Nikon F3 slow shutter speeds off - how??

[helvetica]

While being frustrated with mechanical cameras I picked up my F3 and marveled to myself at the perfection that electronic timing circuitry has brought to cameras. They never go wrong or fall out of adjustment! So smug was I that I counted off a 1 second exposure (without film) to see how accurately I could time in my head - except that it seemed further off then I expected. So I set it to 8 seconds.... And counted very slowly to 10.

So I broke out a stop watch, and all of my slow speeds seem to be about 50% too long. How is this possible? I would get if there was some foam gumming up the shutter/mirror and it took an additional +1/125th of a second to go through the entire actuation process - but this is 12 seconds by stopwatch on an 8 second exposure, and about 1.75 seconds on the 1 second setting.

 

[Highway 61]

The F3 shutter relies on electronics achieved in the very early 1980s.

If you count slowly until now, this makes for 35 years.

Joking aside, those electronics don't last forever, in general. Corrosion on the circuitry board, aging of the capacitors and diodes, soldering spots getting dry and insulated are fairly common.

I used to own a Nikon F3, bought new in 1981. It died in 1987 because of this and after three expensive and unsuccessful repairs by the Nikon techs I switched to the FM2 and said good bye to my Giugiaro-designed Nikon.

Remaining stuck with something 100% mechanical (Nikon F, F2, FM, FM2) is safer nowadays. A good mechanical shutter with a well built slow speeds escapement can virtually last forever... while electronic shutters will suddenly die sooner or later.

 

[helvetica]

Makes sense in a way. I am a software engineer, so I see computerized systems as either always right or always flawed - off by 50% perplexes me. Possibly something is giving off less voltage than it should and is therefor running the timing circuitry slowly. My understanding of quart timing crystals is that they take in variable voltage and give off a very steady output voltage, but maybe that's why I am not an electrical engineer!

 

[helvetica]

Remaining stuck with something 100% mechanical (Nikon F, F2, FM, FM2) is safer nowadays. A good mechanical shutter with a well built slow speeds escapement can virtually last forever... while electronic shutters will suddenly die sooner or later.

Hail the F2! While far from a thing of beauty, it feels solid and confidence inspiring in the hands.

 

[BillBingham2]

New battery might be in order.

I've seen battery power cameras do some funkly things over the years most solved by a new battery.

When I owned an F3 it as only for about six months, so I'm not sure.

B2 (;->

 

[nobbylon]

If it's slow speeds only check that it's the shutter thats incorrect and not the sound of the mirror. The secondary mirror sticks more on the longer speeds when the damper foam at the back of the mirror gets gooey. It may sound like the times are wrong but in actual fact they may not be.

 

[sevo]

Makes sense in a way. I am a software engineer, so I see computerized systems as either always right or always flawed - off by 50% perplexes me.

The long times are controlled by a different mode...

That is common in all shutters prior to all-CPU controlled cameras - long times are usually created by a separate mechanism or circuit, as it was hard to cover a wide range of speeds with one device, without running into either power consumption/spring tension or accuracy issues.

 

[helvetica]

If it's slow speeds only check that it's the shutter thats incorrect and not the sound of ...

I was timing with the back open watching the shutter. Luckily the mirror itself is great with no sticking or gummy foam issues.

 

[nobbylon]

just a thought.....has the shutter dial been moved at all? how long does the longest time run for?

 

[Flat Twin]

Completely agree with Nobbylon above^^^ check the main and secondary mirror for sticking...

Also, I took pity on a battered F3P recently (£75.00 in local camera shop) which had irratic slow speeds from about 1/30th all the way down to and including B. I checked it and worried about it for about a day and then very carefully introduced the tiniest amount of switch cleaner into the threaded cable release socket and exercised the camera again and bingo, problem solved and the speeds are now perfect and I've had good exposures... Now I know people are going to shout about introducing anything into a camera as being crazy but, it cost me £75.00, I was sooo careful as to put the tiniest amount into the release hole and hey, it worked! I'm not recommending that you try it but its just my experience of an F3 with irratic slow speeds...

(Loving the SL, John, by the way!)

Regards, Simon

 

[Noserider]

if it has a threaded cable release its not a P body which has always had a sealed shutter release. You might mean the HP finder on the F3 standard body.

Incorrect on the long shutter speeds governed by separate circuit or mechanism; the F3 has neither all shutter speeds *except 1/2000 are quartz timed.
One full stop off? I will state the obvious check the exposure compensation dial and make sure its at 0 and test with the camera on A; force the camera to do long shutter speeds and confirm. If the 'one stop off' is only with M then you may have a crack FRE, check for damage on the left film rewind side.

 

[aoresteen]

I'd send it to a Nikon repairman who knows the F3. Sounds like nothing a CLA won't solve.

 

[helvetica]

One full stop off? I will state the obvious check the exposure compensation dial and make sure its at 0 and test with the camera on A; force the camera to do long shutter speeds and confirm. If the 'one stop off' is only with M then you may have a crack FRE, check for damage on the left film rewind side.

The exposure comp was the first thing I thought of as well, but it is at 0. Even if it was at +1, firing at manual speeds would still give you the correct speed - only the metering output would be changed, correct? The one thing that really got my attention was that on one 8 second actuation, I counted 15 seconds by stopwatch. I then pressed the shutter again and it closed, almost like the bulb operation of an IR remote. Quite strange.

 

[BillBingham2]

I'd send it to a Nikon repairman who knows the F3. Sounds like nothing a CLA won't solve.

I'd check the price of a quote vs purchasing a lightly used one.

Film camera prices keep drop
.............................................p
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................................................ping.

B2 (;->

 

[Noserider]

if the shutter is accurate and that 8 sec really is at B or T then maybe a botched repair with dial one stop off; but I'm fairly certain that can't happen

 

[helvetica]

if the shutter is accurate and that 8 sec really is at B or T then maybe a botched repair with dial one stop off; but I'm fairly certain that can't happen

Sadly/gladly no - 8=12.5s, 4=6s, 1=2.2s, etc

 

[helvetica]

I'd check the price of a quote vs purchasing a lightly used one.

Film camera prices keep drop
.............................................p
..............................................p
...............................................p
................................................ping.

B2 (;->

To be sure. I picked this guy up for a song, but it's too fun of a camera to be a display / paper weight. I would prefer to use (and abuse) it.

 

[novum]

Hail the F2! While far from a thing of beauty, it feels solid and confidence inspiring in the hands.

I'm a beholder who finds the F2AS beautiful.