Dan Deary Posted May 16, 2008 Share Posted May 16, 2008 I could not pass up a deal to buy a Nikonos III for $25. I have done some snorkel diving in the past but I am sure I will not be scuba diving. My question is, does anybody of the landlubber persuasion use the cameras on dry land( maybe inclement weather) for regular picture taking? It has a 35 mm lens Nikkor with rubber seals and appears to be able to focus as close as 8 in. One source from the '70's said many pro's would use them as a backup because of their ruggedness. It has one of the best depth of field indicators, that are movable with change of aperture, on front of lens that I have ever seen. Focus is all manual. This model is non-battery. It also has a unique shutter cocking and release lever that must be designed for underwater use. So how does the this stack up with other cameras for picture quality? I can't wait to shoot it. Dan Deary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelging Posted May 16, 2008 Share Posted May 16, 2008 Its the same lens that is on the Nikon Rangefinders,a 35mm lens that is very sharp. This is a great all weather camera that I have used many times above water. You got a great deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelging Posted May 16, 2008 Share Posted May 16, 2008 Here are 2 examples , I used mine when a lot when sailing http://www.photo.net/photo/2709507 http://www.photo.net/photo/2533090 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Deary Posted May 16, 2008 Author Share Posted May 16, 2008 Is anyone familier with the "Nilon Lubricant" to treat the rubber gaskets? And where can you get it? Apparently using plain silicone grease is a no no. Dan Deary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Deary Posted May 16, 2008 Author Share Posted May 16, 2008 That should be "Nikon Lubricant". Sorry. Dan Deary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelging Posted May 16, 2008 Share Posted May 16, 2008 I used a tube of the nikon Grease most of the time. I also used vasoline as well. The grease is really not a seal , it just keeps the O-rings slippery so they so they do not catch and streach out of shape as you are putting on the lens , and attaching the 2 parts of the body. Be sure that you take off the lens before you try an pop open the body, if the lens is still on you will break one of the lugs on the side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony_lockerbie Posted May 16, 2008 Share Posted May 16, 2008 Daniel, the 35mm is identical to the old rangefinder 35, which is no bad thing! You can use it above or underwater, as you can with the 80mm. Nikon has some dedicated UW lenses like the 28mm which can only be used underwater. I have a 28, and it's much better for UW use, more contrast/ sharper. I use fishing reel silicone grease and have had no problems whatsoever, mind you, I don't go anywhere as deep as I once used to! Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw12dz Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 Daniel, Go to any plumbing supply and get yourself a small tube of "Plumbers Grease". It is formulated so as not to deteriorate rubber o-rings and will most likely be a lot less expensive than "Nikon Grease". ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leicaglow Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 I carry one with me all the time to shoot land and under water, especially things like lake trout, salmon, etc. Very sharp, very quiet, and fairly small... my IV that is. If you don't know the background of the camera I would at minimum get an extra set of rings for it, and some lubricant. Do a search on Nikonos and Dive shops and you'll find some people who carry parts. I'm pretty sure Nikon can help out too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony_lockerbie Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 As an aside, there was another post somewhere about quiet cameras. I'm sue that the Nikonos 111 would have to be the quietest camera ever! Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_hicks5 Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 BTW, just to save some heartache in case you don't know about it, you have to remove the lens before using the neckstrap lugs to pry the body open. Otherwise you'll probably break a lug or body tab. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_f2 Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 Even using the lifters is a bad idea as there is only one nut in the center of the camera thus when you use lifters you are putting a lot pressure onto the sides. Best practice is to lift from the inside after you've taken off the lens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen_poe Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 <p>I was cleaning up my 3 Nikonos III cameras over the weekend, and think most of the contributions to this thread are right on spot. These days you can get a pretty decent Nikonos III with the 35mm f/2.5 lens for less than $100. No doubt that there are limitations - scale focusing, no metering, only one lens that is well adapted to out-of-the-water use (the shallow DOF of the 80mm makes it difficult to use). But, it is a completley bombproof camera, the fine lens and bright viewfinder make it a pleasure to use, and for those who are old enough to have grown up with scale focusing cameras without metering (I am 68 so this is easy for me) the limitations do not amount to that much. What you get is a camera that works without problems in wet, cold, and dusty/dirty conditions. Sunny 16 is easy these days with the exposure latitude in most consumer reversal films. Scale socusing should not be a problem with a 35mm lens - lots of DOF at f/8 and above. In the summer my Nikonos is great on canoe and kayak trips, and this time of year it is nice not to have to worry about batteries and condensation when I take the Nikonos along on ski and woods trips. Just be careful of the fragile lugs (take out the lens and follow the advice about seperating the body by pushing up on the top through the lens hole, and keep lubricant on the O rings). Compared to other classic scale focusing cameras such as the Retina Ib the Nikonos seem to much more reliable. Oh yes, and with a little care you can get great pictures.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
User_2000406 Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 <blockquote>Even using the lifters is a bad idea as there is only one nut in the center of the camera thus when you use lifters you are putting a lot pressure onto the sides. Best practice is to lift from the inside after you've taken off the lens.</blockquote> <p>Oops.... I just got a second one in better cosmetic shape (mainly as a collectible) and completely forgot about that. I got my first one a couple of months ago with an instruction book and was overconfident about how to handle this camera after having fiddled with the first one just fine.</p> <p> So anyway, with camera #2 I tried to remove the lens and it wouldn't come off (forgot to pop it out a bit before twisting). Then I decided to open the body instead. I tried and it was awfully stubborn. I finally grabbed the instruction book from my previous purchase and was reminded of the need to remove the lens first. Now the 'insert' part of the body is very slightly bent up towards the ends; this is visible if I sight along the lip near the top. Not that I was planning on taking this one anywhere deep, but my guess is that it would not be waterproof under any significant pressure. At least now the requirement to remove the lens first is firmly established in my mind. Live and learn...</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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