Nikon FE - shutter releases on film advance

Llaves · Aug 21, 2021

I pulled my old FE out of the closet for the first time in years. The mirror was locked in the up position. I checked that battery, not the problem. I removed the bottom plate and released the lever that locks the film advance, cocked the advance lever and the mirror released (speed dial in M90 position). But now I have a new problem - every other advance or so the shutter releases as soon as the advance lever is cocked. The other time the advance is normal and the shutter release button works. Any thoughts on how to fix this?

Nicholas Lindan · Aug 21, 2021

With the shutter button depressed as you wind does the shutter release at the stroke completion every time?

If so then I would suspect something in the shutter button & associated mechanism is gummed up.

Llaves · Aug 21, 2021

Nicholas Lindan said:
With the shutter button depressed as you wind does the shutter release at the stroke completion every time?

If so then I would suspect something in the shutter button & associated mechanism is gummed up.

As far as I can tell, you can't advance the film with the shutter button depressed - it locks out the lever.
And now I've noticed that when it does successfully cock the shutter without releasing it, you can double wind the film (ie, advance again without releasing the shutter.)

BrianShaw · Aug 21, 2021

You camera bottom needs to be serviced. Cock, release, and film advance are all coordinated under the bottom plate. The mechanism is generally straight forward but if it is gummy then things malfunction. There is a very small "pallet" device that concludes the film advance and shutter cocking stroke. If it is gummy and doesn't seat correctly then the cycle is not completed. That is most noticeable when using a motordrive as it just locks up. There may be other parts where gummy interfaces cause different problems, such as the one you describe. You don't want to read this, but a professional overhaul would likely get you back in business.

Llaves · Aug 21, 2021

BrianShaw said:
You don't want to read this, but a professional overhaul would likely get you back in business.

That answer is not particularly surprising for a camera of this age, however unwelcome the news may be. The question then becomes whether I can buy a new (used) camera for less than the price of servicing. Or do I even care about this camera anymore?

BrianShaw · Aug 21, 2021

That discussion, buy another old camera vs overhaul what you have to original working condition, has been played over and over again. Zealots on both sides. Good arguments on both sides. I’m on one side of that issue almost without exception.

Professional overhaul will likely cost as much as the camera is valued, but you end up with a reliable camera for many years to come. Buy another old camera, who knows… might be the solution or might not be. A bit more risk.

BTW, I use an FE as backup to F3… and often pick up the FE first. Don’t quite know why. FE is actually a really nice camera to use.

Llaves · Aug 21, 2021

BrianShaw said:
That discussion, buy another old camera vs overhaul what you have to original working condition, has been played over and over again. Zealots on both sides.

Really? Zealots on the internet? I'm shocked. Shocked!

Professional overhaul will likely cost as much as the camera is valued, but you end up with a reliable camera for many years to come. Buy another old camera, who knows… might be the solution or might not be. A bit more risk.

That is an important consideration, esp. if buying from a random seller on eBay vs. from a reliable source that warrantees the gear they sell.

BTW, I use an FE as backup to F3… but too often pick up the FE first. Don’t quite know why. FE is actually a really nice camera to use.

The FE came out of retirement (or tried too) after I gave up my RB67 - just too much weight to carry around. But nothing like that big negative.
Oh, and I lost access to a color darkroom.

BrianShaw · Aug 21, 2021

Even a warrantee is less valuable than a competent overhaul in my opinion. Warranted means it will work when you get it and be guaranteed to work for some limited time in the future. Who knows how much longer than that it will work. Overhaul is likely to provide reliability for a decade or more.

Llaves · Aug 21, 2021

BrianShaw said:
Even a warrantee is less valuable than a competent overhaul in my opinion. Warranted means it will work when you get it and be guaranteed to work for some limited time in the future. Who knows how much longer than that it will work. Overhaul is likely to provide reliability for a decade or more.

In LA you probably have the pick of several reliable overhaul shops. I'll be lucky if there's one in Albuquerque.

Nikon FE - shutter releases on film advance

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