I purchased a F-1N which seems to be in excellent cosmetic and mechanical condition except for two things. 1.The AE Finder prism has a dent right in front. This dent has caused the small white plastic piece to crack and push back slightly into the prism housing. Is this a cause for concern?

2. Everything appears to work fine until I start to snap several pictures in a row. The first two times everything seems normal, the third time it seems as though there is a slight hesitation between the time I depress the shutter button and the shutter actually releases. This gets more distinct until about the 6th time I take a picture when the shutter fails to release at all. Diagnosis? Tips on how to repair?

I really appreciate any help you can give.

Ian in Connecticut

-- Ian Forbes (ian.forbes@snet.net), November 01, 2001

Answers

1.) I'm pretty sure the white plastic is the skylight to allow outside light into the prism so you can see the meter. If the meter seems to work well and if your images are in focus there is probably no great damage. If the plastic is out of place I'll bet it can allow crud into the housing. Maybe a bit of clear tape could keep stuff out.

2.) Sounds like a battery problem. Try a new battery or perhaps a different type if you are using a Lithium.

Good luck & cheers,

Duane

-- Duane K. (dkucheran@creo.com), November 01, 2001.

Duane,

1. Great news.

2. The battery is new and is Lithium. Why would a lithium battery cause a problem? It is the battery reccomended in the owners manual.

Thanks for the quick response. Ian

-- Ian Forbes (ian.forbes@snet.net), November 01, 2001.