Nikon FE question - foam strip behind mirror

[Samuel Scarano]

I just got my first Nikon FE, via Craigslist. Once I got it home, I noticed that the strip of foamy material behind the mirror is deteriorating into dust.

I'm not talking about the foam bumper in front (which looks fine). What I'm referring to is right behind the mirror's hinged edge. It appears to serve the purpose of light-sealing the gap between the mirror and the rear inner wall. But I can't find any mention of it on forums. (And it’s not included in the pre-cut light seal packs I see for sale....)

I have several questions about this, and I would be very grateful for answers to any of them!

1. What is that thing called, anyway?

2. Should I be worried about the flakes of debris getting into the shutter mechanism? Should I avoid using the camera until I remove all that stuff?

3. Is there a recommended way of removing it? It's really hard to get in there behind the mirror. And scraping that stuff off creates a lot of debris that's hard to keep from getting onto the shutter.

4. Will my images be ruined by flare if I don't replace it with some light seal foam or something?

5. Would anyone like to buy an as-is Nikon FE? :-/

 

[Ariston]

If everything else is working, I would try to fix it myself. The FE is so, so good. If you want an autoexposure Nikon with match needle metering, which is the best metering, then the FE is one of very few options.

The foam above my mirror doesn't look so good, but it is not coming off. I would be worried about that. It may take a few minutes of meticulous work with tweezers, but you should be able to replace that foam. Maybe someone here can tell you where to find some.

 

[Ariston]

Just vacuum the mirror box out after you scrape it off. If you don't actuate the shutter before you vacuum, I would think it would be fine.

 

[shutterfinger]

It seals the mirror to the focusing screen during exposure. Without it you risk stray light coming in through the viewfinder eyepiece and causing the appearance of a light leak, flare, or secondary exposure.

 

[Samuel Scarano]

Ariston and shutterfinger - thanks!

I'll try to scrape that stuff out and not worry too much about debris seeping into the back before I have a chance to vacuum it out. I was already planning to use a vacuum somehow, instead of compressed air.

And yes, I definitely want an FE. I'm just worried that it makes more sense to buy another one than to fix this one up. (It has other issues I haven't mentioned.)

 

[terryw]

I have this same question about an FM that I just acquired. This issue for me is the very limited space for scraping away the old material and tools to use to put new foam back in; I don't want to scratch the mirror. I am thinking that I could fashion a shield for the mirror (or the focusing screen if I turn the camera upside down) out of a business card or other cardboard.