1/30th to 1/1000th. Slow speed mech located just behind tripod thread on base of camera. Overtightening of camera to tripod base will crunch mechanism and cause problems. This is a classic error..
