Nikon F Photomic Tn

<p>Ever since I first got hooked on classic cameras, I've wanted an F. Well, I finally got one a few weeks ago. So of course I had to let it sit on the shelf for a while before putting any film in it. Why? I don't know. Too many new cameras I guess. Anyhow, I decided to remedy this situation today.</p>

<p>I won't bother to go into the History of the F. Pages upon pages have been written on it by people that know a lot more about it than me. All I'll say is that mine dates from between April and June of 1967 and is equipped with the Tn version of the Photomic finder. I was told when I bought it that the meter still worked. And it does... sometimes... whenever it feels like it, I guess. It was apparently in an uncooperative mood today.</p>

<p>These pictures were shot on Fujicolor 200 color film. I don't know if it was bad chemicals at Wallgreen's, operator error in scanning (by operator I mean me), or what, but the colors all looked like crap. So I converted them to black and white. So, obviously, what you see here doesn't really represent what came out of the camera. However I didn't apply any sharpening in the process. </p>

<p>I started out in the back yard with my 55/3.5 Micro-Nikkor. Later I went down to the Mud Island area, which is really a peninsula and was once a shanty-town until a few decades ago when those people were forcibly removed in the name of progress. The houses there now could hardly be called shacks. I'd meant to bring my 35/2.8 but wasn't paying much attention and accidentally grabbed the 28/3.5 instead. I also brought my 105/2.5 along for a short tele option.</p>

<p>Scanning was done on an Epson V600 @ 2400 dpi. Black and white conversion done in Capture NX2.</p>

<p><a title="f by cory ammerman, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2816/9072466284_05c795c7f4_z.jpg" alt="f" width="640" height="424" /></a><br>

A face only a mother could love.</p>

<p><a title="img198 by cory ammerman, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3737/9070249003_0e978b428e_z.jpg" alt="img198" width="640" height="408" /></a><br>

Knockout Rose (55/3.5 Micro)</p>

<p><a title="img207 by cory ammerman, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7429/9070243735_30190c7bd0_z.jpg" alt="img207" width="640" height="408" /></a><br>

Trumpets (55/3.5 Micro)</p>

<p><a title="img192 by cory ammerman, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2881/9070253737_9019870778_z.jpg" alt="img192" width="640" height="409" /></a><br>

These flowers were crowing on a weed poking through the fence from the neighbor's yard. (55/3.5 Micro)</p>

<p><a title="img191 by cory ammerman, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3710/9072485546_c9016a1e8a_z.jpg" alt="img191" width="640" height="409" /></a><br>

I forget what these are called. I'm not much of a horticulturist. (105/2.5)</p>

<p><a title="img185 by cory ammerman, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7320/9070238717_0cab3bc767_z.jpg" alt="img185" width="640" height="409" /></a><br>

The magnolias are blooming. (105/2.5)</p>

<p><a title="img190 by cory ammerman, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3821/9072449776_a262d1e058_z.jpg" alt="img190" width="410" height="640" /></a><br>

Have a seat (105.2.5)</p>

<p><a title="img188 by cory ammerman, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5494/9070234829_1b29c71ebe_z.jpg" alt="img188" width="640" height="408" /></a><br>

There are lots of small ponds and fountains on Mud Island. (28/3.5)</p>

<p><a title="img189 by cory ammerman, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3740/9072456242_83256a7481_z.jpg" alt="img189" width="640" height="408" /></a><br>

Lots of walking paths too. (28/3.5)</p>

<p><a title="img184 by cory ammerman, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5537/9072704892_c016f5a801_z.jpg" alt="img184" width="408" height="640" /></a><br>

Some of them are apparently intended for really short people. (28/3.5)</p>

<p>That's all. Thanks for looking.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Great. Dream camera....</p>

<p>Those are clean-clear sharp pics in b/w, Cory. Would also be interested in seeing few of the crap colored one's too..............I'm still saving-dreaming for an F2 or an F.</p>

<p>Full metal jacket, best way to describe that F! Glad you are out and about using it as they do great work. I love the VF in the F's, nice and bright with full coverage, great lenses too!<br>

Mud island is a bad name for somewhere that looks really nice, excellent shots, really like the 28mm photo of the pond, and the photo of the chair shows off the 105 lens really well.</p>

<p>Nice looking camera and from your photos it is doing a great job. I picked up a F2A a couple<br>

of weeks ago and just got the first roll of film back so I'll post them soon. Nice set of lenses<br>

also. I would like to get a 35 or 28 but they seem to be getting pricey. Thanks for posting.</p>

<p>Beautiful quality, <strong>Cory</strong>, great tones and graduation. Somehow, I think colour would be superfluous...My pick of a very fine bunch would be the last "Short People" image; it has a sort of "Alice in Wonderland" quality I really go for. Thanks for an excellent post.</p>

<p>Crisp.</p>

<p>Good stuff. Can't help loving the F.</p>

<p>Thanks everyone. <strong>Tony-</strong> Full Metal Jacket is one of my favorite war movies. <a href="http://magiclanternfilm.wordpress.com/2010/06/05/stanley-kubrick-launching-full-metal-jacket/"><strong>Click here</strong></a> and you can see Matthew Modine and his sidekick both toting F's with what look like 105/2.5's attached. I think the F puts in an appearance in just about every Vietnam war movie. <strong>Rod-</strong> Looking forward to seeing some pictures from that F2. That one is next on the list of Nikons that I want. <strong>Rick-</strong> I like that shot too. I was thinking more along the line of Oompa Loompas than Munchkins though. :-)</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>Would also be interested in seeing few of the crap colored one's too...</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Ask and you shall receive.</p>

<p><a title="DSC_5006 by cory ammerman, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7283/9076685578_4d2b49076b_z.jpg" alt="DSC_5006" width="560" height="640" /></a><br>

The top image is from my D300 that I was using as a meter and is correct. <br>

<a title="img183 by cory ammerman, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5455/9074456507_d90ca81876_z.jpg" alt="img183" width="640" height="409" /></a><br>

The more I look at them, I think the problem is a mixture of using daylight film under overcast skies and exposure errors by yours truly. I should probably invest in a warming filter and maybe restrict my color usage to cameras with working meters. My sunny 16 is not so hot when it's not sunny out.</p>

 

<p>The color is OK, considering the light on such a day, but actually I really like the B&W images.</p>

<p>If you don't want to consider doing your own processing (bag full of dark, daylight tanks, etc), you might look at Ilford XP2 B&W chromogenic (C41 process) film. Has such lovely creamy qualities.</p>

<p>Nice camera- congratulations.<br>

I've heard that there is an F Photomic meter that is still working, but I haven't seen it.</p>

Intersting comments . Whenever I see a Photomic meter. I think of the Vietnam war images. I also liked very much JDM's comment you hear that some work.. but none of them seem to! I think you did a great job. Convering to B&W really worked on your images. Interesting too, about how the weather and sky affect the impression of the images....after the phot owas made. At the time it didn't seem to make such a difference. I too recently shot some color stuff on an overcast day. We'll see. A really fine performer these lens and whyt treat to use a real " F"

<p>Nice results. The number of working Photomic meters I've seen in recent years is few and far between. Thanks for posting.</p>

<p>OK, that's a challenge.. were going to dig it out, haven't shot it in a year and a half, as I got caught up with the 'ole orphan speed graphic, and learning how to develop and shoot it, and while using and F2 for 35mm ,,, and recently got caught up with an RB67... so will check and report back. ;-)<br>

Love the darn thing, in fact it motivated me back into photography, now years ago.<br>

It was my dad's and my neighbor, said why not sell that thing, get a digital, and will go shooting... ha, picked it up, and it wrapped around me.<br>

Lovely... he shoots allot, I shoot a few... its in the embrace.. that the love finds itself.. ;-)</p>

 

<p>Velll... dug it out, put the old batteries back in, and they show ok on the meter, put an extra 50mm lens on and took some readings on the meter, compared to the F2, with also a 50mm on it, and a hand held light meter..<br>

The meter is very responsive, but may be inaccurate. But then, the last time I shot it, got good images out of it, but that had been using c-41, which is quite forgiving. <br>

Sooo... think I'll throw a roll of velvia 50 in it.. that should be a test. ;-)</p>

<p>It's funny with the 'ole CMC's... the shutters may be slow and the meter may be off, but sometimes they can dance together in harmony, like this old 'art that shoots em ;-)<br>

So will let ya know.. fer the 'ell of it, even if it makes no difference.<br>

The affair is still strong between us, as I picked it up, and it wondered were I had been.<br>

What can a poor lover do, but be still, caress, focus, and set the lens for the right aperture, so as to let the correct amount of light in for the affair to continue.</p>

<p>Ahh.. Ha..ha..ahhaaa</p>

<p> </p>

<p>It certainly is true that the Nikon F with the Photomic head is something only a "mother could love", but it is so very beautiful with the original prism (non-metering) head.<br>

I paid quite a bit more for my prism head than I did for the body with a (non-functioning) Photomic head on it.</p>

<p>Hi,<br /> I have 3 F's, all with metering heads which don't work; but which did all work for a few days with those batteries you put in a 'shoe' to change the voltage ! Well, that the technical way of describing it.<br /> But I bought a Sekonic meter and have stopped worrying about the cameras' meters. I'm not sure how the punctuation goes with that last phrase!<br /> I couldn't afford a plain prism, or rather, justify it; but the heft of the F is just about ideal I find. I thought the weight of it would assist in stopping the shaky type picture I specialise in.<br /> Andy.<br>

ps the curving line is a crease in the neg as I was loading it into the tank ....grrr</p><div></div>