Vintage Nikon FM2 Camera

[rockmaple]

I have a vintage Nikon FM2 camera that I plan to list on ebay. It is used but seems to be in pretty good condition. I don't know much about cameras but I did some research on this camera and it is described as a "mechanical" camera and it only needs batteries for the light meter. With batteries, the red light goes on in the viewfinder as you would expect but I am concerned that when I press the shutter release, nothing seems to happen-- no sound, and when the camera back is open, no movement.

Does the shutter release only work when film is in the camera? If the shutter release is broken how much does that adversely affect the price? Is this an expensive repair? If the shutter release is broken, should I list it and describe the shutter release as being broken or should I have it repaired before I list it, and disclose that it was repaired?

Thanks in advance for any help!

[cameraman-mike]

Hi,

The FM series will work even without batteries....The battery is just for the light meter. The FE series would need the battery to make the shutter fire.

Sounds like you may have a mechanical issue. Take it to a local camera shop and have them look at it. The counter associate 'should' be able to do a quick lookover and verify of there is a problem before you decide to list it.

Good luck...any questions please ask, Michael

The lens will still have value as many are playing with the older manual lenses on the new digital bodies.

[reggiescabin]

I wouldn't let a camera store clerk touch my gear. There are only a handful.of stores that might have a qualified camera tech and they don't work the counters......my experience with these store clerks is that are actors playing a role, velirtually all stores today farm out repairs to 3rd party repair businesses.

You'd be better served taking it to Home Depot, because at least Home Depot would be honest and explain they don't do repairs. Some talks a great game store clerk is not a tech, a photographer, or anything other than their title suggest ...."clerk".

Ask a camera store if they do in house repairs and employ their own qualified repair techs.....

To me the issue seems like the film advance mighr be working but the linkage that cocks the shutter is not engaging ..... unfortunately if it's not a simple fix I doubt the cost justifies the value of the camera.....

Sadly camera repair techs are few and far between and the demand for repairs so limited that many small shops don't exist. Camera stores in my areas use unqualified non-trained techs. So what im stating is this....it's highly unlikely a qualified person exist to check your camera and just a BS artist who boast will unless it is shipped off to an actual place.

But a store clerk? More likely to make it worse

[cameraman-mike]

As a former camera store owner and 'clerk' I found most camera shop associates know how to check a manual camera for basic functionality. A tech is only needed when you decide to actually get a repair done.

And I wont even touch the opinion of internet answers from those with no obvious knowledge or credibility behind the name and cant answer a question without putting others they dont know down.

Most aged camera stores, which really are few and far between themselves, usually have an old guy like me working there that has been around and can tell if a camera works.

Also...most repairs will now be more than replacing the item...so it may be just a parts body with some very usable lenses.

I looked at your listing. Priced pretty high for its condition. I myself would sell the lens separate to get the most out of it and then throw the body on as a parts camera for cheap.

Just my opinions...

[reggiescabin]

I didn't claim to be anything or offer up my personal credentials, I simply stated "I would not let a store clerk touch my gear". Claiming to be an expert or touting special positions is the exact essence of the warning I reported. Just because someone says so doesn't make it so, that's my point. If a store clerk was a photographer or repair technician then why are they not in a studio or on a bench and working a low pay position where sales rhetoric is rampant?

I'm not putting anyone down for being a clerk behind the counter, I'm pointing out an observantion for the OP. If you have to defend yourself by using credentials that can't be verified or even make logical sense for that matter then what's obvious now is the BS, pure BS that spews from most of the mouths of minimum wage clerks who regularly spread so much bad information it's astonishing.

Doesn't matter who I am, my credentials, or qualifications.....the facts are the facts. This fact is about the idea that people walk into a place with a contrived notion that the people behind a counter are qualified experts....when you consider the reality.including their wage it should dawn on most people that they are not professional anything but BSers....aka Salesman ....

They use and prey on people who just assume because they are employed that they are expertS on cameras.....photography.....and whatever else they rake advantage of by making people think they are...

Is a car salesman an expert mechanic? How about the owner? Is a porter a Nascar race driver?

Why would anyone walk into a camera store with an expectation that employees are experts in this field?

It's a ludicrous notion .....

Take your camera to a dairy queen for repair, I guarantee they'll give you a more honest answer then a camera store who about 99.9% of the time has no experts at all and just sales people banking on you be living they are experts...

[cameraman-mike]

is a car salesman a mechanic....no, I guess hes just the 'clerk' working next to the mechanic.

I take my car to the place they sell cars....

I take my computer to the place they sell computers

Ect....

Never thought there might not be someone that knows cameras at a camera shop.

your an idiot.....

[rockmaple]

Thecameramann & Reggiescabin Thanks for your comments. I decided not to put any money into fixing this camera. Hopefully someone will buy it who can fix it themselves. People are looking at the listing so that's good, but no one has bid so Cameramann, you are probably right about the price.