Printable View
Quote:
Originally Posted by pityacka
I would NEVER dream of doing that with my working digital's, but with the prices of FM's and other manual models, I would buy a 'for parts' body in a New York minute, just to take apart and learn how everything works. There are lots of listings for non-working bodies. Buy a cheap one, take it apart, and see if you can figure out how to repair the meter.
So here it is. The $34.33 Nikon FM I found on Ebay. Came with the lens. Everything seems to work correctly, with the exception of the light meter. I need to get a new battery for it, although the battery compartment looks clean, and doesn't have any acidic growth or anything. The only thing I can find wrong with it, is the rubber around the eyepiece. Its deteriorated significantly and will need to be replaced. Barely any scratches, no engravings, and everything clicks and winds as it should! More photos in the Flickr set.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6071/...ea1f0bf2_b.jpg
NikonFM-0492 by ChristopherCoy, on Flickr
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6067/...d23d7944_b.jpg
NikonFM-0491 by ChristopherCoy, on Flickr
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6187/...27483656_b.jpg
NikonFM-0488 by ChristopherCoy, on Flickr
You may also need to get new light seals for the body which are easy and inexpensive to get - if the eyecup is deteriorated, those foam seals may be bad too. But congrats on a great little camera.
Well... I put a new battery in. And after reading the FM user manual, it would appear that the little red LED indicator on the meter doesn't work. Unless I'm doing something wrong, I guess I'll have to look into repairing this part.
Are meters expensive to replace/repair?
I have an FM that I got a few years ago at a swap meet. The camera/meter kept draining the battery even with the thumb thing in the off position. I spent more than the camera cost me to try to fix it. Then the flash synch went out of synch and again I had it fixed for more than I originally paid. Then the little screw on top of the advance lever, the one about a half inch round and covered in leather, fell off in an airport somewhere. Keep an eye on yours. It is a nice little camera but not worth getting fixed.
Dennis
$70 would be a typical price on ebay--enjoy your bargain, it's a fantastic camera!
Is the lens the 43-86?
Quote:
Originally Posted by perkeleellinen
Yup. Its the 43-86 3.5.
I thought about that last night. If that lens isn't an AI lens, then the meter wouldn't work anyway right? Is that what you are getting at?
I hope that's the case. I have a 50mm E series coming in today.
According to THIS SITE the 43-86 thats on this camera is the later Ai version, introduced around 1976/77. The serial on it is 877236, and the information is printed on outside of the rim, as opposed to the earlier models which had the information printed on the inside. So I guess the meter really is broken.
No, no, I was curious that's all. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by ChristopherCoy