Nikon F3/T: LCD replaced

[didoriginal]

Hi all,

I have been specialising in Nikon F3 repairs for the past 3 or so years and I have worked on over 200 F3 bodies. The problem is almost NEVER with the LCD display itself - I have seen only a couple failed due to being hit / cracked / leaked. The issue with the fading has to do with the two LCD polarising filters that the display has (all LCD displays have them). Once replaced the factory contrast of the display is restored. I have done over 100 displays so far since me and James Holman from https://ictcamera.com/ found out where the problem lies and how to fix it. Here is an example of a badly faded LCD:

Here is how one of the polarising filters looks like (left - faded original, right - new filter material):

And here is the display after the repair:

One of the filters is either glued to the display itself or is glued to the white plastic diffuser that holds the display in place. The second filter is the most inner layer of the display window. You have to carefully unglue the LCD flex and peel it off. The new polarising material I ordered from AliExpress - it comes in the form of a 20cm self adhesive sheet. Keep in mind that the filters have a very specific orientation that you have to match. You can also invert the display (black and white parts) by inverting the polarising filters.

So, yeah.. the Achilles' heel of the F3 is actually not it weakest spot.

IG: @nikonf3repairs

 

[ic-racer]

Fantastic discovery! Thank you for sharing!

 

[Bigpatty]

I love these threads. Really inspires me to get cracking on the 100 or so film cameras I have that need repairing ;-)))
Found this thread while trying to get info on an F3 that does nothing that needs power,,, all mechanicals seem fine.
Very useful to see the camera being dismantled.
Thank you for sharing.

 

[Andreas Thaler]

LCD replacement by replacing the entire electronic assembly

You can also replace the Nikon F3’s LCD and viewfinder displays including illumination by completely swapping out the electronics; it’s part of that system, as indicated by the arrow.

The silicon photo diode (SPD) at the bottom of the mirror box is also replaced during this process.

Every now and then, brand new circuit boards for the F3 still turn up as spare parts, for example when repair shops close down. However, you can also use the electronics from an F3 for spare parts.

The electronics should be compatible with all F3 variants. For the F3/T, there is a circuit board with special gaskets. I was able to obtain some new circuit boards.

The replacement process is relatively simple compared to other SLRs from that era. I’ll post an article tomorrow where I restored a like-new Nikon F3AF in this way.

I was able to narrow down the initial issue—invalid displays on the LCD, likely caused by a circuit board damage—but couldn’t fix it.

Nikon designed this to be very service-friendly. However, the electronics then need to be adjusted via trimpots.

For this, you need a camera tester and use the position of the trimpots on the defective circuit board as the initial setting.

As always, all the information on this can be found in the SPT Journal.

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A word of caution

Please keep in mind that you’ll be using highly flammable solvents for service work, and their fumes are harmful to your health. Soldering also produces fumes that should not be inhaled. Dangerous high voltages can be present when handling electronics, especially in conjunction with electronic flash units and mains. Therefore, familiarize yourself with the safety regulations beforehand and ensure your safety. Depending on the activity, protective gear may be advisable.

All information provided without guarantee and use at your own risk.

Acknowledgments

Without the work of Master Larry Lyells, in particular, we wouldn’t have the detailed technical information we need today for service/repair of SLRs.

The SPT Journal and The Camera Craftsman, which he helped shape significantly as an author, and which contain all the necessary information and instructions are available for a fee through Learn Camera Repair.

We owe our access to them to Eugene Pate, the founder of Learn Camera Repair.