Watch out for the tiny spring in a Nikon FM2 shutter assembly

I had a Nikon FM2 come in with a shutter that wouldn't fire. I thought it was a simple fix, maybe a gear or a lever. I opened it up and everything looked fine at first. The real issue was a tiny, tiny spring that had slipped off its post deep inside the curtain mechanism. It was so small I almost missed it. Finding where it went and getting it back on without losing it took me two full days. I had to use tweezers and a magnifier and work super slow. It's the kind of thing that looks easy but eats up your whole schedule. Has anyone else had a nightmare with a part that small on a classic SLR?

2 comments

2 Comments

avery3891mo ago

Ugh, I put a tiny dab of nail polish on that post after I got the spring back on.

jana1791mo ago

The worst part is the mental tax after you fix it. You get the camera back together and for the next month, every time you pick it up, you're just waiting for that tiny ping sound from inside the body. It makes you distrust a machine you just saved. That spring wins even when it's back on the post.