Changing CDS and Calibrating for Nikon F2 ,F

<p>Hello,<br /> i'm currently working to calibrate my DP-1 Nikon Photomoc for F2<br /> i get my factory Manual, i would like to know if someone ever try this ? if yes. where i can get my CDS and how to calibrate .<br /> i could be easy to send it to Sover , but i'm a pretty handy person and i think you could done it by yourself if youre know to do it.<br /> i'm thingking to buy the CDS from Radio Shacks<br /> <br />looking forward to hear from any Nikon F enthusiast here.</p>

<p>Thanks<br /> <br />Chris</p>

<p>Not sure this will work for you, but I found that the best (average) exposure was when I aligned the needle over the "-" minus window. Depending on light or situation, I would adjust accordingly. This worked for me consistently for 30 odd years....and not needing the needle to be exactly between the + & -.<br>

Les</p>

 

<p>I am not quite sure what you are trying to do but here is how I calibrated my DP-1 and Photomic FTN meters. You will need another meter that you know is accurate. Take a meter reading with the accurate meter of something like a gray card. Now set your camera shutter speed and aperture to match the reading from the accurate meter and make a reading of the gray card and then adjust the camera film speed adjustment dial until the camera meter needle is centered. Now very carefully loosen the very small screws on the film speed adjustment dial and set the dial to the ASA/EI for the film you are using. Now very carefully tighten the screws. Now you should get readings that will be very close to the accurate meter. Check the readings in different light and subjects and you should be very close. I have done this with several cameras and it seems to work well. I hope that I have explained the process clearly. It is easier to do than it is to explain it.</p>

<p>Check out everything else before replacing the CdS cells. CdS cells rarely go bad, unlike the old Selenium cells. If the meter is non-operational, it's far more likely to be a broken meter coil, faulty switch or other poor contact rather than the cells. So check everything else first. Jumping in and replacing the cells would be like swapping a car engine when the battery was flat!</p>

<p>Besides, the cells would have to be a near-identical physical and electrical match, and I don't think that anything on the open market comes close.</p>

<p>What makes you think that the CDS cells need to be replaced? If the meter works intermittingly or the needle movement is jumpy it is most likely due to a dirty resistor ring in the meter. It is also important to use the correct batteries in these finders. I think the DP-1 uses the common sliver oxide battery. The Photomic FTN used the no longer available mercury batteries but there are substitutes available. I have revived a number of Photomic FTN meters by disassembling them and cleaning the resistor ring. I have never repaired a DP-1 but I think they are similar to the Photomic FTN finders. It is not a difficult job to do yourself but you will need a set of small jeweler screw drivers.</p>

<p>With practical film shooting almost entirely reduced to negative films, I just use sunny-16 and check occasionally with an external meter (Gossen).</p>

<p>It matters a great deal more to hit exposure on the nose with a slide film, but.... sob.</p>

<p>From everything I read, though, the above posters are right about the problems often being in the resistors, not the light sensors themselves.</p>

<p>However, also see http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=114419 </p>

<p>and <br>

http://forums.popphoto.com/showthread.php?470150-Servicing-Nikon-Photomic-FTn-metering-heads </p>

<p>I assume the OP wants to restore the camera so it's fully functioning rather than for practical use. For practical use I much rather use a hand held meter or the sunny 16 than the built in Cds meter. I also agree with the previous post that how can you be sure that the Cds cell is bad? Many things could be wrong with the meter. </p>

<p>I've never done a CDS cell, but I have recalibrated a couple of Photomic FTn meters. I think if you look around on the web you'll find instructions, but in the mean time I'll see if I can recover anything from my files. I do not know whether the F2 meter is internally similar to the older one. ON that one, if you open up the case, you'll find two potentiometers. One adjusts the meter to the setting, and the other adjusts the battery check. The two are slightly interedependent, so must be done together to make sure it's all good. It's pretty easy to readjust a Photomic to work on silver oxide batteries, and mine were accurate enough to use regularly with slides. There's some likelihood that accuracy will diminish at extremes, so I generally tried to do mine at ASA 100 and at a light value that was more or less in the mid range. I used a Minolta X-370 and a blank beige wall as my standard, mounting each on a tripod with a 50 mm. lens, so that their fields would be identical.</p>

<p>If you're fanatical about extreme exposure accuracy, mere readjusting may not be good enough, but then again, an FTn meter will not be good enough anyway. It's presumed that you will have to use some judgment and fudge the reading a little depending on how difficult the lighting is. If cone carefully, it should be about as accurate as it ever was.</p>

<p>I enclose a picture from one of the web resources showing the two potentiometers you will find if you take the top cover off an FTn finder. The top one is sensitivity, the lower one battery check. Adjust the sensitivity first, then the battery check, then recheck both.</p>

<p>e.t.a. do this with fresh batteries of the sort you intend to use. silver oxides have a wee bit higher voltage than alkalines, and stay level longer. Alkalines will work fairly well, as long as you adjust the battery check correctly and use it often, but if those are what you intend to use, adjust the meter for them and make sure they're fresh. </p>

<p>Because the FTn meter uses a side contact for the battery, you can't just put an o-ring on 376/SR44 size batteries. You must put a conductive ring on them. They will work then. </p><div></div>

<p>There should be no issue with battery type and the DP-1, since F2 metering finders get their power from a battery box in the base of the camera. This battery compartment will only accept 2x SR44 or a single 1/3N Lithium cell.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, this arrangement means that there's quite a long wiring loom between the battery compartment and the contacts to the prism head. If there's a fault in the wiring run, then I'm afraid that the entire mirror box assembly needs to be removed to gain access. Replacing a broken battery compartment also requires removal of the mirror box. So cross your fingers Chris, that any fault is in the metering head or the exposed contacts.</p>

<p>Hello Everyone,<br>

woww..this forum are really helpfull. actually my DP-1 are functional but sometime the meter jumpy and sometime stuck at the bottom reading . Battery check OK..meter needle set to the center. i try few roll with meterless reading and the result is OK. i got my factory manual from Jim Lens, which i will try to clean the meter first as Robert say. I also have 1 F Appolo also need to clean. please advise what i need to do and not ..as this is a really great camera and i dont what to ruin it at the first place.<br>

Thanks.. everyone</p>

<p>Bebu Lamar,: i have F2 with fully working DP-2 which are accurate. i believe Nikon are lil bit Under exposed so when i take a picture i set the meter above center.</p>

<p>Sounds like the resistor ring is dirty. As I said, I have never cleaned a DP-1 but I think it is similar to the Photomic Ftn. Here is how I cleaned the Photomic FTn: First of all you must be very careful. The wires and connections are small and delicate and easy to break. The screws are very small and easy to lose. I spread a white terry cloth towel on my work space. This is because if you drop one of the screws it won't roll off of the table. The screws are very small and almost impossible to find if they fall on the floor. DO NOT use a spray electronic contact cleaner. If you spray it into the meter it will most likely get on some of the glass and make a real mess. I use alcohol on a cotton swab or a small paint brush to do the cleaning. If you want to use a spray electronic cleaner, spray some of the cleaner into a small container such as a bottle cap. Dip your cotton swab or brush into the cleaner. DO NOT spray it into the meter. You will need a set of small jeweler screw drivers. Make sure they fit the screws properly. If you strip the screws they will be impossible to remove. The first thing you need to do is remove the front NIKON faceplate. It is held on with 3 screws. Then carefully peel off the leather cover on the top of the meter. It is glued on and if you are careful you won't tear it. I have found that putting a little alcohol on the glue will soften it and make it easier to remove. Once the cover is removed you will see the 4 small screws that hold the top cover. Remove these screws and then remove the top cover. When the top cover is removed you will see an inspection/access hole on the left side of the meter. You will see 3 colored wires connected by 3 small screws. Make a note on which wire goes to which connector so when you put it back together you don't make a wrong connection. Now loosen, DO NOT REMOVE, the 3 screws and very carefully slide the wires out. These wires are small and delicate so be careful. If they do not slide out easily loosen the screw a little more. DO NOT remove the screws. If you do remove them they are not easy to replace. Once the wires are disconnected turn the meter over. There a 4 small black screws that hold the meter together. Remove these screws and carefully lift off the bottom of the meter. Now you can see the inside of the meter. The resistor ring is the large brass ring/gear that will rotate when you rotate the shutter speed dial. This is what needs to be cleaned. Again, DO NOT spray any cleaner in here. Dip your cotton swab or small brush ( I prefer a small brush) into the alcohol and then carefully clean the inside of the resistor ring. Be careful and do not apply a lot of pressure. Clean the ring several times using a clean swab or brush each time. If you look at the inside of the resistor ring you will see some silver colored electric pick-ups that ride on the inside of the ring. Be careful when you are cleaning around these pick-ups. You do not want to bend or break them. Once the ring is cleaned put the meter back together. When you tighten any of the screws make sure you do not over-tighten them. They are small and easy to strip so be careful. The last thing to do is to glue the leather cover onto the top of the meter. I use contact cement. I hope this helps you. Good Luck.</p>

<p>A further caution on spray electronic cleaners. Although it's usually safe to use Radio Shack Tuner cleaner on almost anything, I have found that some brands of electronic contact cleaner instantly destroy some plastics. And I mean instant, complete death. So apart from the specific caution here about getting the stuff in the wrong place, as a general rule, don't spray contact cleaner into modern plastic apparatus unless you are entirely sure it is the right cleaner and the right plastic.</p>

<p>i try to open last night but havent open the bottom photomic<br>

<img src="/nikon-camera-forum//i1373.photobucket.com/albums/ag394/wreckodara/IMG_2265_zpse98e9199.jpg" alt="" /><br>

make few cleaning with contact cleaner and do a lil dust blower inside the DP head through the ventilated space.<br>

try to put on the body, and the meter not jumpy anymore or stuck as i said. one thing i wanna ask to to set the battery check needle to the center , as i try to put another new batteries and the needle wont centered, just a near a lil bit. input are highly appreciated</p><div></div>