Hi to all, I just purchased my newly "old" F4E, I got it for 900$ and although it has bracing on the back of the viewfinder and on top (due to hanging it on the neck) it is like new, one of does rich amateurs that just bought the F5 and doesn't want the F4 anymore.

In my home I checked it all over and everything looks ok........BUT, yes there is a but, The little black claw that sustains the mirror from above gets into the picture area, when using a 50mm or wider you have to look for it, since its hardly noticeable, but there. When you put a Tele on, it turns into a black stain in the viewfinder's bottom. I'm quite sure this ain't normal, anyone experienced it? how did you solve it?

Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't want to pay the service to take care of it, but if its a small thing to do and easy repairable, I don't want to give it to Nikon, that here in Spain, they have such a workload (they take care of all Nikon cameras in the country) that for every nonsense they can only guarantee you that you'll have your camera in about a month time!

Thanks again Diego K.

-- Diego k. (heuristica@mailcity.com), December 08, 1999

Answers

Not to worry, this is normal.

-- Jim Bridges (jcbejb@worldnet.att.net), December 08, 1999.

Yep, Diego, it's perfectly normal; I noticed it too when I first bought my used mint-condition F4s too. You won't notice that little dark blur any more once you get busy using the camera!

-- Hoyin Lee (leehoyin@hutchcity.com), December 09, 1999.

I don4t expect this kind of things happaning to a pro level SLR that cost as much. I bought it so I could sell my soulles F90, and this doens4t happen in on the F90 nor my old FE. maybe has something to do with the 100% view, Ill go to nikon to see what can be done to aboid this inconvinient.

-- Diego K. (heuristica@mailcity.com), December 09, 1999.

Diego, yes, this is normal. In fact, in an US-magazine review about 10 years ago when the F4 first came out, they pointed this out and said they didn't expect such as "feature" on a pro-level camera. And when I bought my F4s new in 1990, I noticed this very minor problem too.

-- Shun Cheung (shun@worldnet.att.net), December 09, 1999.

OK, I've been at Nikon's, and they told me as well that its normal thing, and again expresed my amazment about this happening in such a camera, as the F4 is supose to be. Even so, there is nothing to do, they say, and that I'm actually the first to complain about it.

At least I found out that the camera has 5093 exposures made, quite new I belive, only 144,907 exposures to go!

Has anyone tried to paint it white or silver to eliminate it? or you just bare with it?

and 2 more question:

1. does it suposse to do a sring like sound after the shutter has been triped? in nikon they tell me its ok, that it is only the bracking system of the shutter. 2. I read in the manual that when autorewinding the film leader should stay out of the cassette, but in mine it gets into the cassette, i forgot to ask when I was there if they can change it, can they?

P.S. is there any other glich I should know (this as been my dream camera since I started photography 6 years ago, so for me its the best there is) iluminate me please!!!

thanks alot, for all the info.

Diego K.

-- Diego K. (heuristice@mailcity.com), December 09, 1999.

Yes the camera can be programmed to leave the film tail out. I vaguely remember "the dangle' from my F4 but it never really bothered me or affected the images so I just ignored it. I suspect painting the offending part won't really do anything for you, or will just cause a possible paintchip problem somewhere down the line when you least want it.

-- Ellis Vener (evphoto@insync.net), December 12, 1999.