Film SLR Camera Problem

[Yugoboy]

Due to my camera being in the shop I pulled out my Nikon F3 to play with some new filters I got today.

When I hit the shutter the mirror goes up but doesn’t come down. I removed the lens, and found the little lever that allows me to pull the mirror down without damage.

Advice on how to either lube the joints or otherwise fix the problem without sending it to the shop will be welcome. Illustrated advice will result in promises of beer when next we meet.

[ennuipoet]

Seriously, take it in for a CLA by a professional. Lubing ANYTHING inside the shutter/mirror assembly is a nightmare. You need special tools and special lubricant. And very small hands.

[bender16v]

I’ve never seen an F3, but one question is could it be the batteries? On my FG if the battery is low it will do that when in any shutter speed other than M90. And since I seem to only fool around with it about once a year I have to put a new battery in it each time.

[Yugoboy]

Possibly… but there’s supposed to be a manual setting. There are no batteries in it currently. So the suggestion is to pop batteries in it to see if that’s it, then if not, take it to a pro. OK.

Somehow, in this town… the home of Kodak… we lost our two best camera shops and are now stuck with a Photo/Video/Audio shop where the emphasis is on the Video/Audio and Photo basically means “We sell cameras, bags, flashes and tripods.”

Goddamit so much…

[sleeping]

Make sure the mirror lock up isn’t engaged, that’s a lever around the dof preview button (on the front, left of the lens mount). IIRC the little lever is supposed to point up normally.

[sleeping]

Ah here a photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/awrose/6148879897/ The DOF release is the silver button on the front of the camera, between the lens mount and the battery grip shutter button, and you can kind of see the mirror lockup lever around it with the lever bit pointing up.

[Yugoboy]

Ah here a photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/awrose/6148879897/ The DOF release is the silver button on the front of the camera, between the lens mount and the battery grip shutter button, and you can kind of see the mirror lockup lever around it with the lever bit pointing up.

I’ll take a look, but that button on the F3 isn’t present on the FE:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/Nikon_FE_%28Workshop_Cologne_%2706%29.jpeg

I guess I’ll putter around the internets for a while after I finish today’s work.

[sleeping]

Uh, you did say “F3”. If it’s an FE you won’t have the same button, no. The M90 setting on the shutter speed dial might work in that case.

[Yugoboy]

That was a brainlness typo. I knew it was an FE when I typed it.

I ordered some batteries today. If that’s the problem (and with the reading I’ve been doing, it might be) it should resolve itself in about a week. I’ll keep you updated.

[bender16v]

How long does Nikon usually take to do your annual service? I sent a camera in once and had it back within a couple weeks, then the next time there were issues and it took 2 months. So I’m curious how long they take for a routine procedure.

[Yugoboy]

Last year just over a week.
This year it’s been “in transit” for 4 days. We’re closing in on 2 weeks.

Fortunately, just before I sent it away I got a 4mp Kodak EasyShare w/docking printer from a guy for $1 (you read that correctly). So I’ve been able to hold the DTs at bay, but if it doesn’t get here before this weekend’s road trips, I am going to be one twitching, sad mess.

[orionid]

If it does come down to moving parts lubrication and you don’t want to pay for a full service, get a small syringe with a needle between 18 and 20 gauge. Use a light synthetic like Rem Oil. Align the camera so it won’t run, then place a single drop on the point of friction, work it in by moving the part by hand if possible (don’t use automated functions yet), then soak the drop up with a lint-free technical-grade q-tip. After soaking up the drop, move to the next point. After doing this for all your movement points, then run some automatic cycles to work the lube in. Lather, rinse, repeat as desired/required.

Last year just over a week.
This year it’s been “in transit” for 4 days. We’re closing in on 2 weeks.

Fortunately, just before I sent it away I got a 4mp Kodak EasyShare w/docking printer from a guy for $1 (you read that correctly). So I’ve been able to hold the DTs at bay, but if it doesn’t get here before this weekend’s road trips, I am going to be one twitching, sad mess.

This is why I’m waiting until after my trip to send my D90 in, despie the fact that it sorely needs service. I’m hard on my bodies to begin with and it’s passing a quarter million frames.

[Yugoboy]

Came back today. Seems to be working just fine.

Looking forward to taking a metric butt-load of shots this summer.

[Yugoboy]

Batteries came. At first I thought they were the wrong ones. Then I turned them over and the light meter worked. The mirror did not. The problem is somewhere on the trigger side of the equation. I can’t get the film advancer lever to open up and turn the spindle inside. I’m going to do a little more poking at it, but then it will have to wait for fall. Hopefully I can find a repair shop in this cursed town.

F***ing home of KODAK and we are reduced to 1 single camera store. And that one is photo, video and audio, but it’s more like photo, VIDEO and AUDIO. Their accessories do not come close to measuring up to what was available at the other 2 that just recently closed. Their prices suck, too. Much higher than they should be on many items, at least on the photo side of things. I damn near cried when I discovered this.

[Author]

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