Jammed shutter on early Nikon FM

[George Mann]

Have any of you successfully repaired an early FM with a jammed shutter? It appears to be locked up deep inside it somewhere.

The mirror moves freely on this one.

 

[MFstooges]

if the mirror moves then the problem usually can be fixed by opening the bottom cover.

 

[George Mann]

if the mirror moves then the problem usually can be fixed by opening the bottom cover.

I did so, and couldn't find anything that would release it down there unlike my later FM which has more levers to tinker with.

 

[Chuck1]

I have an fm2 that locks up.
To free it i have to switch it to bulb, then use the multiple exposure to not lose a frame, it will then work for the day.
The next day it locks up again.
Seems like it is under the bottom plate, but I'm not sure.
I've looked at a few youtube videos,but have yet to fiddle with anything.

 

[MFstooges]

Did you to try to remove the brass plate with three screws and the lever connected to the rewind shaft? There's also chance that the small locking lever on the rewind shaft is not returning as it should :

 

[MFstooges]

Additionally, try to release the shutter by pressing the pin from the bottom.

 

[George Mann]

Did you to try to remove the brass plate with three screws and the lever connected to the rewind shaft? There's also chance that the small locking lever on the rewind shaft is not returning as it should :

Yes. The camera's advance lever only moves freely when the main arming lever is removed from its slot, and it rewinds film without incident.

The shutter is cocked and not releasing. The shutter button moves freely as well.

 

[George Mann]

Additionally, try to release the shutter by pressing the pin from the bottom.

This has no effect.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

This killed my FM a year ago RIP.

 

[MFstooges]

Then you can try to open the top cover and trip the shutter directly by pressing the brass pin under the shutter button. If it works that means there's problem with shutter button assembly.

 

[George Mann]

Then you can try to open the top cover and trip the shutter directly by pressing the brass pin under the shutter button. If it works that means there's problem with shutter button assembly.

I didn't remove the top. I can see from the bottom that the rod moves unimpeded and with no resistance.

 

[snusmumriken]

I had an FE that did this from time to time. It was always possible to free it without dismantling, but I’m sorry to say I can’t remember how! I presume you have tried turning the sprocket roller? All the shutter speeds? And running the self-timer?

 

[George Mann]

I had an FE that did this from time to time. It was always possible to free it without dismantling, but I’m sorry to say I can’t remember how! I presume you have tried turning the sprocket roller? All the shutter speeds? And running the self-timer?

The problem is that the original FM is completely different internally from any other SLR that I have seen, concentrating nearly all of its mechanisms in a unique design beneath its shutter speed selector.

The rest of the Nikons are designed to be unjammed from underneath, where it is not possible with this original model.

 

[MFstooges]

The problem is that the original FM is completely different internally from any other SLR that I have seen, concentrating nearly all of its mechanisms in a unique design beneath its shutter speed selector.

The rest of the Nikons are designed to be unjammed from underneath, where it is not possible with this original model.

This is what the tech told me when I had issue with my older FM being cocked and jammed and he refused to fix it. He opened the bottom and tried to press the plunger from bottom. I don't remember exactly if it moved in full travel or not but it did move. I opened the top and find the shutter button assembly which consists of two part had moving resistance. So I replaced them and it fixed the problem.

 

[George Mann]

Well, I failed to unjam the camera after trying to manipulate the entire release assembly. Also, the front plate screws are cemented in place preventing the mirror box from being removed.

In light of this I decided to sacrifice it for the parts that I both want and need for my working example.

The primary part is its healthy pentaprism which replaced my desilvered original. I also wanted the original rewind knob and cleaner speed selector ring.

All parts have been successfully installed to my 3rd generation FM.