It it Worth do a CLA on this Nikon FE or Not?

I wanted a manual focus Nikon. I have had the FM2N before and loved it, but I wanted one with Aperature Priority. so I

bought this FE on EBAY. He says he is the original owner, and only shot about 5000 images with it over the last

30 years or so. The exterior is in rough shape with paint loss. It looks like the camera was kept in the bottom of a tool box.

He claimed he never kept it covered in its case which is why its rough on the outside. The body came with 2 lenses, 50mm

1.4 and 28mm 3.5 all for $200.00 including shipping. What I liked about it was the idea that it had one owner.

So when I got it I complained and he refunded me $100.00, so I got the camera for very cheap. The lenses are very clean in

the front since they had uv filters on them at all times, the front elements look new with the back a little dusty internal. I tested

the camera last week and ran some film through it, it seems to shoot fine with no light leaks, although the foam is clearly

worn. The rear hinge also seems a little loose, I assume it can me tightened.

The film plate has those characteristics streaks from film being wound past it, so I wonder it it indeed has only 5000

actuations on the shutter.

 

So if I keep this I will have to spend $130.00 for a CLA.

Or sell it and look for a better or newer model like the FM3A and pay more?

 

I attached pictures of what I bought

more

and another

shutter

<p>depends on how much the cosmetic condition affects you? for the price you paid you could throw the body away and still have got a decent price on the lenses.</p>

<p>You said it works fine, so I would probably just replace the light seals and use it as is!</p>

<p>I once owned a Leica that looked like it went through several wars but it's operation and rangefinder were smooth and accurate. Go with seal, mirror bumper and door seal replacement (frankly a DIY task if you are handy and patient). Then you'll have a camera you fixed for less than $20 and cosmetically and in case of theft (maybe no one steals a ratty film camera) you are not losing big bucks!</p>

<p>Sounds like you're ahead of the game, especially if the 50/1.4 is an AI or AI-S. <br>

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.<br>

20 minutes with some toothpicks, q-tips and Jon Goodman's light seal foam should be just about all you need to do.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>There's nothing wrong with that FE--it's just well-loved. Cameras are like dogs: if you love it, you need to take it out and let it play regularly!</p>

<p>Fix up the minor things that are wrong with it, and use it until it falls apart completely. There's nothing wrong with a tatty-looking camera, so long as it works. (I own--and use--several classic cameras that a collector would turn their nose up at in disdain. And I'm proud of my D300, which has, as of today, 293,664 shutter actuations on it. There is paint worn off in various places, and some of the rubber bits are held on with gaffer tape, but she's still going into battle almost daily.)</p>

<p>Jon, if you're going to use it, yes, and you will have a reliable camera with two great lenses. If it's a latter 28/3.5, aside from being slow and had to focus, it's an excellent lens. Read Bjorn Rorslett's take on it.</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p><em>What I liked about it was the idea that it had one owner.</em></p>

</blockquote>

<p>I would suggest in future when you are searching for a used camera that you forget about this. That's like buying a used car that was "only driven by a little old lady". Unless you personally know the little old lady and her habits, it's a completely meaningless and absolutely worthless attribute. The little old lady may never change the oil and air filter, drives with her left foot riding the brake, and hits everything within striking distance when moving in reverse. Likewise multiple owners may all use a "mint" camera very carefully as is passes from one user to the next, while a single original owner can treat a purchased new camera like crap until it looks like it bounced around in the back of a redneck's pickup truck.<br /> -</p>

<blockquote>

<p><em>The rear hinge also seems a little loose, I assume it can me tightened.</em></p>

</blockquote>

<p>There is no adjustment for the hinge (in the extremely unlikely event that the pins or pivot points are truly worn), but if you replace the rear light seals, i.e. the hinge end seal and door channel seals with new foam, the back will "tighten up" considerably when closed.<br /> -</p>

<blockquote>

<p><em>So if I keep this I will have to spend $130.00 for a CLA.</em></p>

</blockquote>

<p>No, you won't. Since you have tested it with film and presumably found that the exposures (and by association the shutter speeds and meter) are accurate, then all this "beater body" really needs is some new light seals. Spending more for a full CLA tear down probably isn't really worth the cost. Go back to eBay, look up seller ID "interslice" (Jon Goodman) and buy one of his seal kits. Then go to this link, download Jon's pdf instructions (these are specific for the FM/FE series) and replace the light seals and mirror foam yourself. It is delicate careful work, particularly the mirror foam, but it ain't rocket science.<br /> http://www.kyphoto.com/classics/seal/Nikon_FM_FE.pdf (right click, save as)</p>

<p>FWIW, if you got a $100 refund, the lenses are easily worth what you paid for the lot if they are in good shape. For that matter, the 50/1.4 alone is worth the price.</p>

<p>In future, look for better photos that show the true cosmetic condition of used cameras when shopping on eBay. :-)</p>

<p>If it were me and I know you're not me, but I follow the old saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". A CLA is not going to make it any prettier and you already tested it so just use the darn thing. Now you might run across a nicer one, but will it take any better pictures???? I prefer ugly cameras to use and pretty ones for the shelf. Where is your FE going to be, in your hands or on the shelf? You might want to follow Gabor's advice above and get Goodman's seal kit. Very easy to do and works great! This is just my opinion of course. JohnW</p>

<p>I have two FEs. One was overhauled and it is a nice camera toi use. </p>

<p>I had an FM in similar condition, I really like these worn black cameras with brass showing, they could tell a story or two.</p>

<p>I bought a FE2 at sale. Its previous owner was a professor of soil sciences. It is kind of beat up<br>

on the outside and has obviously had a lot of use. I replaced the light seals and put in new<br>

batteries and a roll of film. It works prefectly. If it quits working just buy another.</p>

<p>Reminds me of the time I was selling used Tektronix function generators. Sold a few in perfect condition and got about $125. as the high to $87.50 as the low. Finally, having run out of the good ones I offered the messed up one that overheated, etc., and bidders went wild ending at $142.50 Now, you tell me, what is wrong with people?</p>

<p>Now flip that over to cameras. I listed a really nice Nikon FM2N and got a measly $131.50 and a neutral feedback, not against the camera itself but against Nikon FM2Ns in general as if the camera design is my fault.</p>

<p>I think I am going to quit selling pristine equipment and, next time, the offering will be "It was working the last time I used it but it fell off the shelf into the cat litter box about 6 months ago and I just fished it out today. Has some claw scratches and smells a bit odd also a dent on the edge where it fell." Yeah, should get $500. for one like that.</p>

<p>I like used, brassing doesn't bother me a bit. Everyone loves a pristine camera (me too!), but I'd rather have one that I know was used often because it was reliable. One kind of use does bother me. however - if it was dropped and hit the ground. If I see a camera or heavy lens that was dropped, my interest goes way down, as I have bought a couple with drop damage and was dismayed to find the drop damage did bad things, not just cosmetically but optically and mechanically.</p>

<p>My advice is that if you have no non-AI lenses or already have a good camera to use with them get a better camera. N90's are practically being given away these days. If you have Nikon AF lenses,the N80's are gret cameras tht can bebought in LN-conditions for about $70. Consider a Nikkormat FT2 or FT3.</p>

<p>ai le</p>

<p>It's hardly been used. I'd service it. The joy of beater cameras is you don't have to worry about putting the first scratch on it. Plus it is a rare FE, built upside down.</p>

<p>As I've said before in other threads like this, FM's, FE's and such are not really worth spending money on if it has to be fixed in any way. Just use it as it is, and if it can't be used, spend money on another camera that can be. They are cheaper than CLA's are. These are not family heirloom type cameras, despite popular misconception. They are just the D3000's and such of their era (no offense to entry-level DSLR owners, since that's all I have myself). At this point, even camera shops that deal in trade-ins are throwing them away if they can't be sold as is.</p>

<p>Many people disagree with this point of view, I know. It's your money, but it's not the 1990's anymore, when these cameras were still reasonably young.</p>

<p>P.S. I don't think there is any such thing as a camera that looks like a beater but was only lightly used, except in the imagination of people who find them at garage sales and then attempt to resell them on auction sites. Conversely, ones that look too good may well have deteriorated beyond repair just from lack of use. We're talking decades here.</p>

<p>A bit OT:<br>

"The little old lady may never change the oil and air filter, drives with her left foot riding the brake, and hits everything within striking distance when moving in reverse."<br>

That's a very precise description of my mother! LOL.</p>