Nikon F4s odd problem

[cabrito]

Thanks Ricardo for the advice. I will sacrifice a roll and test the camera. Now who's would you recommend to have the camera repaired? I think you're right it's the lack of use and also maybe the sensors are faulty but I am going to try fixing it myself before having a pro look a it.
Thanks

 

[cabrito]

hi,
i have been trying to make the f4 work but no luck yet. i started testing it with film and now i got a buzzing sound. that means that when i load the film and close the back cover, i turn it on and press the shutter button to make the ilm advance to frame 1 but it only clicks and the buzzing sound comes on for like 5 seconds then the red light comes on and stays on for 10 seconds and then goes off. i press the shutter button again and same thing happens and the film advances and i can see the frames being counted by it on the top of the camera but when i look through the view finder it doesn't get past frame 1. now i think i have to bring it to a repair center. anyone has any ideas of what might be happening and what service sites do you recommend?
thanks

 

[Ricardo Miranda]

You haven't said what country you are in.
I can only recommend a repairer that I would use myself: http://www.aztechservices.com/

 

[cabrito]

i am in the united states. the aztecs are in the uk where you live no?
thanks

 

[Ricardo Miranda]

Yes.
But, don't send it to repairs, yet.

The world is full of coincidences.
This afternoon I met a gentleman with a Nikon F4 who was having a problem in loading his film.
I would like to ask you to try and load a film again, this time take a pic (a stupid-o-phone is fine for this) of the back just before closing it. Post pic bellow, please.
I'm almost sure that you are miss-loading the camera.
Remember the end of the film tip needs to be lined up with the end bit of the red mark inside the film chamber.

 

[shutterfinger]

There is a red tab or there should be on the base of the film chamber where the leader should be for the film to load properly. Mine will load film 40% of the time if the film leader in within the first 1/3 of that tab and loads 100% of the time if the leader is in the last 1/3 of the tab. Ricarodo's post reminded me of that oddity.

 

[Ricardo Miranda]

Yes, that is also my experience.
The take-up spool has teeth that need to engage the first or even second perforations.
Before switching to Nikon in 2003, I used to have Canon EOS and don't remember having so many miss-loads as I have had with some Nikons.

 

[cabrito]

i think that might be the issue because i almost got it to work earlier. after multiple tests and reloading the film, i pressed the shutter once to have it advance to the first frame. then, i pressed it again and it took a photo then i pressed it again and took another but then it started acting up again on me. i will post the photo of the film chamber as i load it and please revise it and let me know what it might be i am doing wrong. thanks for all your help. i do appreciate it.

 

[BetterSense]

I had an F4 that did not work well without the extended battery grip.

 

[cabrito]

I can't upload a photo of the film chamber and how I load it. I am going to keep running tests and I'll let you know if I have any luck or I might as well bury it along with its belongings. Thanks

 

[cabrito]

No luck! It is still acting up and the buzzing sound is more frequent. Any thoughts?

 

[Xmas]

http://www.butkus.org/chinon/nikon/nikon_f4/nikon_f4.htm

 

[Ricardo Miranda]

Thanks Noel.
There is also this one from Nikon USA: http://cdn-10.nikon-cdn.com/pdf/manuals/archive/F4-F4S.pdf

 

[Ricardo Miranda]

Something that might help you:
http://photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00NRqy

http://photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00M3AK

http://photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00cTgZ

 

[Xmas]

Page 21 applies...
I'd snip off some leader, same reason I cut to 23 sprocket holes with a Barnack.
Film can skew advancing on one sprocket set, even gently with manual camera.
l also always tension film in cassette before closing back.
Still get miss loads, and damaged film.

But the camera may be broken.

Lots of pros did not even like F3s!