Nikon FM2n -- bad meter

[ArtO]

I have recently gotten this camera and it seemed to work just fine. The last time I went to use it the meter was all strange. It meters but does things like f2.8 at 4 seconds in low light. Bounce the camera about a bit and it changes. Even changing the shutter speed has little or no effect. I've tried new batteries and everything I can think of. Someone had at one time mentioned that if a non-ai lens was mounted something could be bent and that might be the source of the problem. The fellow I got if from said he used non-ai lenses on it regularly.

I'm guessing it could also be dust or some such. Does anyone have anything they can tell me to check in the hopes of a quick fix?

 

[dnk512]

The FM2n does not do "...things like f2.8 at 4 seconds...". Best you can measure is 1 second on its dial.

Perhaps you mean 1/4 sec @f2.8. If so, then it depends what ISO you are at. You may be outside the range of the meter.
Why not test the meter at sunny 16 and then at some normal shades and so on and see if you are having an issue.

 

[ArtO]

The FM2n does not do "...things like f2.8 at 4 seconds...". Best you can measure is 1 second on its dial.

Perhaps you mean 1/4 sec @f2.8. If so, then it depends what ISO you are at. You may be outside the range of the meter.
Why not test the meter at sunny 16 and then at some normal shades and so on and see if you are having an issue.

Sorry - mistyped ...1/4 is correct. Compared the FM2n with my F4S - same lens, same subject, as well as the sunny-16 approach. This was outdoors. Early in the morning on a fairly bright day. ASA400.

 

[BMbikerider]

Non AI lenses can be put on a FM2 whatever version and if this is done properly then there is nothing that can get 'bent'. Mount it incorrectly and you could just....... twist....... the aperture lever a little but very very unlikely

 

[nwilkins]

non AI lenses may seem to go on fine but they do actually have to bend the AI clip out of the way in order to fit. I suppose it is possible that the clip could be bent, but really all the clip does is interact with the AI mount to move the metering ring. So if you are using an AI lens and the clip catches and moves as you adjust aperture then that shouldn't be the problem.

 

[ArtO]

non AI lenses may seem to go on fine but they do actually have to bend the AI clip out of the way in order to fit. I suppose it is possible that the clip could be bent, but really all the clip does is interact with the AI mount to move the metering ring. So if you are using an AI lens and the clip catches and moves as you adjust aperture then that shouldn't be the problem.

The ai clip seems to make contact and move when the f-stop is adjusted. So probably not it. Maybe it's just something that's broken like a bad contact or such. I found a repair manual on the internet but frankly -- I doubt it. The old fingers don't feel like they're up to messing with all those tiny parts.

 

[jochen]

Hello,
around and between the bayonet flange and the mirror box on the camera body there is a moving ring which is spring loaded. A little step couples with a nose on an Ai or AiS lens and transfers the f-stop set on the lens to the meter system, the ring follows the movement of the f-stop ring. If an old non Ai lens (not converted to Ai) shall be used, on some models like the F3 or F 2 AS, this little step on the body has to be flipped away and then you have stop down measuring. I think the FE, FM have this flip-away step, I'm not sure if the newer FM 2n or FE 2 have this device any longer. If you mount an old non Ai or AiS lens (not converted to Ai) to such a camera with force maybe you could bent or damage the coupling. Check whether the spring of the ring is o.K. or broken and have a look into the instruction manual for use of non Ai lenses. If the coupling is damaged, the repair could get expensive as the camera has to be dismantled nearly completely (top cover, flange ...).

 

[BobD]

The meter coupling lever on the FM2 and FE2 cannot be flipped up to allow use of Non-AI lenses as on the earlier FM and FE models. The FM2 and FE2 were designed for AI lenses.