Nikon FM - metering not working.

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pityacka

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fred (frederick)
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The Nikon FM which I have, has a fault with the metering. It displays only the red warning dot showing underexposed. Altering aperture or shutter speeds makes no difference at all. I will still be able to use it with a handheld light meter. But I was wondering if anyone out there has experienced the same problem and knows of a simple remedy; or failing that information about the rough price of a profeesional repair.
Thanks in anticipation.
 
Have you tried changing the batteries? Been years since I used one so can't remember what other things you can try.
 
if it cant be cured with a new battery, then often the best solution is to get a professional to have a look at it
 
The ISO is set at 200. Should that make any difference ? I was also wondering why new batteries MIGHT reveal something different. I will try new batteries to see what happens. On the same point, I have a Olympus OM40, batteries in that would not bring anything out of the camera. Placed the batteries in a Pentax ME Super - everything worked OK. Batteries back in the OM40 no joy. Thought that the OM40 was faulty, until I placed new batteries in it, then everything was fine.
At the moment I can use the FM by using a hand-held meter, and set of aperture and speeds accordingly ?
 
pityacka said:
The ISO is set at 200. Should that make any difference ? I was also wondering why new batteries MIGHT reveal something different. I will try new batteries to see what happens. On the same point, I have a Olympus OM40, batteries in that would not bring anything out of the camera. Placed the batteries in a Pentax ME Super - everything worked OK. Batteries back in the OM40 no joy. Thought that the OM40 was faulty, until I placed new batteries in it, then everything was fine.
At the moment I can use the FM by using a hand-held meter, and set of aperture and speeds accordingly ?
Click to expand...

if you set the iso to its highest sensitivity and the meter gets no reading, then it means that there is something wrong with the circuit inside because it isnt getting any power, if it does get a very small or inaccurate reading then it means that the meter itself has died. Old meters tend to wear out after time
 
Just in case the ISO is accidentally set at a level which is so low that everything would be underexposed, but I'm guessing it's not. And yes, it's still fully mechanical - the joys of classic manual film cameras!
 
freecom2 said:
Just in case the ISO is accidentally set at a level which is so low that everything would be underexposed, but I'm guessing it's not. And yes, it's still fully mechanical - the joys of classic manual film cameras!
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surely setting the iso low would overexpose everything?
 
the fm's can go down to iso 12 , if it was set that low it would be harder to get the meter to ( show ) overexposure rather than underexposure ,,,so what freecom2 and rob both said really .
 
I had the same issue with the FM I got and it ended up that the batteries were in it upside down. Definitely need to check the batteries.
 
I thought I'd bought a Nikon FE with a dead lightmeter as a half click of the shutter release wasn't activating the light meter. Turns out you need to move the film advance lever to the half-cocked position to turn it on.

I felt quite stupid after reading the manual and discovering that. I also tried winding the first roll of film the wrong way onto the spindle and wondering why the film kept failing to wind-on.

Moral of story is always read the manual. I tend to assume I can work out any gadget with just a bit of hands on time.
 
I have tried new batteries, and both the old ones and the new ones were/ are inserted correctly. The meter reading only comes on when the wind-on lever is moved to the right, as JCoquillon says, showing the readout on the right handside of the viewfinder (+/- sign with the red dot below the minus sign). However, as the batteries are only for the meter, then I am correct in assuming that by using a handheld light meter, and setting aperture and speed from that, I will still be able to use the camera.?
I do not have the camera manual but found it on a Malaysian photography site, and had a good look through before starting on the camera.
But if anyone has any idea of the potential cost of having the meter repaired/replacedI would be glad to hear.
 
pityacka said:
However, as the batteries are only for the meter, then I am correct in assuming that by using a handheld light meter, and setting aperture and speed from that, I will still be able to use the camera.?
Click to expand...

Yes, the utter beauty of all mechanical cameras, it's all springs and levers. Try it out for yourself! You could be 200 miles from any batteries and still be shooting just fine, you'd be completely dead in the water with any electronic controlled SLR/DSLR.

As for cost - it's very difficult to speculate. It could be simple corrosion requiring only slight changes/modifications to some wiring, or it could require a complete stripdown of the camera and all the internal electrics, which would take even a skilled technician a fair amount of time.
 
Right, just picked up my lovely Nikon FM.....

The batteries go with the positive into the case ie unscrew the battery holder and place it on the desk. Place the batteries into it with pos upwards.

Turn the small control on the right hand side (between the speed control and winder) until the red bit is pointing to the black dash (ie at the photographer).

Pull the winder out so that you can see the red dot under it.

Look through the view finder.

You should see one or two red dots ie

1 red dot next to +
1 red dot next to -
1 red dot next to o

OR 1 red dot next to o & one red dot next to either + or -

Turn the aperture control or speed control and you should be able to change the exposure which will result in the above changing.

Alternatively turn the camera towards the light/dark

If you are already doing the above then it would need fixing.
 
pityacka said:
I do not have the camera manual but found it on a Malaysian photography site, and had a good look through before starting on the camera.
But if anyone has any idea of the potential cost of having the meter repaired/replacedI would be glad to hear.
Click to expand...

There's a full .pdf of the manual here

Edit: oops - its the FM2.... ignore me - i'm a plank!
 
Cowasaki, and all, thanks for the interest, but I have not got the meter working, so it looks like a repair job, if I want to go down that road. But as pointed out it is a mechanical camera, so I will be able to use it with my lightmeter. Having first ventured out on the photography route with a HALINA 35X:)eek:) then followed by a Zenith E, I learned about exposure the 'hard' way. With built-in metering in all the other modern cameras I have, it will do me no harm to revert to my roots.;)
But should anyone had had the same repair done and can quote what the cost was, I would be thankful.
 
pityacka said:
Cowasaki, and all, thanks for the interest, but I have not got the meter working, so it looks like a repair job
Click to expand...

One more thing to look at perhaps: on the the FM and FE you could disengage the AI aperture coupling so that you could mount older F-mount lenses. There is a little metal tab on the aperture coupling ring that can be flipped in and out - perhaps this is in the wrong position?

(see Figure 3 on the MIR page for the FM)

Mind you, if that were your problem, I'd expect the meter to say that you were overexposing rather than underexposing, so this probably isn't your problem!

Lovely camera though - I have several Nikons, and prefer the FM to the others.

Andrew
 
arcr, Thanks for that. I found the mir stuff last week and had a look at it, as the FM came without a manual. I will have another look at that site again. The lens I have fitted at the moment is a Tokina 70-210 Ai lens, but I gather that I can use modern Nikon lenses on the FM - I have the Nikon 50mm 1.8, and the 28-80 lens, and both have aperture rings. I also have the Nikon 70-300 lens (G model), which has no aperture ring. All three were bought for Nikon AF cameras.
 
pityacka said:
arcr, Thanks for that. I found the mir stuff last week and had a look at it, as the FM came without a manual. I will have another look at that site again. The lens I have fitted at the moment is a Tokina 70-210 Ai lens, but I gather that I can use modern Nikon lenses on the FM - I have the Nikon 50mm 1.8, and the 28-80 lens, and both have aperture rings. I also have the Nikon 70-300 lens (G model), which has no aperture ring. All three were bought for Nikon AF cameras.
Click to expand...

I have used a AF 50mm f1.8, AF80-200 f2.8 and other modern lenses on the FM without any issues. Personally I would have a go at fixing it but the reality is that you can pick them up for less than the repair cost so might not be worth doing.
 
the fm's can use pre ai lenses ,,,fm 2's and after cant
 
Just one thought is the lens aperture coupler moving freely when the lens aperture is adjusted?
 
try rotating the ISO dial a few times..its often muck that gets trapped under the dial..rotating it often cures the problem..
 
Knighthawk, Thanks for that suggestion, and I will certainly give that a try.
 
knighthawk, Have given your suggestion a try, and you may be correct. After turning it a few times, then altering the aperture on the lens, the three red lights flickered separately, now and again. It looks like it may be dust underneath. Light meter still not working, but was thinking a trying a fine bristled brush underneath the ISO dial. That may shift any 'dust'. Anyone with any other suggestions, then most welcome to post.
 
Some electronics contact cleaner/de oxidiser might help too.
 
Last two posts noted with thanks, as well, but where do I get electronics contact cleaner(s), or de-oxidiser. :thinking:
 
Thanks for that re Maplin, and I will bear it in mind. I will also have a look at the other suggestions posted. I have put a film through using a handheld meter, and every shot has come out fine. That was using the Tokina 70-210 lens (AI), so I will try my Nikon 50mm f/1.8 next.
 
If you want to know how it all works then here is the relevant circuit diagram and description: HERE plus HERE & HERE- If there was a fault fixing it would not be too difficult, it is just a matter of parts.
 
cowasaki, Thanks for those links, but I am not going to start dismantling it. I have never done anything like that. Too advanced for me. I have been rotating the speed and ISO dials, and I am now getting a bit reaction, and occasional reading from the light meter. I still suspect dirt. The on-off switch was a little stiff to start with, but now turns a lot more freely. Probably the cameras has been laid up for a while and just wants some gentle coaxing. I hope.
 
Try lifting the ISO dial up and spaying some switch cleaner lubricant in..You can get it from marlins...
 
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