Need help with a Nikkormat EL.

[TheTrailTog]

I picked up a Nikkormat EL a little while ago and everything was working fine until this past weekend. I was out shooting this past weekend and the battery died. IIRC, when the battery dies the mirror goes into lock-up position, which it did, and inserting a new battery releases the mirror, but it didn't in this case. It's been 10+ years since I've had an EL. The old battery was definitely dead and the battery check light works again now that a new battery has been inserted. Am I missing something or by coincidence with the dead battery did the shutter jam too? Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Marco Gilardetti]

It is unclear by reading your message if only the mirror is jammed, or if also the shutter is jammed. What happens if you wind up the camera and press the shutter release button?

I wonder if it may just be that the mirror is stuck to the mirror damper, which eventually became sticky over the years. Did you try to pull down the mirror very gently with a fingertip?

 

[TheTrailTog]

Hi Marco, sorry for not clarifying. The camera is jammed up. The mirror is in lock up (fresh foam all around, not stuck to bump pad), the advance won't work, and I can't trip the shutter. Only thing working right now is the battery check light and I can get the self timer to go, but that won't trip the shutter either. It's just odd that it happened right when the battery died.

 

[Willyekerslike]

HI,
You have probably already checked this but just in case.
The manual states that you have to lock the mirror in the up position when changing the battery and you have to turn the mirror lock to release it after fitting the new battery.
The mirror is not by chance locked in the up position as with the mirror lockup knob?
Regards...W

 

[TheTrailTog]

Hi W, tried the mirror lock switch to no avail. Basically, I was shooting and after taking a shot, the mirror stuck up and the battery was dead. All indicators point to a jammed shutter, but again, just odd it happened right when the battery died.

 

[Willyekerslike]

OK I understand, I have no exprience of the Nikkormat EL but I have a collection of Olympus OM2s and an OM10 and they do a similar thing if you shoot and the battery runs out the mirror locks up. With those, if I remember right, you have to turn the speed to B and press the shutter buton and the thing releases to mirror. But with the EL I am not sure if that applies but maybe worth a try. I do think you are right that the camera has jammed because if battery runs out on that camera it should still continue to shoot at 1/90 sec whatever the speed is set to. Maybe worth taking the battery out again and trying the shutter release again but I think that is clutching at straws. I do get very frustrated when a camera gives up when I am using it, my two Canon T90s did that within a few months of each other. A common problem and not worth spending money on repairs but still frustrating so I feel for you in the same situation.

Regards...W

 

[TheTrailTog]

Hi W, unfortunately no mechanical response at all. Must be jammed. Was hoping it was just a reset issue or something. I learned on a Nikkormat EL years ago, but traded that one away a while back. I'd been on a quest to get another and this was the third failure in that effort. Guess I'll stick with mechanical SLR's from now on.

 

[TheTrailTog]

Thought I'd add an update to this. A few days ago, with a hair bit of pressure from my fingernail on the shutter, I was able to release the jam. Working fine now and just about to finish up my second roll since the jam. I'm guessing just needs a CLA? Will be sending it in for a spa treatment within the next couple of weeks.

 

[Willyekerslike]

Well done, fortune favours the bold.

Regards...W

 

[TheTrailTog]

I think the key thing was that I was patient when t first jammed. I NEVER forced anything at any point.

 

[cooltouch]

Contgrats. I like to read about happy endings.

I have a Nikon EL2 and I love that old thing. I guess if I ever experience anything similar to what you have, I'll try to keep in mind what you did.

 

[TheTrailTog]

Contgrats. I like to read about happy endings.

I have a Nikon EL2 and I love that old thing. I guess if I ever experience anything similar to what you have, I'll try to keep in mind what you did.

I'm not sure it is something I would recommend doing, but I figured why not as it was going to the camera graveyard under my bed otherwise...lol