Trash in the Way

ColColt · Apr 20, 2016

I have a great looking black FTN Photomic that shutter speeds are accurate and meter functions. The only problem is a tiny piece of trash of some sort at the very middle of the meter at the top where it looks like an inverted "V" where the needle moved to indicate proper exposure. That piece of trash, insect or whatever it is is right in the middle of that "V". It doesn't seem to impede the movement of the needle, just distracting.

I've tried blowing every nook and cranny I could find to dislodge it to no avail. Any ideas what to do or who could fix this? I tried taking a picture of it and couldn't get the right angle as it's way up at the top.

bsdunek · Apr 20, 2016

The FTN head is a little tricky to take apart, which it sounds like will be required. Might try this guy: https://www.cameraquest.com/repairs.htm

ColColt · Apr 20, 2016

Unless I overlooked something it seems he only repairs meters for the F2 series. I have two others just like this one(except chrome) and neither have any trash/insects or whatever it is...only my best looking FTN

John_Nikon_F · Apr 20, 2016

If one of the chrome ones is nice, grab a Wiha 1.5mmx40mm slotted screwdriver. Swap nameplates. Done.

-J

ColColt · Apr 20, 2016

The one with the trash in the prism is black. Not that it matters but the chrome ones are not near as nice.

jimjm · Apr 20, 2016

Try calling Doug at Camera Clinic up near Seattle, 306-367-2440. He specializes in repairing these and has a lot of old Nikon spare parts. Communication was great and the price was reasonable.

If that debris can be cleaned from the finder, he should be able to do it.

He restored my FTN head which was near-mint, but due to age the meter was non-responsive. He overhauled it and converted it to accept modern 1.5v batteries. The camera now looks and functions like new, probably never having more than a few rolls run through it since the 70's.

jimjm · Apr 20, 2016

Typo on the phone #, it's 206-367-2440

John Koehrer · Apr 20, 2016

That's why you replace the nameplate. Put your nice black plate on an ugly but working chrome one.

John_Nikon_F · Apr 20, 2016

ColColt said:
The one with the trash in the prism is black. Not that it matters but the chrome ones are not near as nice.

So? Swap the nameplate, then find a nice FTn finder that doesn't have desilvering in the prism and put your nameplate on that one. The chrome FTn finder on my current F was originally black, but I changed it over when I had the finder on a chrome body. Alas, the originally chrome finder, which was mated to my previous black F, wound up being sold to someone here. Otherwise, I would've switched it back. Since I plan to get another eyelevel finder later this year, I won't bother with switching the nameplates.

-J

ColColt · Apr 20, 2016

That nameplate swap worked nicely, didn't even think of that.

Theo Sulphate · Apr 20, 2016

???

I don't get it. How does the swapping solve anything? Don't you now have two "panda" cameras?

Sirius Glass · Apr 21, 2016

Do you mean "Trash on the Way"?

ColColt · Apr 21, 2016

Theo Sulphate said:
???

I don't get it. How does the swapping solve anything? Don't you now have two "panda" cameras?

Panda cameras? I have one black and two chrome FTN's. The meters work in them all. The black one is spot on with my Luna Pro SBC meter with the MR9 adapter. Taking one of the chrome meters that works well and replacing the face plate with the black one from the "Apollo" FTN and putting it on that one will give me a good meter without the "trash" in the viewfinder.

Theo Sulphate · Apr 21, 2016

ColColt said:
That nameplate swap worked nicely, didn't even think of that.

"nameplate swap" confused me - you're swapping the "buggy" internals from your black FTN head for the clear internals of a chrome FTN head.

By "nameplate swap", I thought you swapped just the front "Nikon" plate and internals stayed the same, thereby creating one of those Panda things.

You can tell I've never owned an FTN...

ColColt · Apr 21, 2016

You take the "nameplate" off the black FTN and swap it for another good chrome FTN meter. They both have a black meter but not the nameplate.

This shows the black one. There are several screws at the top and sides of the front that say "F-Nikon". Remove those and place it on a good one that came from one of the chrome versions.

_1DF4527a by David Fincher, on Flickr

Theo Sulphate · Apr 21, 2016

Nice.

Both your black FTN and chrome Leica M2 with meter look great. You are all set with 35mm.

ColColt · Apr 21, 2016

Yep, pretty much. I felt the M2 needed some kin folk so got an M3 and M4 so it wouldn't feel so left out surrounded by all them Nikons.

Trash in the Way

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