Strange sound in my Nikkormat EL

Hi, I was rather excited when I bought a used Nikkormat EL for

USD30.00 at a local camera show last sunday. The owner had labelled

it 'for parts' because he couldn't figure out where the light leak

was that fogged the top of his films but added that except for that

the EL was OK, had been his personal camera and could be a nice user

if I could fix the light leak. The body was all sticky from the

black tape he used to seal the camera back. An easy fix I thought,

still having some foam strips an mirror pads at home. And I figured

that if it was not repairable it would be a nice show piece anyway

(no dings or scratches!). After a thorough clean and refoaming the

camera the EL indeed looks sharp and also seems to work like it

should. Shutter sounds good, meter is spot on and the interior is

clean. Film testing is next. But there is a strange little click

sound about one second each time after I actuate the film winding

lever. It sounds like a small lever falling into place, coming from

inside the camera (obviously), somewhere near the bottom plate. I

removed the bottom plate but cannot figure out which part is

responsible for that click. I have several Nikon cameras but this is

my first Nikkormat and it is the only Nikon I have that makes that

sound. Because the camera seems to arm and fire normally and

consistently I think the click sound might not be such a great deal,

but perhaps a sign for trouble to come? Thank you in advance for any

ideas.

Benny,<br>

<br>

Did you think to put your ear against another Nikkormat EL or

Nikon EL2? Maybe nothings wrong. One of the best ways to make

something wrong is to try and repair your own camera. Im

assuming you are not a qualified camera repairman since you

wouldnt likely ask this question if you were.<br>

<br>

I had a Nikon EL2 when they were first new. I wish I still had

one for old time sake. Very nice camera for its day. I

actually like the size and weight of the EL2 better than the FE2(s)

I bought to replace it. If I had one today I really use it.<br>

<br>

Take it out and shoot it. If it aint broke dont fix

it. <br>

<br>

Best,<br>

<br>

Dave Hartman.

Hi Dave, Thank you for your reply. I have no intention to try to repair the camera myself as indeed I do not have any more skills than replacing foam and cleaning out a bottom plate. Although I do occasionally take off top plates of my Retina and Yashica rangefinder cameras to adjust infinity and clean the mirrors and lenses. But doing that I also learned to leave it at that.

I have no immediate access to another EL, ELW or EL2 to compare, but I once got to shoot a roll with an EL2 and I don't remember that camera making the same 'after-click' sound. It's a rather old fashioned thing to make an extra click sound after winding the film, and you would not expect a Nikkormat to do that, don't you think?

Well, I just tested this on my Nikkormat ELW (the second EL, the one that was modified for the winder, before the EL2 came out) and here is what I hear when I use the film winding lever:<br>

- from "off" (all the way closed) to "standby" (so that you could snap a pic): no sound<br>

- when winding: the usual sound that indicates the winding (sort of a rrrrrr-sound) with 1 faint click coming from near the lever after ca 3/4 of the lever motion, and another almost at the end (these are due to the start and end of the frame counter advance movement)<br>

- during the release (slowly) of the lever back to the "standby" position I hear a faint sound (need to press my ear against it) like a spring unwinding (most likely the spring that pushes the lever back on its own) and almost back at the "standby" position I hear in short succession 2 clicks, one seeming to originate near the bottom of the camera on the righthand side (where the lever is) and the second possibly on the top left side (near the film rewind crank and the ASA wheel). I think this might be the sound you are referring to (though I do not quite understand what you mean by "about one second each time after I actuate the film winding lever", do you mean there is a sound with a duration of one sec or ot after advancing the film you wait for a sec and hear the sound? In both cases I would not observe that.)<p>

Compared to my FM2 I hear about the same (the frame counter clicks are much fainter and the 2 clicks in the end are more like 3 clicks, with the first being louder and again at the lower right and the other 2 being fainter and towards top left. So, if that is what you hear, I think everything is fine.

I hope this helps, but as Dave said: if it works take the camera out and enjoy it, if the sound indeed does lead to trouble and the camera breaks down (which I somehow doubt), you still have it for a show piece..<p>

Have fun!

Daniel, thanks for your detailed account on the winding noises in your camera. My EL also makes a sort of 'settling' click just before the winding lever comes back to the stand-off position after a winding stroke, so that is a normal click and coming from the the winding mechanism area. But when I then wait for about a second there is another click, but this one is coming from the left bottom quarter of the body (when holding the camera with the lens away from you). I listened more carefully and it sounds like a lever pulled by a spring... you know, with a kind of acceleration in it, like something that is setlling or falling into place, but obviously with an unusual 1 sec. delay since neither your ELW nor my own FM2N makes that sound. Or perhaps something in/near the mirror box that should stay in place but flips back because of a worn/rounded edge that fails to hold it into place? I now this all sounds weird, but that's what it sounds like to my ear. Funny thing is : the sound does not seem to occur when I wind and let the winding lever return really, really slowly!

I guess I'll have to shoot a film this week-end and see what comes out. If the images are OK I will just live with it. Love that beast already anyway.

Hmm... that 1sec delayed sound is definitely something I don't observe and I have no clue what it might be. Your assumption might be right and shooting some tests is probably a good idea. <p>I hope the pics turn yout well and you can use the camera.<p> Good luck and have fun!