A simple jammed shutter on an F2 ate my entire Saturday

Picked up a Nikon F2 at a garage sale for $40. Shutter was stuck at 1/1000. I figured it was a classic hang up, maybe some old grease. Five hours later I had the top plate off, curtain drum out, and I still couldnt find the culprit. Turned out the little gear that drives the slow speed escapement had a hairline crack. You can barely see it without a loupe. I chased my tail for 6 more hours before I spotted it. 11 hours total for what I thought was a 45 minute fix. Has anyone else had a dumb tiny part like that hide from you for way too long?

1 comments

Log in to join the discussion

Log In

1 Comment

samflores1mo ago

a hairline crack" that you can "barely see without a loupe" sounds like you found an excuse to tear that thing apart. I've been there, but honestly, half the time the shutter just needs a good clean and some fresh lube. You spent 11 hours of your Saturday on a $40 camera, and I'm not sure that's a win even if it works now. Your mileage may vary, but I'd have stopped at hour two, put it back together, and just shot at 1/500 for a while. Take this with a grain of salt, but I think you maybe wanted the project more than the fix.

8