sover_wong1

<p>Hi Shun, please keep this thread active as long as possible, as it's an important news for F2 users. Too many DP-3s/12s have been junked in the past because of bad ring resistors.<br>

Anyone with queries on repairs, please contact me directly on <a href="mailto:soverf2repair@yahoo.com">soverf2repair@yahoo.com</a></p>

For years I have advised people to avoid well used (below Exc++ or 9.5 condition) DP-3s and DP-12s because they have worn ring resistors inside, and there are no more spare parts.

I now have custom made replacement DP-3/12 ring resistors available, and they are superior to the Nikon ones :

<a rel="nofollow" href="http://soverf2repair.webs.com/DP12_ring_resistor.htm" target="_blank">http://soverf2repair.webs.com/DP12_ring_resistor.htm</a>

Happy shooting,

Sover

<p>Hi Steve,<br>

I found all DP-3/12s below Exc++ have worn ring resistors. The ring resistors never wear out completely, but the parts where they're most used have worn contact areas, resulting in very unstable meter readings.<br>

Hence only buy DP-12 Exc++ or better.<br>

Regards,<br>

Sover</p>

<p>Hi Theodore,<br>

In theory yes, given the high tech equipment. The DP-3/12 ring resistor has carbon and fine metal fingers deposited over a glass substrate. The carbon part is never touched, but the metal deposit is only 5 microns thick and they wear out very quickly. Even the dreaded DP-1 carbon ring resistor is more durable than the DP-3/12 ring resistors.<br>

I have several DP-3s and DP-12s here I cannot repair because they have bad ring resistors.<br>

Regards,<br>

Sover</p>

<p>Hi Ian,<br>

I just found this thread by chance, as I don't access photonet very often. (I'm mainly on the Yahoo NikonMF users group.)<br>

If the condition is truely mint-, then £699 is actually not a bad price. I serviced two mint- F2ASs for Grays in London earlier this year, and they were sold fairly quickly for over £1000 each. (Prices of cameras in Europe are much higher than the US. It's because companies offer greater discounts there, because the market is so much bigger.)<br>

The F2 is a grand camera. It is beautfully built, like a Rolls Royce, but you can treat it rough like a work horse - which it was designed for.<br>

It is true that the DP-3 and DP-12 (F2SB and F2AS) have the best electronics, but they have the weakest ring resistors and there are no more spare parts. When their ring resistor wears out, it is impossible to get stable meter readings. I can only recondition about 50% of the DP-3/12 ring resistors. So 50% of DP-12s are either junk or becoming junk.<br>

For some reason, the F2 did not come with an eye piece. However, you can use FM, Nikkormat and F3 eye pieces and correction lenses on F2 finders. Also, you can buy rubber rings from Nikon to go over the Nikkormat and F3 eye pieces and correction lenses. (I have these rubber rings in stock if people can't get them from Nikon, as they are on special order only, and 2 months lead time.)<br>

F2s are over 30 year old, so like 30 year old watches, there are minor problems with them. Generally very fast shutter speeds are inaccurate, and all the light seal foams are sticky. So they should be serviced or at least refoamed before use.<br>

My very first impression of the F2 was a negative one - too expensive, and too heavy. But, as many people know, I love the camera now.<br>

I am interested where this shop is. Can you send me their contact details? My email address is :<br>

<a href="mailto:soverf2repair@yahoo.com">soverf2repair@yahoo.com</a><br>

Regards,<br>

Sover</p>

Hi David,

I'm certain it's not the shutter or shutter bounce, and I don't think it's the lens to film distance either, because some shots are OK. So it must be either camera or film movement during exposure.

Here's a simple check to see if it is film movement :

- Open the F2 without any film inside

- Fire the shutter a few times and see if the sprokets move. It should not moves at all. (Occassionally there may be a VERY slight movement, AFTER the shutter has closed.)

You can repeat the above with an outdated film loaded.

Also, check the height of the film pressure plate. It should be about 4.5mm from the base to the top.

The film is not actually pressed firm in the camera, as there is a small gap to allow it to move freely even with the pressure plate applied. A good practise is the rewind the film tightly every time you've loaded a new film.

If it is not film movement, then it must be camera movement. Try some test shots with and without the camera mounted on a tripod.

Hi Rick,

I am sorry to hear you are still having problems with your MD. Unfortunately your story is not atypical. Quite a few people sent me their F2 gear after they were damaged or deemed unrepairable by other repairers, including Nikon.

The first set of gears I sent your repair was indeed lost, but I resent another set to him as soon as I knew about it. Your repairer did not immediately reply to my emails, and that contributed to weeks of delay. Also I emailed him the MD-2 schematic diagram a few weeks ago, when he told me about the wiring problem. It went quiet and I thought the problem was solved.

I can email you the schematic diagram. Also, I would be pleased to repair your MD-2, to put a happy closure on this unhappy saga.

Sover

I found this post by chance.

The only MD-2 brass gear I sold recently was to Dale at Camera Service Center LLC, Alabama. I have not received an email from Rick directly. Maybe Rick and Dale are working in the same place?

The gears were sent to Dale, but somehow never received. So, I sent him another set which was received last week. Also, I sent Dale the circuit diagram as he broke several wires inside the MD.

I always reply emails within 24 hours.

My email address is

I have an early GMP grip here in exc+++ condition. Please email me at :

soverf2repair@yahoo.com