Nikon FM2n Film Advance Lever Issue?

When i advanced the lever, the lever sprung back loosely and it does not lock. When that happens i have to use a coin to twist the motor drive coupling until it locks. Any easy solution to this because i find it rather annoying to do this every single time i advance.

Have the camera serviced by a competent and qualified camera technician.

I've heard of this happening before and I suspect that you have done a little reading on it as well or are a resourceful thinker and came up with the motor drive trick yourself. Unless this is a spare camera (FM2n's are a little expensive and usually not expendable to people though), I would not recommend trying to repair this yourself. I've never tried to fix such a problem on my own and prefer to leave things like this, which probably require a new part because a gear or cam has been stripped, to a professional repair shop.

I would avoid "Authorized Photo Service" like the plague despite their being the biggest Nikon repair outlet outside of Nikon themselves. These people ruined the shutter in one of my FM2n's and then still made me pay to replace it. Their work is not very clean either. I got my camera back with a crack in the plastic collar around the lens mount and poorly adhered leatherette.

Nikon will no longer service the FM2n (as I found out 2 years ago).

I would try CameraRepair.com or look for a local repair shop. I had my Nikkormat FT2 done at CameraRepair and the price and turnaround time were good, as well as the work!

The OTHER solution, which is only a band aide, is to buy a Nikon MD11 or MD12, the motordrive, and only advance with it. I use MD12's on all my FM/FE series Nikons and love them for shooting events but if you don't want a big, noisy camera, they are not for you.

Good luck and keep that FM2n running! If I were stranded on the proverbial deserted island with only two cameras to use for the rest of my life, it would be the Leica M6 TLL and the Nikon FM2n! These are excellent available light shooters. And tough!

MANUAL AND METAL! FILM FOREVER!