Nikon FM no meter

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Fraser

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Bought a Nikon FM arrived today but the meter doesn't seem to be working, is there something I'm missing?
wound on, wind-on lever showing red dot shutter release unlocked new batteries???

Thanks
 
With the rotative collar around the shutter release guard, align the black index in front of the black fixed dot and, yes, show the red dot with the winding lever.

If one of the red LEDs don't display in the viewfinder, look for some corrosion in the batteries chamber and use some new SR44 batteries.

If nothing happens, you have a problem.
 
I'm sure you checked this, but make sure the batteries are in their correct orientation.
Then all you need to to is move the wind on lever to show the red dot. As you have done.
If nothing lights up in the VF, there is a problem.
 
I'd get a new battery if orientation doesn't fix it.

Might try move the ISO/DIN dial from low to high a few times, same with the shutter speed selector and the aperture ring, though I doubt they are the issue.

Perhaps take an eraser to clean up the contacts in the battery compartment.

Keep us in the loop as to what works/doesn't.

B2 (;->
 
As lynnb states above you do not need a meter for this camera. When my FM arrived 2 years back the meter was not working, so I used it with a hand held light meter. However, I moved the dials and controls frequently, and eventually the camera meter started working. I think the camera had been stored for quite a few years. And if I remember correctly, if the exposure is correct then there is no red warning in the viewfinder.
 
BillBingham2 said:
I...

Perhaps take an eraser to clean up the contacts in the battery compartment.
...
Click to expand...

+1, also keep in mind that using "new" batteries is not at all important. What is important is that you use good batteries. I've seen new batteries be totally dead.

Also, if memory serves, the meter is disabled when the ISO and shutter speed are set outside of the meter's working range. This is the case with many cameras. When testing the meter be sure to set ISO 100 and a middle shutter speed to be certain that you don't encounter an out of range situation.

With the FM/FE series you can also test for a bad meter switch by shorting out either the inside pair or outside pair (not all 4 at the same time) of contacts on the motor drive electrical contacts on the body's baseplate.
 
geordiefred said:
And if I remember correctly, if the exposure is correct then there is no red warning in the viewfinder.
Click to expand...
Well you don't : if the meter tells that the exposure is correct then the red LED located in front of the 0 lights up (there are three red LEDs close to an "+ 0 -" optical array visible through the focusing screen).
 
Fraser, Have a look at the following website. www.mir.com.my which I believe is in Malaya. When I acquired my FM, and was having the initial problems with it, I found this site. There is a very good page re the FM and how to use it, etc. Plenty of diagrams connected with the model..
 
I thought it may be a bad contact with the battery cap, cleaned it all and still no joy, I'm sure at one point the led did flicker. It's a shame as the rest of the camera is fine though it does look like it's been sitting a long time.
 
Fraser said:
I thought it may be a bad contact with the battery cap, cleaned it all and still no joy, I'm sure at one point the led did flicker. It's a shame as the rest of the camera is fine though it does look like it's been sitting a long time.
Click to expand...

The battery cap is the main ground contact for the batteries, so a bad contact with it is very unlikely to happen. The positive contact, in the bottom of the batteries chamber, is more likely to suffer from some corrosion. And there might be some corrosion elsewhere on the meter circuitry. There are cameras made in 1977.
 
Clean that bottom contact in the battery chamber with a pencil eraser and lift/bend it up so that it makes tight contact with the battery.
 
Highway 61 said:
The battery cap is the main ground contact for the batteries, so a bad contact with it is very unlikely to happen. The positive contact, in the bottom of the batteries chamber, is more likely to suffer from some corrosion. And there might be some corrosion elsewhere on the meter circuitry. There are cameras made in 1977.
Click to expand...

Got it working!
seems the + contact was the fault with the aid of a bit of foil seems to work.
 
Are you sure you're using the proper batteries ? Do they fit the battery cover cylinder in full with no wobble ? Two 76PX-SR44 1.55V or a lithium CR1/3N 3V must be used there.

The 386PX-SR43 1.55V will fit (same diameter of 11.6mm) but they're a tad too thin (4.2mm each versus 5.4mm each for the 76PX-SR44 1.55V).

The CR1/3N has the exact heigth of two 76PX-SR44 and the good diameter.
 
Highway 61 said:
Are you sure you're using the proper batteries ? Do they fit the battery cover cylinder in full with no wobble ? Two 76PX-SR44 1.55V or a lithium CR1/3N 3V must be used there.

The 386PX-SR43 1.55V will fit (same diameter of 11.6mm) but they're a tad too thin (4.2mm each versus 5.4mm each for the 76PX-SR44 1.55V).

The CR1/3N has the exact heigth of two 76PX-SR44 and the good diameter.
Click to expand...

Found out what was wrong the bottom of the battery chamber inside the camera was cracked so every time the batteries were put in and the cover was screwed down the metal contact was shorting out on a piece of camera mechanism under the chamber.
 
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