'74 Nikon F?

[giellaleafapmu]

Dear folks,

I am in the process of buying a Nikon F but I have some doubts. The top plate is marked Nippon Kogaku which would indicate that the camera is from the late '60's but the serial number is 74... Does anyone know when cameras with such combination were produced? Also, it has a standard (no photomic) prism which has an internal Nikon label which I never saw.

Thank in advance.

GLF

 

[mynikonf2]

What is the serial #. Cameras made after serial # 67xxxx had Nikon on the top plate. Almost sounds like the top plate was replaced.

 

[jarski]

sorry for slight OT, but have a question too 😕 cameraquest site:

AI lenses work on all 1977 and later manual focus Nikon bodies, as well as all but the low end AF SLRs.

will this work other way round, and AI lenses work on older Nikon F for instance ?

 

[ruby.monkey]

They'll mount happily, but you only get meter coupling if they have the little 'ears' on the aperture ring.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

A 74 block Nikon F should have inserts in the strap lugs, a plastic tip film advance lever, Black self timer. It would be a "Nikon F with F2 cosmetics", or an "Nikon F Apollo".

There were replacement plates on Ebay several years ago, widely available. I replaced the top plate of my late 74 block Nikon F with one almost the same SN. The original was dented up, otherwise the camera was Mint.

 

[giellaleafapmu]

A 74 block Nikon F should have inserts in the strap lugs, a plastic tip film advance lever, Black self timer. It would be a "Nikon F with F2 cosmetics", or an "Nikon F Apollo".
.

Did I understand correctly? Were (some batch of) the Apollos marked "Nippon Kogaku"? This could explain something because the advance lever is a standard F but the self timer has the ring with the three dots below the lever made by plastic as Apollos. The top plate does not look made of two separate plates and indeed also the prism has something F2ish, could it be an Apollo with the advance lever of a F?

Does anybody knows what the value of such a thing could be (I am mainly attracted by the mint non Photomic prism)?

Thanks again.

GLF

 

[Sonnar Brian]

No Nikon F "Apollo's" were marked with the NKT plate. The switchover to the Nikon plate occurred ~1967. The Nikon F2 cosmetics appeared much later.

Chances are, someone has put together this body from a good camera and a parts camera. It should make a good user, but not a collectible.

 

[ZeissFan]

If you're buying the camera to use, then I probably wouldn't worry too much about whether the top plate is original. If you're buying it to be a shelf queen, then it's a different matter.

 

[Al Kaplan]

If you're buying it as a "shelf queen" it will always be a Nikon, never a Leica.

 

[giellaleafapmu]

If you're buying the camera to use, then I probably wouldn't worry too much about whether the top plate is original. If you're buying it to be a shelf queen, then it's a different matter.

No, I use cameras to take pictures, not to be left in a shelf. In fact, I would buy only the prism if it didn't come with a camera attached... But I would like to pay the right price for what I am buying and a Nikonstein camera should be cheaper that a real Nikon!

GLF

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The plain prism finders go for "too much" these days. Last Nikon F with a prism finder that I bought was $100. It needed a CLA. Last Black Nikon F2 that I bought came with the Black DE-1 as an "extra". It is mint condition.

Prices are getting back to reality. I would offer $100~$150 depending on condition.

 

[giellaleafapmu]

The plain prism finders go for "too much" these days. Last Nikon F with a prism finder that I bought was $100. It needed a CLA. Last Black Nikon F2 that I bought came with the Black DE-1 as an "extra". It is mint condition.

Prices are getting back to reality.

Plain F prism with a camera attached for 100 US$? 😱
When was that? The best I could find (and it was almost three years ago at the paramount of digitalmania) was 160 US$ for a very beaten up black F from '69 with a plain prism...

GLF

 

[christo]

Everything you ever wanted to know about Nikon F's is at this link:

Have fun with yours...

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/michaeliu/cameras/nikonf/index.htm

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The plain F with prism was 10 years back. I think prices are coming back down to Earth. The Mint condition F2 Photomic with the "tossed-in" mint Black prism was $350 about 5 years ago. That was at Penn Camera in Virginia.

I tend to grab the F2AS and F2SB for shooting.

 

[giellaleafapmu]

Just in case someone is still following the thread. After asking again the owner recognized that it was a Nikon F Apollo from 74 which fall once on its right half and was repaired by a qualified technician (he still has the recipe) by changing the advance lever, the right part of the cover and whatever else was broken with spares taken from a pre67 donor. The camera is still the same but price went lower... 😉

GLF

 

[Sonnar Brian]

That makes sense. The parts are interchangeable. I've seen Nikon SP's with Plastic Tipped advance levers from Late Nikon F's on them.

 

[Al Kaplan]

That's why the F flew while the Leicaflex crashed and burned. The F felt and handled about as much like an S3 or SP rangefider Nikon as possible. Leitz just didn't get the cocept! They came out with an oversized and awkward to hold abomination aimed at the amateur market.