Is there an SLR forum?

[MikeyGaGa]

Greetings,Scholars:

As at least some of you my know from my other posts,I started shooting again after 10 years of not picking up a camera.

Is there a website for SLRs as good as this one is for RFs?

I have a Nikon F2,which was modified by the Oxberry co. to do slide presentation work. It has a a very busy fine grid reticle installed which makes composin in the viewfinder a bit difficult.

I would like to buy another Nikon SLR body;does anyone have any recommendations?

-I dont want an Autofocus body
-I use some old SOLIGOR lenses(135/2.8;35/2;28/2)which are excellent,as well as a 55mm Micro-Nikkor;these are NOT AI/AIS.

Is stop-down metering necessary when using this lens on later model Nikons?

F2 and F3s are beyond what I want to pay;what about FM,FM2,FE,etc?

Mikey GaGa

 

[ch1]

This film-based site has a SLR forum:

http://www.apug.org/forums/home.php

 

[principe azul]

The photo.net Nikon forum has a larger number of digital questions these days, but there's still a hard core of friendly and knowledgeable people who'll answer questions on brass cameras and lense with scalloped focusing collars. A few F2 shooters there, too, and plenty of people with an F3 or FM.

The Nikon forum is much more civilised than the photo.net Leica forum, in case you're worried... 😉

F3s can be got cheap if they're a little roughed up. Yes, you'll need to do stop-down metering on the F3 and later cameras (also the F2AS and the F2A) with any pre-AI lens that hasn't been AI'd.

I've used this chart before to suss out compatible cameras and whenever I've cross-checked it it's been accurate (not all the nikonlinks charts are, I've found).

You'll note from the chart that the FM and FE let you do stop-down metering. The FM2 and FE2 don't. On the FM and FE, and on the F3 and F4 for that matter, there's a little button on the lens mount that disengages aperture indexing for stop-down metering. It's not there on the cameras that can't take pre-AI lenses.

You could always buy a different prism to make your F2 an F2A or F2AS.

Finally, the Malaysian site, as everyone seems to call it, is all you really need to check out the bodies you're interested. Masses of detail, instructions, specifications, quirky opinions, helpful illustrations. Easy to lose a couple of hours browsing that site... 🙂

 

[jonasv]

I would buy a beat-up F3, but maybe that's just me.

What about a Nikkormat FT2? Kinda bulky though, but otherwise excellent.

The FM and FE are excellent cameras. Later non-professional models will not mount non-AI lenses.

 

[robert blu]

I have an FM2 (pure manual camera, only electricity is for the light meter) and I'm very happy with it. I recently bought an old 50mm/f1,4 and it is great. I think you could find one at reasonable price, today most of people are looking for digital.
bye, rob

 

[MikeyGaGa]

Thanks for advice

Thanks for advice

dear friends:

Thank you for the replies-YOU GAVE ME GOOD,SOLID ADVICE-which I will follow

I think the FE is probably best.

Yes,I thought about a different prism for for F2;but they seem to be expensive.

As for the Nikkormats,I recall that a major criticism of them was that the image in the viewfinder is around 88% of what actually appears on the neg,and is offset to on side.

One of the vaunted features of the original Nikon F was an accurate 100% viewing area.

I actually enjoy using the Soligor lenses;here's why:

Up until 1995-I was a full time pro;I had a studio (at 348 W.14 St )in NYC;I closed down and decided to return to college to pursue another field.
I had a full range of Nikon gear I wasnt using;I sold most of it aat a camera show,walking away with 4 to 5 times what I paid for it( a Nikkor 58/1.4 I paid $30 for in 1978 at a junk shop on Canal St got $175 ) All of the lenses went,but no one wanted the Nikon F2 because it was highly modified(it had a pin-register back and a reticle focusing screen which darkened the viewfinder)so I keep it. I later found the Soligor lenses in a Mom and Pop camera store which was sadly going at of business;they cost me $15.00 each. At that time I also bought just about every accessory made for a Rollei TLR for about $50.00.

The Soligors,buy the way are Very sharp,even wide open.

Thanks again-Mikey GaGa

Tanti grazie,Italia!-dal Michele Egidio Francese

 

[ch1]

Not sure what your budget is for a Nikon manual? Prices have plummeted - a real shame that such fine gear is so "out of favor".

A very good condition F3 will go for around $250 - $300 (often with a fast 50mm lens). Someday it will be as much sought after as the Nikon RFs and go for similar prices (at least I hope so since I now have 3 of them!) 😀

Never heard such a criticism of Nikkormats for smaller VF? My first camera was a FT-2 and I still have it. Used it for years still have - will never part with it if only for "nostalgia" reasons.

Overall, for Nikon SLRs you cannot beat eBay. There are some very reputable e-taillers there (I bought two of my F3's from Betteroffblu (no conncection etc.)).