Anyone know anything about the Nikon FE?

Autonerd · 10-28-2019, 08:32 PM

Hi all! I have an old Nikon FE that was given to me some years back. I just dug it out. It's in remarkably clean condition. It had the stuck shutter/winder problem but a little fiddling with the winder seems to have sorted that out.

Now the issue is that the shutter sounds like its only firing at one speed no matter where I set the dial. The shutter does work properly in Bulb.

I tried new batteries. The battery indicator light goes on and the meter appears to work, but the shutter behaves the same way.

I asked on a Nikon forum and no one is even reading, so I figured I'd try here. Any guesses?

Thanks!
Aaron

**UncleVanya** · 10-28-2019, 08:40 PM

Back in my day I knew the rep and the repair team leads. Not a clue how to troubleshoot it. It is a fine camera but as a manual snob back then I preferred the FM/fm2.

Bart · 10-29-2019, 05:23 AM

Battery?
FE2 only has 1 shutter speed without battery.

Autonerd · 10-30-2019, 09:10 PM

Originally posted by Bart

Battery?
FE2 only has 1 shutter speed without battery.

Yep, tried new batteries. Meter works, battery light lights up, but shutter behavior doesn't change.

Bart · 10-31-2019, 06:07 AM

If you have access to a camera repair shop, then I'd have them take a look to see if it can be repaired for a reasonable cost.

Autonerd · 11-15-2019, 01:20 AM

Thanks all. As it happens, someone gave me a Nikomat and an FG. FG has the same problems, but the Nikomat works like a charm, so I had a chance to shoot a little Nikon. Made me miss my KX!

**UncleVanya** · 11-16-2019, 07:17 AM

My first Nikon was an FT3 Nikkormat...

**TomB_tx** · 11-16-2019, 08:21 AM

I’ve been shooting lately with an original Nikon F. Hadn’t used one since the mid 1960s. After Mark Hama did a CLA it feels and works better than I remembered. A very solid beast!

**ChrisPlatt** · 11-16-2019, 08:54 AM

The FE one of my favorite Nikons. It's the camera the Pentax K2 should have been...

LesDMess · 11-16-2019, 07:33 PM

Originally posted by Autonerd

Now the issue is that the shutter sounds like its only firing at one speed no matter where I set the dial. The shutter does work properly in Bulb.

Just to be sure, at the slow shutter speeds that you can actually time and verify - 1, 2, 4 & 8 seconds, the shutter doesn't stay open for those lenghts of times?

**mlt** · 11-16-2019, 08:10 PM

Originally posted by ChrisPlatt

The FE one of my favorite Nikons. It's the camera the Pentax K2 should have been...

The FE was released in 1978, 3 years after the K2 and Pentax had moved on to the M series by then.

Autonerd · 11-17-2019, 01:12 PM

Originally posted by LesDMess

Just to be sure, at the slow shutter speeds that you can actually time and verify - 1, 2, 4 & 8 seconds, the shutter doesn't stay open for those lenghts of times?

That is correct.

**mlt** · 11-17-2019, 01:52 PM

Is it possible the shutter speed dial is not turning on the shaft correctly and you are not selecting either the automatic setting or any of the other selectable shutter speeds? If the speed you are seeing is consistent this might be a clue.

LesDMess · 11-17-2019, 10:12 PM

Originally posted by Autonerd

That is correct.

Battery good light and meter works so some electronics work. Only B and M90 work with no batteries while all others are under electronic control. Since it even allows you to fire in all other electronic shutter speeds means at least some electronic control functionality.

When in Auto mode - if you meter and relatively dark scene that requires 1 - 8 second exposure, will the shutter stay open that long?

Autonerd · 11-17-2019, 11:02 PM

Originally posted by mlt

Is it possible the shutter speed dial is not turning on the shaft correctly and you are not selecting either the automatic setting or any of the other selectable shutter speeds? If the speed you are seeing is consistent this might be a clue.

The speed sounds pretty constant, but the shutter does work properly in Bulb setting, so I'm thinking the shaft is turning.

The shutter speed sounds about right for 1/60th (not that I can tell for sure), which is a speed that works without batteries, so I wonder if the shutter is defaulting to its "mechanical" setting and not allowing itself to be timed by the electronics...?

---------- Post added 11-18-19 at 12:10 AM ----------

Originally posted by LesDMess

When in Auto mode - if you meter and relatively dark scene that requires 1 - 8 second exposure, will the shutter stay open that long?

Good thought. Unfortunately, no dice -- shutter speed sounds the same in Auto mode, regardless of how it should be firing. I tried a variety of lighting situations, including hand over the lens and "cheating" the ASA as low as it would go.

10-28-2019, 08:32 PM	#1
Autonerd Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Los Angeles, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 156	Anyone know anything about the Nikon FE? Hi all! I have an old Nikon FE that was given to me some years back. I just dug it out. It's in remarkably clean condition. It had the stuck shutter/winder problem but a little fiddling with the winder seems to have sorted that out. Now the issue is that the shutter sounds like its only firing at one speed no matter where I set the dial. The shutter does work properly in Bulb. I tried new batteries. The battery indicator light goes on and the meter appears to work, but the shutter behaves the same way. I asked on a Nikon forum and no one is even reading, so I figured I'd try here. Any guesses? Thanks! Aaron

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10-28-2019, 08:40 PM	#2
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,401	Back in my day I knew the rep and the repair team leads. Not a clue how to troubleshoot it. It is a fine camera but as a manual snob back then I preferred the FM/fm2.

10-29-2019, 05:23 AM	#3
Bart Pentaxian Join Date: May 2007 Location: WW community of Pentax users Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,646	Battery? FE2 only has 1 shutter speed without battery.

10-30-2019, 09:10 PM	#4
Autonerd Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Los Angeles, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 156 Original Poster	Originally posted by Bart Battery? FE2 only has 1 shutter speed without battery. Yep, tried new batteries. Meter works, battery light lights up, but shutter behavior doesn't change.

10-31-2019, 06:07 AM	#5
Bart Pentaxian Join Date: May 2007 Location: WW community of Pentax users Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,646	If you have access to a camera repair shop, then I'd have them take a look to see if it can be repaired for a reasonable cost.

11-15-2019, 01:20 AM	#6
Autonerd Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Los Angeles, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 156 Original Poster	Thanks all. As it happens, someone gave me a Nikomat and an FG. FG has the same problems, but the Nikomat works like a charm, so I had a chance to shoot a little Nikon. Made me miss my KX!

11-16-2019, 07:17 AM	#7
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,401	My first Nikon was an FT3 Nikkormat...

11-16-2019, 08:21 AM	#8
TomB_tx Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,446	I’ve been shooting lately with an original Nikon F. Hadn’t used one since the mid 1960s. After Mark Hama did a CLA it feels and works better than I remembered. A very solid beast!

11-16-2019, 08:54 AM	#9
ChrisPlatt Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Rockaway Beach NYC Posts: 7,692	The FE one of my favorite Nikons. It's the camera the Pentax K2 should have been...

11-16-2019, 07:33 PM	#10
LesDMess Pentaxian Join Date: May 2011 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,235	Originally posted by Autonerd Now the issue is that the shutter sounds like its only firing at one speed no matter where I set the dial. The shutter does work properly in Bulb. Just to be sure, at the slow shutter speeds that you can actually time and verify - 1, 2, 4 & 8 seconds, the shutter doesn't stay open for those lenghts of times?

11-16-2019, 08:10 PM	#11
mlt Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 1,159	Originally posted by ChrisPlatt The FE one of my favorite Nikons. It's the camera the Pentax K2 should have been... The FE was released in 1978, 3 years after the K2 and Pentax had moved on to the M series by then.

11-17-2019, 01:12 PM	#12
Autonerd Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Los Angeles, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 156 Original Poster	Originally posted by LesDMess Just to be sure, at the slow shutter speeds that you can actually time and verify - 1, 2, 4 & 8 seconds, the shutter doesn't stay open for those lenghts of times? That is correct.

11-17-2019, 01:52 PM	#13
mlt Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 1,159	Is it possible the shutter speed dial is not turning on the shaft correctly and you are not selecting either the automatic setting or any of the other selectable shutter speeds? If the speed you are seeing is consistent this might be a clue.

11-17-2019, 10:12 PM	#14
LesDMess Pentaxian Join Date: May 2011 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,235	Originally posted by Autonerd That is correct. Battery good light and meter works so some electronics work. Only B and M90 work with no batteries while all others are under electronic control. Since it even allows you to fire in all other electronic shutter speeds means at least some electronic control functionality. When in Auto mode - if you meter and relatively dark scene that requires 1 - 8 second exposure, will the shutter stay open that long?

11-17-2019, 11:02 PM	#15
Autonerd Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Los Angeles, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 156 Original Poster	Originally posted by mlt Is it possible the shutter speed dial is not turning on the shaft correctly and you are not selecting either the automatic setting or any of the other selectable shutter speeds? If the speed you are seeing is consistent this might be a clue. The speed sounds pretty constant, but the shutter does work properly in Bulb setting, so I'm thinking the shaft is turning. The shutter speed sounds about right for 1/60th (not that I can tell for sure), which is a speed that works without batteries, so I wonder if the shutter is defaulting to its "mechanical" setting and not allowing itself to be timed by the electronics...? ---------- Post added 11-18-19 at 12:10 AM ---------- Originally posted by LesDMess When in Auto mode - if you meter and relatively dark scene that requires 1 - 8 second exposure, will the shutter stay open that long? Good thought. Unfortunately, no dice -- shutter speed sounds the same in Auto mode, regardless of how it should be firing. I tried a variety of lighting situations, including hand over the lens and "cheating" the ASA as low as it would go.