The good old Nikon F

I still use a Nikon F occasionally. I have three F bodies, one with plain prism, one with FT and one with FTN prism. All were bought used. The FTN meter still works. I never had any work done on them, not even foam replacement.

 

I really love old cameras, even though my current workhorse is a D2x. I even take my Pacemaker Speed Graphic (circa 1951) out for a spin once in a while! It really draws attention when I shoot with it in town.

The way the back comes off the F always bugged me and they fixed that with the F2. Nothing even comes close to those two cameras and I've used most of them more than once. I currently have the three F2's that Wayne says he needs but I'm not giving them up. F3 and F4S too but maybe I need to add an F or two just because.

 

Rick H.

I got my F in 1972, used it through high school as a yearbook photographer, in 1974 we

wrote to Nikon and told them how we used their cameras, they ended up taking an ad in our

yearbook, we thought it was way cool. Used the same F through college-Brooks Institute of

Photography. Even used it for a couple of assignments at work-Sandia National Labs. I still

use it once in a while. Has been CLA a few times. Never failed once.

This is my F Photomic, I have had it for one year now, and shot 30 rolls or so on the weekends, anything from Reala to Neopan 1600 to Velvia 100. It was my grandfather's camera, purchased while in the US military in Guam. I have his 50/1.4, and added a 24/2.8 and 85/1.8 all nonAI, and yes the meter works perfectly. I feel like the coolest person in the world when I shoot with it.

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This Nikon F body with prism was 100 bucks used in the late 1970's. The Nikkor-T 105mm F4 wasnt collectable then; it was considered to be like an old aol disc or 386 computer; ie obsolete. The lens was bought from KEH in the early 1980's thru the shutterbug yellow rag flyer; listed in their junk as is, all sales final section for 35 bucks, listed as a "weird 105mm F4 preset nikkor with dent in f stop ring". I bought it thinking it was the bellows nikkor; and got this lens that they wouldnt take back. It was in their fire sale junk area for many months before I bought it. <BR><BR>When I had the camera and lens and walked into a LARGE San Francisco camera store about 1990 the "Nikon expert" said my 105mm f4 was some kind of kludge; weird f word abortion that I ginned up with an enlarging lens; worth nothing, unusable for normal photography. Thus alot of this old Nikon stuff that was once considered dog turds and obsolete got chucked as garbage and is rare and collectable now. <BR><BR>The 105mm F4 Preset Nikkor-T is a triplet and works well for portraits; it shot the pink bikini chick that won a photo contest. <BR><BR>This lens was a standard offering when the Nikon F came out in 1959; and is in my 1960's Nikon Nikkormat handbook. Thus the hackers at camera stores who say they are "Nikon Experts" often dont know Nikons history; its lenses. Their gambit is often to get you to part with your lens for 15 bucks; like the Frisco "expert" offered me for my "homemade kludge/abortion". Part of a cons jobs is confidence; they act like experts to get you to sell your "worthless stuff" for a nil price.<BR><BR><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/ektar/Images%20of%20cameras/Nikkor105mmF4.jpg?t=1169913682">

While I mostly shoot digital, every once in a while I get the "collector" urge and realize that I already have some great old stuff, in excellent condition and works very well. My favorite combination is my Nikon F with 18mm F4.0. Great combination for wide angle work.

 

http://www.mdougherty.com/100-THEPHOTOEXPERIENCE/170-EQUIPMENT/8-Nikkor-18-camera-htm.htm

I have bought a second hand Nikon F set (69) from an old friend of mine in 2000, the body without measuring and four lenses 1,4/50, 3,5/28, 2,5/105 and 4/135. I've bought 2/35, 2,8/24 and 4/200 after that. I still use it, although last two years I prefere my new FM3A (because of aperture priority and more fluent film exchange).

 

But F is my jewel and I regularly use it to enjoy the reliability feeling - and the 100% viever too. Only two minor repairs for 37 years happened - black foam strip replacement (damps then mirror) and a eyepiece fix after very ugly fall from my neck (I was just biking).

Back in the day, the 105mm f/4 was only $69.50, inexpensive even compared to off an brand lens. I recall that Lentar lenses (28mm f/2.8, 135mm f/2.8; the Nikons were f/3.5) for the F were about $30. The 105mm f/2.5 was $175. Plain prisms were 44.50

Many times when I attend a wedding or other social event where there is a hired

photographer, I bring my "F" to take some snap shots, my camera is older than the

photographer. Now that makes me feel sort of old.

Cary, think about it, your camera is more likely to work (better track record).