Nikon FM with shutter blind sync issue

[danwhite84]

hello everyone,

I have an early 80's Nikon FM that works great.... If you don't up the shutter speed past 1/60th of a second. Past that point it only exposes the bottom 1/10th of the film. While investigating what could be causing this, it looks like the shutter blinds/blades are moving slower than the mirror, so the light is only able to reach 1/10th of the film. Thinking this may be a lubrication issue, but don't want to use the wrong stuff or go down the wrong rabbit hole if it is a different issue altogether. Don't want to bring it in for a legit repair as the body itself isn't worth as much as the repair would cost. Thanks in advance!

[glen_h]

Yes, so easier and cheaper to find someone selling one for a low enough price.

 

Otherwise, sometimes if you operate the shutter a number of times, the lubricant loosens up enough to work again.

[Wouter Willemse]

Sounds like the second shutter curtain not working correctly to me..... Since the FM is fully mechanical, it should be quite repairable by somebody skilled, and while the FM doesn't cost and arm and a leg, it's not exactly the cheapest camera 2nd hand either. So I would check around a bit for affordable repair, or if you're handy yourself, instructions to give it a try yourself. Little to lose at this point, basically.

[glen_h]

The FE, FM2, and FE2 are a little more, but not all that much more.

 

The FE and FE2 are electronically timed, except for two shutter speeds

(one of which if B). I don't know if that makes old ones more reliable.

 

I am not sure from the explanation if it means that slow speeds,

or fast speeds, don't work.

 

If fast speeds work, then it is probably fine for most ordinary work.

(Sunny days and flash.)