Hmmm that's interesting... Nikon's website says the Nikon F (body only) weights approx. 685 grams (link).
Do you have a special extra tough armor plated version? 😛
Nikon F --- All it's cracked up to be?
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Hmmm that's interesting... Nikon's website says the Nikon F (body only) weights approx. 685 grams (link).
Do you have a special extra tough armor plated version? 😛
sanmich
Veteran
Metered? F2A or AS
AE? F3
unmetered, F2 plain prism.
an F I shot long ago, with an F2 plain prism adapted to it is what I keep, with a 50mm f/2 non AI, purely for sentimental reasons.
AE? F3
unmetered, F2 plain prism.
an F I shot long ago, with an F2 plain prism adapted to it is what I keep, with a 50mm f/2 non AI, purely for sentimental reasons.
Rodchenko
Olympian
The figure I quoted includes a metered prism.
The Nikon figure has no prism at all (and is still 33% heavier than an OM1 😉 )
Rodchenko
Olympian
Fwiw, the OM1 was 510g, the OM2SP is the heaviest AFAIK at 540g, and the OM4 was 430g (actually that may be a Ti, the figures I have don't specify). Whichever, it's half the weight of an F6. 🙂
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
Interestingly the F6 doesn't actually feel very heavy due to it's ergonomics ... which are very good IMO.
Are you sure you didn't leave a lens on when you weighted it? 😀
According to KR:
Nikon F weight:
30.770 oz. (872.3 g), measured with FTN finder, 625A alkaline batteries and strap lugs, but without strap, without eyepiece cover, without lens and without body cap.
21.200 oz (601.0g) without finder, but with focus screen and lugs
P.S. I thought the Nikon figure included the eye level prism, but its not clear either way.
P.S. I thought the Nikon figure included the eye level prism, but its not clear either way.
Ronny
Well-known
One of my F from year 1959, No 640xxxx, is still working as new.
Never had a CLA.
1 sec to 1/1000 sec - No problems.
(My other old F, that I own - No CLA - 100% Perfect!
Never had a CLA.
1 sec to 1/1000 sec - No problems.
(My other old F, that I own - No CLA - 100% Perfect!
sevo
Fokutorendaburando
What metered prism would that be? My F with FTn head weighs 895g by my lab scales, including a Nikon body cap.
outfitter
Well-known
The F2 was supposed to be an improvement over the F1 - stronger gears, hinged back, slimmer meter. better ergonomics etc etc. I have had a pair of F1s with eye level prisms since 1972 (different pair today) and owned three F2s and had nothing but problems with them. The first one developed a short between the battery compartment and the meter when relatively new, the second suffered a misaligned back when my daughter manhandled it at college (easily done), and the current one keeps developing shutter problems despite a CLA.
Somehow I always go back to the F1 - perhaps because I'm a Contax person, but the Nikon slr I use most frequently is the F3, even though I originally had to be convinced that electronics were better than gears.
Somehow I always go back to the F1 - perhaps because I'm a Contax person, but the Nikon slr I use most frequently is the F3, even though I originally had to be convinced that electronics were better than gears.
Dwig
Well-known
There were a number of rather different Photomic finders made for the F and they vary widely in their function though all couple to bother the shutter speed dial and the lens' f/stop ring.
Photomic (original version, "F-1" in the repair manuals): external CDS (Cadmium Sulfide) meter cell with significant "memory". The power switch was integrated into a swinging "flag" that covered the meter cell when off in an effort to mitigate the memory issue with CDS cells. This is not a TTL meter. It had a very wide metering angle and there was a screw on incident disk and a screw on narrow angle mask.
Photomic (version 2, "F-2" in the repair manuals): external Cds (Cadmium Selenide) meter cell with vastly less of a memory problem. Power switch moved to a simple latching button arrangement. Like the F-1, this is not a TTL meter and had the same screw on attachments.
Photomic T: Nikon's first TTL Photomic head. It was considered an "averaging" meter and had a fairly even response to the whole finder area.
Photomic TN: Nikon's first center-weighted finder. It had a 60/40 pattern with 60% of the sensitivity in the center 12mm diameter area. Contemporary focusing screens began marking this 12mm circle.
Photomic FTn: Introduced the "Nikon Shuffle" form of semi-automatic indexing of the lens' maximum aperture. The two previous TTL finders required that the user manually set the desired ASA (now ISO) opposite a mark for the maximum aperture of the lens attached rather than having the now standard single index mark.
All of the above used a conventional carbon resister element for the mechanical>electrical interface with the exception of the very last few FTn finders made during the last year of production. These very, very late finders used Nikon's "Functional Resisting Element" (FRE) which significantly reduce the problems of wear that resulted in needle flicker when adjusting controls and eventually inaccurate readings or total failure. A modest number of earlier FTn finders acquired the FRE when sent in for major repair involving a failed carbon resistor gear.
Rodchenko
Olympian
Ah well, perhaps you can't believe everything you read on the internet. I don't have an F to weigh (and my bathroom scales only go up to 20 stone 😉 ), jus tGoogled for the spec.
OddE
Recovering GAS addict.
Takkun
Ian M.
I'm surprised nobody mentioned this before: the F is essentially an SP with a mirror grafted into it! Hence the non-hinged back and odd placement of controls.
But it is a solid camera. The skin may be tough and cut you up, like someone else said, but it's very smooth in operation. I don't use mine much these days (I've gotten spoiler with AE and the F6, which is an equally smooth-running camera), but there are times where I just pick it up to hear the sound of the shutter and advance. It was the camera I first learned with, so I was very spoiled early on in junior high....
Agreed on what others said regarding metered prisms. They're a kludge to use, huge, and usually out of calibration. I had mine concert to 1.5v a number of years back, only to shelve the thing.
But it is a solid camera. The skin may be tough and cut you up, like someone else said, but it's very smooth in operation. I don't use mine much these days (I've gotten spoiler with AE and the F6, which is an equally smooth-running camera), but there are times where I just pick it up to hear the sound of the shutter and advance. It was the camera I first learned with, so I was very spoiled early on in junior high....
Agreed on what others said regarding metered prisms. They're a kludge to use, huge, and usually out of calibration. I had mine concert to 1.5v a number of years back, only to shelve the thing.
KoNickon
Nick Merritt
Yes, I'd like to know more about this myself. I have a late "Apollo" FTn from the last 2-3 months of production.
newspaperguy
Well-known
Minor meter note: The first meter for the F was the "Periscope" model
with that ungainly tube protruding from it that took readings directly from the meter - not through the lens.
Yeah, I still have one, and it does work (sorta). Much prefer the plain prism!
with that ungainly tube protruding from it that took readings directly from the meter - not through the lens.
Yeah, I still have one, and it does work (sorta). Much prefer the plain prism!
Tom A
RFF Sponsor
My latest Nikon F (note that I did not say my last). This was picked up at a swap meet this year. A 1960/61 version with the 58f1.4. In just about mint shape - with the duty free price list from Tokyo and warranty cards for both camera and lens. The mirror had a crack in it from hitting the dried out mirror stop foam so it is in for service.
sanmich
Veteran
KoNickon
Nick Merritt
A couple of years ago I got a beater F with plain prism and 50/1.4 for $75. It could stand servicing for sure, but generally it works -- no surprise. What's interesting is that, while the serial number is a later 64 range (648xxxx), the righthand top plate must have been replaced at some point long ago since it has the "Nikon" engraving rather than the Nippon Kogaku logo. I say "long ago" since that piece seems every bit as worn as the rest of the camera. The back has no serial numbers either -- which makes me think it's a replacement as well.
Vickko
Veteran
Ah, you guys are making me nostalgic for the F.
I don't currently have an F, only an F2.
I traded my F for an Olympus OM4T, which became the gateway drug for a bunch more Zuiko purchases.
I think I got to the point where the improvements of the F2 won over my feelings for the F.
I don't currently have an F, only an F2.
I traded my F for an Olympus OM4T, which became the gateway drug for a bunch more Zuiko purchases.
I think I got to the point where the improvements of the F2 won over my feelings for the F.
Godfrey
somewhat colored
Hey, thanks for the Photomic breakdown, Dwig! That's more detailed info than I was familiar with. Any idea of a serial number range where the FRE element was used? My black F seems a late '72 vintage and I have the original Photomic FTn head for it as well as the plain prism. With good batteries, it seems accurate.
G
G
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