Stuck shutter and other details in Nikkormat FT (maybe broken parts) PART 2

[@davesmith9325]

Fascinating, many thanks for sharing. The one part that broken is the only plastic part on the camera. 😉

[@tilica5353]

Good job man ,congratulation,i fixed mi old camera after your video .BRAVO !!!

[@bartwaggoner2000]

It would be interesting to see if a new Nikkormat (e.g. FT2) fixed this issue. I can’t imagine they did this for cost saving - they must have needed a nylon gear there to solve some issue... Are any of the original Japanese camera designers watching?

[@perrymacimages]

Thanks a lot, great video. I somewhat fixed my ftn meter. The meter works now after adding the diode but it’s a bit off. Pointed at the ☀️ sun at aperture 125, at f5.6, needle is in the middle. Thanks I learned a lot from your channel thanks.

[@casperchung1159]

Great channel! I tried repairing the Ft as well, the camera was well designed to fail after certain shutter fire or time, Very Shaddy. There is a lever in contact with the gear bar to reset the shutter curtain, which the lever was constantly pushed by that gear bar in the bottom similar to a grinding motion. And Nikon used mild steel to make that lever, so every time the curtain reset, a bit of the lever got grinded away. After certain shutter fire, the lever will be so thin that it cannot reset the curtain. As a result, the Ft will fail and be unrepairable due to either grinding of the lever or plastic oxidation of the plastic gear over time. This camera is destined to fail, better steer away from it. And I had higher expectation for Nikon.

[@davesmith9325]

I dont recognise a "lever that pushes designed to grind away" in the disassembly we see here. Maybe you can be more specific. Of course all mechanical cameras have many parts that slide, the same as watches and car engines) but if properly lubricated these can last a surprising long time. Although cheaper and aimed at amateur consumers rather than professionals, afaik nikkormats generally have an excellent reputation for reliability compared to other brands of the time, not only the pro Nikon F's, so I'm nit convinced this is a systematic weakness as you assert, but if you are convinced of your opinion os up to you but since afaik the shutter in the nikkormat is actually a copal square (a relatively early iteration at that) so maybe you should blame copal rather than nikon

[@TomFindahl]

When the Nikkormats have jumpy meter needle, the resistor bands is in need of cleaning, could you please make a video showing how it's done?

[@mikeno62]

I'm right now working on the Nikkormat FTn on the very sticky aperture ring and the very stiff ASA index ring, and also the sticky shutter speed ring. It will come out soon :-)

[@TomFindahl]

@@mikeno62 Thanks a lot! You're the best!

[@robertyuill2382]

Great videos Mike. I have a Nikomat FT-n, I've replaced the seals on the eye piece, mirror cushion, and those around the metal frame that holds the focusing screen & condenser lenses. All that went well, but I can not find a way to reinsert the shutter speed acetate strip into the slot on the metal frame (that contains the focusing screen & condenser). I know that acetate strip rides in the groove on the focusing screen, but first i need to get the metal frame into position. Any insight into this? thanks..

[@jacovanlith5082]

The Nikkormat eyepiece has the same size as the Fuji ST series and the Fuji 6x9 rangefinder cameras. It is a pity the digital Fujifilm-X cameras has no eyepiece in which a rubber hood or dioptry lenses fit.

[@elicarranzasanchez752]

Thank you for your video ,hard work but with passion, must to be an good man.

[@mikeno62]

Thank's :-)

[@Readbetweenthelines1]

Mike, you are a master of patience! I would have used quite a few more colorful words if I were in your situation! I have an FT2 and the shutter release doesn't trigger on the 1, 2 & 4 shutter speed settings. I wonder, do you have any suggestions what could be the issue. I assume it is years of lack of use that have caused the lubricant to dry. If so what do you suggest?

[@mosinmeister25]

Mine has exactly the same problem! 1,2,4 but everything else works perfectly.

[@Readbetweenthelines1]

@@mosinmeister25 took mine in for a service, works great now, I suspect it was dried grease

[@mosinmeister25]

@@Readbetweenthelines1 Thanks for the fast reply. Did they say what it actually was? I thought it might be dried up lube too. Can I ask how much the repair cost you?

[@tompaste387]

I have a Nikkormat ftn with a similar film advance winder and shutter problem. Your video is very informative, but how do you remember where everything goes back together lol

[@Dudeitsbrian]

Hey Tom, I would say the best way to remember where the parts go in and how they go in would be to take a video of the whole process. And if you ever forget, reference the video. Good luck with the fixing.

[@tompaste387]

@@Dudeitsbrian Good thinking. Thanks

[@mohammadashrafkhokhar5678]

Hello Mike.i love watching your videos.i have a problem with my ft2.when I wind the camera and the wind lever comes to its stand of position, the camera fires the shutter by it self.what can the problem be.or can you do a video on it.also do a video about the meter resister on the camera lens mount.

[@alexparson4472]

Hats off you. Salute.

[@officemanager9939]

Quick question - is there also a similar plastic gear in the Nikkormat FT3 shutter unit? Tx for all the videos, very useful.

[@rowanstothard6758]

Unbelievably helpful video. I seem to have a problem that isn't covered in your video however. The shutter mechanism works fine when I fire it but the little pin that fires the shutter has not effect when I push it. Any ideas?

[@philmtx3fr]

Very interesting video on the internal of the nikkormat and thx for that. I got an issue on mine about the non ai coupling lever. All around the mount is very stiff (except the asa ring which is ok) and for instance the max aperture setting after « the danse of aperture ring » doesn’t t work . I tried to dis assemble the mount to find how to clean and perhaps re grease it but I can t find the right way. Is it possible for you to make a video on it ? Those nikkormat are excellent cameras but a little old now so I guess I am not alone in this case. Thx in advance.

[@nini-il8mk]

Hi I enjoy watching your youtube in Japan. I bought Nikomat FTN junk and doing overhaul by reference of your KZbin. It is very helpful. you are Always doing Great challenge! By the way, I have a question, I mistakenly touched Penta prism surface by naked hand. I appreciate if you could tell me how to clean and remove finger print and other dust.

[@multibusa]

Those gloves would seriously do my head in, your managing with them better than I would. Apart from keeping your hands clean may I ask why you are wearing them given that they obviously make it more difficult to handle tiny items?

[@mikeno62]

Some of the gloves are not so good to work with, but those I use now is better and I simply like to use gloves when working small parts.

[@multibusa]

mikeno62 Hi, thanks for taking time to reply. I’d also like to thank you for taking valuable time to put these camera/lens repairs on your channel. I have quite a few Nikkormats, Nikomat’s from the very early ones with the plain aluminium film advance lever right up to the last models produced. Most are in very good cosmetic shape but a couple need new top covers, which miraculously I have managed to obtain new ones. However a few of these cameras have intermittently sticky shutters. I can advance the film and cock the shutter but when I press the release button the shutter curtain stays open and I’m not able to advance the film. I’ve found the if I tap the camera sharply into the palm of my hand the shutter curtain closes and I can then advance the film. Sometimes the shutter will operate normally again for a while but often it will stick as described above. As an experiment on one of these cameras with a sticking shutter I soaked a foam printer head stick (looks a bit like a cotton bud except the head is foam not cotton) with isopropyl alcohol and carefully swabbed the shutter curtains, then tried operating the film wind lever. This time however the shutter operated properly many times, however when I tried it the following day, it returned back to sticking again. Have you ever encountered a similar issue like this before and if so can you tell me what you did to rectify the problem please. Many thanks. Steve

[@aryowidhi100]

hello, i tried to disassemble the nikkormat ft3, i found there is 1 ring left, i know there are 3 rings on the prism glass holder, do you know where i can put this 4th ring? thanks in advance, hehe

[@tomc8273]

Hi Kenneth, If nothing else, this is a great teaching video. Sorry to see you end up with a "boat anchor". I don't understand why Nikon would use a nylon gear when it is meshing with 2 brass gears. A very poor spot to save a few pennies. Even if there is no load on that gear. A great video as always! THANKS

[@mikeno62]

Thank's Tom, yes, even if the camera did not come back to life, it was actually a good thing to disassemble almost the whole camera, and show others how they maybe can fix there camera. But I simply don't get why they design the shutter with a tiny plastic gear, working together with brass gear (of course it will not last so long, and then they can produce and sell more cameras...). And yes I also think the video can be used for teaching. I'm planing to make some videos about a Nikon F2 from the fleemarket, it have a very stuck film advance or maybe other worn out parts (don't know yet) Cheers Kenneth

[@fotovakhuishaarlem2193]

@@mikeno62 F2 video???? Yes please!

[@hj6710]

@@mikeno62 Hi Mike, enjoyed your video. I appreciated the attention to detail and the professional level of your video. I was wondering if you will be doing a video on how to access and clean the resistor ring on the FT2 to remedy a jumpy meter needle. Looking forward to more videos.

[@ADRIANPRADA]

Hi Mike, how are you? Do you know of any technique to remove silver paint from this type of cameras?

[@mikeno62]

I'm fine but a little busy at the moment, I have actually polished a black Niko F3 so the top cover and the buttom plate and the front, around the lens mount was just like gold plated brass, it take some hours but the result was a be success. I have not yet try to remove the silver "paint". But maybe I should try to make a video about that subject. I would guess you should use a polishing disc with some mild abrassive pasta, and work gently and only use mild press (use leather gloves and Goggles to protech yourself.

[@kultursender6507]

Damned - why did Nikon use a plastic gear in the shutter mechanism? I have exactly the same problem with my Nikkormat. Konklusion: Nothing beats parts from metall! But very interesting video, many thanks for it !!!

[@danc2014]

Often a plastic gear is placed so that when a problem occurs the plastic will break and allow the mfg to repair easily without causing severe damage. Does lasting 40 years constitute as poor design

[@kultursender6507]

@@danc2014 Ich habe nicht gesagt, dass Nikon generell schlecht ist. Insbesondere die alten Analogkameras sind richtige Panzer. Wenn Nikon schlecht wäre, hätte ich ganz gewiss nicht einen ganzen Schrank voller Nikon-Kameras:)

[@johntravena119]

@@danc2014 Reckon you might be able to replace a plastic gear like that with a 3D scanner and printer.

[@fredsons2241]

When I was a kid I would take things apart and not be able to put it back together….this creates some major anxiety!