Nikon F3 Press: Exposure compensation wheel replacement and cleaning

Andreas Thaler · Dec 3, 2023

An intensively used F3 Press, as the exterior suggests, sits on my table:

There are no dents, the interior is clean, the titanium foil shutter cloth is without damage.

Dust and dirt have accumulated over time.

Not dramatic with the F3P, as it is a special version for reportage use and is equipped with extra seals.

When I tested it for the first time, I saw that the LCD display in the viewfinder no longer shows after the shutter has been fired once.

The display can only be activated again after a longer break.

I'm guessing dead batteries in the camera.

Before I measure the open circuit voltage of the batteries, I clean the battery contacts.

I measure the voltage in the screw-in metal battery holder that connects the negative pole of the two batteries to ground.

Fresh batteries have overvoltage, ie. 2 x 1.5 volts nominal voltage should result in around 3.2 volts no-load voltage.

The batteries can no longer do that.

A new 3 V lithium battery is therefore donated which resolves the issue.

The rubber seal on the trigger has lost its function ...

... but which has no further effect.

The focusing screen and prism are ok.

Andreas Thaler · Dec 3, 2023

The inside of the back cover is also ok.

And all camera functions are accessible - the F3 Press obviously hasn't been bothered by intensive use over the years

Oops, there’s something there!

The exposure compensation wheel does not lock between positions 0 and +2/3.

This is not good because so it can be accidentally adjusted.

In order to find the cause of the problem, I start removing the hot shoe, which also houses the wheel.

Here are the required steps:

I block the fork with a screwdriver and turn the unit with the rewind crank counterclockwise.

Further disassembly:

Andreas Thaler · Dec 3, 2023

I unsoldered the three cables.

The hot shoe is removed.

The cause of the problem with the wheel can be quickly seen on the underside:

There are three cogs missing between which the wheel’s pawl engages.

This makes it clear why the fixation for two values did not work.

What to do?

Nothing can be repaired here.

Luckily I have a replacement.

Namely a hot shoe that I removed from another F3.

On the left the old one, on the right the "new" one - with all cogs.

After cleaning the area, the new hot shoe goes on the camera.

And to assemble everything in reverse order:

I solder the three cables back on.

We continue with the assembly.

Andreas Thaler · Dec 3, 2023

Before I reattach the rewind crank - to complete the assembly - it gets a bath in pure Durgol descaling solution.

This gets the accumulated dirt out of the cavities on the bottom.

Follow up with a toothbrush and then rinse with water.

I can't get any further with the probe because the dirt is too sticky.

After watering and drying, any remaining water is blown out of the cavities in the unit using extra strong compressed air from the can.

This looks better now.

With Kent Foam Cleaner, the housing and leatherette gets rid of decades of dirt.

Firm scrubbing with the brush removes dirt from nooks and crannies.

The „wastewater“ is absorbed with the microfiber cloth.

Done

Zeiss takes care of the optical parts.

I found a new rubber mount in my spare parts supply for the beautifully polished eyepiece ring.

This means that glasses wearers can use the viewfinder again without any worries - scratches on the lens are no longer possible.

The F3 Press is back.

The exposure compensation works, and everything else looks fine.

What was used for the job.

Andreas Thaler · Dec 3, 2023

Conclusion

In addition to my F3/T, I now have a second workhorse for my photo walks in the city.
The F3 Press even makes photography easier because it has omitted some functions to allow „professionals“ to work quickly. For example, there is no release lock for the back cover, which means that a film cartridge can be changed even more quickly after exposure.
A hot shoe has been added to the viewfinder housing for this purpose.
The viewfinder housing is made of titanium, making it particularly durable.
The F3P includes the Motor Drive MD-4. A stop back cover is included as standard, which ensures that the beginning of the film is not drawn into the cartridge when rewinding via the motor. This makes darkroom work easier - or not.
Focusing screen B ist standard *
Contrary to expectations, the F3 is not a fortress that cannot be cracked with the screwdriver. On the contrary, the work so far has gone without any major incidents and was quite pleasant. The construction is extremely solid - the parts can withstand a lot of screwing - but it's not overcomplicated, at least that's my impression so far. Only when reinstalling the film rewind crank did I have to think longer about how the mechanism for the back cover release works.
In contrast to the F3, the F3P has seals that are intended to prevent moisture and dirt from entering the camera housing. However, I have seen that some of these seals are rotting, similar to mirror stop dampers and rear cover seals (which, by the way, still need to be done here). That's why I didn't remove the upper housing parts so as not to let the seals crumble. It would have been easier to clean - just put the parts in water with detergent. But it's better to have dilapidated, relatively intact seals that I don't have to laboriously scrape off or that stray into the interior of the chamber ...
A complete CLA - clean, lubricate, adjust - would of course be a nice project. To do this, the camera would have to be partially dismantled and finally brought back to standard values. This requires the necessary experience, measuring equipment and knowledge of the setting options on the camera electronics. So the job that the Nikon Service Centers once did, with trained service staff and appropriate technical equipment. I won't be able to do that on the kitchen table. It's not necessary either, because as long as the camera works and there are no signs of problems, it should do this undisturbed. And every disassembly carries the risk that it will be worse afterwards or not at all.

___

*

Matte/Fresnel field with 3mm fine-ground matte focusing spot and 12mm reference circle. Good for general photography, especially with long lenses. Type B screen is also used as standard screen for F3 High Speed motor drive camera body.

See

Focusing Screens for Nikon F3

+++

All information provided without guarantee and use at your own risk.

Andreas Thaler · Dec 3, 2023

Iron workhorses

Mick Fagan · Dec 3, 2023

Andreas, another very interesting addition showing your wizardry inside cameras.

The Type B and E screens for the F3 series of cameras, are the only two designed for every single Nikkor lens. The only difference is that the E screen has horizontal and vertical lines, which can be invaluable for many types of photography.

I run with type E screens in my two F3 bodies and my FE2, although my FE2 is no longer working after falling from a motorcycle one too many times.

Mick Fagan · Dec 3, 2023

I would also love to have that firing rate converter attached to the bottom of the MD4 shown in the side by side with the Canon F1.

The vertical shutter button it has, would be heaven for portraiture work.

mshchem · Dec 3, 2023

Nice work. Should be good for a long time.

4season · Dec 3, 2023

Beautful F3/T!

For what it's worth, I use wristwatch gasket grease on rubber o-rings, such as the one used on the Nikon F3 shutter speed dial.

https://www.esslinger.com/watchmakers-silicone-grease-for-gaskets/

Andreas Thaler · Dec 4, 2023

Thank you all for your kind words

Andreas Thaler · Dec 4, 2023

I can't imagine how the cogs of the exposure compensation wheel broke. This can actually only be done with force, and to turn the wheel so tightly you need pliers.

Andreas Thaler · Dec 4, 2023

I can't go out on the streets in Vienna with this. People might misunderstand and call the police. Code: MF-4 ;-)

mshchem · Dec 4, 2023

Andreas Thaler said:
View attachment 355607

I can't go out on the streets in Vienna with this. People might misunderstand and call the police. Code: MF-4 ;-)

I had a big back for a F2, these are cool. I have a couple Nikor developing tanks and the big ol reels. Need to burn off 33' of Ektachrome!

Andreas Thaler · Dec 4, 2023

mshchem said:
I had a big back for a F2, these are cool. I have a couple Nikor developing tanks and the big ol reels. Need to burn off 33' of Ektachrome!

How do you develop such a meter-long film?

Mick Fagan · Dec 5, 2023

Andreas, in general by using a roller transport processor.

The lab I worked in used a Kreonite 7 bath deep rack processor, it was about 320mm wide on the rollers and if I remember correctly, originally designed for E6 processing.

We put pretty much all of our B&W film through, from 35mm right through to 300mm by 400mm cut sheet film (I seem to remember) which was cut for us by Kodak Australasia in Melbourne.

We did use our B&W roller transport processor to process film from almost an exact setup like you have shown. It was mainly used by a stop start puppet movie making company making advertisements for television. Things like a toothbrush running away from a tube of toothpaste.

Andreas Thaler · Dec 5, 2023

Thanks, Mick!

You can't really imagine the effort back then. Pure film always means physical exertion.

When I was younger, I spent nights in the bathroom, which was my darkroom. At the first light of the morning there was first oxygen through ventilation and a strong coffee The finished prints were in front of me. A wonderful feeling.

Nikon F3 Press: Exposure compensation wheel replacement and cleaning

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