Why so cheap, you might ask.. Well, that's actually quite simple. The camera didn't work. There was an issue with it, where the mirror was stuck in the LOCK-UP position along with the self-timer being stuck. Now, I did not realize, at the time, that the self-timer was jammed, and figured that the person selling just didn't realize that the mirror was in lock-up, which is an available option for this camera. So I took a chance, and jumped on it.
Quite the chance indeed that I took, because when both cameras arrived, I was at a loss for words on what the problem might be. The mirror was locked up, yes, but upon resetting the mirror and pushing the shutter release, it would just flip back up and stay there. That was not a good sign, and I was rather dismayed at what was looking to be a rather piss-poor investment.
Shortly after making that mistake, though, I started to browse the internet looking for anyone experiencing a similar problem
That's when I happened to come across an article that stated - "The shutter is a common issue with this camera locking up due to the self-timer jamming". Well, that got my curiosity peaked and so I opened up the base-plate of the camera and located the self-timer gears. Using a very fine flat screwdriver I started to carefully advance the self-timer through its motions. Sure enough, within a few seconds the shutter fired, and the mirror returned to its lower position. I was relieved and excited, to say the least. Well, I wanted to make sure it wasn't a fluke, so I quickly took up the camera, and started to test each shutter speed, from 1 to 1/1000 and B. All fired, all sounded accurate, and the camera continued to function as normal. Well, almost. You see, in advancing the self-timer manually like I did, it must have dislodged something because now the self-timer mechanism doesn't work. In fact, it is completely dead, and doesn't function at all anymore, which really is no problem at all. I don't use a self-timer, and if I really want to, I can always get an air-release so I can use it on any camera, including one that doesn't have a self-timer normally.
Rather heavy-ish body, and the shutter, on rare occasions, sticks a bit, and it has an odd way to turn the meter on/off, but a decent camera, with mirror-lockup and DoF preview.
Nikkormat 35mm SLR
Nikon NON-AI Bayonet Lens Mount
Instant Return Mirror with Lockup (Switch located at side of mount)
Vertical Travel Shutter Curtain 1s to 1/1000s +B (Speed adjustment ring on front of camera around Lens Mount)
Match The Needle type meter system powered by a single LR44 button cell Silver-Oxide battery (1.5v)
Meter On/Off Switch is also the film-advance lever.
TTL 60/40% Center Weighted Average Metering System
DoF Preview located beside Pentaprism Hump
PC-Sync Port + Hot-Shoe 1/60s Sync Speed
ASA Scale 12-1600
Self-Timer
887g without lens, battery & film
A great little camera that seems like it'll keep on working for a good many a year to come. If you get a chance to use one, you just might become a believer in Nikon cameras as well!
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