A Little Nikon History Courtesy of B&H

I found this article interesting:

Classic Camera Review: The Original Nikon Fs

Great article, except that the Photomic finder never had a selenium meter.

There were selenium meters that coupled to the shutter speed dial and aperture ring, but they were not integrated into the prism.

The first Photomic finders have a big CdS "eye" on the front, but can indeed do incident reading.

Hah! You beat me to it Ben.

The clip-on Selenium meter was completely separate from the finder.

As you said: The first Photomic metering prism used a CdS cell and needed a battery. Both meters can be seen in detail at this link.

Both meters can be seen in detail

Excellent, Thanks!

Joe's link is excellent, but it also skips over that there are two functionally different Photomic finders.

Here they are-the "flag" photomic and the "button" photomic. The left is a recent marriage with a 6.4 million body that came to me with an FTN, while the right is(as best as I can tell) an all-original 6.5 million. Both cameras are shown with the lenses they came with, and I strongly suspect both to be the lenses that were bought with the cameras when new. Unfortunately, it's hard to say definitively. The only boxed F I have came without a lens...

A keen eyed person will likely spot a big originality issue with this particular "Flag" Photomic. Bonus points if you see it :)

A keen eyed person will likely spot a big originality issue with this particular "Flag" Photomic. Bonus points if you see it :)

I thought it might be the self timer lever, but that one seems to be correct for a late 64xxxx body. So I'm left with the chipped and repaired painting. And of course if it came with an FTN, I presume that there are a couple of concealed modifications such as the front plate.

The source I'm looking at (Nikon F Collection & Typology) suggests the lenses are from about 1961 and 1964.

"Nippon Kogaku" until some time in 1966

I do so love this camera, even more than the F2

Finders Keepers

Thanks

"I do so love this camera.."

- My thumb doesn't love the serrated tip of the leverwind though.

What Nikon, would an extra 1/2 ounce of plastic have broken the budget?

I thought it might be the self timer lever, but that one seems to be correct for a late 64xxxx body. So I'm left with the chipped and repaired painting. And of course if it came with an FTN, I presume that there are a couple of concealed modifications such as the front plate.

 

The source I'm looking at (Nikon F Collection & Typology) suggests the lenses are from about 1961 and 1964.

It has been "cut" for an FTN, which unfortunately(to the best of my knowledge) is an irrepairable modification. I have a parts camera close in SN that I need to steal the front plate off of.

Also, the paint is chipped but to my knowledge has not been repaired. I bought the camera from a "virgin" source and it is worn, but with honest wear. It still has an old embossed Dymo-type label with the original owner's name on the back plate(thank goodness it's that and not an electropen engraving).

The issue I'm referring to is on the Flag Photomic itself, and it's more of a "parts swapping" issue.

Nikon F? I thought F stands for a four-letter word: film ;)

With D beeing interpreted as digital by most people, film would be logical. But what about S then? The rangefinder cameras also used film.

With D beeing interpreted as digital by most people, film would be logical. But what about S then? The rangefinder cameras also used film.

F for film is definitely not logical. If a camera does not use film in 1959 what could it use.?

Pleasantly reminded of why I love my hand-me-down Nikkormat EL, a gift circa 1977 from my dad. However, I'll need to reevaluate my estimate of its age. Based on the linked article it is more likely from about 1972, rather than my previous estimate of 1969.

The EL is my second favorite non-AI body behind the F2sb.

Aside from the awkward and mostly impractical Servo EE for the F2s/F2sb, it's the only way to get automatic exposure with non-AI lenses.

I also love the EL2. It's feature-comparable to the FE, but is in the much sturdier Nikkormat-type body(even though it's branded Nikon) and has a silicon photodiode. Unlike the FE, it also has real MLU and not just mirror pre-fire.

BTW, I still see no takers on my Flag Photomic trivia question. The one I show here has a battery cover from a later button photomic. The correct battery cover for the "flag" is a simple coin slot cover like is found on later Photomic finders. I consider the battery cover on this one a nice functional upgrade, though, as it gives you a convenient place to store the incident adapter and telephoto adapter. Also, the incident adapter is incorrect in that it has threads to allow the telephoto to be "stacked" on it. The other "flag" I have came with a correct battery door and the telephoto adapter screwed to the front, but no incident adapter.

F for film is definitely not logical. If a camera does not use film in 1959 what could it use.?

It may very well seem logical today that F meant film and it was Shun that brought it up. As you wrote, it was not back then, that is why I mentioned the S-series - which also used film. Personally, I have never given the meaning of the F designation much thought.

I enjoyed that, it took me back. I grew up on a motor driven F2 and wouldn't be without at least a couple them. I still shoot a good bit of film. The article mentioned that the F6 is still in production?? I thought there were several still available NIB but didn't think they were still being made.

Rick H.

I enjoyed that, it took me back. I grew up on a motor driven F2 and wouldn't be without at least a couple them. I still shoot a good bit of film. The article mentioned that the F6 is still in production?? I thought there were several still available NIB but didn't think they were still being made.

 

Rick H.

According to B&H they have the import version in stock and the USA version is out of stock but can be ordered.

If a camera does not use film in 1959 what could it use.?

NTIM, but it could be glass plates still at that time.:rolleyes:

NTIM, but it could be glass plates still at that time.:rolleyes:

Aha! There was the decision whether to call the Nikon F2 the Nikon G or not. I guess they call it F2 because it used film too and not glass plate.

I do so remember the Nikkormat's in the early 70s. Quite a contrast between them and the Argus C3 I was toting about...

For some reason, I was captivated by the colored stop numbers on the lens barrel! :cool:

Going through junk and clearing things out (still in my Swedish 'death cleaning' mode) I through out a corroded old EL body, and a power winder drive missing the bottom plate. I must have been hanging on to both for over 20 years.