Nikon FM10 mirror gets stuck when pressing the shutter button

Good day everyone! So I just bought a Nikon slr, an FM10 to be exact. He was selling it for me in a cheap price (30$ + the shipping) so I didn’t hesitate on getting it right away. He said it was in a good condition and I offered the price actually since he’s not using the camera at all and he said he doesn’t know how to use a film camera thus the selling of it.

 

I got it yesterday and I was amazed by how clean is it and how good looking it was. All is well until I encountered a problem... the mirror gets stuck with the lens on. (I think it gets stuck halfway through) when I press the shutter button, I had to remove the lens for the mirror to get down again. I do not know why was the mirror acting like that, I was even using the kit lens which was the 35-70mm one.

 

The shutter works perfectly fine if it has no lens attached to it... I don’t see the lens being the problem since that’s the kit lens itself, I tried our Nikkor 50mm 1.8d and the problem still persisted. I tested it with and without batteries to see if it’s the problem but no, it’s still there... the batteries for the camera were even a fresh one from the shop that the seller gave to me (it was sealed when I got it)

 

By the way I wasn’t buying a film for this one yet so could it be the problem? Is it a mechanism of the camera or what? I came up with three assumptions;

 

-Mirror problem due to being not used at all

-Mirror gets stuck due to no film

-Weak battery (but this one’s pretty impossible since the seller gave a fresh ones for me to use)

 

I hope you can help me guys, I really want to shoot so bad and I’m excited at the same time because this is my first analog camera as a student...

May be the aperture stop down level of the lens is bent, malfuntion in some way. If it works OK without the lens then I think the camera is OK. Don't put the lens on until you try another lens.

May be the aperture stop down level of the lens is bent, malfuntion in some way. If it works OK without the lens then I think the camera is OK. Don't put the lens on until you try another lens.

 

I have tried two lenses already actually, but still the same result happened

The aperture-actuator lever in the camera might be bent. Or the extra mechanical strain of operating the lens might be enough to jam the old mechanism. It could also be due to sticky foam light-seals around the mirror.

 

Whatever.

Just send it back. There must be a million-and-one old film cameras in better condition still out there. And the FM10 was a budget camera built down to a price to begin with.

The Cosina made FM10 is purely mechanical in operation, the battery is only for the light meter.

 

It sounds as if the mechanism can't stand the extra strain of stopping the lens down.

I agree that the problem is likely somewhere in the stop down lever, or as other have said that the extra strain of stopping down the lens causes the camera to "hang." Typically, though, if the camera can push the stop down lever on the lens down it can also pull it back up(since going down it has to push against the return spring in the lens, and when opening back up the spring in the lens should help it).

 

I've seen the lever in the camera get bent subtly a few times, but enough that it would foul and cause problems. I've had it happen on both an F and an F2. I fixed it myself, but I don't necessarily suggest doing that.

 

Instead, I agree that returning the camera is likely the best course of action. An FM(original), which can often be had for $50-100, would be my choice of replacement for the FM10. Handle one and you'll see why, although I personally prefer the FM2/FM2n to the original FM(it's very similar, but has a better meter, faster shutter speeds, a higher flash sync speed, and I very much prefer its meter read-out).

The aperture-actuator lever in the camera might be bent. Or the extra mechanical strain of operating the lens might be enough to jam the old mechanism. It could also be due to sticky foam light-seals around the mirror.

 

Whatever.

Just send it back. There must be a million-and-one old film cameras in better condition still out there. And the FM10 was a budget camera built down to a price to begin with.

 

Really, wait here’s a picture of what the inside looks like... Idk if it’s bent or what but take a look, I think I’m getting what you’re saying

 

If it is bent, it's usually subtle and something you might only pick up by having the camera in hand and knowing what it should look/feel like when moving. That has at least been the case on the cameras where I've had that issue(as I said an F and an F2).

the mirror gets stuck with the lens on. (I think it gets stuck halfway through) when I press the shutter button,

Just wondered how did you tell know mirror stuck halfway, not all the way with lens attached … did you see a total dark or partial reflection of view through viewfinder?

Just wondered how did you tell know mirror stuck halfway, not all the way with lens attached … did you see a total dark or partial reflection of view through viewfinder?

 

Oh and that, whenever I press the shutter button and the mirror gets stuck... I see partial to total darkness in the viewfinder