Problem with N80 - mirror stuck up & ERR message

I have had a recent problem with my N80 -- after not using it for

about 6 weeks, I tried taking a picture and got an Err message -- and

found the mirror stuck up. After fiddling a bit, the mirror came

down, and after tripping the shutter a few times (during which the

mirror sometimes got stuck), it seemed to be working. After it sat

three weeks (during which I used another camera), it happened again

but in a lessor way -- the mirror was freed the first time by hitting

the shutter and then seemed to work. I'm wondering if anyone there

has had a similar problem and/or has advice. The manual mentions that

the N80 should be fired once a month or so to prevent "mold" from

growing and getting it stuck, and one option would be to try to fire

it frequently over the next few weeks. Alternatively, this might be

time to take it in for a cleaning and oiling (it is a few years old

and has had only moderate use). Any advice?

I'm not familiar with the N80, but what you describe can happen with some cameras when battery power is poor. Have you tried changing the batteries?

It sounds that it is time to take your snobbish camera down a peg!

It's been many years since I used N80s, and I no longer have any to look at to check this theory, but it might be that the foam strip at the top of the mirror box has deteriorated and become sticky.

 

Try removing the lens (and film) and watch the operation. If the mirror sticks, try gently unsticking it with a fingernail. If it appears the foam is causing the problem, that might be a simple fix.

Before you do anything else change the battery(ies).

 

Regards.

I would try changing the battries. I have an N80 which sits for months before I use it. Never any problems.

 

Haris

So, Bob - it appears the concensus is that you should change batteries. ;-)

 

I'm just wondering if it is just the mirror that is stuck, or does the shutter itself also hang up (curtains remain open).

 

If the shutter consistently works ok at all speeds, it does not sound to me like a battery-related problem.

I thank all who responded -- according to the LCD on the camera, the battery is not yet low, but even so, changing the battery seems a reasonable thing to do and I'll try it. When I had the problem the second time (not as bad), pushing the shutter button corrected it, and after 3 or so cyces of this, it seemed to work fine. My impression is that it is only the mirror that was stuck up -- it has worked OK since I posted this, so it's hard to tell more. It seems to take at least a week for the problem to appear, so I won't know for some time if the new batteries will fix it -- I'll post again if they don't. When the problem appeared, it was sitting indoors in our house in a reasonably dry environment -- although I did take the camera hiking last summer during a wet spell.

 

If anyone else has had a similar experience, please feel free to share more info.

 

Finally, I'm a bit puzzled by Alex's comment that its is time to take my "snobbish" camera down a peg.... perhaps I'm missing something. This is an N80 I'm talking about.

<i>...Finally, I'm a bit puzzled by Alex's comment that its is time to take my "snobbish" camera down a peg.... perhaps I'm missing something. This is an N80 I'm talking about...</i>

 

<p>Ummm, I think Alex's comment was on play on your subject line: "mirror stuck up" - like a stuck-up nose, snobbish, y'know?</p>