robert_bowring

<p>If you are considering doing enlargements any time in the future do yourself a favor and get a sink now. One of the rules of a darkroom is that you can not have too much sink. What I have done in the past is figure out the minimum size sink I would need then made it 1.5x larger. In other words if you think you can get by with a 6' sink get one that is 9'. You won't be sorry.</p>

<p>That is a weird problem. My experience with these cameras is that they either work or they don't work at all. The Nikon F is completely mechanical so the battery will have nothing to do with your problem. I have seen them jam where you can't trip the shutter or advance the film but never seen one work at only one shutter speed. Do you know which shutter speed is working? If you figure out what the problem is please post it here. I would really like to know. Thanks and good luck.</p>

<p>I agree with Robert Lai. Get a Nikon case and use the bottom half with the strap attached. Besides having a strong strap it will also protect the camera body. I have them on all of my Nikons and Nikkormats.</p>

If I remember correctly Alpa also made a half frame slr camera. The only downside is that if you were able to find one I am sure it would be crazy expensive.

<p>I have found that when FTn meters stop working properly it is usually because the resistor rings are dirty and need to be cleaned. They are easy to take apart and clean the resistor ring if you are careful. As for batteries I have successfully used the MR-9 adapter from CRIS camera repair. They have a built in resistor that will allow you to use 1.5 volt silver batteries. I have used them in my Nikon FTn and Nikkormat Ft and FTn and they seem to work well.</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

<p>I just obtained a AI 55mm f3.5 Micro-Nikkor pc lens Serial #747831 but it did not come with the extension tube to get to 1:1. Does anyone know which extension tube I need for this lens.? I have and older Micro-Nikkor that has the PX-3 extension tube. Would this work or do I need a different one?</p>

<p>Just a quick comment for anyone that is thinking about working on their cameras. Before you start get a set of proper screwdrivers. A lot of the damage done is when a screwdriver does not fit the screw. This is especially true of the "phillips" head screws. They are NOT phillips head. They are usually JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) screws. A phillips head screwdriver will bugger these up for sure if they are real tight. Good quality tools are not that expensive and will save you a lot in the long run. There are several places that sell good quality tools. I got mine from Micro Tools in California.</p>

I ordered the tools and it took over a week to get them.

<p>SUCCESS! I just finished swapping the prism from my parts camera with the fungus infected prism in my good camera. It was not that difficult. I just took my time and did not force anything. I did not break anything and the camera still works! I did purchase some tools that made it much easier. I found a company called Micro Tools. They have a fantastic selection of tools for camera and watch repairs. These tools are not the Dollar Store kits you can buy. They are not inexpensive but they are what my late friend Rodney would call REAL tools. I found out that the screws that look like Phillips head screws are NOT Phillips heads. They are JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard). Using Phillips head screwdrivers will bugger these screws up for sure. If you are going to try working on cameras I highly recommend that you purchase a good set of JIS screwdrivers. I just want to thank everyone here for the help and advice. Thank you!</p>

<p>Thanks Steven. That was it! I was not sure if that was a retaining ring or part of the top plate. It is very finely machined and fitted so it looked like it was part of the top plate. It was tight but came off with friction with a piece of rubber wrapped around it. Man, they really built these cameras. This is my first foray in taking one apart and am really impressed with the level of materials and machining and design. It is no wonder that they were expensive. I wonder what it would cost in todays dollars to reproduce.</p>

<p>I have removed everything that I can see from the top cover but it will not come off. It does not even seem to be loose. Does anyone know if I have missed something? From the parts diagram it looks like the prism should be easily removed one the top cover is off. It looks like it is just held on with two small springs.</p>

<p>Thanks. I just tried Google Chrome and it works. Thanks again.</p>

<p>Thanks for the reply Jim M. but that website is not working for me. Have clicked on the Nikkormat EL and nothing comes up.</p>

<p>I have a Nikkormat EL body that works fine but the prism appears to have a growing fungus problem. I also have a non-functioning EL body for parts. How difficult would it be for me to remove the fungus prism and swap it for the good one from the parts camera? Has anyone done something like this? If so, what is the procedure? Thanks.</p>

<p>You are correct. Just line up the maximum aperture of the lens you are using with the film speed.</p>

<p>DON't do it. You will end up with a mess. The camera will be full of sanding residue and metal particles. If it bothers you that much just cover it with some tape or something.</p>

<p>Get a Mamiya 6 with the 50mm lens. I have used this combination for street photography for a long time. Light, reliable, quiet, great lens. Not cheap but well worth the extra cost.</p>

<p>I have a 2.8E and it has the meter and the 35mm counter. There is no reason to remove either of these. If you don't want to use them just ignore them. My meter still works and is really pretty accurate and I do use it once in a while. A good CLA is well worth the cost as these are great cameras. Just use it!</p>

<p>I think that the first thing that I would do is to replace the batteries. Make sure they are the proper 1.5 volt silver batteries. I also hear that 3 volt lithium batteries will work but have never tried them. I have never had good results from alkaline batteries or Wein cells. Make sure the battery contacts are clean. My experience with Ftn and F2 meters is that if the resistor ring is dirty the meter will be very jumpy. The advantage to these meters is that they are mostly mechanical and can usually be fixed. If you are very careful you can disassemble it yourself and clean the resistor ring. The best thing to do would be to try to find another meter to see if it works on your camera. If it works properly you will know there is something wrong with your meter. </p>

<p>If it is not broke don't fix it. As long as it is consistent and repeatable it will work fine.</p>

<p>If you feel that your other cameras are accurate just adjust the ASA/ISO on the FE to match the exposure readings of the other cameras. 1/2 stop is not that much of a difference.</p>

<p>If it is in good condition and at a good price buy it. One of the best lenses Nikon made.</p>

<p>I was going to recommend the Mamiya 7 but a quick look at ebay shows that it would probably be somewhat more than $1000. It may be my imagination but it appears that prices on good film cameras have been increasing lately. If you can afford it the Mamiya 7 is an excellent 6x7 camera with excellent lenses. I also agree that you will not go wrong with Tri-X film and D-76 developer. The RB 67 is also an excellent choice but for me it is just too large for handholding. You also might want to consider some older models of the Pentax 6x7.</p>

<p>Sounds like the resistor ring is dirty. As I said, I have never cleaned a DP-1 but I think it is similar to the Photomic Ftn. Here is how I cleaned the Photomic FTn: First of all you must be very careful. The wires and connections are small and delicate and easy to break. The screws are very small and easy to lose. I spread a white terry cloth towel on my work space. This is because if you drop one of the screws it won't roll off of the table. The screws are very small and almost impossible to find if they fall on the floor. DO NOT use a spray electronic contact cleaner. If you spray it into the meter it will most likely get on some of the glass and make a real mess. I use alcohol on a cotton swab or a small paint brush to do the cleaning. If you want to use a spray electronic cleaner, spray some of the cleaner into a small container such as a bottle cap. Dip your cotton swab or brush into the cleaner. DO NOT spray it into the meter. You will need a set of small jeweler screw drivers. Make sure they fit the screws properly. If you strip the screws they will be impossible to remove. The first thing you need to do is remove the front NIKON faceplate. It is held on with 3 screws. Then carefully peel off the leather cover on the top of the meter. It is glued on and if you are careful you won't tear it. I have found that putting a little alcohol on the glue will soften it and make it easier to remove. Once the cover is removed you will see the 4 small screws that hold the top cover. Remove these screws and then remove the top cover. When the top cover is removed you will see an inspection/access hole on the left side of the meter. You will see 3 colored wires connected by 3 small screws. Make a note on which wire goes to which connector so when you put it back together you don't make a wrong connection. Now loosen, DO NOT REMOVE, the 3 screws and very carefully slide the wires out. These wires are small and delicate so be careful. If they do not slide out easily loosen the screw a little more. DO NOT remove the screws. If you do remove them they are not easy to replace. Once the wires are disconnected turn the meter over. There a 4 small black screws that hold the meter together. Remove these screws and carefully lift off the bottom of the meter. Now you can see the inside of the meter. The resistor ring is the large brass ring/gear that will rotate when you rotate the shutter speed dial. This is what needs to be cleaned. Again, DO NOT spray any cleaner in here. Dip your cotton swab or small brush ( I prefer a small brush) into the alcohol and then carefully clean the inside of the resistor ring. Be careful and do not apply a lot of pressure. Clean the ring several times using a clean swab or brush each time. If you look at the inside of the resistor ring you will see some silver colored electric pick-ups that ride on the inside of the ring. Be careful when you are cleaning around these pick-ups. You do not want to bend or break them. Once the ring is cleaned put the meter back together. When you tighten any of the screws make sure you do not over-tighten them. They are small and easy to strip so be careful. The last thing to do is to glue the leather cover onto the top of the meter. I use contact cement. I hope this helps you. Good Luck.</p>