Can someone with a Nikon F3 and 50mm 1.4 AI-S......

[dw617]

I recently repaired a Nikon F3 with a mirror linkage issue which involved halving the camera body. The F3 is back together and to my surprise, everything is working. One of the many learning curves I experienced was figuring out how to properly tension the aperture tab relative to the FRE. I am using another unmolested F3 and 50 1.4 ai-s as a tester to verify the light meter accuracy.

Unmolested F3 : 1.4 lens pointed at indoor static light source in A mode : No change in shutter from f1.4 to 2
Repaired F3 : 1.4 lens pointed at same light source in A mode : Change in shutter speed from f1.4 to 2

From then on the shutter speeds on both cameras are aligned as I move the aperture

Example:

Unmolested F3 : 1.4 (125), 2.0 (125), 2.8 (60), 4 (30)
Repaired F3 : 1.4 (250), 2.0 (125), 2.8 (60), 4 (30)

My gut tells me that the unmolested F3 needs an adjustment, because as I'm going up a stop the meter should response. The aperture tab is linked to the FRE via a string, so it's possible the string has lost some tension over the last 25-30 years.

If anyone has an F3 and this lens, can you please perform the test above?

Thoughts / Comments appreciated..

Thanks

 

[Chan Tran]

My F3 the shutter speed changes when the aperture ring changes from f/1.4 to f/2. I agree with you that the unrepaired F3 has problem.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

F3/T and 50/1.4 AIS: with dial set on A and focusing on static lit background, shutter speed also changes when aperture is moved from f/1.4 to f/2.

 

[John_Nikon_F]

When the aperture ring is at 1.4 on the unrepaired F3, does the tab on the coupling ring touch the ridge on the aperture ring? If not, try rotating it by hand to the position and see if the meter changes to 250. Sometimes, the front apron does cause an issue where the ring won't spring back like it's supposed to, if it begins working its way loose. It's glued on, as you've probably noticed when you took the other body apart to fix it. If it snaps back to the rest position while pressing down on the apron toward the shutter, then the apron has begun working itself loose. Now, if the ring itself snaps back just fine, then I'm guessing something's wrong with the FRE or the pulley.

-J

 

[cooltouch]

Mine's the same, also. Shutter speed changes when the aperture ring is rotated from 1.4 to 2.

 

[dw617]

Thanks for everyone's reply. I'm not very active on here so I missed the many of the responses. I went and checked the unmolested F3 just now and appears to be responding to the F1.4 -> 2. Else, I would have likely removed the top winder side cover and verified the string still had the appropriate tension relative to the FRE. The repair manual states it should start tensioning/moving the FRE at F1.6.