Nikon FM2 Replacement Light Seal Kit ~ Also for FE, FE2, FM2 & FM3a

1 review for Nikon FM2 Replacement Light Seal Kit ~ Also for FE, FE2, FM2 & FM3a

1. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   S Deakin – 27th February 2026

   I recently bought a Nikon FM2N and upon receipt found that the light seals required changing, so this was an excellent opportunity to use a Nik and Trick supplied specifically precut kit. It came with an instruction sheet which was a great help in laying out the necessary steps required. I first of all removed the back and then used a 35mm film leader, taped with white electrical insulation tape over the shutter and wind on mechanism to prevent ingress of any particles of old seal. Then using the supplied bamboo stick and the aid of a magnifying glass, to actually see what I was doing, spent a few minutes scraping out the old foam and self adhesive backing. Isopropanol I found to be absolutely essential in assisting with this task. Infact, tackling replacement, without Isopropanol to hand would I believe, be far more difficult. Then it came time to fit the replacement foam. Locating the actual piece required by folding the supplied precut 3M foam sheet backing paper to backing paper revealed a host of shapes and sized parts. I decided to commence by replacing the door seals prior to tackling the possibly harder body seals. Success here would give encouragement to complete the whole task. Holding the tiny piece of foam with the supplied tweezers allowed me to anoint the hinge seal with Isopropanol and allowed me to position this first part where I wanted it, then the seal that fits in the channel to prevent light ingress around the counter reset lever. Both went remarkably easily. Now moving on to the body groove seals, I’d learnt that isopropanol must be applied copiously to prevent the self adhesive foam backing from instantly attaching itself to anything it comes anywhere near. With this knowledge assisting me, the placement went quite well. However, I did have a few millimetres of excess foam remaining beyond the groove, now, I don’t think I stretched the foam, while fitting, I could have done, but I don’t think I did, anyway it’s far better to be looking at it, rather than for it, as the saying has it, so a snip with the scissors sorted that out. Even with a good coating of isopropanol the sticky backing tends to grab at the side walls of the groove and carefully poking down with the bamboo stick dipped in isopropanol is sometimes required. I haven’t needed to tackle the mirror bump stop as it looks to me as if it’s been recently done, unfortunately whoever did it ran a complete length of foam across, meaning that releasing the screen for cleaning or replacement is now impossible without firstly removing the replacement foam, so I cannot comment on the ease or otherwise of replacement of mirror bump stops. All in all I found this to be a job I could tackle and recommend that a bottle of isopropanol is also purchased. I haven’t tried using water, but note that the instructions do say it can be used to prevent adhesion.