How reliable is Nikkormat el?

[mikeivnitsky]

I have a chance to swap pentax k1000+ lenses for a nikkormat el+lens.

I decided to cut down on camera systems and stay only with nikon.

 

How reliable is it?How rugged,how comfortable?What lenses does it

support(series e?Ai?) I need it as a backup camera for my fm2n.

[mikeivnitsky]

and most important - what are it's weak points and what to watch out for?

[mawz]

The EL is the first Nikon body with an electronic shutter and Aperture Priority AE. It's larger and heavier than an FM2n, and the meter couples via the 'rabbit ears' on pre-AI, AI and AI-S lenses. Series E and AF lenses need the rabbit ears added to meter. There is a resistor in the camera which is prone to failure, and the failure of said resistor will break the meter.

[ShunCheung]

The Nikkormat EL is a pre-AI camera introduced back in 1972. Production continued to 1977 when AI was introduced. You can use pre-AI, AI and AI-S lenses on it and even AF lenses as long as they are not G and you add the "rabbit ear" connector to the lens. Reliability is obviously a bit questionable for any 30+ year old camera, but that highly depends on how well a particular unit is maintained over 3 decades.

[chuck_mathis]

I'll concur with the big and heavy relative to newer cameras. Over the past 20+ years I have used 6 ELs and never had an electrical failure but I just may be lucky. Most of these had some frighteningly huge dents in them that didn't have any effect on their function. Of the 5 I've owned one was sold because I got tired of it, one actually wore out and the remaining 3 are still in use. As far as comfortable they are okay but I like my old F which a lot of people can not stand. The EL can use E and AI lenses without the IC prongs but only in the stop down mode which is a little ackward to use. As backup to an FM2N the 'newer' Nikon EL2 would be a better choice but an FM2 or FM3 would be better as they are more like the FM2N.

[richard_cochran]

My dad is still using the EL he bought new in 1976. It's been very reliable for him.

<p>

Its meter couples with the lenses using the older pre-ai prong, which means it works with any lens that has the fork on the aperture ring. That would be any AI or AIS lens, but not series E and not autofocus (unless they've been modified to add the fork). It'll do stop-down metering with lenses that don't have the fork, of course.

<p>

It's got the same style metering display as the Nikon FE/FE2/FM3a. IMHO, it's the most ergonomically perfect metering display Nikon ever made. It instantly tells you the meter's recommended speed, your chosen speed, and the difference between them. However, the EL lacks a viewfinder display of the lens aperture.

[photo5]

I would search out a good used Nikon FE over an EL. The word from the repairman I worked for was that the EL was a nightmare inside. A real dog for Nikon. The FE is a masterpiece, and the FE2 even better. Also, parts for an EL would be hard to come by unless you have a spare parts body. Parts for an FE or FE2 would be easier to get. Of course, if you're looking for one body, the F3HP is a fantastic value. So sell the EL and get an F3HP.

 

Cheers,

 

Dave

[warbler5]

I bought a Nikkormat EL in 1976, and it is still serving me and my family well. I had all lenses AI'ed by Nikon in ~1980...figuring I would someday buy another Nikon camera body. However, until I purchased the D100, the EL was my SLR that accompanied me on many backpack trips, trips to Europe, my work as a park ranger and as a wildlife biologist, and took photos of my children as the grew up. My 22-year-old son is currently using it in a B&W photography course he is taking in college. He received strict instructions on care and feeding for my "baby" before I turned it over to him!).

 

I agree with the notion that any camera that is 30 years old should be looked at carefully, but if it has been well cared for, as mine has, it should be just what you are looking for! The only negative side I have found is that it has gone through two "leatherette" cases. I found a leather case made for the Nikkormat FTN, which is slightly larger than the EL, but it seems to work just fine!

[harris_goldstein]

Michael, first confirm that it truly is a Nikkormat EL. There was a Nikon EL2 that had the same body but was marked "Nikon" and "EL". This has been known to create confusion, though it's a bit of a longshot. As noted above the EL2 will be AI, the Nikkormat EL is not AI.

 

That said, I can't remember any Nikon-mount lenses I've had - including much later AI lenses - that did not have the meter prong. I still use an older Nikkormat FTn (with 675 zinc air batteries and an O-ring) and it works fine. It's just a little slower to change lenses. Speaking of batteries, the EL and EL2 uses a 6 volt battery. I don't remember which one, but I think it's relatively easy to fine.

[ben conover]

Hello Michael, my first decent camera was a Nikkormat, I found it very comfortable but heavy. Now I use Pentax LX's.

 

This link explains the Nikkormat EL very well:

 

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/nikkormat/elseries/el/index.htm

 

Cheers.

[constance_cook]

Alright, now I'm not sure what I've got. I bought a Nikomat EL, just reburbished by Nikon Japan last time I was there. The spelling is different from what is in these answers. I just dug it out to be sure. I know it takes pre-AI lenses and that's why I got it. That and it looks and feels like new and the price was right.

 

Conni

[ShunCheung]

Nikomat and Nikkormat were the same cameras, just different names for different countries, similar to F801 vs. N8008, F80 vs. N80, etc.

The Nikomat's were sold inside Japan.

 

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/nikkormat/nikomat/index.htm

[constance_cook]

Thanks, Shun. Looking those over, mine is definitely the 1972 model but black instead of chrome.

 

I haven't noticed it being that much bigger or heavier than my other manual Nikons.

 

Conni

[gary_watson]

I'd be inclined to pass and look instead at the FE/FM variant Nikons. I have a nice black EL whose meter is getting jittery--an all-too-common problem apparently. The FE/FMs are rock-solid and several have flip-up AI tabs that allow use of old non-AI lenses.It's still possible to find clean examples of these with remarkably little mileage. In short, the EL is getting very long in the tooth for an electronically controlled camera.

[tri-x1]

I had an EL for about five years. Sold it three years ago to a collector for more than I paid for it. It was heavy, but I did like all the information it supplied in the finder. I don't think I would get one for shooting unless it was given to me. Much better off with an FM2--lighter for one thing. My EL had the f1.4 50mm. I think it was heavier than the F4 I currently use.

[donald_francis1]

Micheal,

While the EL does have a very well laid out viewfinder and good ergonomics I feels it has 2 large problems. First, it was a 'transitional' . Like the Minolta XE-7(Leica R3), Pentax ES, and some lessor cameras they were attempts to mate a fledgling technology (electronics) and consumer demand (auto exposure). While beautifully made, there are VERY few parts availible for them. Second, the EL uses CDS cells for it's meter. These cells, while competent performers, are slow and have poor low light sensitivity. The FE is better to use ( but the EL does have a a nicer 'feel' to it, IMHO!)

Don

[dennis_killeen]

Personally I'd be very wary of the FE which has a very common electronic fault preventing the AE system working. Nikon and repair shops blithely tell you the parts are no longer made and the camera is scrap. Mine had very light family use only, was never abused, and the loss of the sentimental value annoyed me intensely. ~If there's anyone out there who can repair these please get in touch...

[constance_cook]

Dennis:

 

Contacr NCS in Morton Grove, IL. (847)470-0678 or FAX (847)470-2430.

 

Conni

[dennis_killeen]

Conni - thank you, I'll try them. I sometimes believe the world is positively awash with much loved FE's that simply developed this fault one day and were killed with "Can't get the parts mate - you might as well throw it away". Some repair shops try to make a killing using cannibalised parts (I've been quoted $225) but nikon really ought to have addressed this years ago because there is clearly a demand for these much loved cameras. "Last you a life-time" ? Unfortunately not...

[nolefan32]

I've got a Nikon EL2 that I bought used in the early 80s, and it's never given me a moment's trouble. I've dropped it and banged it up to the point I once smashed in the prism and had to have it repaired because the flash would no longer slide into the hotshoe, but the camera continued to take beautiful pictures even then. I've found the metering system to be pretty accurate; even when I shoot in automatic mode, I've gotten great color depth, contrast and density. Lenses don't require the metering bracket, such as was the case with the earlier models. And the camera runs on a standard 6-volt battery, which is pretty easy to find and last about six months to a year depending on how much you shoot. In summary, I found it to be an excellent workhorse camera that's never once let me down.