The shutter curtain is shot.

HyperSniper

The shutter curtain on the Nikon FM2 that the school gave me got messed up somehow. One of the blades somehow got bent and doesn't go parrallel.

My theory: It wasn't my fault, and it wore out on it's own. Because near the end of my roll of film my pictures started getting ridiculously overexposed for no particular reason, but at the time I didn't say anything because I thought that the reason they did is because I put the roll in the top of the canister on accident.

I've been REALLY nice to this camera too, no knocking, no dropping it, no touching the shutter curtain, in fact it's been at home most of the time, or in my camera backpack.

Is my theory plausible, or am I going to have to fit the $200 bill to get it repaired?

This is what it looks like right now: :poke :poke :poke :poke :poke

ziggy53

Welcome to the Digital Grin.

Sorry your first post has to be about such a tragedy.

If the camera was overexposing just before the shutter failure that could have been because of a sticking shutter. Just report that fact when you return the camera and let the teacher sort it out.

HyperSniper

Thank you.

gchappel

Sorry, but something bent/broke the shutter. I am not saying it was you, but that does not look like the normal wear and tear demise of a shutter that I have seen- but honestly I can't tell. Send it to nikon and they can tell. They could also clean it- looks like a dust bin in there.
Hope you come out of this ok.
BTW these cameras can be found for less than $150 on ebay, if you get lucky.

Mike02

HyperSniper wrote:

The shutter curtain on the Nikon FM2 that the school gave me got messed up somehow. One of the blades somehow got bent and doesn't go parrallel.

My theory: It wasn't my fault, and it wore out on it's own. Because near the end of my roll of film my pictures started getting ridiculously overexposed for no particular reason, but at the time I didn't say anything because I thought that the reason they did is because I put the roll in the top of the canister on accident.

I've been REALLY nice to this camera too, no knocking, no dropping it, no touching the shutter curtain, in fact it's been at home most of the time, or in my camera backpack.

Is my theory plausible, or am I going to have to fit the $200 bill to get it repaired?

This is what it looks like right now: :poke :poke :poke :poke :poke

Regardless of the circumstances, since it was in your care, you should at least pay half of it. ;P.

hgernhardtjr

Mike02 wrote:

Regardless of the circumstances, since it was in your care, you should at least pay half of it. ;P.

You sound just like my long-gone Dad ... I took the ancient family car out in the early 60s and the exhaust fell off. It was my fault. Never mind it was rusting out and 2 years overdue for replacement. It was my fault. Bushwa!

I have seen several bent and damaged shutter curtains and blades over my 50 or so years in photography. It happens. Things wear out. Film sprockets tear and catch a loose leaf. That camera is well beyond its lifespan and as a class-issued, student-used camera wear and tear is to be expected.

It is a shame it happened while in HyperSniper's care, and I know I would feel guilty if it happened to me and would offer to offset the repair costs. But bottom line is, the camera was quite old, probably poorly cared for, and such problems are to be expected and should be budgeted for in the school's budget.