Shutter Testing a Most Inexpensive 35mm Camera...How Bad Is It?

[ic-racer]

The Nikon N55.

These cameras can be had for very little money. I got one for $7 from KEH and another for very little (shout out to user "multivoiced" as an excellent and safe seller!!)

The N55 was the bottom of the line for Nikon's F-mount AF cameras.

So...how bad is it...

 

[ic-racer]

First a test of the meter. Using a calibrated light source.

The indicator in the viewfinder is in one-half stops.

So, within a half-stop, every EV from 6 to 14 measured exact by the viewfinder display.

 

[ic-racer]

Shutter Test:

Nominal : Measured : EV Error

1/2048 = 1/1955 = +0.1
1/1024 = 1/979 = +0.1
1/512 = 1/507 = 0
1/254 = 1/260 = 0
1/128 = 1/129 = 0
1/64 = 1/65 = 0
1/32 = 1/32 = 0
1/16 = 1/16 = 0
1/8 = 1/8.1 = 0
1/4 = 1/4.1 = 0
1/2 = 1/2 = 0
1 = 0.99 = 0

 

[ic-racer]

All I can say is "Wow!"

Almost makes one want to give up on fine adjustment of mechanical focal plane shutters and old meters!

 

[kl122002]

How about the factory 's tolerance setting?
Is there any tolerance that can refer to?

 

[ic-racer]

 

[Andreas Thaler]

This shows that such cameras are the finer tools when the settings are made so precisely and remain accurate over such a long time.

I assume that the prices will now rise as a result of your test

Do you know how to adjust this vertical focal plane shutter? Can this still be done by yourself?

 

[kl122002]

Then this camera really have a very nice result !

Just, don't tell the kids to the fact that these undervalued cameras could performs much better than expensive one suggested by YT.

 

[4season]

Those cheap plastic SLRs were the end-result of a lot of evolution. What amazes me about cameras like Canon Rebel is how smooth and quiet they are: The designers were so good at reducing vibration and noise that even the least expensive offerings benefited. Compare that to a Zenit KM which is quite loud by comparison.

 

[ic-racer]

Do you know how to adjust this vertical focal plane shutter? Can this still be done by yourself?

All adjustments are done through software with a special computer interface. Nothing that can be done with a little screwdriver.

There is an adjustment (in the software) for:
1) Auto Exposure
2) Aperture
3) 1/2000 shutter speed
4) TTL flash adjustment
5) Battery check adjustment

From what I can tell, the camera checks the shutter speed itself and adjusts accordingly as you use it.

I suspect people that have the software and interface are still actively repairing cameras to make a living, so I'll just let it be at that. None of the software is available to the hobbyist at this time that I know of.

 

[Donald Qualls]

For that kind of price I might have to look for an N series. I've got (access to) a couple F mount AF zooms, one a macro -- and assuming that lenses originally sold with a D series cover the full frame, they could be a nice way to fly.

 

[ic-racer]

What Nikon did for the N55 to lower the price was to use a plastic lens mount and remove add-on TTL flash function and other things like that. The meter, shutter mechanism, AF etc. function as well as the best of Nikons other cameras.

According to this diagram from Wiki, the N55 was introuduced around 2002, with the only AF Nikon cameras newer than that being the N75 and F6.

 

[ic-racer]

It is not documented anywhere that I can find in Nikon literature, but the AA battery pack for the N75, is backward compatible with the N55.

 

[vandergus]

How is the exposure variation across the frame on that fella. I have a lot more experience with the Pentax version of this camera, the MZ/ZX line. They are all pretty much dead on up to 1/1000. At 1/2000, the center shutter speed is often very accurate but it's common to see +/- 0.5 EV on the edges (not too concerning). But there are a couple models that use the same shutter and push it to 1/4000 of a second, the MZ-3 and the ZX-L. That speed is pretty sketchy, with extreme EV shifts at the edges of the frame.

 

[ic-racer]

At 1/2000 this is what the camera gives:

Upper frame + 0.1EV
Lower frame +0.3EV

I'm impressed with the results, though I have used 1/2000 and the prints have always looked fine.