FM3A Cleaning

[johnnywalker]

My FM3A shows a lot of "dust" when looking through the viewfinder (without a lens on). It doesn't show up on the film, and the mirror and other glass inside the camera are clean. I think it must be in the viewfinder itself. Do I have to send it somewhere to be cleaned, or is this something I can do myself? I don't see any obvious way of getting at the viewfinder.

 

[cotdt]

i think it's dust on the screen. i remove the screen, wash it with soap, and rinse in distilled water. then dry.

 

[David H. Bebbington]

I have one but keep it as a back-up - however, a quick refresher course
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/nikonfmseries/fm3a/manual/htmls/screens.htm
revelas that the FM3a does have an interchangeable screen, so cleaning should not be a problem.

Regards,

David

 

[cotdt]

yeah i love the FM3a screen. I use them in my FA and FE and FG.

don't use certain chemicals on the screen though, they are acrylic and will just turn white if you do. avoid methanol and stuff like that, which many lens cleaning solutions contain. just use soap water.

also don't blast it with compressed air, because if any liquid comes out it will mess up the screen.

alternatively, you can just buy a new screen. bhphoto sells them for $30 called the K3, E3, B3 screens.

 

[Vaughn]

I just tell our students to ignore the dust.

Vaughn

 

[John Koehrer]

To clean the bottom of the prism & top of the focusing screen.
find/get a flight feather(4-5" long) from a goose or other largish flying critter & clean it in alcohol.

Once cleaned use only for the prism & screen & don't touch the cleaned surface(feather) or you transfer oil from your skin to the feather.
If you get oil on the bottom of the prism it's almost impossible to get off.

The feather won't allow you to put enough pressure on either surface to scratch & is stiff enough to remove stubborn dust.
If you can't get it off with the feather. DON'T mess with it!

 

[johnnywalker]

This is strange. I posted a reply that was here for a bit and now it's gone.
In any case, thanks for all the advice. The dust was on the top of the screen. I removed it according to the instructions on the link David gave, washed it in water, put it back and it's clean as a whistle.
I could have continued to ignore it, but I've done that for a couple of years now. I'm grateful I didn't have to use the feather method.
Thanks again all,
John