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Classic Camera Repair » Archives-2008 » Nikkormat EL & F3 - what to look out for? « Previous Next »

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Adrian
Tinkerer
Username: Adrian

Post Number: 146
Registered: 08-2006

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Posted on Thursday, March 20, 2008 - 06:41 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

I've just inherited a Nikkormat EL and two F3 bodies from a lab that was moving, and was discovering how much junk it had!

The EL is the only one with a lens, so I guess woeking out what it does is going to be my first priority. However I'd like to work out what sort of condition the other two are in as well before I decide keep-sell-swap etc. As they were all made after I was born, they are a bit out of my usual line!

Other than the obvious - like batteries - are there any model-specific problems I ought to be looking for?

Thanks,

Adrian
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Adrian
Tinkerer
Username: Adrian

Post Number: 147
Registered: 08-2006

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Posted on Thursday, March 20, 2008 - 03:00 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

OK, I have no patience... The Nikkormat will have to wait until I can get a 6v battery (tomorrow!).

The F3s on the other hand... Two batteries restore life (interestingly, there seems to be no default speed with a dead battery, which I thought was the case). One body seems, as far as a very cursory test shows, to work as advertised.

The second body is a bit of a case. At some point it has been dropped - heavily! There is a dent in the door big enough to dent the pressure plate, and the viewfinder housing looks like an elephant has trod on it. Inside, the focusing screen has gone AWOL and the prism has a hefty lump out of it as well. When I put the lens from the Nikkormat (with rabbit-ears) on, I get a round image in the centre of the field of view, surrounded by black. I'm presuming that's due to the lack of screen, as the other body is fine.

The shutter functions on "auto", at what I think must be a default flash setting of 1/80th. However after a couple of wind-and-trips, the mirror locks up and it refuses to come down until I open the back. It does this with the good viewfinder fitted as well. On the other hand, it appears to function OK on "manual", so it may not be a basket case.

I would be very interested to hear people's views on these, and what they think has/has not been damaged. It may well also be that I'll be posting in "Swap zone" for spare parts...

Thanks in anticipation,

Adrian
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Adrian
Tinkerer
Username: Adrian

Post Number: 148
Registered: 08-2006

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Posted on Friday, March 21, 2008 - 04:59 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Well, the Nikkormat appears to work as advertised, and I haven't found any "gotcha"s - yet. I'll move the F3s to a different thread, as they shouldn't really be lurking under the title "Nikkormat", should they?

Adrian

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