First film camera

bhop · Sep 12, 2008

Use the battery check light and see if it's got power. It sounds like you could have a dead battery, but then, it should still let you move the speed dial, if the battery's not the issue, then I dunno.. you might've gotten a dud.

I did a search and here's a manual for the FE if you don't have one already, maybe there's something in there that'll help.

http://www.butkus.org/chinon/nikon/nikon_fe/nikon_fe.htm

edit: Just had a thought.. when you're trying to take it off auto, are you pushing the button in the middle of the dial? It won't move otherwise. Page 7 of the manual talks about the batteries. If the dial moves, switch it to B or M90 and see if the mirror goes back down. If it does, go get a new battery! also (from the book) "to avoid wasting a frame, stroke the winding lever while holding in the multiple exposure lever"

Early · Sep 12, 2008

Ejazzle said:
ahhh, this just got even harder. how much better is the F90? will it use the same lenses as my D300??

i want everything!!!

Yes

Ejazzle · Sep 13, 2008

wow thank yo uso much everyone!!!

helenb, you just saved me an hour car ride down south! i owe you won, thank so much bhop, ill be lookin at that link often!

so happy right now!!

now go take some pictures!

Ejazzle · Sep 15, 2008

well, another problem. I was finishing up shooting my first roll of film and i was winding the film back in, then the film winder (top left of the camera) comes unscrewed. So i tighten it back up, but it just keeps unscrewing. Now i cant wind my film back.

Helen B · Sep 15, 2008

Very odd. Just checking: Looking down on the top of the camera, which way are you turning the rewind crank to rewind? Clockwise or anti-clockwise? It should be clockwise to rewind. Do you have the rewind button pressed in?

Best,
Helen

bhop · Sep 15, 2008

I agree with Helen here.. It could be unscrewing if you're turning it the wrong way, and the rewind button she's talking about is on the bottom of the camera just in case you're not sure.

If it does turn out to be a faulty knob, you can go into a pitch black closet (or darkroom, or changing bag) open the back, pull the canister out and wind it back by hand, but do make sure there's no light whatsoever when you do it.

Ejazzle · Sep 15, 2008

:blushing: im an idiot.

in the manual it said "to tighten the flim to begin shooting rotate the _____ counter clockwise"

so i pushed in the button on the bottom and started to turn counter clockwise. Dont as how, but the screw that the nob was unscrewing from, got stripped. so now im pretty much screwed. The nikon god is tottally raining on my parade.

thanks alot guys! youve really helped me alot,

so many set backs. just wait till i can really get into the groove of shooting film!

Ejazzle · Sep 15, 2008

talk about headaches.

bhop · Sep 15, 2008

Sorry to hear that your knob got stripped..... hmm.. that doesn't sound right

Battou · Sep 15, 2008

Look around E-bay for a damaged one being sold for parts, that peice should actually be seriously be easy to change, and it's not a commonly broken component.

djacobox372 · Sep 17, 2008

I sold this carmera to ejazzle, and it was flawless when I sent it. I can't begin to understand one could strip the rewind wheel by winding it backwards, it should have just unscrewed if you did that. A couple of notes:

1) When the camera is set to "auto" you have to press the silver button in the middle of the shutter speed wheel to change to something else.

2) If you can't move the film advance lever it means it's already "cocked" and you need to fire the shutter to advance... if the battery is dead you need to switch to "m90" to do this. The battery wasn't dead when I sent it to you, so I'm guessing the advance lever just isn't in the "on" position (red dot visible).

3) It's really hard for me to see how you could actually stripped your rewind wheel, I think you just unscrewed it because you were trying to turn it counter clockwise instead of clockwise. If it is stripped (unlikely it's metal and would take a lot of force to do so) a little superglue on the threads should do the trick. If that dosn't work you can buy new ones off Ebay for $8.

djacobox372 · Sep 17, 2008

Ejazzle said:
:blushing: im an idiot.

in the manual it said "to tighten the flim to begin shooting rotate the _____ counter clockwise"

so i pushed in the button on the bottom and started to turn counter clockwise. Dont as how, but the screw that the nob was unscrewing from, got stripped. so now im pretty much screwed. The nikon god is tottally raining on my parade.

thanks alot guys! youve really helped me alot,

so many set backs. just wait till i can really get into the groove of shooting film!

You didn't strip the knob you just unscrewed it.... to rewind the film you need to press the button on the bottom and screw the left knob CLOCKWISE!!! The part of the manual you mention is refering to ADVANCING the film which you do by turning the advance lever (on the right of the camera) counter clockwise.

The rewind-knob (on the left of the camera) should NEVER be wound counter-clockwise! Never, it will unscrew if you do so.

It's really sounding like your camera is fine, you just misunderstood the instructions. Page 15 of the manual explains how to rewind the film, I can't find any mention of "counter clockwise" anywhere in the manual, there's an arrow on the winder to show the one and only direction it should ever be turned. The only time it may "appear" to wind the other way is when you are advancing the film via the film advance lever.

Ejazzle · Sep 17, 2008

i stripped it. trust me. I know that if i turned it left it unscrewed. Im not that dumb.

I cant twist it back on. The screw piece just slides right through the hole on the knob. Where i read "turn counterclockwise" was about the first or second page in the manual. I porobably just misunderstood, just like jacob said... my buddy told me about the button on the bottom so i know it wasnt anything to do the that, But taking some needle nose pliars and trying to turn the rewind knob the wrong way is how i "dethreaded" the screw. I know to never force anything and all that good stuff. i just spun the needle nose pliars around it as i was squeezing. i am tool/fixing stuff savvy. I wanted to get the film back into the roll so i could open up the camera to tighten the rewind knob back up. ill get it fixed soon

im gonna look on ebay for that part, then ill be GOOD TO GO!
the camera is in beautiful condition! it couldnt be any more perfect. the lens is awesome too. i finally got to shoot some sports with it...
varsity volleyball :hail:

and dont get me wrong this camera is FLAWLESS! it is in such perfect condition. it looks like brand new! it works absolutely perfectly, it was just user error, I fail at this film stuff, i am totally new. Ive never been so bad at something to do with electronics. Just something totally new to me, Ill get the hang of it soon.

bhop · Sep 17, 2008

Needle nose pliers.. on a precision piece of photography equipment?

At least you admit that you've learned a lesson.. On a related note, I love my FE, just since I got my F100, I don't feel like picking it up..