Shutter curtain f'ed up....

[HyperSniper]

The shutter curtain on the Nikon FM2 that the school gave me got messed up somehow. One of the blades somehow got bent and doesn't go parrallel.

My theory: It wasn't my fault, and it wore out on it's own. Because near the end of my roll of film my pictures started getting ridiculously overexposed for no particular reason, but at the time I didn't say anything because I thought that the reason they did is because I put the roll in the top of the canister on accident.

I've been REALLY nice to this camera too, no knocking, no dropping it, no touching the shutter curtain, in fact it's been at home most of the time, or in my camera backpack.

Is my theory plausible, or am I going to have to fit the $200 bill to get it repaired?

This is what it looks like right now:

 

[jstuedle]

The camera may have just wore out. But, and the is a big but. But, when I loan out something, anything I expect it to be returned in the same or better condition than when it left. This I state up front. And I hold everyone to this policy. I don't care if it's a hammer or a lens. (Don't ask to use the D3) When I borrow something I go by the same rules. I use it and it breaks, I fix it or buy it. That's just what I believe.

 

[HyperSniper]

Yeah, but this is a school camera, and gets used a ton by a bunch of people over a course of several years. Hopefully that means that it wore out. I am positive I didn't do anything to it.

 

[jstuedle]

I don't intend to sound harsh. When a sentence starts with "Yea, but" it sounds like my kid when he blew up my car. Yea, but I wasn't going all that fast Dad. It just blew up! (while drag racing)

Is there not the price to be paid it you use equipment that's not yours no matter the source? I understand everyone uses it. When I rent a tool from the big you-rent-it place and it breaks, I pay. By contract I pay. It didn't matter that it was used by every contractor in 4 counties, I still have to pay. As a student, I understand money is hard to come by. That doesn't negate the fact it was in your possession and control when it went belly up.

 

[HyperSniper]

Thankfully, I'll never have to borrow anything from you.

I don't really think it's really fair to compare a shutter going bad to a kid destroying a car in a drag race.

 

[jstuedle]

Thankfully, I'll never have to borrow anything from you.

I don't really think it's really fair to compare a shutter going bad to a kid destroying a car in a drag race.

That was not a direct comparison to your specific situation, I thought that was obvious. The it was a direct comparison to the "Yea, But" comment. And, no, you most likely will not have me lend you anything. But a lesson in life and personal responsibility did seem appropriate. Life ain't fair. And we go through life leaving little examples of what our character is made of.

 

[Big Bully]

I think the best thing you could do is talk to your instructor. Tell him what happened. Is your semester over? If so you may be screwed if you are leaving it to or have left it to the last minute.
Talk to your instructor if your semester isn't over, he can probably help you out with the situtation.
But you might have to go by the rule of you break it you fix it.. Just like John said.

 

[Garbz]

The real question is why ask us. We're not the policy makers. Even if it is just plain wear and tear the school may say "it broke in your hands you get to fix it." They may also say "yeah we've been expecting that for a while we'll take care of it"

But how should we know. What we don't want to hear is you say "yeah but the photographers on TPF said.... so I'm not going to fix it regardless of what you say."

 

[HyperSniper]

The question was is it plausible that it wore out on it's own or do you think that I may have broken it without noticing....

 

[Big Bully]

Either or.. It doesn't matter.. It broke..
We can't say either way.
The best thing you can do it talk to your instructor.

 

[Early]

IMO, you're probably right, and you won't have to pay for it. It's an old camera, so who knows how many rolls of film has been through it before it was your turn?

Regardless, $200 is way too steep as you can replace the body for a lot less.

PS Did they give it to you, or loan it to you?

 

[Big Bully]

Colleges only loan out cameras.