F2 Stopped Working

[Cholentpot]

I've have a Nikon F2 that I got this summer. I ran a half dozen rolls through it and last night while exercising the shutter for another roll the camera stopped working. The film advances but the shutter won't cock. When moving the advance it gives a click as if skipping something. Any ideas? Did I fiddle with the shutter speed the wrong way? Disengage some linkage by accident? Is there something I can poke or prod?

Thanks.

 

[Huss]

User error as Nikon F2 does not break.

;p
I would take off the base plate and start poking around.

 

[Paul Howell]

I would find a tech that repairs Nikons, have it repaired and CLA.

 

[ic-racer]

Nikon F2 - DIY Repairs & Maintenance

I eBay purchased an old beat up F2 for less than a carton of beer. It was jammed, the Finder dismantled, shutter crinkled, rusty, dusty, no power to the finder - basically a basket case. So a good project to see if I could get it working again, which I did and successfully. Unable to find much...

www.photrio.com

 

[flavio81]

I've have a Nikon F2 that I got this summer. I ran a half dozen rolls through it and last night while exercising the shutter for another roll the camera stopped working. The film advances but the shutter won't cock. When moving the advance it gives a click as if skipping something. Any ideas? Did I fiddle with the shutter speed the wrong way? Disengage some linkage by accident? Is there something I can poke or prod?

Thanks.

If the film advances but the camera doesn't fire, a possibility is that the mirror mechanism is stuck. When pressing the shutter button, the mirror mechanism should fire the mirror, which in turn fires the shutter mechanism.

The camera needs a stripdown so the mirror box is accessed , the mechanism cleaned and lubricated. The same should be done with the shutter mechanism including the curtain spindles and the slow-speeds governor.

 

[Cholentpot]

User error as Nikon F2 does not break.

;p
I would take off the base plate and start poking around.

I've heard that F2 doesn't break. Must be me or something.

I tried and almost stripped out a screw. Any suggestions as to what kind of screwdriver to use?

I would find a tech that repairs Nikons, have it repaired and CLA.

Recommend anyone? I don't need a $500+ shipping rebuild. Just want to get the thing working again.

Nikon F2 - DIY Repairs & Maintenance

I eBay purchased an old beat up F2 for less than a carton of beer. It was jammed, the Finder dismantled, shutter crinkled, rusty, dusty, no power to the finder - basically a basket case. So a good project to see if I could get it working again, which I did and successfully. Unable to find much...

www.photrio.com

Yes, I posted on there first but no response as of yet so I started a thread.

If the film advances but the camera doesn't fire, a possibility is that the mirror mechanism is stuck. When pressing the shutter button, the mirror mechanism should fire the mirror, which in turn fires the shutter mechanism.

The camera needs a stripdown so the mirror box is accessed , the mechanism cleaned and lubricated. The same should be done with the shutter mechanism including the curtain spindles and the slow-speeds governor.

Yep. I suspect something is stuck, nothing major. The shutter button won't press, it's locked. The curtains don't move on the film advance. I got it move once or twice when I slowly advanced the lever with camera in T mode and the self timer moving but I suspect it was a fluke. Worked once or twice and then nothing since. Camera need a CLA obviously but if I can squeeze a few more rolls out of it before sending it off for an expensive repair I'd rather do that. The DP-1 doesn't work so it would have had to go off at some point either way.

 

[logan2z]

Not sure if this would be helpful, but the F2 Service Manual is available for download online.

 

[mshchem]

I would buy another. In nearly 50 years I've only had one problem with an F2, failure internally, to get battery power to the meter.

Have a shot of good whiskey and throw it off a bridge.

Or buy an F5 from Japan in mint condition for 325 bucks. F and F2 cameras from Japan are cheap right now, exchange rate dollar v yen and so many nice cameras.

 

[logan2z]

F and F2 cameras from Japan are cheap right now, exchange rate dollar v yen and so many nice cameras.

I've considered buying cameras from eBay sellers in Japan, but I can't get past the 'all pictures look identical, all ads sound identical' thing. That just makes me feel like something isn't on the up and up. Maybe I'm missing out on some good cameras, though.

 

[GregY]

I've considered buying cameras from eBay sellers in Japan, but I can't get past the 'all pictures look identical, all ads sound identical' thing. That just makes me feel like something isn't on the up and up. Maybe I'm missing out on some good cameras, though.

You are. I've always had good results buying from Japan. Serial # are noted in the photos or descriptions...so you know what you're getting. In N America, KEH is the classic for using generic photos.....never of the item you bought. In addition I've had super fast shipping from Japan.

 

[Cholentpot]

I would buy another. In nearly 50 years I've only had one problem with an F2, failure internally, to get battery power to the meter.

Have a shot of good whiskey and throw it off a bridge.

Or buy an F5 from Japan in mint condition for 325 bucks. F and F2 cameras from Japan are cheap right now, exchange rate dollar v yen and so many nice cameras.

The one I have is all black. It matches my other ones. Shame but you might be right, it'll end it's life as a donor parts camera.

I've considered buying cameras from eBay sellers in Japan, but I can't get past the 'all pictures look identical, all ads sound identical' thing. That just makes me feel like something isn't on the up and up. Maybe I'm missing out on some good cameras, though.

I have the same hangup. I'll pay more for a camera off Photrio just for knowing where it came from.

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

I tried and almost stripped out a screw. Any suggestions as to what kind of screwdriver to use?

You need "JIS" Japanese screwdrivers. Vessel is a good brand. Available on Amazon.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I would find a tech that repairs Nikons, have it repaired and CLA.

At post #3 we have a winner! Then the OP will end up with a proper adjusted working camera and will know the health of his beloved F2.

 

[Cholentpot]

You need "JIS" Japanese screwdrivers. Vessel is a good brand. Available on Amazon.

Appreciate it. What size would I look for? I see full sets.

At post #3 we have a winner! Then the OP will end up with a proper adjusted working camera and will know the health of his beloved F2.

I'm been making phone calls. Most people local or close to local are stacked up or done until after the holidays. I'll see if I can get this old girl clicking again either way. That or it'll be a nice doorstop.

 

[Tel]

PM me.

 

[gone]

I had an F2 that did the same exact thing. Having been taken out to dry AND treated rudely and, let's call a horse a horse, lied to by camera repair persons, I went the easy and sensible route. Sold that one and bought another one. It wasn't that long ago that KEH had reasonable prices and stood behind their warranties. Those times are long gone though, at least on prices.

I think like the op, a lot of Japan sellers have done an excellent job of manipulating the used camera/lens prices into the stratosphere. It's called price fixing and collusion. This didn't just happen by accident. Of course, there are surely those that are honest, but how can you tell? You better read their descriptions closely. Often they rate a camera as Exc, only to later say that the shutter doesn't work or something. It's worse on the lenses. What do you do if the camera breaks or isn't as advertised? Ever price sending a camera to Japan from the US? You'll pay for shipping it back to you too. If you like the F2, I would just replace it and save yourself a lot of risk and money.

 

[Cholentpot]

I had an F2 that did the same exact thing. Having been taken out to dry AND treated rudely and, let's call a horse a horse, lied to by camera repair persons, I went the easy and sensible route. Sold that one and bought another one. It wasn't that long ago that KEH had reasonable prices and stood behind their warranties. Those times are long gone though, at least on prices.

I think like the op, a lot of Japan sellers have done an excellent job of manipulating the used camera/lens prices into the stratosphere. It's called price fixing and collusion. This didn't just happen by accident. Of course, there are surely those that are honest, but how can you tell? You better read their descriptions closely. Often they rate a camera as Exc, only to later say that the shutter doesn't work or something. It's worse on the lenses. What do you do if the camera breaks or isn't as advertised? Ever price sending a camera to Japan from the US? You'll pay for shipping it back to you too. If you like the F2, I would just replace it and save yourself a lot of risk and money.

Excellent. I'm not alone then in having this issue. Internet is like that, somewhere out there someone is bound to have the same issue as me.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Appreciate it. What size would I look for? I see full sets.



I'm been making phone calls. Most people local or close to local are stacked up or done until after the holidays. I'll see if I can get this old girl clicking again either way. That or it'll be a nice doorstop.

Before making it a door stop, call KEH. They have repaired cameras that no one else would touch and brought it back to life.

 

[Cholentpot]

Before making it a door stop, call KEH. They have repaired cameras that no one else would touch and brought it back to life.

Good idea. Thanks.

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

I'm not alone then in having this issue.

Way back in 1980, one of the first natural laws of Usenet was that the answer to "Am I the only one?" is always "No."

A law that is both comforting and maddening at the same time.

 

[Cholentpot]

Way back in 1980, one of the first natural laws of Usenet was that the answer to "Am I the only one?" is always "No."

A law that is both comforting and maddening at the same time.

That's why these threads are helpful. Someone 10 years from now will run into the same issue I'll bet and find this thread.

 

[mshchem]

I've considered buying cameras from eBay sellers in Japan, but I can't get past the 'all pictures look identical, all ads sound identical' thing. That just makes me feel like something isn't on the up and up. Maybe I'm missing out on some good cameras, though.

If you buy from a seller like MAP Camera lowers the risk. I stay away from any description that has +++ or Near Mint etc. Lots of high-quality pictures and exceptional ratings.

 

[250swb]

As with all Nikons of a similar era (FM, FE, etc) a lot of the interactions between film advance and shutter cocking take place right underneath the baseplate, so if you can take the baseplate off you can have a fiddle around. You need a screwdriver that fits, and a key/peg wrench to take the motor drive coupling off (a pair of blunt compasses or similar). When you are inside you'll see a lot of levers that can get stuck through lack of lubrication. So carefully prod around and see if you get something to unstick (this is very scientific). If you decide to lube anything use only the tiniest smear of watch oil on pivot points, a very little oil goes a long, long way.

 

[flavio81]

IYep. I suspect something is stuck, nothing major. The shutter button won't press, it's locked. The curtains don't move on the film advance. I got it move once or twice when I slowly advanced the lever with camera in T mode and the self timer moving but I suspect it was a fluke. Worked once or twice and then nothing since. Camera need a CLA obviously but if I can squeeze a few more rolls out of it before sending it off for an expensive repair I'd rather do that. The DP-1 doesn't work so it would have had to go off at some point either way.

Dear Cholentpot,

Let me give my opinion as a camera tech.

When you have a failure caused by lack of lubrication and cleaning, which is pretty common, it's not only one part of the mechanism the one that needs to be "unstuck", but the whole camera needs to be cleaned and re-lubed because, even if you get said part "unstuck", the camera may lock up at a later time, and it can be a matter of days.

As for disassembling the F2, you can get the service manual, however to work on the F2 without damaging you need custom tools, for example the tool for removing the retainer nut around the shutter dial, and the tool for removing the plastic insulator around the hot shoe. The bottom of the camera requires a good micro-spanner too. I don't service F2 cameras for those reasons.

It's not as simple as just using a screwdriver.

Really the best recommendation is to send your camera for service. Buying another F2 doesn't make that much sense since such other F2 will eventually need service. Better to have a freshly relubed F2 camera that will work fine for 10 years.

 

[250swb]

As for disassembling the F2, you can get the service manual, however to work on the F2 without damaging you need custom tools, for example the tool for removing the retainer nut around the shutter dial, and the tool for removing the plastic insulator around the hot shoe. The bottom of the camera requires a good micro-spanner too. I don't service F2 cameras for those reasons.

Custom tools yes, but only in the sense you have to make them if you don't buy them, it's not like you have to be apprenticed to Nikon or anything. Peg spanners are the simplest things to make and should be easy enough for anybody who has a few scrap pieces of metal laying around. Look at enough YouTube videos by camera tech 'mikeno62' and you can see the custom tools he's made specific to Nikon F2's and none of them are anything special.