My SLR

CaptainHowdy · Dec 30, 2006

First off, I apologize if this was the improper place to start this thread, and if it was, please feel free to move it, admin or mod.

Recently, for my 17th birthday, my Dad gave me the old SLR camera that he used when he was in high school. It's really cool and I enjoy using it, but when I took the film to be developed, two of my rolls were screwed up. On one of them, only one frame out of 24 was actually exposed. Every other frame was blank. And on another one, only 13 out of 24 exposures came out. I didn't load the film incorrectly to my knowledge, I followed the instruction booklet step by step. Plus my dad helped me with one of them. The only thing I can think of is that even though the film is advancing, maybe the shutter isn't opening? I've been thinking about taking it to a repair shop, but I don't know what they'll be able to do, because it's really old. And I really really want to be able to use it. Anyone have any suggestions?

LaFoto · Dec 30, 2006

Hi Howdy, welcome to ThePhotoForum.
Congratulations on your "inheriting" the SLR your dad used back in highschool recently. A pity to hear that not all pics came out.

So sorry that I am the wrong person to answer to your thread first, I cannot tell you what might have caused most pics to come out blank or black...

But soon others will come round and hopefully be of more help.

blueskyimages · Dec 30, 2006

Before you take your camera to a repair shop find out if the film was expired or not, also try to see if the shutter release without a film in the camera. And finally check the settings on your camera aperture,shutter speed etc.

jwkwd · Dec 30, 2006

By chance, are there batteries in it ? Or near dead ones ?

Torus34 · Dec 30, 2006

It appears that your choice is between having the camera repaired and buying a replacement body on ebay or through a camera store [no need to discard the lens or lenses.] How you resolve this will be determined by the value of your camera.

The_Traveler · Dec 30, 2006

To see if the shutter is working set, the speed to the slowest speed and without any film in it, open the back, look at a light (not the sun) through the back and press the shutter realease button.

If the camera hasn't been used in a few years, the chances are quite excellent that the shutter mechanism is fouled. This can be a delicate and expensive repair because, if the shutter mechanism has frozen, there is also a good chance that other vital linkages are behaving poorly.

CaptainHowdy · Dec 30, 2006

Thanks, everyone, for all of your help

I don't think it's any of the settings, although I may be new to the camera, Aperture, ISO and Shutter speed are nothing new to me, so I don't think I over or underexposed them.
The batteries in the bottom are for the light meter only, and I replaced them before I took any photos, so I dont think it was that either.
I think I'm going to take The_Traveler's advice and check to see if the shutter opens. If that is indeed the case, that the shutter mechanism has frozen, i'm definately going to have it repaired. I'm not sure if the camera has alot of monetary value (i don't know, it might.) but it has a lot of personal value to me, because it's from my father.
Thanks again, you guys, I think I'm going to like it here. :wink:

fightheheathens · Dec 30, 2006

what type of camera is it?

CaptainHowdy · Dec 30, 2006

fightheheathens said:
what type of camera is it?

It's a Nikon FG-20. It's in really good condition too; my dad took really good care of it.

The_Traveler · Dec 30, 2006

It does look like a neat camera and I would treasure it also.

Forgive me if you know this already, but you could be looking for two things.

It's been a while since I've done this so please anyone correct me.

Focal plane shutters are actually two curtains. The first one flicks open, then the second one chases it to close the opening. The time delay is the shutter speed. The actual movements of the shutter curtains is incredibly quick and in the few (2) expriences I have had with shutter problems have involved some sort of solified gunk in the track.

If the shutter curtains seem to be opening properly, while they are apart, you might check to see if the lens blades are closing to the proper aperture. Set the aperture to f22 and see if, while you can see through the lens, the lens has closed down to that size. Repeat through the f stop range.

(I had the unfortunate experience of not using an RB67 for 4 years - I was much less cautious then - and then being asked for $1200 by a repair shop to get it working again.)

CaptainHowdy · Dec 30, 2006

Thank you so much for the advice! As soon as this roll of film i'm using is out I'll check all of that. Thanks

Flash Harry · Dec 30, 2006

Do the checks as suggested but as it appears to be getting better after only 2 films I would just keep cocking and firing to get everything working again also fire it at all shutter speeds and apertures a few times to loosen everything up.

The_Traveler · Dec 30, 2006

My science background compels me to suggest this.
After you work it a bunch to get the kinks out.
Put the camera on a tripod looking at a typical outdoor scene and use a 36 exposure roll of film
Set the camera for the correct exposure using the fastest shutter speed and aperture combination.
Now open up a couple of f stops, make an exposure,
Close one stop, make an exposure,
Close to correct aperture, write the f stop/shutter speed on a white piece of paper and put it in the viewable area, make an exposure,
close one stop, expose
close two stops expose.

Now you have a set of exposures for one shutter speed and a range of aperture openings - with the correct one marked.

Repeat this process for a succession of slower shutter speeds. Keep notes.
Get the film developed.
Now you have exercised your camera and attempted to calibrate its workings against the internal meter.