A long time dream come true

<p>Nowadays most of the posts on here--including mine--deal with digital photography. But there are those of us who ran a lot of film through Nikon cameras back in The Day.<br />My first Nikon was the F with a FTn finder, Used that model right up until the F3 was introduced. I missed using the F2 although I always wanted one. It struck me as the epitome of the SLR camera. It was the Nikon F with the major baggage removed -- silver instead of mercury batteries, hinged back, shutter speeds to 1/2000 sec., slightly lower profile meter, plus you could put a MD on it without changing the back, too.<br />I had a friend who was a photographer for United Press International in the 1970s. Max started using the F2 when it came out. He kept two brand new-in-box F2s in his closet because he said Nikon could never improve on the design for his type of work and he wanted to make sure he could use F2s until he retired.<br />Anyway, never got around to getting an F2 before I powered down my photo bug in the '80s and '90s. Then, about the time I got back into photography in 2002, digital distracted me. I still loved the look and feel of the F2 but really couldn't justify paying even the reduced prices that were being asked when all I would probably do is hold it in my hands and admire it.<br />Last week I saw an ad on the local Craig's list for an F2 with the DP-1 finder. The owner said it was priced low because the meter hadn't worked in 25 years. I tried to get it the camera out of my head but it kept popping back into my mind. Finally I called the owner back and offered less that the value of the 50mm f/1.4 Nikkor that was on it--plus I got a 28-200 Vivitar zoom (Kiron made) that is ai so I could use it on my D300 if I have the notion.<br />Brought the camera home, cleaned the body and finder electronic contacts, replaced the 20-year-old akaline batteries with the proper silver oxide units and Voila! The meter works!<br />It's been almost two years since I shot any film. But I'm going to run a roll through my F2 during the Independence Day holiday. I won't be giving up digital but if there is a camera made that feels better in your hand than a Nikon F2, I haven't found it yet.<br>

<img src="http://swcornell.com/webphoto/f2a.jpg" alt="" /></p>

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<p> I won't be giving up digital but if there is a camera made that feels better in your hand than a Nikon F2, I haven't found it yet.</p>

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<p>It sounds like Wayne has never used an F6 and D3X. :-)</p>

<p>Have fun with the F2.</p>

<p>Your post ALMOST makes me wish I could ask the person to whom I gave my own Ftn to give it back. I do still have the 50mm f/2 lens that came with the camera, and I even use it once in a while. </p>

<p>Congrats on your find.</p>

<p>I have the F/Ftn, F2, F3 , F5 abd A F100 not to mention a few Nikkormats since 1969. The F2 was one of my favorites. <br>

I think I'll load a roll and go shoot with it.</p>

 

<p>Beautiful camera. Have fun with it! Let us know in a month how much digital you still shoot :)</p>

<p>Cool deal, Wayne.</p>

<p>Hopefully, the meter is still accurate. Does it tell you to use the same settings as your newer camera ?</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Congrats on your "dream come true"! :D</p>

<p>Over the past year, I have acquired two almost mint F2A's. When I was a kid/teen, I would have given my left nut to have one of these, but an F2 was way out of my reach - and here I was with two! I sold them both for a number of reasons: first, they were in such great shape that I was almost afraid to take them out to use them, in case I so much as dinged them. Secondly, for all it's mechanical majesty - and the F2 is truly magnificent - I don't think it holds a candle to my F3HP (although I think a part of the F3's utility as a camera is that I'm not the least bit sentimental about it and I don't care if it gets dinged).<br>

<img src="http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x296/Litespud/F2-9.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="532" /></p>

<p>I've had most of the pro 'F' series through the F3, which I still own. I think I prefer the F100 over most of the others just from a usability/capability point of view. I sometimes use the F3 out of nostalgia, but i think the F100 is a better camera...</p>

<p>I don't know how many times I drooled over the Nikon F2AS when I was shopping for my first camera back in 1979 - was financially out of my reach though and I settled for an FM. I don't shoot enough film nowadays to warrant spending the money on one now - besides, I still have an F3 and an F5. And would probably prefer a good condition F4 over the F2AS now anyways...<br>

Have fun with your F2!</p>

<p>I've never used an F100, but from what I've read about it, you're probably right - it sounds like a ruggedly built, very usable camera. The F3 is a pretty basic beast - however, as a wearer of glasses, the HP finder trumps pretty much everything else (for me, anyway)....what's the viewfinder on an F100 like.....?</p>

<p>I began my 35mm photography days with my late fathers black Nikon F with the FTn finder. He bought it new from a New York mail order firm in 1969, the year I was born. I then received a new FE2 when I graduated high school. And in 2002 I bought an F100, and later sold it when I bought a D70. Big mistake. I bought a F3HP in 2005 and fell in love with it. When I bought my D300, I sold the F3HP, which was the finest manual focus SLR I ever used. Recently I was a lucky high bidder on a mint F100, $152 and free shipping, yippie! All it needed was the 10 pin cover, which I ordered for $8. I'll keep that one for slides, it's a good match with the D300. I never used an F2, but I do admire them. They are a work of art. My late fathers black Nikon F hangs in the closet. I'm going to have it profess

<p>To David Carroll<br>

He wrote: "I would have given my left nut to have one of these"<br>

No need for that LOL, just give money!<br>

To Wayne:<br>

Excellent acquisition. I learned photography in a F2 25th anniversary edition. I still have this jewel in my collection</p>

 

<p>Wayne, congratulations, you have a great camera. You can also drive nails with it. Load it with some new Ektar or find a roll of Kodachrome. I bet the images look like they're from a brand new camera. Mr. Guitterez is a wise man. Please give him my regards if you see him.</p>

<p>Wayne,<br>

congratulations to your new film camera. I recently got a Nikon FM for sentimental reasons. I shoot with it a little, but my main cameras remain my digital cameras.<br>

Enjoy & go out & have tons of fun<br>

<br /> Lil :)</p>

<p>Wayne, Lucky you!<br>

Congrats!</p>

<p>I've resisted the F2 for the same reason I've resisted two important figures from my early experience with photography: the Pentax Spotmatic (first SLR I used) and Miranda Sensorex (first SLR I owned). I don't need any of 'em and I know from past experience they tend to breed like rabbits. Next thing you know, you're hanging out on the Classic Cameras Forum and reading Gene M's blog and cracking up over his observations about found film.</p>

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<p>I won't be giving up digital but if there is a camera made that feels better in your hand than a Nikon F2, I haven't found it yet.</p>

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<p>You guys will hate me but I haven't found that feels better in my hands than my Canon T90</p>

<p>Sorry!</p>

 

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<p>huh? How did that happened? </p>

<p>I think I understand Wayne... just I have a Contax IIa and my D700 over the desk in front of me... the feel of the vintage Contax is unique, so heavy for such small size, all chrome metal, full of painted engravings, levers, windows, two mounting rings... probably the most beautiful 35mm camera ever made to my liking. The D700 looks like that children`s plastic oversized toys in comparison... up to the moment you need to use them.</p>

<p>Then, the IIa seems almost inusable while the D700 is the state of the art of friendly technology, where precission, mechanics, exotic materials and all this stuff are like <em>hidden</em> to emphasize photographers concentration on the essential... exactly the opposite of what a well know german brand claim for their products (which I like and use a lot, too).<br /> Anyway, please don`t get me away from my vintage cameras, I like to use them from time to time, and the pleasure of using them equals the D700. Problably is going to be matter of age...</p>

<p>Enjoy it, Wayne.... Shun just doesn't get it with his instant jump <em>yet again</em> to the Latest Latest rant. Maybe we should refer to him as Mr. Newonly. Never in all my years of photography have I met someone who ALWAYS jumps in to say the most recent model is the only one.</p>

<p>I agree with you, Wayne. I think the F2 is the F with all the right changes made, and cosmetically it is a gorgeous design. Don't get me started on the F2 with the Eyelevel Prism! Ubba-ubba!!</p>

<p>John said<br>

"Hopefully, the meter is still accurate. Does it tell you to use the same settings as your newer camera ?:<br>

John:<br>

I get a little needle flutter now and then when changing f stops or shutter speeds but the more I use it the more stable it gets--probably the electrical contact is improving the more I work the controls (camera hadn't been used for several years). I'm shooting a test roll and we'll see how close its coming. Probably close enough given the wide latitude of color neg film.<br>

The one thing about all the metered cameras from those days was the readouts were pretty elementary--center the needle and shoot.<br>

Wish I could get the same deal on an F2AS :)</p>

<p>I don't know why my post was cut off. ? I was saying I will have my late fathers Nikon F professionally overhauled this winter. I can't get excited about the F2 as the Nikon F is the one I feel strongly about. But everyone says the F2 is the perfection of the F. I guess I'll never know as I'm not willing to buy one for the price they usually sell for.</p>

<p>Threads like this always remind me of the great scene in Sunset Boulevard. Paraphrasing:</p>

<p>"Wow, a Nikon F2! You used to be big in photography!"</p>

<p>"I'm still big. It's photography that got small."</p>

 

<p>lovely story, wayne - liking august's response, too : ] - i got through about twenty cameras, before i arrived at the leica m. the nikon f2 was Certainly the best 35mm slr i ever used, in that time. that was about fifteen years ago. i still use my m-rangefinders - and only have a 'digi-cam' on my 'phone : B</p>