Vintage Nikon that needs a CLA.

[Nikon 2]

Hey, maybe the F2 can give me the “dollar green” at a much, much lower cost…!

 

[BrianShaw]

I finally decided to send my Nikon F2 to Dean for a CLA! After looking at the results the Leica M-D produces, perfect exposure, convincing me to give the F2 a fair chance to achieve this …!

Congratulations! At least now you'll have a solid baseline to work from and not have to worry about "problems" being equipment related.

Did you send your lens also to have the focusing grease renewed? For me that doesn't make a difference in terms of absolute focus or image quality but it sure makes lenses feel better to use.

 

[George Mann]

I used a Nikkor 50mm f/2 pre AI with my F2…!

So do I.

 

[Nikon 2]

Congratulations! At least now you'll have a solid baseline to work from and not have to worry about "problems" being equipment related.

Did you send your lens also to have the focusing grease renewed? For me that doesn't make a difference in terms of absolute focus or image quality but it sure makes lenses feel better to use.

No, I didn’t, but have six lenses…!

 

[Pioneer]

I own, and occasionally use, a Nikon F that exposes around half a stop slow on all the slow speeds (below 1/25s). Since I know this and it has done this for at least the 10 years that I have owned it, I don't worry about it because I can easily adjust for it myself. At some point it will probably die but it hasn't yet so I just keep using it. It isn't like my car where someone else may be effected if the brakes fail or the engine dies in a busy intersection. If it dies in the middle of a shot no one else is at risk.

Besides, it is kind of a testimony to how tough these old Nikons really are. I have no idea what its' history is. All I know is that it was old when it arrived at my house and had some problems. It is certainly older now and still has the same problems but it still works. It will probably die someday and I'll retire it but as long as I keep working with it it just keeps on ticking.

 

[Nikon 2]

I own, and occasionally use, a Nikon F that exposes around half a stop slow on all the slow speeds (below 1/25s). Since I know this and it has done this for at least the 10 years that I have owned it, I don't worry about it because I can easily adjust for it myself. At some point it will probably die but it hasn't yet so I just keep using it. It isn't like my car where someone else may be effected if the brakes fail or the engine dies in a busy intersection. If it dies in the middle of a shot no one else is at risk.

Besides, it is kind of a testimony to how tough these old Nikons really are. I have no idea what its' history is. All I know is that it was old when it arrived at my house and had some problems. It is certainly older now and still has the same problems but it still works. It will probably die someday and I'll retire it but as long as I keep working with it it just keeps on ticking.

The Nikon F2, for instance, has issues when the shutter remains cocked for “too long”. Most say it’s the springs that are affected but Dean, who worked at the Nikon factory for over 20 years, says the pins that hold the springs are loosened and cause shutter speeds to be off. Cameras as old as the F2 unfortunately have those leaving the shutter cocked too long at one or more times is common...!

 

[Nikon 2]

Yellow trees in summer is a good indication of a camera needing a CLA...!

 

[ic-racer]

You’re right, the F2 uses a horizontal run shutter…!

You have the F2? Those are pretty popular, I’d think everyone and their brother can work on these.

In that case one would treat it like just about any other horizontal shutter. That is repair the components, rather than replace the whole shutter, seeing how the shutter is essentially built in to the camera body.

 

[Nikon 2]

You have the F2? Those are pretty popular, I’d think everyone and their brother can work on these.

In that case one would treat it like just about any other horizontal shutter. That is repair the components, rather than replace the whole shutter, seeing how the shutter is essentially built in to the camera body.

I’m quite sure Dean of Dean Cameras knows what to do…!

 

[BrianShaw]

Yellow trees in summer is a good indication of a camera needing a CLA...!

It's a sign of something, but not necessarily that the camera needs an overhaul...

 

[CMoore]

If you do not have the money..... no problem. When the funds become available, consider a CLA. The camera is not worth any stress or putting your health at risk.

But i would hazard a guess, that a lot of people that shoot film are not hurting for hobby-money.
I have friends... guns, cars, guitars, the hobby is meaningless... that are not 'frugal', they are cheap. Simple as that.

I remember an electrician friend of mine, super close retirement, and he would constantly complain that a little plastic bottle of orange juice was ONE DOLLAR..!!!
Good God.
Electricians make more money during retirement than when they work.He could just as easily tossed a dollar bill in the trash every morning.

Anyway................ if your car is due for an oil change, PAST Due by 4k miles, it still works just fine. After you change the oil, it still works fine.... NO Change in performance. But in the Long Run it is the right move. Brake pads, oil, filters...............you just change them to keep the vehicle running properly and to avoid 'catastrophic' failures.

If you have a 30-40-50 year old camera and it needs....or maybe has never had..... a CLA.
Just DO It.
For F sake.........30 Years.
If not now.......WHEN..???

 

[Nikon 2]

If you do not have the money..... no problem. When the funds become available, consider a CLA. The camera is not worth any stress or putting your health at risk.

But i would hazard a guess, that a lot of people that shoot film are not hurting for hobby-money.
I have friends... guns, cars, guitars, the hobby is meaningless... that are not 'frugal', they are cheap. Simple as that.

I remember an electrician friend of mine, super close retirement, and he would constantly complain that a little plastic bottle of orange juice was ONE DOLLAR..!!!
Good God.
Electricians make more money during retirement than when they work.He could just as easily tossed a dollar bill in the trash every morning.

Anyway................ if your car is due for an oil change, PAST Due by 4k miles, it still works just fine. After you change the oil, it still works fine.... NO Change in performance. But in the Long Run it is the right move. Brake pads, oil, filters...............you just change them to keep the vehicle running properly and to avoid 'catastrophic' failures.

If you have a 30-40-50 year old camera and it needs....or maybe has never had..... a CLA.
Just DO It.
For F sake.........30 Years.
If not now.......WHEN..???

What the price of film is today, a CLA is mandatory for your pleasure in the film’s potential for 40-50 year old cameras…!

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Who has a vintage Nikon that needs a CLA but shoots with it anyway despite it needing an adjustment…?

my FM is 40 years old and has never been serviced so, so I'm sure it needs a CLA but it works, so I shoot with it anyway. Another is in service right now and should be back every day now. We'll see if there is a difference

 

[Nikon 2]

my FM is 40 years old and has never been serviced so, so I'm sure it needs a CLA but it works, so I shoot with it anyway. Another is in service right now and should be back every day now. We'll see if there is a difference

Since I use Kodak Ektar 100, perfect exposure is critical for the film achieving that true natural quality of the scene being captured…!

 

[Sirius Glass]

If you do not have the money..... no problem. When the funds become available, consider a CLA. The camera is not worth any stress or putting your health at risk.

But i would hazard a guess, that a lot of people that shoot film are not hurting for hobby-money.
I have friends... guns, cars, guitars, the hobby is meaningless... that are not 'frugal', they are cheap. Simple as that.

I remember an electrician friend of mine, super close retirement, and he would constantly complain that a little plastic bottle of orange juice was ONE DOLLAR..!!!
Good God.
Electricians make more money during retirement than when they work.He could just as easily tossed a dollar bill in the trash every morning.

Anyway................ if your car is due for an oil change, PAST Due by 4k miles, it still works just fine. After you change the oil, it still works fine.... NO Change in performance. But in the Long Run it is the right move. Brake pads, oil, filters...............you just change them to keep the vehicle running properly and to avoid 'catastrophic' failures.

If you have a 30-40-50 year old camera and it needs....or maybe has never had..... a CLA.
Just DO It.
For F sake.........30 Years.
If not now.......WHEN..???

False economy, the rings and bearings were wear out sooner. One could accomplish the same result by pouring steel filings down the oil input tube.

 

[MultiFormat Shooter]

For F sake...

I see what you did there. It could also be for F2's sake.

 

[Nikon 2]

I see what you did there. It could also be for F2's sake.

You can drink Sake for F2’s sake…!

 

[Nikon 2]

Since I use Kodak Ektar 100, perfect exposure is critical for the film achieving that true natural quality of the scene being captured…!

My F2 was just diagnosed with curtains that were different by two or three stops…!

 

[Nikon 2]

Remember me?

Just received my F2 from Dean.
Did a complete overhaul and got the meter working…!

 

[BrianShaw]

Good! Should make you a lot happier…

Does it sound any different now that the shutter curtains are running at the correct relative speeds?

 

[Nikon 2]

Good! Should make you a lot happier…

Does it sound any different now that the shutter curtains are running at the correct relative speeds?

Yes, it sounds different and has a more precise sounding click. It’s also considerably louder than before…!

 

[BrianShaw]

Yes, it sounds different and has a more precise sounding click. It’s also considerably louder than before…!

Interesting observation. Actually, a bit opposite of my experience with F3. Some of the noise is generated by the mirror flipping up and mitigated by the mirror bumper foam. My F3 got quieter when that was replaced as part of a past overhaul. It was significant enough for me to remember many years later.

On a Ricoh SLR that I inherited I replaced all of the foam but didn’t have correct mirror bumper foam so substituted with a closed-cell foam and it was so loud that even I flinched. Replacing with more suitable foam significantly reduced that to “normal SLR racket” level.

You might want to look at that aspect. I’m sure Dean knows what he’s doing and uses proper materials, but just in case something got missed…

Or, it’s just an inherently loud camera!?!?!?

 

[Nikon 2]

Interesting observation. Actually, a bit opposite of my experience with F3. Some of the noise is generated by the mirror flipping up and mitigated by the mirror bumper foam. My F3 got quieter when that was replaced as part of a past overhaul. It was significant enough for me to remember many years later.

On a Ricoh SLR that I inherited I replaced all of the foam but didn’t have correct mirror bumper foam so substituted with a closed-cell foam and it was so loud that even I flinched. Replacing with more suitable foam significantly reduced that to “normal SLR racket” level.

You might want to look at that aspect. I’m sure Dean knows what he’s doing and uses proper materials, but just in case something got missed…

Or, it’s just an inherently loud camera!?!?!?

It could be the comparison with the Leica MD 262 being so quiet and using it for a while that made me think the F2 was more loud after the CLA…!

 

[Nikon 2]

Dean said he replaced the foam with felt as to make it last longer. As a result could cause the louder sounds…!

 

[BrianShaw]

You should take some pictures and verify the repair job. I’m looking forward to your results. If the sound change doesn’t bother you then all is well. If you can’t live with the sound and want more like original, replacing with open-cell foam like the factory Nikon material is easy (if you are at least moderately handy and have decent fine motor skills).