Nikon F Meter...is mine broken?

[PatrickT]

I have a Nikon F with the ftn meter. Just got some fresh batteries for it (the Wein cell ones), popped them in, and...nothing. There is a weird little tab in the batter chamber that I'm not sure about.

Can anyone shed some light on the tab or what might be wrong?

 

[PatrickT]

Here's a crappy photo of the tab I'm talking about...

 

[Livesteamer]

If I remember rightly that's just an electrical contact. It could be dead but they are repairable. Check with Pete Smith, he would know. Good Luck. Joe Showalter

 

[PatrickT]

Does the first battery go below or above that contact? I want to make sure I install it correctly before I determine that the meter isn't working...

 

[Livesteamer]

Both batteries point the same way. There should be a diagram on the cap or somewhere. Joe

 

[PatrickT]

Thanks. I know that both batteries go the same way (with the + pointing toward the cap), but I'm not sure about that tab. Do both batteries go above it, below it, or one above one below?

 

[colyn]

The tab is the + contact. The edge of the top battery should make contact with it in order to power the meter..

 

[DanOnRoute66]

I hope the meter isn't broken but considering the vintage it could be. I know that the techs working for the Head Bartender service these meters.

 

[MC JC86]

If the contacts are clean, and the batteries new of course the meter might need to be repaired. As others have said, they are fixable, despite what a lot of people seem to think. I've had FTn and F2 photomic heads fixed at Essex camera in NJ with a lot of success.

EDIT: I should say having bought and sold quite a few, I've had more cameras of this type with non-working meters than I have had ones that work, it's very likely there is a problem.

 

[PatrickT]

Thanks for the advice! Turns out, that contact was bent and apparently not touching the battery. Once I bent it up, voila! Meter came alive 🙂

 

[MC JC86]

Love when that happens!