nikon fe - rewind issue

OK, this was my first roll of film through my Nikon FE, so I'm not sure if I'm just missing something or what.

First, I will say when I loaded the film, I had a hard time popping the knob and getting the back open. I pretty much forgot about it after that (been a month or two).

Yesterday I used up the roll...I assume...it got to 36 on the counter, and after what would be 37, it made a different sound when I wound it. When I went to rewind the film (yes, I pushed the button on the bottom), it started off seeming like it was winding, but very quickly turned without resistance (as in, probably just a couple revolutions, not enough to have rewound the film). I re-read the manual to see if I was missing something, but I don't see anything. Somewhere online it said to pull the knob up slightly (not enough to open the back) and turn in that position. Well, the knob won't pull up at all. I've moved the little locking lever counterclockwise as far as it goes, and still it won't budge.

Am I missing something? I'll admit I'm still relatively new to 35mm SLR's, having only shot a few rolls on my previous Canon AE-1 Program (one roll that I had a hard time rewinding on it...but it was missing the lever completely) before switching to the FE.

Just as added info: this was an ebay FE, which was listed as good used condition, and I believe "not tested." It had a dead battery when I got it and so the shutter wouldn't fire except in B and M90, with new batteries the shutter & meter seemed to be working fine through the roll. I'm thinking when I loaded the film I also had a problem opening the back, despite following all instructions, and it eventually (and for no good reason that I remember) just finally opened as it should.

Thanks!

Hi. Sorry to hear about your FE problems. I've just looked at mine to confirm how loading/rewind works. To open the back, pull up rewind knob and turn small safety lever anti-clockwise. The knob should lift a bit further and the back pops open. You have to hold the safety lever in position while lifting. When you get to the end of the film, return the winding crank to its"rest" position, push in the button on the camera base and rewind. The wind-on can stop mid-wind at the end of the film. Don't force it any further. The button on the base should click into place when pushed. It returns to its original position with the next throw of the wind-on crank. Be careful not to use the wind-on, therefore, when the rewind button has been pushed in. It sounds like you may have accidentally snapped the film, perhaps by winding on too far. I hope that's not the case, but you'll know when you get it open. One other thing that could cause the back to stick is the condition of the light-seal foam. It deteriorates with time into a sticky mass. It's easy to replace if that has happened. There are kits available on the Internet, and the FE is certainly a camera worth fixing. The foam kits are not expensive. I hope you get it working. Alex.

Is the film still in the camera?

It sounds rather like you've wound on too far and pulled the film out of the canister. The bit about a 'different sound' makes me think this.

"Yesterday I used up the roll...I assume...it got to 36 on the counter, and after what would be 37, it made a different sound when I wound it"

sound more as if he neglected -- first timers do this all the time -- to make sure the film was advancing properly and when he rewound there was only a coupla inches of film to pull back in.

winding the film rarely breaks the film off -- more likely you rip the film holes. that "ka-chik-ka-chick" sound is unmistakable.

hard to think how you did that without loading prooperly, though.

I dunno -- open the camera, take the film out, see what shape it's in.

this is why it is best to take a roll of film you don't care about and practice loading, firing and unloading a few times. you get these mistakes out of the way.

by the way, sometimes when you pull the rewind lever up the back doesn't open because it is sprung open by a spring that pushes on the film cartridge -- no film, no push, so you have to pull on it a bit.

I as just about to write that.

Thanks for the replies. Didn't think I'd have wound too far on it, as it was a roll of 36, and isn't there generally an extra exposure or two? I tried to be careful not to apply too much pressure once I got up to the end of the roll (at least what I assumed was the end of the roll, but not if I didn't load properly).

That being said, I can't even open the back to check the film or its current state. The rewind knob doesn't budge trying to pull it up to pop open the back. I know there's the lever...I've moved it back and forth multiple times trying to make sure it's in place. But the knob won't budge. ??

i don't have an fe in front of me, but if it does have a lever on the rewind knob, it is usually on the front side of the camera right at the base of the rewind knob -- you push the lever forward (it is spring loaded) with one finger and pull out on the knob with the others.

perhaps the knob is stuck in the film can somehow? Pull a bit harder -- nothing to lose. but don't use a pliers or anything.

As mentioned in #7, there is a lock that must be undone to pull the knob up.

See the left-hand photo on page 7 of the manual. It shows the small spring-loaded unlocking lever that must be rotated towards the back of the camera to unlock the knob so that it can be pulled up.

http://www.cameramanuals.org/nikon_pdf/nikon_fe.pdf

I just tried. Pulling as hard as I can, no movement. While I admit I'm still somewhat new to this, I used my dad's SLR back in the mid 90's without issue, and never had an issue popping the back of the AE-1, or the Yashica MG-1, or Nikon FA. Just seems odd to me.

And of course, stinks knowing even if I get the film out...it's probably already ruined, or will be if it's sitting there waiting to be exposed. I had intended this to be a test roll, but I still don't like losing images. Such is life though.

Oh and yes, that's the lever I was saying that I've moved back and forth multiple times. I've rotated it as far in the stated direction as it will go. It doesn't make a difference.

In that case it seems that the unlocking lever isn’t working properly. You won’t be able to open the back until the rewind knob can be unlocked and raised. In this case you’d have to submit the camera to camera repair service, such as Essex Camera Repair.

http://www.essexcamera.com/

Man that stinks. Just sent my FA to be repaired (stuck DOF preview lever & CLA --nasty light seals)

starcade design said:

Oh and yes, that's the lever I was saying that I've moved back and forth multiple times. I've rotated it as far in the stated direction as it will go. It doesn't make a difference.

Click to expand...

you are sure you are pulling just on the rewind knob?

Don't mean to beat a dead horse or insult -- but if yu are pulling on that ring below it with the asa numbers, you are not going to get anywhere. Lift the handle of the rewind knob, the think you unfold to rewind,, push the safety lock back and pull up just on the handle/crank of the rewind knob. the whole knob should come up, back should pop open.

if that don't work, sorry, may need a repair shop. essex highly recommended.

Yeah, it's the rewind knob, not the asa/iso selector. I've tried pulling the knob itself & just the handle.

Sounds like I'll need repair. Time to stop buying ebay cameras I guess. Bought an FA & FE, both supposedly in good working condition. Both in need of repair without getting one roll out of either. At least the $2.50 Ricoh FF3-AF I found at Goodwill ran a roll through & rewound nice and smooth.

summicron1 said:

sound more as if he neglected -- first timers do this all the time -- to make sure the film was advancing properly and when he rewound there was only a coupla inches of film to pull back in.

by the way, sometimes when you pull the rewind lever up the back doesn't open because it is sprung open by a spring that pushes on the film cartridge -- no film, no push, so you have to pull on it a bit.

Click to expand...

I'd agree with the first sentence but the back is pushed open(springified) by the pressure plate.
Have you tried winding the RW knob in either or both directions since it jammed?
Something that MAY have happened is with the pulling upward, the RW fork inside the camera has ridden up onto the top of the cassette.
I'll suggest rotating the knob in one direction or the other while pulling up on the knob. If it doesn't work, try it pushing down. If you wind anti-clockwise, the knob will come off, there is the lever, a spring and a washer it only works one way.

Just to be sure, you are moving and holding the release lock in the release position at the same time you are trying to lift the winding knob?

starcade design said:

Yeah, it's the rewind knob, not the asa/iso selector. I've tried pulling the knob itself & just the handle.

Sounds like I'll need repair. Time to stop buying ebay cameras I guess. Bought an FA & FE, both supposedly in good working condition. Both in need of repair without getting one roll out of either. At least the $2.50 Ricoh FF3-AF I found at Goodwill ran a roll through & rewound nice and smooth.

Click to expand...

You have to push and hold the release lever at the same time as you pull up on the rewind spindle.

Yep, doing that. Promise.

starcade design said:

Yep, doing that. Promise.

Click to expand...

Your probably going to need t send it out to a repair location that knows and works on Nikon cameras. Sounds like something came lose or broke inside with winding knob stem.

if i fix it can i keep it?

Haha.

I might eventually attempt to fix. After saying that I need to stop buying cameras on eBay, I bought a Nikon FM. Hopefully 3rd camera is the charm (though if not, I should be getting my FA back next week) I'd been looking for a 28mm Nikon lens (well, mostly for a Nikkor lens, but you know what I mean), and there was one (a Series E) going for less with an FM than for the lens alone. It'd be nice if the FM is working, but of course, the seller said they hadn't taken pictures, but had loaded it with film and it snapped through several frames with no problems. I guess time will tell. Also doesn't mean the meter is working.

Anyway, all that to say, if it winds up being usable, and the FA is usable, I might try to look into the problem...or just wait until I can afford a proper repair, and make sure I don't make it worse.

I'm still using my original black FM that I purchased in the mid 70's. The FE-2 is a very good camera.

Russ

Sometimes it helps to compress the back against the body (where it opens) while holding the rewind release and pulling up on the handle. Also, there is a possibility that the film cartridge has rotated and/or is putting pressure on the inside of the back and preventing the release from activating. Or there just may be grunge/piece of film in the 'receptacle' where the film cartridge resides creating pressure on the back.

I just had light seals installed in my F2 and it created enough pressure on the release mechanism that I have to squeeze the back/body together to get it to release properly.

HTH,

I've tried pushing against the back as well, but either I'm not doing it well or it's not really helping.

Oddly enough, today I decided to give it another go, and I managed to pop it open. It went once, and I closed it again...and popped it back open again. Took the film out, and decided to close it, thinking since I got it twice in a row I would get it again, and maybe I could get it going properly. Well, back to not being able to get it open. Haha. I'm going to use the film as my first test for home development, but as noted in this thread by others...I'm guessing I probably didn't have it spooled on properly, so likely nothing on there.

Was very odd how all of a sudden it worked as it's supposed to, and just as quickly decided not to again. Oh well.

On a side note, the ebay seller I bought the FM from just finally sent it yesterday. 6 days after ending. Lame.

Star,

If you are mechanically inclined, the mechanism can be easily accessed. I looked at my FE2, and if it is similar, it looks like a 'C' clip holds the cover plate (rotating release plate) in place. I would think you could remove the C clip and gently lift the plate and look for debris/piece of film lodged in the mechanism. The rewind handle can be removed by simply using a piece of wood/plastic between the legs of the rewind fork to hold it in place and gently turning the rewind handle counterclockwise to access the plate and clip.

Since I used to be a watchmaker I am somewhat comfortable getting into cameras. Not being aware of your background/skills please consider the above information and proceed at your own risk. Good luck.