F3 problem

[Nikon Collector]

I have 2 F3's and 2 MD-4 winders, both winders work on 1 F3 but not the other. The film advances but the shutter doesn't trip, I have to trip it using the mechanical release. Any ideas what the problem might be?

 

[dynachrome]

This might be an electrical problem. Are the contacts on the problem camera clean? Do the MD-4s fit the problem camera the same way they fit the other camera?

 

[Chris Lange]

i had a similar issue with my MD-4 a while back. The problem was one of the spike contacts on the drive was sticking down, and not contacting the plate on the bottom of the camera. You can use a small (really small) flathead screwdriver to nudge the spikes back up if one is stuck visibly lower than the others, as unless all spikes are making contact with the receivers on the bottom of the camera, it won't function properly.

Good luck!

 

[Nikon Collector]

i had a similar issue with my MD-4 a while back. The problem was one of the spike contacts on the drive was sticking down, and not contacting the plate on the bottom of the camera. You can use a small (really small) flathead screwdriver to nudge the spikes back up if one is stuck visibly lower than the others, as unless all spikes are making contact with the receivers on the bottom of the camera, it won't function properly.

Good luck!

Both md-4's work on the one camera so it's not a problem with the winders. I cleaned the contacts with a pencil eraser but maybe that wasn't good enough.

 

[NIck Mirkovich]

Have you tried using the camera with just the button batteries installed in the base? If it seems okay running on the internal batteries then, as mentioned previously, I would suspect an electrical problem related to the MB-4 contacts. If, however, the F3 continues to malfunction, it could be a more serious internal problem and may require having a tech look at it.

 

[Nikon Collector]

Have you tried using the camera with just the button batteries installed in the base? If it seems okay running on the internal batteries then, as mentioned previously, I would suspect an electrical problem related to the MB-4 contacts. If, however, the F3 continues to malfunction, it could be a more serious internal problem and may require having a tech look at it.

The camera works perfectly off the winder, maybe one of the contacts isn't "contacting"