Nikon FE2 Exposure Meter issue

karmagarda

karmagarda

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I picked up a Nikon FE2 this week (Very nice gift from the OH!) but it seems to have a niggle with the exposure meter. I have managed to get the exposure meter to come on about 2 or 3 times, but then the needle just stays at the bottom and ignores the shutter button when I give it a half press.

I've made sure the film is at 1 as I've read about it not metering until you advance the film to 1.

I have checked the battery compartment but it seems to be spotless of any corrosion or dirt etc. The fact that it managed to meter a few times makes me think the batteries are fine.

I presume that because the meter doesn't work this explains why the shutter doesn't fire either? Or does this sound like a battery issue? Or worse, an electrical fault?

The ebay seller had excellent feedback and claimed that the FE2 was fully tested and in full working order. And it seems to be more of a "dealer" so I somewhat trust that it was.

Hoping it's something simple I can rectify myself...
 
Change the batteries? Sure they are the right voltage and size? With the FE and FE2, almost all the faults relate to the battery and electronics.
 
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2 AG13s in it which are right.

Know of a way to check the batteries?
 
Maybe they're not making proper contact? Try wedging something in there to hold them tight?
 
I've kinda figured it out. There's a couple of things slightly quirky about it. Firstly, the wind on handle is sticky, had to throw it on another frame and suddenly the shutter is working again. But there's also something quite quirky about the electronics of this. Sometimes the exposure meter works, sometimes you have to really fiddle with the shutter button and it will kick it into action. Rather than a half press if I go a bit daring and nearly release the shutter it seems to almost "trigger" it back on or something. So there's something not fully connecting up inside.

Either way, a wee fiddle and it seems to be working again, so happy days. what a beautiful camera it is!!
 
Apologies if this comes over as a silly reply but you know that the meter is only on when the wind lever is out, yes?

;)
 
That's not at all silly, because that did catch me out initially :lol:. But no, it's a little bit more quirky than that. The Winder itself get's stuck quite a bit. Once I got the shutter working again it was then I noticed the meter shoot back on. It just takes a really daring press when it knocks off again :lol:
 
In my books, that's not fully working order IMO - a sticky handle is a pretty obvious deficit. Even if it can be helped with a little movement, it's still not fully working order.
 
Agree - I would get in touch with the seller and inform him of these faults. You may be able to get him to agree to a partial refund at least, which you could put towards a service perhaps.
 
It's a shame I'm busy at the moment because otherwise I'd let you compare your FE2 to my FE2 to check that all was well, or whether there was indeed a problem.
 
freecom2 said:
It's a shame I'm busy at the moment because otherwise I'd let you compare your FE2 to my FE2 to check that all was well, or whether there was indeed a problem.
Click to expand...

Cheers for the offer, much appreciated :). Don't worry about it though, it's actually behaving itself a bit better now. Been reading up a bit about it and others say it can happen if the mirror locks up or something. So setting it on M250 and getting it to fire on that setting sort of resets it or something :thinking:. I dunno, maybe I fluked it and that's why it started behaving itself :lol:
 
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