Nikon FE mirror not returning to closed: bad focus!

[michael_ross4]

<p>The mirror has decided not to return to its completely closed position.<br /> <br /> The focus through the lens is way off. It is inconsistent between the top of the frame and the bottom (but consistent side-to-side). As well it is generally short-focusing: for example it makes you set the lens focus at 2'3" when the object is at 2'8". And of course the shot once developed is blurry if you rely on the reflex viewfinder.<br /> <br /> This does not seem to be a battery issue. M90 does not solve this problem. It seems as if something is just getting in the way of the mirror returning to its normal position.<br /> <br /> Is this an automatic "send to Nikon for a vacation"?<br /> <br /> Thanks for any ideas!</p>

[hans_janssen]

<p>Because your mirror isn't in the right position, the piggy-back mirror at the back of your main mirror isn't in the right position, so the light reflected with that mirror doesn't follow the right path to the AF sensor in the bottom of your cam.</p>

[david_carroll4]

<p>I think Hans may be talking about a different camera - I'm pretty sure an FE wouldn't know a piggy-back mirror if the afore-mentioned mirror jumped up and smacked it. AF?...not so much.<br>

AFAIK, there is no mechanism that pushed the mirror back down - it is released at the end of the shutter cycle and it drops back down under spring tension.. If there is no obvious thing blocking the mirror return, it sounds like the FE needs work. The question is - is it worth it? Decent FEs can be had on on The Famous Auction Site for <$100. Can you have your one repaired for that?</p>

[jim_momary]

<p>http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/nikonfeseries/fe/tech2.htm</p>

<p>Spring return. As David says, time to weigh alternatives if there isn't some obvious hunk of junk fouling he mechanism.<br>

Jim</p>

[djcphoto]

<p>Check the condition of the mirror damping foam at the top of the mirror box. I recently worked on an FE2 where the foam was so deteriorated that the mirror was actually sticking to the goop that was left and, when the mirror did actually try to return, it was being blocked by some stray goop that had fallen off.<br /><br />Never seen one quite that bad before, and probably not what is happening with yours, but it's worth checking (if only because it's a simple, quick and cheap repair).<br /><br />Dave</p>

[tri-x1]

<p>Old, goopy (yes goopy) foam can stick the mirror in the up position and/or keep it from aligning properly in the down position.</p>

[andrew_fedon]

<p>I second what Dave says. At the age that the FE is now, any sponge material inside has turned to a sticky tar like substance, or goop, as Dave calls it. Its most certain. Its unavoidable simply because of the age. Thats what happens to this material. I've had it in newer Nikons, let alone in an FE. Even if you bought one on ebay, I'll bet my bottom dollar that its the same, unless someone has had it repaired in the past.</p>

[michael_ross4]

<p>Thank you everyone for their responses.<br>

I'm the original owner of the FE but have not used it in quite some time, so the goop theory makes sense.</p>