How important is Nikon's past to you?

<p>Just wondering what all your thoughts are on this...</p>

<p>The reason I ask is that whilst perusing the completed listings on eBay I saw an absolute MINT 2.8cm f/3.5 Nikkor-H that had gone under the hammer. Whilst this is an old and mostly forgotten item I got a real thrill out of seeing it (even though I have one very similar). The fit, finish, glass and whole presentation of the older Nikon lenses and cameras appeals to me greatly. The feel of fine machined threads, the flash of fluoride coating and the etched numerics. Whilst I can see the appeal of AF-S, VR and Nano-Coating (and I do own some), it is the older items that really have the most appeal to me - the modern stuff seems functional but not so 'desirable'.</p>

<p>Now, in the photo shops I see people purchacing Nikon goods, but they have no interest whatsoever in the old stuff. They check to see if it meets all their needs such as GPS tagging, frames per second and how punchy the photos are and leave the shop well happy. Absolutely nothing wrong with that - it is what keeps Nikon afloat and in business after all. The new camera/lens feel is very nice as I can attest.</p>

<p>So, how important is the Nikon past to you? Does it have stong appeal or do you just give it a passing glance?</p>

<p>Thanks, Ian</p>

<p>I love the look, feel and build quality of the old Nikon and Leica film bodies and lenses. Nikon's past to me is as important as its present and future. I get just as much enjoyment out of collecting old cameras as I do acquiring and shooting with new equipment. Two different but closely related hobbies. Both provide me with a great deal of pleasure.</p>

<p>Ian -<br>

I've lost two Nikon FM due to theft. One was stolen out of my apartment & the second one my mother-in-law was in control of while we were on a plane & I had my 4 month old daughter in my arms.<br>

I've been very upset from this. I finally bought a used FM last year. It's not mint - but it looks like my first one I got in 1980. I've also got the 50mm f/1.2 AiS which I got because I like the old build of the lenses. Granted I probably had a f/2 or f/1.8, but I love the old build.<br>

I love the old build & really always keep thinking of buying old Ai or AiS lenses. I love the old build. Unfortunately that's gotten me in trouble by once getting a non-Ai lens. Still have to either sell it or have it Ai'ed.<br>

But, I love the build & many of them have such wonderful color. So - yes I love the old lenses. I find it amusing that my old FM weighs about the same amount as my new D300 & D700. There's nothing like build. :)</p>

<p>I like both the longevity of Nikon products and the companies' loyalty to the "F" lens mount. Makes me loyal to them.</p>

<p>If any of you ever feel that the old Nikons are not sufficiently appreciated on the Nikon forum, don't forget that Nikon history and old Nikon cameras and lenses "of a certain age" are always welcome too on the Classic Manual Cameras forum. :)</p>

<p>I'm still shooting a fairly large library of Nikkor lenses on both my pre-AI Nikons and on modern digital cameras with adapters. The incomparable Nikkor 105mm f/2.5, the Reflex-Nikkor 500mm f/8, the Nikkor-S 55mm f/1.2, and a bunch of others are still my treasures, with the PC-Nikkor 35mm f/2.8 my most precious.<br>

Hmm, the last bit sounds a little like "one lens in the darkness to bind them", but that would apply more to the f/1.2, I guess..</p>

<p>I personaly like to use my old Nikkor 105 2.5. It is one of the earlier 105 2.5 lenses for the F mount the older sonnar version. The build is great and it is a joy to use.</p>

<p>I use Nikon products because they meet my photographic needs. I use "classic" lenses because they meet my photographic needs. If Nikon products cease to meet my photographic needs, then I will no longer use them and find something else that does.</p>

<p>So, Nikon's past is of no particular importance to me.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Not very important. Cameras are just a tool. I don't get emotionally involved with them. I use what works best for me at a price I'm willing to pay.</p>

<p>Kent in SD</p>

<p>I use them because I like the user interface design, I have an investment in their lenses, and I happen to like the IQ of the camera I have now. No other reasons. If Nikon had started up in business in 1990, I'd have the same items for the same reasons.</p>

<p> I like older Nikon gear a lot. It's great. The future of film camera's with Nikon looks bleak so I am probably just going to purchase older stuff when the need arises. However my next purchase is going to be a Touring Bicycle. I was thinking of a Surly Long Haul Trucker or the Fuji Touring Bicycle. </p>

<blockquote>

<p>When I went digital I decided on Nikon because I had inherited several lenses from my dad. Oddly I don't use them much, but, do occasionally. So, yea it matters, I need to get a life now.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>It's not just the history of Nikon that's important to me, but the history of photography in general. I have several books on the topic and I collect SLR's from the 60's and 70's. I'm a history buff in general, so the history of photography has a double appeal to me.</p>

<p>Not as important as Nikon's present.</p>

<p>I like getting Nikon presents. Little boxes under the tree with lenses and flashes and cameras and stuff...</p>

<p>The best thing about Nikon's past to me, is that it is still relevant today. I can still use lenses that are 30 years old. I've already bought one AI lens, and I plan on buying more. Most of the high quality lenses that Nikon makes today are well out of my price range. I don't mind giving up metering and AF to get better IQ.</p>

<p>After a number of years shooting digital, I've returned to film largely because I love using older film cameras (mainly F3HP and F4S - not <em>that</em> old, occasionally F2s and an old Canon F-1). I love the cold metal, the heft, the "angularity" and the mechanical-ness - knobs, switches, and the clunky yet cool add-ons - motor drives, Photomic heads etc - and IMO the F2 with a DE-1 plain finder is the best looking camera ever built. I have a couple of AF zooms that I use on the dSLR - otherwise all of my lenses AI or AI-S primes. I think digital is great - I just find older cameras more fun to use - and I particularly love the fact that I can change lenses as often as I like without having to obsess about getting dirt on the sensor.</p>

<p>David,</p>

<p>"....and IMO the F2 with a DE-1 plain finder is the best looking camera ever built."</p>

<p>I agree most enthusiastically. I am in love with the Nikon F2 Photomic. In fact I can never pass up any fine looking one I come across that's for sale. My other camera mistress is the Leica M2. I could wear either of these cameras out just by fondling it. ;-)</p>

<p>Though I own and have read several books on the Nikon history, the pre-AI area is irrelevant to me and I would not purchase any camera or lens from it; I don't particularly like the looks of them either. <br /> My history with Nikon started 2 years after the introduction of AI with a Nikon FM and a 105/2.5, though my oldest Nikon lens is a 20/4 AI from 1977; the youngest is a 28/2.8 AI-S. I like the fact that I can still use these lenses on my D200/D300 today - but I would not purchase another one to add to those three I still own. <br /> Neither would I consider purchasing another film body - my only remaining Nikon film camera is a Nikon F3HP and it is rather unlikely that it will ever be loaded with film again. I recently inherited a Leica M5 (from 1975) and a M6 (from 1984) - handling them reminded me of the poor ergonomics of the camera bodies of that area; my favorite in that aspect has always been the Nikon F4 (though I probably would like the F6 as well but never even touched one). The price for best looking Nikon film camera to me undoubtedly goes to the F5.<br /> I do like the look and feel of the AI/AI-S area lenses better than the modern designs - strangely enough, my Tokina 11-16/2.8 reminds me of their feel. The AF 16/2.8, AF-28/1.4, AF 105/2 DC, AF 135/2 DC, AF-180/2.8, and AF 80-200/2.8 D demonstrate that the MF look and feel can be transferred to AF lenses - alas Nikon chooses not do so for the rest of the bunch.</p>

<p>So is the Nikon history important to me - yes and no. Yes because it is quite unique and demonstrates Nikon's commitment to deliver quality products. No, because I am no going to dwell on the past and I am not a camera/lens collector. I am glad that Nikon never changed the lens mount (unlike Canon) and I am also glad that Nikon didn't get stuck in its own history (like Leica with the M system) or left their customers stranded (Leica R).</p>

<p>I also love my F2. Got an absolutely fantastic repair service from Sover Wong http://www.soverf2repair.webs.com/<br>

- but stupid me sold my DP-1, so cannot use my beautiful pre-AI 35/2 any more without using stop-down metering! </p>

<p>How important is Nikon past to me? Well, I'll let you judge.</p>

<p>My current inventory consists of : A pristine Nikon F2A (bought from Sover Wong too) with the following Nikkors 16mm f/3.5, 24mm f/2.8, 28mm f/2.8, 35mm f/2, 50mm f/1.4, 105mm f/2.5. I also have a (more modern) F5 I use too. Since I have twins (to which all these goodies will be passed on, when they learn to appreciate them), maybe I should call Sover for another F2?!?!</p>

<p>And don't just think I am an old traditionalist only, I also own and shoot a D700, a D40X and a Canon S90.</p>

<p>the past is probably more important for grandiose slr brands such as nikon. many nonphotographers don't recognise leica as a brand with a more illustrious history and have heard nothng about it. nikon to them is the camera brand although, it must be admitted, many such individuals see canon as a 'better' make.<br>

i was walking along the bay yesterday morning carrying my olympus om4 and zuiko 50mm 1.4 loaded with ilford fp4 125. when around the bay i get off my bike and simply walk along the promenade close to the assembly area holding the bike with one hand and the camera with another. an elderly gentleman on a road bike and a canon g series camera was also taking pictures. when he approached me he said good morning and asked, 'what is that lovely old camera you are using? is it a nikon?'<br>

i held it up to him and he nodded. then he wanted to know what film i was using, whether i developed it at home, where i might sent it for processing, and lastly, whether i was shooting a project. in my biking gear i do look much younger and closer to 25 than 34 and he must have assumed that i was a photography student, carrying 'such an old camera'. so we had a chat about his g9. he said he wasn't into latest gadgets but such acquiring that about two years ago he had not bothered with his old nikon fm gear. he loves shooting raw and using the 'little software' that came with the camera to tweak his raw files. he was much encouraged by my black and white films and said that it was just the perfectday for it. we parted ways with him shouting from his bike, 'enjoy the light!'</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Not very important. Cameras are just a tool. I don't get emotionally involved with them. I use what works best for me at a price I'm willing to pay.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I feel the same way as Kent. My interest is the images, and cameras are merely tool to achieve the goal.</p>

<p>When</p>

<ol>

<li>Nikon fell behind in terms of AF capability, from about 1990 to 1996, when Nikon finally introduced the F5 with state-of-the-art AF at that time and a bunch of AF-S lenses</li>

<li>Nikon fell way behind in terms of digital SLR technology, from about 2002 to 2005/2006/2007, but the D2X and especially the D3 finally caught up and to some degree surpassed the competition</li>

</ol>

<p>a lot of professional/serious photographers switched to Canon out of necessity. Nikon's history is mostly meaningless.</p>

<p>Old Nikons ? . . . They are rare classics, the only SLR cameras with usable to day to the oldest lenses, fort and back to old film cameras to the latest DSLRs. I happily tested them on my D700 and some of the non AI on the D40 with great results. I have the very first SLR, with the first original "Nippon Kogaku - Tokio" logo, the legendary "F" with prism only, no light meter, then Nikkormat with meter, FG, FM2, FM3a, FE2s The first multi metering FA, then F2, F3, then the D40, D300, D700. Half of the time I using the 16/3.5 Fish AI-S, 50/1.2 AI-s, 85/1.4AI-S, 105/1.8AI-S, 135/2AI-S, 180/2.8AI-S-ED, many time carry the 200/4AI-S instead of the big heavy AF-S 80-200/2.8 Also; 35-80/2.8 The quality of those old lenses are jewels, a real machined precision instruments, solid build, last for ever if you take care of them. It is a joy to use them. Modern plastic lenses/bodies never going to last as long, plastic degenerating, shrinking cracking in time, oil based products. I enjoy just to hold in my hand those old lenses. I have many more old Nikon lenses not listed here. I just shoot a couple of roll of bw film lately with my "Nikon F" with a 35mm non AI lens, walking around proudly with the camera, and shooting. 95 % of the images was right exposed. . . . O.k. 50 year of experience. When you have those old cameras in you hand, you feel, you head a precocious instrument, a real machine in you hand. Well. It is past, nostalgia, the future never going to be same again.</p>

<p>Nikon's past..?<br />Rather to very important!<br />Still want to use older lenses and accessories.<br />So also my next choice of camera will depend on its backwards compatibility.</p>

<p>As Ian said, "The feel of fine machined threads, the flash of fluoride coating and the etched numerics". Indeed, that was it for me, I vividly remember being mesmerized by my father's precious Nikon F and lenses. Then what a joy it was, when I got to use it and learn with it. To this day, Nikon is the brand for me, and they have never disappointed, at least in what I needed from them at each stage of my photography. I have no more of the older line than what I started with, but to me the Nikon F is still the golden standard that I compare everything against. I couldn't be emotional about the subject and art of photography, yet be cold towards the metal and glass; that would be like having two different personalities.</p>

<p>Although the final image is the most important objective of photography, I have a little bit of collector in me and really appreciate the finely crafted mechanical workings of my original Nikon F (standard prism) with 400 F5.6 PC attached. It just feels good. Not unlike a fine wine.</p>