Nikon F2AS with "Battery Check Inoperative", a good buy or money pit?

Hops · Nov 5, 2010

KEH has a chrome F2AS listed with "Battery Check Inoperative" for $245.

I can live without the battery check. They last a long time anyways. But I thought the battery check was done by simply cocking the wind lever, and if any of the LEDs light, then the battery is fine. So how could it be that the battery check doesn't work but the meter does? (presumably)

dentkimterry · Nov 5, 2010

Yous assumption is correct. The meter indication is the battery check. So if the battery check doesn't work i don't see how the meter could. The beauty of KEH is that if you don't like the camera you can send it back no questions. It's a no risk deal.

Terry

Ihmemies · Nov 6, 2010

Some older prism models had a seperate battery check button I think.. but it's not in DP-12 anymore at least according to mir: http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/nikonf2/prisms/dp12/index.htm

Maybe some contacts are just corroded and they could be cleaned easily enough.. AS prisms shouldn't be nearly as prone to break up as older models.

John_Nikon_F · Nov 7, 2010

The "battery check" switch is the switch used to illuminate the shutter speeds and the aperture ring. Also turns on the LED on the top of the finder, which is used to signify correct exposure when the eyepiece blind is closed. If that doesn't work, it won't affect how the meter itself operates, since the LED's for the meter are powered through the main circuit, not the illumination switch circuit. If the LED's didn't work, you'd be buying a camera that KEH calls an "F2AS METER INOPERATIVE" camera.

-J

Clay2 · Nov 7, 2010

Seems to be some confusion here. On my F2AS (DP-12 viewfinder):

The film advance lever turns on the meter.
If any LED lights up, batteries are good.
Switch on top of finder only illuminates the shutter speed, need a flashlight to see aperture.
Eyepiece curtain switch at rear of finder closes curtain and activates LED on top.

Best regards,

/Clay

Hops · Dec 1, 2010

Well, I went ahead and got it! After talking to them on the phone, they said the meter was spot on, but the battery check didn't work. I was a bit confused, but they said the meter works, so that was all I cared about.

Turns out that yes, there is no battery check switch. The battery check is the same as the FM and similar. If it lights up, the battery is good. The switch is for night illumination of the viewfinder info.

Regardless, it seems a perfectly fair deal for KEH and me. It's missing one feature, night illumination, which is about the same level of annoyance as a bad battery check.

I'm happy with it! Never laid hands on such a fine mechanical instrument. Very nice condition. Fell madly in love.

But it turns out to have a broken tripod mount and the AI tab will not lock in the up position. It's back at KEH and they are repairing it under warranty!

Good deal.

John_Nikon_F · Dec 1, 2010

That's cool. Glad they're taking care of you. My F2AS is a keeper.

-J

Les Sarile · Dec 1, 2010

Repair a broken tripod mount? I only have the F and F3 - as well as other cameras, but it seems to me that is part of the body. Perhaps you'll get another camera altogether that is in even better condition!

Hops · Dec 1, 2010

When I looked inside the thread of the tripod mount, I noticed a disk of brass floating around in there. I think someone forced a too-long screw in there and popped the end off it. I found some pictures of an F2 with the bottom plate removed, and the thread sleeve is interference-fit to a little metal plate that is screwed to the camera chassis. I think that plate is cracked or something. The thread is wobbly.

Aja B · Dec 1, 2010

Nikon refers to the light on top of the VF as the External 'Correct Exposure' Indicator. The Illuminator Switch, when pushed to the rear, will cause the ECEI to light-up (along w/ shtter spd and meter in finder), assuming film advance lever is in 'on' position and eyepiece curtain is in the open position. Thus, it can be used to quickly assess battery power. But when the eyepiece curtain is closed the light will turn on only when the settings yield a correct exposure.

It's odd that the illuminator switch lights-up the shttr spd, meter and the aperture setting in the F2SB (DP-3 prism) whereas in a subsequent model (F2AS), Nikon omits illumination of the ap setting.

Just joined APUG...great info/contributors. Shall hope to contribute to the knowledge-pool.

lxdude · Dec 1, 2010

It makes sense to use the illuminator, as it puts a heavier draw on the battery, so better indicates battery condition.

Hops · Dec 29, 2010

Bummer! So I got the camera back from KEH for repair, and it had a big dent on top of the prism and the front plate was breaking off. Looks like it was dropped, and they wrapped it up and shipped it to me anyways. The packaging was perfectly intact.

So I sent it back and heard nothing. Then I noticed that they had refunded my money. I was a bit annoyed that no one had bothered to contact me to tell me what they were doing. I had to call them to find out that it was uneconomical to repair.

Someone at KEH must have dropped and damaged the camera and then covered up their mistake by shipping it out to me. I'm not too pleased.

Nikon F2AS with "Battery Check Inoperative", a good buy or money pit?

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