Here's an easy fix for those experiencing the problem of erratic readings when switching the aperture and shutter speed command dials on a Nikon F5. I own four F5's that had sat unused for around 10 years and all four of them were experiencing the problem with either one or both of their command dials giving erratic readings. I tried rectifying the problem by simply spinning the dials in both directions but that didn't work on any of my four bodies.
What did work, and doesn't require any disassembly of the camera, was the application of a small amount (a few drops) of naphtha (lighter fluid) on each side of the command dial and then working the dial back and forth rapidly to loosen up whatever film has built-up on the internal contacts. I also used a couple puffs of compressed air to force the naphtha farther inside so that it would get to all the areas needed. After you get the control rings working (it only takes a few minutes of working each dial back and forth), the canned air can also be used to blow out and evaporate any remaining naphtha.
All four of my bodies are now working fine with no issues.
I know this is an old thread but there are still lots of seldom-used Nikons sitting on shelves with this problem so I hope this helps someone in the future who needs a simple solution to getting their camera up and running again.
Cheers,
Rob McElroy
Buffalo, NY
idag@pce.net
