Nikon fe 1-1,5 stops overexposure

scar · Dec 7, 2015

I have a Nikon FE2, and it seems it is overexposing about 1-1,5 stops. For the moment I'm cheating by setting the film ISO higher (200 instead of 100 for example...).
I've checked with multiple lenses, same result. The batteries are fresh - tried three pairs, tested the voltage of them. The shutter speeds are OK, basicly the meter gives an erratic reading. FRU is clean. Before I begin to explose the whole camera: do you know if there is a potentiometer somewhere to play with?

Arvee · Dec 7, 2015

Google Nikon FE-2 overexposure. Common problem. Mine is the same, I simply adjust the ISO.

Sirius Glass · Dec 7, 2015

Welcome to APUG

Chan Tran · Dec 8, 2015

Did you determine the problem is with the meter or the shutter speed?

Sirius Glass · Dec 8, 2015

If the shutter is slow, a CLA [Clean, Lubricate and Adjust] may be in order and necessary. So do not just adjust the light meter.

mikevphotography · Dec 8, 2015

What type of batteries are you using? I recommend silver oxide over alkaline for more consistent results (even meter exposure).

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Chan Tran · Dec 9, 2015

mikevphotography said:
What type of batteries are you using? I recommend silver oxide over alkaline for more consistent results (even meter exposure).

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The FE is a rather new camera and the type of battery should not affect the meter accuracy. I don't have the FE now to test but the F3 would have the same meter reading and shutter speed with battery voltage from 2.4V to 3V. Bellow 2.4V it simply quits.

wiltw · Dec 9, 2015

scar said:
I have a Nikon FE2, and it seems it is overexposing about 1-1,5 stops. For the moment I'm cheating by setting the film ISO higher (200 instead of 100 for example...).
I've checked with multiple lenses, same result. The batteries are fresh - tried three pairs, tested the voltage of them. The shutter speeds are OK, basicly the meter gives an erratic reading. FRU is clean. Before I begin to explose the whole camera: do you know if there is a potentiometer somewhere to play with?

You seem to have summarized the source of the problem. First, knowing that two meters seldom agree, one should be able to point both disagreeing cameras at the same uniformly coiored and artificially illuminated plain surface, and they should both be consistent with itself from reading to reading.

Due to manufacturer meter calibration choices permitted in the ISO standard, two different meters can be consistently different by a certain amount (e.g. 0.5EV), but not 1.5EV apart from each other, when pointed at the same uniformly coiored and artificially illuminated plain surface.

Having THREE meters does NOT mean that the 'odd one' is 'wrong' compared to the other two...two simply happen to be using the same Constant value within the ISO equation which everyone follows!

Have you aimed your camera at the blue sky to see that it give you the Sunny 16 performance?
e.g. ISO 250, 1/250, f/16...you're fine if it reads about 0.5EV high or low from that guideline, as atmospheric moisture and latitude on earth does have an influence...but you know you are 'in the ballpark' or not!

If all of the above check out, then be suspicious of shutter speed. If you shoot exposures all with Sunny 16 assumed exposure, and change aperture+shutter speed to shoot a series of equivalent exposures -- all following 'Sunny 16', all negs should come out with uniform density midtone...if it deviates, your shutter is running slow/fast depending upon speed chosen.

StephenT · Dec 9, 2015

I would just adjust the ISO and not worry about it. I must admit that I seldom use any of my camera body meters, instead opting for a handheld incident reading if possible. Sometimes, that 's just not practical, so I do have an idea about where to set the ISOs.

scar · Dec 9, 2015

OK, OK.
First of all, I would not care about it, but with 1.5 stops of overexposure all my images (i. e. : my whites) are burnt. So basically it is a problem about burning my pictures or not.
As the result (hand or machine processed negative) looks always excessively overexposed, I think it is not a factory-made-factory-adjusted meter deviation. It is REAL overexposure.
Batteries are silver-oxide ones, I have tested with three pairs. Also tested the batteries with a meter, they are just fine. There is no oxidation int the battery holder.
The shutter speeds have been tested and are all right.
FRU was cleaned (but basically it was clean).
Meter is showing values 1-1.5 stops off compared to one FM2 (1.5 stop) one Bronica ETRSI with metered prism finder (1 stop) and a minolta handheld meter (1 stops). So, I think there should be a problem with the meter.
If I set the ISO higher - like 133 for 50 film, 266 for 100 film and so on, my images are consistently properly exposed. So for the moment I'm playing with the ISO settings, and it is fine.

But to return to my original question:
As it seems, my meter is off by 1-1.5 stops. Where can I adjust it?

Ricardo Miranda · Dec 9, 2015

First of all, it is FRE, not FRU.
You can start with this site: http://nikonrepairmanuals.blogspot.co.uk/
And this one: Dead Link Removed
Have a good reading!

Arvee · Dec 9, 2015

I understand that the electronic components for the FE2 age over time and cause the 1-1.5 stop overexposure. I read somewhere on the web there is an adjustment (I believe under the top cover) that corrects for small errors but doesn't have enough range of adjustment to compensate for component value drift. So, to simplify matters, I increase the ISO by one stop. Once the ISO is set, I never think about it again.

Anytime I am in a situation where I have to remove the top cover, I resist as there is the strong liklihood that something will get damaged or I'll drop a tiny screw into the innards. Safe, rather than sorry!

j-dogg · Dec 12, 2015

Mine does the same thing, on an FE2, even in manual mode, so I'll be lurking this thread, would hate to have to chuck a near-mint FE2 into the parts bin over something silly as a 1.5 stop overexposure

Chan Tran · Dec 14, 2015

j-dogg said:
Mine does the same thing, on an FE2, even in manual mode, so I'll be lurking this thread, would hate to have to chuck a near-mint FE2 into the parts bin over something silly as a 1.5 stop overexposure

I couldn't find a service manual for the FE or FE2. I found a good service manual for the F3 and it helps a lot.

David Ebinger · Mar 20, 2016

I recently got an FE camera - and I also recently got an EM (and a Minolta XE-7, Pentax MX, Canon AE-1, etc.) - just starting out So, today I am using the FE in a room with pretty decent light and a 50/1.8 with 400 ISO and the meter is showing 1/15 or 1/8. So, I get home and compare to the EM and the XE-7. At F4 the XE-7 is 1/500, EM is 1/250 and the FE is 1/15 (maybe not precisely that, but roughly speaking.) In order to match the EM/XE-7 I need to set the ISO to about 1600-3200. I have not yet developed a roll out of any of these cameras - so, I can't tell you what the film says. Assuming that the FE is the one that is off, I can perhaps compensate by setting the ISO high - but I will run out of room if I go to 800 film. I am assuming that I should just live with it?

Chan Tran · Mar 20, 2016

scar said:
OK, OK.
First of all, I would not care about it, but with 1.5 stops of overexposure all my images (i. e. : my whites) are burnt. So basically it is a problem about burning my pictures or not.
As the result (hand or machine processed negative) looks always excessively overexposed, I think it is not a factory-made-factory-adjusted meter deviation. It is REAL overexposure.
Batteries are silver-oxide ones, I have tested with three pairs. Also tested the batteries with a meter, they are just fine. There is no oxidation int the battery holder.
The shutter speeds have been tested and are all right.
FRU was cleaned (but basically it was clean).
Meter is showing values 1-1.5 stops off compared to one FM2 (1.5 stop) one Bronica ETRSI with metered prism finder (1 stop) and a minolta handheld meter (1 stops). So, I think there should be a problem with the meter.
If I set the ISO higher - like 133 for 50 film, 266 for 100 film and so on, my images are consistently properly exposed. So for the moment I'm playing with the ISO settings, and it is fine.

But to return to my original question:
As it seems, my meter is off by 1-1.5 stops. Where can I adjust it?

I am interested in finding out exactly what's wrong with your camera. Is it the meter or is it the shutter speed? But if you just want good pictures and don't really care then the reason of your burnt out pictures is not the camera over expose by 1-1.5 stop. Overexposing color negative films by 1-1.5 stops would yield very good images and often better than if it's exactly accurate.

Nikon fe 1-1,5 stops overexposure

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