Dropped my FM3a :(

philipus

Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2012
Messages
210
Format
Medium Format
Greetings photographers

I dropped my FM3a the other day. It landed on the top right corner near the film counter and received a bump in the top cover.

The symptoms are that the film counter and multi-exposure lever are stuck and that the film wind action is no longer smooth. It is however possible to wind the film on, but the lever doesn't swing back as it used to. No other functions appear to have been affected.

I'm based in the Netherlands and will go to Nikon Service in Beverwijk next week. But out of curiosity i thought I'd post a question here to see if someone might know approx. how much the repair might be.

Cheers and thank you in advance
Philip
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3399.jpeg
    931.8 KB · Views: 76

Andreas Thaler

Subscriber
Joined
Nov 19, 2017
Messages
4,863
Location
Vienna/Austria
Format
35mm

I'm afraid there won't be a replacement for the top cover, but you can try to bend it as much as possible.

That's what it's there for, to absorb knocks and falls

The parts underneath should have been protected by it and will probably be blocked or bent.

Nikon might say that they don't have any spare parts anymore, but they might not be needed.

I would therefore give this job to someone who deals with it and tries to repair it or has experience with cases like this, which should be a repair shop that looks after mechanical cameras.

But Nikon is definitely the right way to go first.
 

Andreas Thaler

Subscriber
Joined
Nov 19, 2017
Messages
4,863
Location
Vienna/Austria
Format
35mm
Richard Haw worked on the FM3A:

Repair: Nikon FM3A

Hello, everybody! In the coronavirus era we’re all scared about germs and what it can do to us if we are not careful. We should wash our hand well, if you went to the toilet, wash your hands …
richardhaw.com


These are the parts that are under the top cover on the right:



Nikon FM3a Parts List

Factory parts list
learncamerarepair.com
 

Chan Tran

Subscriber
Joined
May 10, 2006
Messages
6,817
Location
Sachse, TX
Format
35mm
The diffculty is to remove the cover and then reinstall it. When you have the cover remove you should be able to straighten it out good enough to clear whatever caused the binding.
 

RalphLambrecht

Subscriber
Joined
Sep 19, 2003
Messages
14,649
Location
K,Germany
Format
Medium Format

Arlüwa turned me down several times, saying that they were overloaded with repairs. expect to pay $400+ at Nikon.
 
OP
OP

philipus

Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2012
Messages
210
Format
Medium Format
Thank you everybody, I am very grateful for your help with this. My apologies it took a while to reply.

I managed to reshape the top cover so that the frame counter could turn freely, but unfortunately the multi-exposure switch doesn't fit well in the top cover. This means unfortunately that the film wind occasionally won't advance the film. I also noticed the light meter stopped working. So the situation is that the camera works perfectly in manual (minus the occasional film wind problems), but I fear it will cost quite a bit to have it repaired. I might sell it to someone who wants to tinker or just keep it as an occasionally-working manual camera.

This has made me think of getting another Nikon body. I'll make a new post about that since it's a bit outside the scope of this thread.

Again thank you all very much for your help.
cheers
Philip
 

Radost

Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2021
Messages
1,658
Location
USA from Ukraine
Format
Multi Format
Try to fix it yourself. Or someone local. It does not look like a hard repair
 

rulnacco

Subscriber
Joined
Mar 20, 2008
Messages
249
Location
Indianapolis, IN
Format
Medium Format
I would try taking the top plate off the camera, and taking it to a jeweller. Not some fancy-schmancy place; see if you can find an inner-city shop that sells thick gold chains and that kind of stuff. I used to have a photo studio in a flea market in the 'hood in West Orlando, and we had several Chinese jewellery stands there which sold and repaired that kind of ware.

Most of those guys have expertise in skilfully shaping metal by hand, and have the tools to do it properly.

I may be wrong, but I'm betting you could find someone at a place like that who could, at a reasonable price and pretty quickly, get that back to at least where your camera functions properly, and other than the missing paint, would look pretty close to original. It's worth a shot, if you have any place like that fairly nearby.
 

MFstooges

Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2010
Messages
955
Format
35mm
Anyone here may know better but the top cover looks similar to FM2
 
  • BrianShaw
  • Deleted
  • Reason: Moved to PM

Andreas Thaler

Subscriber
Joined
Nov 19, 2017
Messages
4,863
Location
Vienna/Austria
Format
35mm
philipus said:
… to have iI might sell it to someone who wants to tinker or just keep it as an occasionally-working manual camera.
Click to expand...

If the camera is damaged by a hit or a fall, you can deduce what might be damaged.

Bent mechanical parts can be straightened, unless the material has been irreparably impaired.

If the electronics fail, a solder joint or a circuit board may have broken.

In any case, there should be a chance of repair, unless the camera's structures have shifted or parts are destroyed. The way you describe and show it, that shouldn't be the case.

The cover's job is also to absorb energy in the event of a hit or fall.

The FM3A is a valuable camera, so I would fight for it.
 

Film-Niko

Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2009
Messages
708
Format
Multi Format
Andreas Thaler said:
I think this FM3A can be restored!
Click to expand...

+1.
And I think the FM3A is such a wonderful camera that it should be restored.

Maybe by Andreas, or maybe by Pierro Pozzella, who is well-known of doing some "magic" in camera repairs, when other repairers say its hopeless.

PPP Cameras

PPP Cameras Giving film cameras a new lease of life
pppcameras.co.uk

And if a repair is really impossible, than this camera should be donated to an excellent camera repair technician for training / education on that model. So that other FM3A users can benefit in the future, and more FM3A can be kept running.
Because it is a rare camera, Nikon has made only a relative small number of them.
 

Andreas Thaler

Subscriber
Joined
Nov 19, 2017
Messages
4,863
Location
Vienna/Austria
Format
35mm
Film-Niko said:
Maybe by Andreas, or maybe by Pierro Pozzella, who is well-known of doing some "magic" in camera repairs, when other repairers say its hopeless.
Click to expand...

I still have to prove that I can do that:

Minolta XD: Top cover dented

I just purchased a mint XD whose top cover is dented. I am informed by the seller (who kindly provided me with these photos) that it was caused by transport damage. The following questions arise for me, which I hope to be able to answer as soon as the camera is with me: Are parts under...
www.photrio.com

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more…