Nikon F

<p>I am a very long time Canon user and have an extensive collection from the Pellix through to the 5DII and 7D. I am interested in adding a Nikon F to my collection and plan to shoot it. I really enjoy shooting the odd roll of film through my Canon F1s and New F1s. I was asked for input on which prism and body to buy. I have heard that the Photomatic prisms are top heavy and generally do not work. Using old Canons I am familiar with the 1.35V battery issue and have a number of adaptors from Holland which work well. There appear to be a number of body and prism options (Nippon Kagu, Apollo etc...)and I was wondering if someone could assist me ?</p>

<p>I've had a couple of F's in my time... still have one of them. If you don't insist on having a metering prism, my suggestion would be to bypass ALL of them and just get the ordinary pentaprism. A Nikon F with the standard non-metering prism is a thing of beauty, plus nothing can go wrong with it and it doesn't need a battery. Now that I've said that, I wish I had one myself. They are expensive and I can't afford to buy one.</p>

<p>I don't think an F with a Photomic prism is top heavy. The camera itself is pretty hefty. Mine doesn't work anymore, so I just use the standard sunny 16 rule of thumb. It's film, not digital, so close enough is good enough.</p>

<p>Nikon F with plain prism and handheld meter is what I recommend and use, myself. If buying a Nikon F, check slow speeds for action, shutter for dents/ holes, frame counter...other then that they are well built and last for decades, I have and use a 1959 and 1967 with F36 motor.</p>

<p>For the "Photomic" heads, the problem is not only the battery. It just seems like at some point, all of them simply decided to retire.<br>

Bodies with one of the Photomic heads ( see http://www.cameraquest.com/fhistory.htm for a brief history and some links to detailed sites, especially Liu's site http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/michaeliu/cameras/nikonf/index.htm ) are pretty cheap except for a few serial number ranges that are "collectable".</p>

<p>It is much more difficult and expensive to get the plain prism head. Normally it will go for much more than the plain finderless or Photomic head Nikon F.</p>

<p>I really only "collect" the EOS cameras, but I was a long-term Nikon shooter in film with my Nikkormats and a Nikon F. The lenses are relatively cheap for what they are -- especially the unmodified pre-AI lenses (which is what worked on the Nikon F anyhow).</p>

<p>I have felt this to be one of the most handsome 35mm SLRs ever made -- with the prism head that is.</p><div></div>

<p>I would go for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon_F2">Nikon F2 Photomic</a> with the DP-1 metered finder. It's a later body than the Nikon F, and you will not have battery issues as it uses 2 common 1.5v silver batteries. The Nikon F2 Photomic also uses Nikkor non-AI, AIS lenses which are quite good, plentiful, and cheaper than the later, and now sought after for digital use, AI, and AIS lenses. Only a few years ago, Nikon F2 cameras in mint condition were very collectable and thus expensive. Now, however, prices have dropped and you can find a nice one for a relatively low price. If you go with the F2 Photomic, find one with a <strong>meter serial number</strong> over 60xxxx. DP-1 metered finders below that number are problematic and wear out. Those <a href="http://soverf2repair.webs.com/DP1_ring_resistors.htm">metered finders</a> above 60xxxx will also have red or green dots on the underside of the shutter speed dial coupler. If ever you should need service for your F2, <a href="http://www.soverf2repair.webs.com/">Sover Wong</a> is the man to go to.</p>

JDM has it right as usual... Nikon F cameras are plentiful, and there's no need to pay more than $250 for a body, although non-AI lenses are cheap, too. That's with Photomic finder, which works fine even if it doesn't meter.

 

Plain pentaprisms in good shape will cost nearly as much as the body.

 

This is a case when you want to use KEH instead of eBay, as they have lots of Fs and you can send it back if it's not to your liking.

<p>I found the Nikon Photomic FTn ridiculously top-heavy, body will flop face down on the strap even without a lens on it, far worse with a lens on it. Access to the shutter speed dial is also very annoying, way up there.<br>

Gorgeous camera with the plain prism, ugly (in a hunky industrial way) with any Photomic prism. The ring resistor that reads the aperture fails eventually on all Photomic prisms, fundamental design flaw.<br>

Market price for the plain prisms is somewhere in the vicinity of $150 to $200. Ouch.</p>

<p>Someday I will upgrade my Nikon equipment by getting an F2, which I agree is a fine looking machine, but there's still something about that original form. The F2 meter head is slightly more acceptable, looks-wise. Black is swell too, but pretty costly on the F1 for one that isn't all brass, better on the F2.</p>

<p>The Nikon F Apollo is distinguished by a black, plastic cover over the film-advance and self-timer levers. The Apollo film advance is a little easier on the thumb compared to an uncovered advance lever on standard F bodies.</p>

<p>As much as I like the F I much prefer the F2, not the least of which is for egonomic reasons. The more forward-located release button seems trivial but is a huge improvement. Expanded shutter speeds (10 sec to 2000th) are helpful and esp beneficial for chrome are the stepless speeds from 80th to 2000th. The entire film door is removed on the F when loading/unloading. The F2 door is hinged. Unless you're good with advance-planning, mirror lock-up on the F usually requires a wasted frame; not true with the F2. And if low-light metering is your style, the LEDs of the DP-3 (F2SB) and DP-12 (F2AS) are the bee's knees! No qualms about the F but the F2, plain or metered prism, is a vast improvement.</p>

<p>Agreed. The F2 is<strong> the</strong> best of the all mechanical Nikons. Very elegant and beautiful too with the plain DE-1 prism.</p><div></div>

<p>I did not find my F2AS' to be terribly top heavy. I used them when I worked in photojournalism. I love my F, with plain prism (as pictured above) for its simple beauty, but there is also the issue that some of the Photomic finders were simply more advanced and easier and brighter to focus with.</p>

<p>I have about 8 or 9 Nikon Fs left. Some black, some chrome, one 64XXXXX, a couple that look brand-new. Several Photomic finders that work. With a small lens, the weight is more pronounced, but with a heavier optic, it's a moot point. Aesthetically, the prism-topped Fs are much prettier. When you get it, test it, or better yet, send it in for a CLA. The things will outlive us all. I also have F2's, but there's something to the F. Get a white-nosed 50/1.4, old 85/1.8 and/or 105/2.5 and a late 28/3.5 or 35/2, Yes, there's other lenses with better MTF curves, few with better looking optical signatures. For a user, you can't go wrong with just about any year F.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I will think about adding an F2 later (I am really a Canon user with a large collection of Canon FD bodies and lenses) and I really wanted to get the first real Japanese SLR. I noticed on KEH that a chrome F Apollo with a standard prism is $450 in EX whereas a chrome F with a Nikon Kogaku standard prism is only $340 in EX. Apart from the branding what causes the difference and what advice do you have?</p>

<p>I have had three Nikon F's ('64xx; '67xx; '70xx) and two Nikon F2's. With regard to Nikon F metering problems there are two types of ring resistor in the Nikon F Photomic heads. The early ones up till some point in the early 1970's used a carbon track which wears out and no spares are generally available. The early Nikkormat FT's with metering suffer the same carbon-track resistor problem.</p>

<p>The later Nikon F ring resistors, the Nikon F2 and the Nikkormat from the FT2-onwards use a metal resistor track and are practically indestructible.</p>

<p>The Nikon F can have shutter issues, and the mirror can also get banged out of place resulting in out-of-focus shots, once again you generally only see this in cameras that have suffered years of professional use or abuse.</p>

<p>The later Nikon F2 has a shutter that almost always times properly unless it has had severe use. This is easy to tell, as the rest of the camera will look worn out too. Early F2's had so many issues that Nikon issued a 6-page bulletin of modifications and instructed it's distributors to fix these units (at the distributor's expense). Naturally many did not have all of these mods done, or in severe cases replacement F2's were supplied. The F2 can shoot accurately at speeds between those marked on the shutter dial, a rare feature in a mechanical camera only shared with the Leicaflex and Leica M5, as far as I am aware.</p>

<p>Mr. Chris Wood in Auckland, New Zealand has stocks of new Nikon F and F2 Photomic meter and other parts and he has worked on F's and other cameras professionally since 1962. I can recommend his services if you want a Nikon (or anything else) done properly. Chris says the F had a stronger frame than the F2.</p>

<p>At the end of the day, I now only have a '70xx Nikon F. The F2 is a better camera for sure, but somehow I prefer the F.<br /> <br /></p>

<p>Lois, that black F2 is the epitome of camera porn! I have a plain prism for my Nikon F, but not for my F2, love to get one, but I think they are more expensive than the F prisms.</p>

<p>As a regular F user I'll add that if you want a meter, the Photomic FTn is still a pretty decent performer if you get a good one. I have three and they all work. It's not terribly hard to recalibrate an FTn meter to run on silver oxide or alkaline batteries. The plain prism F is prettier, and of course has one less thing to go wrong, but I would not shy away from a good FTn either.</p>

<p>This is slightly OT--I have a plain prism "F" and would like to get the finder cleaned.<br>

It's really dusty inside.<br>

Any suggestions for a good repairperson?<br>

Thanks!<br>

Paul</p>

<blockquote>

<p>The F2 is<strong> the</strong> best of the all mechanical Nikons. Very elegant and beautiful too with the plain DE-1 prism.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Louis, on the basis of seeing your gorgeous specimen, I certainly agree with you about its elegance and beauty. The F2 looks to be much akin to the Canon F-1, which I'm sure is no coincidence given that Canon modeled its FD system on Nikon's SLR system.</p>

<p>Philip, it's interesting that you're planning on picking up an F. I have a friend who exclusively shoots slides, and who was a long-time Nikon user until he got fed up with the newer Nikon AF bodies and went over to Canon EOS (and, more recently, to FD). But very recently, he's decided to acquire some classic Nikon gear.</p>

<p>I personally would be apprehensive about get into Nikon because of the nightmarish issue of inconsistent lens-body compatibility. At least with FD and EOS, you know exactly where you stand in this regard.</p>

<p>The F is a great machine. The photomic Tn (slot/tab on front ,no numbers) is center weighted but you need to index ASA when you change max lens speed. I carry a '64F-Tn ,35f/2 ,50f/2 and 135f2. The F-FTN (slot/tab on front w/numbers) uses semi-indexing like the F2 (set to f5.6 and twist) but some have battery issues. The meter prism may be chunky but nothing says classic '60's F like a rugged FTN. Rugged ,fun ,iconic ....you should have a blast.<br>

Chris</p>

<p>"I personally would be apprehensive about get into Nikon because of the nightmarish issue of inconsistent lens-body compatibility."<br /> The Nikon F system has maintained amazing compatibility over more than 50 years - I can take my 2003 AF Nikkor 70-300 mm zoom, and attach it to my 1964 plain finder F and have full functionality. Sure, there are some compatibility issues over the decades, but these mainly revolve around metering - the lens mount itself remains unchanged. If you start with a non-AI F or F2 Photomic body, you can attach and meter with any manual focus Nikkor equipped with a metering prong, from 1959 up to whenever Nikon stopped making MF lenses. Start with an F4, and you can use almost every Nikkor ever made. I can't think of another system that has maintained this level of compatibility over such a stretch of time and spanning the evolution of the SLR from the mechanical 35mm SLRs of the late 50's/60's to the full-frame uber-dSLRs of today.<br /> Once you do a little research and understand the different Nikkor lens types and metering couplings, you'll see that understanding Nikon/Nikkor compatibility is anything but "nightmarish".</p>

<blockquote>

<p>the lens mount itself remains unchanged</p>

</blockquote>

<p>this is not the place, and I knew that it would come up when the comment on the "nightmare" was posted.<br>

If you want to see what will fit and what will not fit, look at the Nikonians list at http://www.nikonians.org/nikon/slr-lens.html .<br>

That organization is not known as a cluster of pro-EOS fans.</p>

<p>It <strong><em>is</em></strong> amazing how much Nikon has been able to do with a lens mount that was basically already too small to work well after 1986 or so. Power to them, but not all older Nikon lenses play well with newer cameras.</p>

<p>david, is of course, welcome to try mounting pre-AI lenses on his newer Nikon bodies.<br>

The ability to mount a modern autofocus Nikon lens on the F is going the wrong way. It is what older lens will or will not work that is the test.</p>

<p>Heck, I can use modern Nikon lenses manually on my Canon cameras. Here is the latest Nikon 10.5mm fisheye on my 20D a few years ago.</p>

<p> </p><div></div>

<p>If you want lens-body compatibility, the meterless F is almost the champion (the F4 still beats it). It will accept any and all Nikon mount lenses that have a mechanical aperture ring. Period. Forget the chips, the AI, the AF, the prongs and protrusions. They all fit and they all work to the full extent that any lens works on a meterless F. </p>

<p>If you want someone to fix your F or your prism, I'd recommend a call or email to Vermont Camera Works (www.vermontcamera.com) for a quote. They're nice to deal with and careful and plenty experienced with old F's. However, you should know that many old Nikon prisms suffer from desilvering or tarnishing at the spots where they are clamped down, and for that, no cleaning will help.</p>

<p>Mark (and others) I am not planning to get into Nikons (I am too vested in Canon, Contax Mamiya and Fuji GX680) for that. Indeed the only Nikon I currently own is the Nikonos V which I like. I find that I love to shoot only film bodies for fun - only a few rolls a year and mainly in F1s and Contaxs for 35mm. I have always kind of wanted a Nikon F for it's Vietnam war image and was just thinking of a body and a couple of lenses - probably 35mm and 85mm.</p>

<p>Don't do it, it's the road to ruin; you won't be able to stop until you get all of them including the F6!<br /> But seriously, you should get either an F or F2. Don't be afraid to get one with one of the metering finders at first, even if you should eventually acquire a plain prism finder too, just for the experience of using a really timeless classic. There are repair shops that can fix the meters and, in the case of the Photomic F, adjust them to use 1.5v silver cells (Camera Clinic in Seattle, Essex in New Jersey, Pete Smith in Florida, 'Mr. F2' Sover Wong in the UK, etc.). My two 1970s "Apollo" F's have meter heads that were cleaned and recalibrated about 10 years ago, and both work fine today; one of them even runs an F36 motor from 1959! Some of those repairmen are quite ingenious; as an example, they now have brass gears to replace the plastic gears that came in the motor drives. That's a great thing about old Nikons; there were so many sold that there are more people alive who know how to fix them, and there are plenty of camera bodies to cannibalize for parts. Another joy, or curse rather, of owning old Nikons is being to pick up all kinds of arcane and esoteric accessories, from dozens of focusing screens to strange gizmos for anything from astrophotography to photomicrography. Happy shooting!</p>

<p>"Power to them, but not all older Nikon lenses play well with newer cameras."<br>

Absolutely true, but since this is a Classic Cameras forum, rather than the Nikon Forum, my response referred to what lenses could be used with an older Nikon camera, rather than what older glass can be attached to a dSLR. And the answer is - almost anything.</p>