Nikon F --- All it's cracked up to be?

[grapejohnson]

just curious about the original nikon f -- it's one of the prettiest cameras i've ever seen, is it equally as nice to use? are the successors (f2, f3) better, if so why? i know how good the optics are. this is a legendary camera, what seems to be the m3 of SLRs, just wondering why and what makes it so great to use as i've never been able to use one personally.

also, how is the photomic meter? what pattern is it, center weighted?

 

[David Murphy]

I use them with the meterless prism. That's how many photojournalist pros used them back in the day and I find it a rare pleasure to do so even today.

The photomic's need to be calibrated and converted to use modern batteries, not that big a deal, but there are plenty of other newer fine film SLR's that are better with meters (e.g. Pentax).

The F is a very, very fine camera if well maintained and the lenses, plentiful, superb, and not too expensive for what they are!

In my never-too-humble opinion an F with a meterless prism is in the same class of the Leica M2 or M3 as far as representing a criterion of quality and usability.

 

[grapejohnson]

unmetered seems the way to go with one, they look so good that way

 

[Paulbe]

The ONLY thing I've found with the original F is that, while changing the film, the back comes completely off. It is not hinged. So--you have to figure out what to do with the back while you're spooling in the new roll..I think many folks just held the back in their teeth---or some other unique solution. O/W--a great machine.
Paul

 

[Jack Conrad]

I can gush on and on about the beauty and merit of the legendary Nikon F,
if you're going to give one away like Keith did with an OM.😀

 

[lukitas]

The button was all wrong on the f and just right on the f2.
and the f would cut you, with all its sharp corners.
I loved my f2. Very good meter.

 

[Tom A]

I fully concur with David here. A good, working F with the prism is the M2 of SLR's. Solid and reliable and they can take an awful lot of abuse. You can add or remove things from it, meter prisms, screens, motor drives, even 250 backs if you want to wrap your self in wet film in the darkroom. The classic lenses from Nikon are still among the best primes around - cheap too. I just like the simplicity of the design - one of the most sophisticated cameras made - particularly when you think back to 1959 - I keep a couple around (OK 5-6 of them) with basic lenses, 21/35/50/ 105. Buying one. look for a well used one - they don't like being idle (foam bumper for the mirror dries out and occasionally you will find small colonies of bugs residing in them) - and they are cheap enough that you don't have to baby them!

 

[Godfrey]

just curious about the original nikon f -- it's one of the prettiest cameras i've ever seen, is it equally as nice to use? are the successors (f2, f3) better, if so why? i know how good the optics are. this is a legendary camera, what seems to be the m3 of SLRs, just wondering why and what makes it so great to use as i've never been able to use one personally.

also, how is the photomic meter? what pattern is it, center weighted?

The Nikon F is a legendary camera, deservedly. It's amazingly robust, built like a tank, and yet a good design for repairs too. The viewfinder optics are terrific. The range of options (finders, focusing screens, lenses, bulk film backs, motors, etc) for the F was nearly endless.

The first TTL metering head was the Photomic FT, which was a simple averaging meter with manual maximum aperture indexing. The next model, the Photomic FTn, introduced Nikon's classic center-weighted averaging meter pattern, which was the basis of all Nikon TTL metering in the pro bodies until the F4 almost 20 years later.

The F's Photomic heads are good, but they're old tech and old. There are a couple of people who can rebuild them to as-new or better specs now; they have a couple of fallibilities. Mostly, though, I use the plain prism head with mine nowadays.

The Nikon F2 was a nicely improved body with a number of good additional features, and the last of the line of pro Nikon Fs that had mechanically timed shutters. The F3 that replaced it was another excellent improvement in almost every way as well.

Fact is that ALL Nikon F line cameras are legendary, right up the F6 ... Although I have a sentimental attachment to the old F. ;-)

G

 

[tunalegs]

If you're "just" a normal photographer, the F is "just" a normal camera.
Most people don't take advantage of any of the finer points of the system and may as well use the Nikkormat (or many other Japanese SLRs).

I'll concur that the F2 is in many subtle respects a better camera, even if you're just a normal photographer that won't bother with mirror lock ups, interchangeable screens, or ever switch finders out. It just handles better.

 

[Keith]

I have to agree (even as an Oly fan) that it's a great lineage with barely a bad camera in it.

And ending in a pinacle of what has to be the best SLR ever made ... the F6. 🙂

 

[tjh]

occasionally you will find small colonies of bugs residing in them!

I had "bugs" in an FM2 and an F3. I think they appeared on a trip to Central America. It was weird to see tiny animals walking across the focusing screen. I finally put the cameras in containers with desiccant and never saw the "bugs" again. I still have both cameras and they work perfectly.

Tom

 

[grapejohnson]

the 1/2000th of the f2 seems nice, as does the swing back, but something gets me about how an original f looks. it's one of the only cameras i'd buy just for how awesome it looks. anyone who has pictures taken with one feel free to share!

 

[colyn]

I picked one up off eBay a couple of months ago with the eye level finder for $68. It had an off brand cheap 35mm lens which I sold on Craigslist. Since I already have several Nikkor lens it was put to good use. I've owned several over the years and is one of the best SLR's around.

 

[Pioneer]

I picked one up a few months ago just to see what all the uproar was all about. Nice camera but I still prefer my little Pentax SV. Completely different design philosophies for sure.

 

[squareshooter]

When the original "F" came out there was just not anything like it. Scientific photogs I knew liked the Exacta system (you could use them with a microscope and all) but the F was more reliable and you could get it with all kinds of lenses and other goodies. I never liked the Photomic finder. You could get a second body (a Nikkormat) for about the price of the Photomic and use that to read the light. George Lucas shot his film "Star Wars" with Nikon F glass.

 

[dbarnes]

Great camera -- an immortal little brass box that can do anything.

And already has done it a million times.

From here to the moon and back.

But it's not everyone's cup of tea.

Cheap to try.

 

[Sam Kanga]

nikon f --- all it's cracked up to be?

nikon f --- all it's cracked up to be?

nikon f --- all it's cracked up to be? - Yes

I have 2 and use the prism finder only.

sam

 

[leicapixie]

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=135813

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=135813

It's everything that everybody says it is!
It's rugged,strong and very reliable.
The Nikon F can undertake almost any assignment.
It is a harsh camera. No soft lines of a Leica M3.
The advance lever can cut you(forehead) ,
the removable back can pinch one being replaced.
The flash socket can make things lively, if using the coupler
for strobe attachment.😀
Mine have traveled the world.
The lenses that were part of my system, all are great.
The Photomic meters can be repaired..
I chose to add a F3 rather than bother.
Never use Nikons with Leica, if you interchange lenses.
All dials, mounts and lens focus direction are opposite.

 

[aizan]

i'm thinking of starting a kickstarter to manufacture replacement prisms for the eye level finder. almost all of them exhibit separation and/or desilvering.

until then, i'd go with the f2.

 

[tunalegs]

i'm thinking of starting a kickstarter to manufacture replacement prisms for the eye level finder. almost all of them exhibit separation and/or desilvering.

until then, i'd go with the f2.

Why not just send them to get resilvered?