Nikkormat FTn shutter release problems

[david_rose8]

I have a Nikkormat FTn which I haven't used in a few months. I was going to

shoot a roll but when I attempted to make sure the shuttter was functional, it

failed to release. The mirror is up and the film advance lever is wound, but

the shutter wont release. The shutter release button has no resistance. after

time, for no apparent reason, the mirror will drop and the film-advance lever

has resistance. I pulled off the lense and watched as I advanced the lever...

the mirror went up smoothly and the shutter fired, but the mirror stayed up and

again I am unable to advance the lever (shutter is already cocked) and there

is no resistance to the shutter-release button.

I've been able to go through this process several times, watching the shutter

fire, leaving me with a cocked shutter and a mirror up, until the mirror

arbitrarily decides to lower and allow me to advance the lever. Is this

something that has an easy fix or is it something requiring professional

repair?

[craig_bridge]

If the camera has been sitting around unused for months/years...

 

Try "B" with back open and lens off to see if there are any issues with the rear curtain sticking. If either curtain is sticking, professional repair is called for. If "B" works, try it several times, then go up through the shutter speeds one at a time doing several firings. If you reach a point where it fails at a given shutter speed, again professional repair is called for.

 

Sometimes just exercising the shutter a few times will clear up the problem.

[lee hamiel]

I agree with Craig - try on "B" a few times & it may loosen up. A friend had an FE with the mirror locked up & jammed & I put the camera on "B" and advanced & shot a few frames & all was okay.

 

However - if it continues by all means have it checked out.

 

Good Luck & hope it works for you.

[marck mcgill]

Did you checked the mirror braking foam close to the viewfinder glass? Sometimes - when it's aged - it gets so sticky and glueish that the mirror will get stuck into it for some seconds, until the return spring / gravity pulls it back down from that sort of "adhesive tape"...

[astral]

Two of mine have locked up this way. On one, trying the remedies suggested eventually worked. Since then it's been fine.

 

On the other I (eventually) removed the baseplate and a small fragment of film showing perforations fell out. That all it was - jamming the gubbins! It's worked perfectly ever since.

 

Alan C