I just got a Nikon FG-20 from my grandad who's had it years - seems like new though. The problem I have is that the Shutter is stuck open. When I initially got it the camera wound on fine, and the shutter release seemed OK but after a few snaps(without film in it) the shutter meachnism jammed open and the camera won't now wind on. I've replaced the batteries with new and tried it on 'B' and 'M90' settings as per the manual but with no luck - can anyone help?
The FG20 has a feature by which the electronics do not come alive until having made two initial blind exposures after loading a film. This is to avoid the camera going into multi-second exposures for those two blind shots which advance the daylight corrupted first frames.
The camera doesn't know whether a film is in place. It only knows that the camera back has been opened. Therefore - with known good batteries in situ, close the cameraback and make two blind exposures. The mirror might then drop. when you advance for the third (or effective first exposure).
If the actual shutter is stuck open and seen to be open in the film-plane, the mirror will not drop until the shutter closes. Since the shutter is battery dependent it is vitally important that the batteries are good and that the contacts inside the battery compartment are clean. You mght try cleaning the contacts with alcohol or meths.
If not - get back to this forum for other possibilities.
