Gift of a Nikkormat FT

skucera

skucera

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My wife's uncle brought over three film cameras that he didn't want anymore, but he figured I'd maybe want them. One of them is a Nikkormat FT with its original Nikkor-H Auto f2.0 50mm lens. The lens was in a little velvet bag, without front or back caps, with fingerprints covering front and back lenses, so I have to clean that up. It also came with a modern digital Nikon zoom lens mounted to it. Amazingly, when I read up on it, I found that if I moved the film advance lever back to expose the read dot and turn on the meter, that the battery was still good and it appears to meter accurately.

I'll clean it up and take some pictures of it soon. Now I just need to find some lenses for it, and lens caps too.

Scott
 
Scott...you failed to mention the other two cameras...
It's always nice when you're gifted a camera...but a Nikkormat Ft with lens...extra nice...
I was recently gifted an Argus C3 with a flash...not anywhere close to the Nikkormat on the coolness factor but Hey it's a free camera...
26557419506_626a7bd563_z.jpg
 
Yeah, I did forget to mention the other two. :D One is a point-and-shoot auto-focus Bell+Howell (note the plus sign in the trademark) built by Canon in China. I popped a CR123 battery in it from another camera and it came to life just fine. I put the battery back in my Stylus, though, because the Bell+Howell is a brick that won't fit comfortably in a pocket, and I'll probably never use it.

The other camera is a Bell & Howell Two Twenty 8mm movie camera in very good shape. (Yeah, it's old enough to use an ampersand in the trademark.) It's built like a tank, and runs very smoothly. This morning I looked into buying some film to shoot on it, and it is surprisingly reasonable. A 25 ft. roll is ~$50 with developing included. I may pop for a roll just out of curiosity.

Argus cameras have some cool factor. Lately, a whole bunch of Argus cameras have ended up at Goodwill thrift stores around town. I think a camera enthusiast died of old age, and his or her family donated all the cameras at once. They're each priced at $30, but their rangefinder patches don't seem to be calibrated to the distances the lenses are focused to. I hope yours is in better tune. As you can tell, I've fondled each of the Argus cameras I've seen there and pondered whether I should buy one or now....

Scott
 
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skucera said:
Yeah, I did forget to mention the other two. :D One is a point-and-shoot auto-focus Bell+Howell (note the plus sign in the trademark) built by Canon in China. I popped a CR123 battery in it from another camera and it came to life just fine. I put the battery back in my Stylus, though, because the Bell+Howell is a brick that won't fit comfortably in a pocket, and I'll probably never use it.

The other camera is a Bell & Howell Two Twenty 8mm movie camera in very good shape. (Yeah, it's old enough to use an ampersand in the trademark.) It's built like a tank, and runs very smoothly. This morning I looked into buying some film to shoot on it, and it is surprisingly reasonable. A 25 ft. roll is ~$50 with developing included. I may pop for a roll just out of curiosity.

Argus cameras have some cool factor. Lately, a whole bunch of Argus cameras have ended up at Goodwill thrift stores around town. I think a camera enthusiast died of old age, and his or her family donated all the cameras at once. They're each priced at $30, but their rangefinder patches don't seem to be calibrated to the distances the lenses are focused to. I hope yours is in better tune. As you can tell, I've fondled each of the Argus cameras I've seen there and pondered whether I should buy one or now....

Scott
Click to expand...

It could simply be someone has taken the lenses off those C-3's, and gotten them out of register with the rangefinder when they were remounted. It may only be a tooth or two, or quite a few if they were totally careless. It's an easy fix if that is the case.

PF
 
I'm not going to do anything with this C3 as I have another that I recovered a few years back, it's in great shape (I took it apart and totally cleaned it up) and I've run a few rolls through it already...I did take the flash and mounted it on mine, for now the camera & flash are sitting on a shelf...
I'm trying to find some pictures I took of it but can't locate them right now...

My favorite picture taken with the Argus...

9512454745_62f798e6f4_c.jpg
 
That's a nice FT...looks like it wasn't used all that much or the case did it's job very well...
The Bell & Howell is a little fancier than the one my dad used when we were kids.
 
There's a lot of strength left in that old strap. It's ugly, with the patent leather finish flaking off. The original owner got Alzheimer's and did some very odd things to his camera cases, usually with electrician's tape or fine wire. No lasting harm was done, luckily enough.

Scott
 
Vic, those are both absolutely beautiful photos. You've got me curious to load some T-Max and go on an expedition. Normally I shoot color, but you pictures are inspiring me.

Scott
 
What you really have there is an FTn, Scott. Look at the meter window by the rewind knob, and you should see an N right above it.

PF
 
Yeap, it looks like an early FTn.

Scott,
Look at the shutter release, please. Is there a Leica bell thread?
If not, it is a really early one.
I'll advise you to read the manual. You can find one at Butkus.
Have fun with it!
 
These old Nikkormats and the Nikkomats are such strong and sturdy cameras. We have a few in the shop where I work but rarely get asked for one. Most prefer the FM or FE variants. Some nice shots here guys.

Paul
 
I have said for years that the Nikkormat is by far the best body - value in film. Also much better in weather than the F especially in the bush.
 
Yup, there's an "N" above the external match needle display. OK, it's an FTN.

But, what is a "Leica bell thread"? That's a new phrase for me. I inherited my Leica only this summer, and I'm still a total noob about them, and even more of a noob with this new Nikkormat.

Next, I've got to correct my signature.... :)

Scott
 
ray*j*gun said:
I have said for years that the Nikkormat is by far the best body - value in film. Also much better in weather than the F.
Click to expand...

Yes, they are great. I still love the black version of the early FTn.

Nikkormat FTn, Nikkor H Auto 50mm f/2, TriX.

Erik.

8497915716_5ecb5b5ff0_c.jpg


And then whith that Nikkor P 105mm f/2.5.

8496817331_53224affc8_c.jpg
 
skucera said:
Yup, there's an "N" above the external match needle display. OK, it's an FTN.

But, what is a "Leica bell thread"? That's a new phrase for me. I inherited my Leica only this summer, and I'm still a total noob about them, and even more of a noob with this new Nikkormat.

Next, I've got to correct my signature.... :)

Scott
Click to expand...
Hi Scott,

I know it as a Leica bell cable release adapter.
Many Leica L39 and many Nikon F, F2 and Nikkormats had a thread around the outside of shutter release.
This is the adapter to allow normal cable releases to be used on a Leica L39 and some Nikons.
$_1.JPG


On this Nikkormat FTN, you can see the Leica Bell thread:
shutterreleasbtn.jpg


The Nikkormat FT and the early FTn didn't have the outer thread for the Leica adapter.

EDIT: here is my Nikkormat FTn without the Leica bell thread.
WP_20160520_10_12_40_Pro by Ricardo Miranda, on Flickr
 
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farlymac said:
What you really have there is an FTn, Scott. Look at the meter window by the rewind knob, and you should see an N right above it.

PF
Click to expand...

You beat me to it...

... what caught my eye was the raised chrome bezel around the frame counter window. The FT & FS lacked this making the plastic lens vunerable to being broken or chipped off.
 
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