shutter/mirror slap and vibration FT3

H

hap

Well-known
Local time
12:01 PM
Joined
May 9, 2009
Messages
1,474
I recently acquired an FT3. have other Nikon SLR's but this one has a loud shutter and there is more vibration than I would have thought. In fact it is bothersome. Is there a common and inexpensive fix or partial fix?
 
Nikkormats have vertical-travel metal Copal shutters, unlike many other Nikons of the period which had horizontal-travel titanium shutters, like the F and F2. The Nikkormat shutter was carried-over to the FE and FM-series cameras, but the shutter and mirror damping was undoubtedly improved.
Check your mirror damper foam and replace if needed, but otherwise don't worry if your exposures seem accurate. The Copal shutters proved to be reliable.
 
jim_jm said:
Nikkormats have vertical-travel metal Copal shutters, unlike many other Nikons of the period which had horizontal-travel titanium shutters, like the F and F2. The Nikkormat shutter was carried-over to the FE and FM-series cameras, but the shutter and mirror damping was undoubtedly improved.
Check your mirror damper foam and replace if needed, but otherwise don't worry if your exposures seem accurate. The Copal shutters proved to be reliable.
Click to expand...

It's probably a simple operation to check mirror foam or change...although it would be helpful if I got some instruction.

It's small earthquake when this shutter "goes off".
 
I couldn't believe the difference when i switched from a Nikkormat to a Nikon F....back in the day.
 
Deardorff38 said:
I couldn't believe the difference when i switched from a Nikkormat to a Nikon F....back in the day.
Click to expand...

Despite that our biological ages are likely similar ,your day came long before mine came with the Nikkormat, meaning....about last month.
 
hap said:
Despite that our biological ages are likely similar ,your day came long before mine came with the Nikkormat, meaning....about last month.
Click to expand...

You got me. When I tell you the Nikkormat was an FTn and the F was new....
 
Over the years I've owned about a dozen Nikkormat's including FT, FTn, FT2 and even a FS. Most were used as is, several had a full professional overhaul, there was even one that was built from spare parts when the shop brought out three boxes of broken Nikkormat's. The Nikkormat emerged from the failure of the early Nikkorex. Nikon bought the Copal Shutter company and realized they could build a consumer camera around the vertical travel shutter. The resulting camera was heavy, noisy, had controls in odd arrangements but was reliable. Not only was it embraced by the weekend photographer but professionals as well. Nikkormat's were made continually from 1965 till the end of the 1970s' with really only minor modifications from the original design. The shutter sounds like slamming a car door but with a little attention, more than forty years after the last one was built, they will last for forty more. Nothing else sounds like a Nikkormat, enjoy your FT3.
 
The Nikkormats have a noticeable shooting experience but compared to other old SLRs, they're not that much worse, and nicer than some. There can be a definite difference between a smooth and harsh example - worth checking the mirror damper.
 
Up until the introduction of the Nikkormat in '65,
any time previous and you said you had a Nikon
SLR, it was the Nikon F.
 
Erik van Straten said:
Nikon made great "ever ready" cases for the Nikkormat.
They muffled the sound of the camera quite well.
Click to expand...

Indeed, they are of excellent quality. From back when such things were still made of real leather!


B-9 said:
New mirror damper foam helps.
Click to expand...

This is something to check.
Most of these cameras have continued to be reliable shooters long enough
for the mirror foam to become hard, crumble or disappear altogether.

Enjoy your Nikkormat!

Chris
 
ChrisPlatt said:
Indeed, they are of excellent quality. From back when such things were still made of real leather!

This is something to check.
Most of these cameras have continued to be reliable shooters long enough
for the mirror foam to become hard, crumble or disappear altogether.

Enjoy your Nikkormat!

Chris
Click to expand...

foam or felt seemed good. but tripping the shutter is like an earthquake. expecting a tsunami of vibration.
 
hap said:
I recently acquired an FT3. have other Nikon SLR's but this one has a loud shutter and there is more vibration than I would have thought. In fact it is bothersome. Is there a common and inexpensive fix or partial fix?
Click to expand...
Is the vibration actually problematic for hand held imaging, though? After all, Nikon were kind enough to include an honest to god mirror lock up with the FT series. If mirror vibration related loss of sharpness really is an issue for you, you would, of course, be using a tripod in the first place, yes? In which case: the MLU switch is not there for decoration. Use it!

Last time I checked my FTn I'm fairly sure using the self timer pre-releases the mirror, too. If you're not doing exposures in excess of a second, or not releasing via a cable, that's another effective solution. :)
 
This reminds me of all those camera reviews where they'd set the camera up on a piece of foam rubber and set it off. Then check the image for shake when developed.
 
I replaced the rubber bumper on my Nikkormat, it’s by the prisim, that the mirror hits when firing he shutter. It silenced the mirror slap noise.

Jon Goodman was making them at the time. His emai:

Jon.goodman@yahoo.com

I did this task quite some time ago and don’t know if he’s still in business.

I type in search on you tube:

camera light seals

and videos are offered.
 
Have you developed any pictures yet? I've had a number of Nikkormats and actual vibration effects at handheld speeds were nil. As others have said, the camera has mirror lockup if this is a concern.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom