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Bruce_robbins
Tinkerer
Username: Bruce_robbins
Post Number: 13
Registered: 06-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, April 05, 2013 - 01:08 pm: | 
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I've got an FA that won't fire in any of the auto modes or in the manual B or 1/250th. There are no LEDs lighting up in the viewfinder and the mirror is locked up. It's not stuck with mirror damper foam and it won't come down with some gentle persuasion. I think that even if the electronics are dead the camera should still fire with one of the two mechanical speeds. Any ideas anyone? |
Michael_linn
Tinkerer
Username: Michael_linn
Post Number: 77
Registered: 04-2011
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, April 05, 2013 - 02:53 pm: |
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I'm just operating from distant memory here, but the initial models of the FA suffered main circuit failure to an extent that repair folks nicknamed it the FAilure, which still seems to anger Nikon fans to this day. But it was a major technological stretch for Nikon and a new main circuit flex was shortly introduced in new production and retrofitted under warranty, and the model went on to a good record.
If your FA was one of the original models and it was never updated it's almost certain to be electronically dead. It's always worth checking the other obvious causes, such as the battery compartment, switches, continuity, etc. |
Bruce_robbins
Tinkerer
Username: Bruce_robbins
Post Number: 14
Registered: 06-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, April 05, 2013 - 04:21 pm: |
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Hi Mchael,
I'm beginning to think this one has gone to meet its maker! |
Dirbel
Tinkerer
Username: Dirbel
Post Number: 88
Registered: 04-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 06, 2013 - 01:12 am: |
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Just two notes:
When the mirror is locked up on 'B' or 'M250', you have a mechanical problem.
As long as the mirror is up, the LED and LCD in the viewfinder are switched off. You'll have to solve the mechanical problem, before you can see if the electronics are dead.
Cheers,
Dirk |
Bruce_robbins
Tinkerer
Username: Bruce_robbins
Post Number: 15
Registered: 06-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, April 07, 2013 - 08:45 am: |
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Thanks Dirk - that's very useful information. I wonder what the cause of the mechanical problem is likely to be? |
Dirbel
Tinkerer
Username: Dirbel
Post Number: 89
Registered: 04-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, April 07, 2013 - 11:11 am: |
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It might be that the mirror mechanism is out of sync with the shutter - that is, the mirror is released and in the up position, but the shutter is not released.
The charge lever for the mirror mechanism is visible when you remove the bottom cover (near the tripod socket).
FWIW, you can find a manual at http://arcticwolfs.net/.
Cheers,
Dirk |
Bruce_robbins
Tinkerer
Username: Bruce_robbins
Post Number: 16
Registered: 06-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, April 07, 2013 - 03:03 pm: |
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Dirk,
Found the mirror charge lever and managed to release the mirror so progress of sorts. The viewfinder information is now visible. What's happening now is that, in the mechanical 1/250th, the camera winds on but just as the wind on lever starts its return journey there's a loud click and it seems as if the shutter doesn't cock properly. The shutter doesn't seem to complete the cocking motion and pre fires as the wind on lever starts its return journey. It's possible to just keep winding on but because the shutter isn't cocking, the shutter release doesn't do anything.
With the camera in one of the electronic speeds, it winds on as above and makes the same loud clicking noise. One of two things then happens: either the cameras pre fires as above and can be wound on again and again without touching the shutter release or it pre fires once but then can't be wound on again. When the latter happens, there's a 3mm gap visible at the top of the shutter curtain.
Not sure if this is better or worse. |
Dirbel
Tinkerer
Username: Dirbel
Post Number: 90
Registered: 04-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, April 08, 2013 - 12:44 pm: |
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There is a ratchet under the wind shaft that unlatches when the wind lever has reached the end position. If this ratchet unlatches too early - before the shutter and mirror mechanism has reached the final position - the shutter will release as soon as the wind lever starts to return.
Dirk |
Bruce_robbins
Tinkerer
Username: Bruce_robbins
Post Number: 17
Registered: 06-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, April 11, 2013 - 01:45 pm: |
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How do I stop it unlatching too early? |
Dirbel
Tinkerer
Username: Dirbel
Post Number: 91
Registered: 04-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, April 12, 2013 - 11:28 am: |
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To be honest, I don't know - I just noticed that this is possible when I was playing with the mechanism of my FA.
The service manual (see link in previous post) mentions this ratchet, but gives no details on adjustment.
Dirk |
Bruce_robbins
Tinkerer
Username: Bruce_robbins
Post Number: 18
Registered: 06-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, April 12, 2013 - 12:43 pm: |
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Thanks Dirk. You've been a big help.
Bruce |
Dirbel
Tinkerer
Username: Dirbel
Post Number: 92
Registered: 04-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, April 12, 2013 - 12:46 pm: |
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Ok, I found it: The ratchet sits in an eccentric; this way you can adjust the clearing.
Dirk |
Bruce_robbins
Tinkerer
Username: Bruce_robbins
Post Number: 20
Registered: 06-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, April 12, 2013 - 03:07 pm: |
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Don't know what your consultancy fee is sitting at right now Dirk but is this accessible from the base or do I have to take off a front panel? I think I'm getting out of my depth. :-) |
Bruce_robbins
Tinkerer
Username: Bruce_robbins
Post Number: 21
Registered: 06-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, April 12, 2013 - 04:17 pm: |
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Dirk, would that be the diagram at the top of page 33 on Arcticwolf's FA repair manual? I can see what I think is the ratchet mechanism but there's no obvious way of adjusting it to stop the prefire. |
Dirbel
Tinkerer
Username: Dirbel
Post Number: 93
Registered: 04-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 13, 2013 - 12:29 am: |
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Yes, exactly. The part labeled 495 is the eccentric. It can be rotated once the center screw is loosened.
But before you try to adjust the ratchet, check the mechanism for loose screws. Th relevant parts are shown in the drawing at the drawing at the bottom of page 33.
Dirk |
Bruce_robbins
Tinkerer
Username: Bruce_robbins
Post Number: 22
Registered: 06-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 13, 2013 - 01:04 pm: |
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This isn't going well, Dirk. Checked the screws and everything seemed secure. Loosened the eccentric screw but it didn't seem to make any difference how the eccentric was orientated. And now the tiny spring that acts on part 494 has come loose. Don't know how that happened but I think my chances of getting it reattached are close to nil. Maybe if I had nanofingers I'd manage it but even with tweezers it looks like a big ask. |
