Nikon F4 - R1 lever is stuck

[AE35]

Hi, I just received my very nice (no LCD bleed) Nikon F4 body from Japan, shot a test roll and encountered no problems - electronic or mechanical. I then looked up the owners manual and try to rewind the roll. R2 works as it should and the red light flashes, but R1 does not move even a millimeter while holding the top button down.

Obviously this is frustrating, hopefully I didn't just buy a $200+ paperweight. That poor roll of Fuji 200 is stuck in there.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Andreas Thaler]

Post in thread 'Nikon F4: Mission Aperture Lever - two ways to fix the aperture problem'
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threa...-fix-the-aperture-problem.205433/post-2777847


This is what it looks like under the top cover.

If the lever can't be released from the outside, I would look there or have someone look for it.

 

[reddesert]

I don't have any experience with the F4, but just from looking at the manual: I suggest that you put the camera in a changing bag, open the back, remove the film and wind it into the cassette by hand. Then you both save the film and can test the operation of the R1 lever freely without any tension from partly wound film, including trying to fire the shutter and see if that frees it.

If you don't have a changing bag or a darkroom, buy a changing bag. They will save your tuckus many times over.