john_meyer4

I use "Eneloop" NiMH AA and AAA batteries in almost everything. They are known as LSD batteries (Low Self-Discharge) and I have yet to throw one out. The only downside is their nominal voltage is only about 1.3 volts whereas fresh alkaline batteries are a little over 1.5 volts. However, they have a very flat discharge curve so they are still almost 1.3 volts just before they need to be recharged whereas alkaline batteries start going down in voltage from almost the moment you start using them. The other advantage of NiMH batteries is that they can supply quite a bit more current than alkaline. This is great if you have any old strobe units (I have five of them). They do not supply quite as much as NiCD, or the king of the hill Li-Ion. I did try my Eneloops in this camera, but their lower voltage made the problem worse. I then tried primary (one use) Lithium AA batteries, and because they have a nominal voltage of a little over 1.6 volts, they did the best job of getting the camera to cycle more often.

Yes, I entirely agree with that. I enjoy working on something when you can't break what's already ruined. It's all upside.

The batteries were actually Kirkland. I wish I could find batteries like those the Japanese use in their equipment. I have some AA batteries that came with the very first Sony CD player I purchased in 1984. They still work and they haven't leaked. I do think there is a very good chance that the corrosive battery chemicals did play a part in my problem. If I can find some disassembly instructions I'm going to try to get it far enough apart that I can spray a little "contact cleaner" (Trichloroethylene) into the mechanism. This usually does a good job of breaking down oxide and corrosion. It is no substitute for a good cleaning and lubrication, but may be sufficient, given that it does almost work.

Thanks for the replies! I read several threads on other forums which emphasized the battery contact problem. I stupidly stored this without removing the batteries. They leaked. (Go ahead, abuse welcome.) I used my Dremel tool and dental tools to clean it up, but in the time since I posted here, and before I returned to read your posts, I read many posts elsewhere about batteries and contacts being a cause of this behavior. So, I put the battery holder in my ultrasonic cleaner. As usual, it worked miracles and the battery crud is gone from the holder and it is absolutely as clean and as good as new. The battery compartment and the contacts at the bottom of the compartment are also clean. Unfortunately, this did not help. Neither did using NiMh batteries (capable of more current) or lithium primary batteries (more current and higher voltage). My guess is that some of the "fumes" from the battery corrosion might have crept into the mechanism over the years and may be the reason why this camera is malfunctioning, whereas the other cameras I mentioned (and more) are all working just fine. The only reason for wanting to fix it rather than get a new body from eBay is that it was a gift from my late father, so it has sentimental value. Also, except for my stupidity in keeping the batteries in it, the body is in impeccable shape. So, unless I can find some disassembly instructions or unless there is a good repair place that someone can recommend (I am fairly price insensitive), I guess this is a dead end.

I recently took all my old cameras out of storage including my Leica M3 complete kit (it's a beaut -- see below); Nikon Photomic FTN, and Nikon N90, to name a few. My professional photographer son-in-law took the M3 (see video below) and N90, but I'd like to give him one more, namely my Nikon N8008 (I think it also goes by the name of F801S). Unfortunately, while my other cameras function perfectly, the N8008 has a very sluggish shutter and often requires 2-4 presses of the shutter button to get the mirror and shutter to go through a complete cycle. Eventually, after 20-30 cycles, I can get an almost-normal single-press snapshot, but it is clear from the sound that the mechanism is struggling. Here is a video showing the problem. In this video, I pressed the shutter once, and the mirror only went to the halfway-up position. I pressed the shutter again, and it completed the cycle. On other attempts (not shown in the video), it took 3-4 shutter pressed to complete the cycle. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzxf-KSmp18 The mirror is completely free: I can move it up and down with a toothpick when it stalls in the partway up position and I sense no resistance. There is nothing sticky along the sides. On the exterior, the camera is as clean as a whistle. It has been stored in a room-temperature closet for the eighteen years since I last used it. The batteries are fresh and new and, just to make sure, I've used three different brand-new sets of batteries. To me, it seems like it simply needs to be cleaned and lubricated. Question: is this something I can do (I have repaired almost anything you can name at one time or another), and if so where would I find directions? Alternatively, are there any repair shops people can recommend that can do a competent job of cleaning and lubricating this early 1990s camera? BTW, the Nikkor 35-70mm zoom that came with the kit has the aperture stuck wide open. I think whatever ails the body is also the problem with this. I'm less concerned about this because I have other lenses I can use. OT, but just for those who care, this is a video of me giving my 1958 Leica M3 to my son-in-law: