Nikon F CLA recommendations?

[lynnb]

I've just acquired an early Nikon F with original 5cm f2 Nikkor. It's a Nippon Kogaku engraved model from late 1959 or January 1960, serial #6407XXX and Nikkor-S 5cm f2 lens serial is #525XXX. It is almost identical to this, apart from the different serial numbers.

The foam buffer for the mirror (located at the top of the mirror box, under the fresnel) needs replacing, and some slow speeds are off a little. It will need a good CLA as the old foam particles would have made their way into its innards.

It's a beautiful camera, and quite collectible. I'll be using it rather than letting it have an ignominious end as a shelf queen.

Any recommendations for good Nikon service technicians or service centres, who respect the integrity of vintage Nikon cameras, would be appreciated. Australian-based is preferred, but quite happy to consider elsewhere.

I do not know if Nikon Australia still have in-house expertise with such an old camera. I do not want to risk damage or replacement of original parts with parts that are not genuine to this model. I would like to preserve the camera as an original.

Much appreciate any advice or leads you can give me.

Many thanks,

 

[bgb]

I had a Nikon f of similar vintage repaired in Christchurch, New Zealand. The tech Hayden can be reached via the local camera store. Photo and Video.
Owner is Greg Bramwell.
teaboy@photo.co.nz

 

[dave lackey]

I've just acquired an early Nikon F with original 5cm f2 Nikkor. It's a Nippon Kogaku engraved model from late 1959 or January 1960, serial #6407XXX and Nikkor-S 5cm f2 lens serial is #525XXX. It is almost identical to this, apart from the different serial numbers.

The foam buffer for the mirror (located at the top of the mirror box, under the fresnel) needs replacing, and some slow speeds are off a little. It will need a good CLA as the old foam particles would have made their way into its innards.

It's a beautiful camera, and quite collectible. I'll be using it rather than letting it have an ignominious end as a shelf queen.

Any recommendations for good Nikon service technicians or service centres, who respect the integrity of vintage Nikon cameras, would be appreciated. Australian-based is preferred, but quite happy to consider elsewhere.

I do not know if Nikon Australia still have in-house expertise with such an old camera. I do not want to risk damage or replacement of original parts with parts that are not genuine to this model. I would like to preserve the camera as an original.

Much appreciate any advice or leads you can give me.

Many thanks,

And a beauty it is, too!! Well done, Lynn!

That was a great buy, my friend, and it is well deserving of a nice spa treatment!😀

 

[lynnb]

Thanks Brian and thanks Dave.

Back in 2013 Harry Lime recommended Sover Wong in the UK. Does anyone have any recent experience with Sover? Is he/she still in business?

Edit: I have found Sover Wong's website, but only the F2 is serviced.

Sover Wong in the UK is the best in my opinion. soverf2repair@yahoo.com

Sover is really good. I purchased a fully rebuilt F2 from him when I was living in London. Beautiful black paint camera with a plain prism. Not cheap but a bargain, when you consider what you are getting. It's my daily shooter.
- Harry Lime

 

[nobbylon]

he'll do F's also. He did a beautifull job on my old Apollo F. I've had 3 F2's and 2 F's done by Sover. He does the job right.

 

[jonmanjiro]

Hi Lynn, that's a beautiful set that a serious Nikon collector would love to own! It deserves to be CLA'd properly 🙂

If it was mine, I'd take it back to the mother ship, Nikon Japan, for servicing. They still service all Nikon cameras and lenses and do a damn fine job on the old mechanical cameras too. Don't waste your time with Nikon Australia.

The next best option would be Kiitos in Japan. It's a specialist Nikon camera repair shop run by ex-Nikon staff.

The third best option would probably be Sover Wong in the UK. Sover does work on the F now.

Unfortunately I don't know of anyone in Australia I'd trust with a collectible like this.

 

[Flat Twin]

Sover Wong has just serviced my '74 Nikon F. You would not believe how smooth and quiet it is now!

Sover is your man!

Regards

Simon

 

[lynnb]

Thanks Jon, I'll take your advice about the mother ship. For some reason I've had an instant bonding with this camera. And I already have a set of Nikkor primes. Really looking forward to playing with it when it's been serviced.

Nobbylon, thanks also for taking the time to pass on your advice. Much appreciate the kind folks around here on RFF.
Edit: thanks also, Simon!

 

[dave lackey]

"For some reason I've had an instant bonding with this camera."

Another addiction scored!!!:angel:

The more you handle it, the more you bond. Weird but true with the Nikon Fs!

 

[WJJ3]

Hi Lynn, that's a beautiful set that a serious Nikon collector would love to own! It deserves to be CLA'd properly 🙂

If it was mine, I'd take it back to the mother ship, Nikon Japan, for servicing. They still service all Nikon cameras and lenses and do a damn fine job on the old mechanical cameras too. Don't waste your time with Nikon Australia.

The next best option would be Kiitos in Japan. It's a specialist Nikon camera repair shop run by ex-Nikon staff.

The third best option would probably be Sover Wong in the UK. Sover does work on the F now.

Unfortunately I don't know of anyone in Australia I'd trust with a collectible like this.

When I owned the FE I took it to the Nikon service center in Tokyo and they told me they wouldn't work on it, and that I should buy a FM3a...

 

[jonmanjiro]

When I owned the FE I took it to the Nikon service center in Tokyo and they told me they wouldn't work on it, and that I should buy a FM3a...

What reason did they give you? Did your FE need replacement parts?

Nikon no longer has parts for a lot of cameras and will only accept those cameras they don't have parts for if its likely that no replacement parts will be needed (replacement mirror foam, lubes etc. not included) in the CLA.

They've CLA'd two Nikon F2s for me and did a beautiful job. They've also done simple repairs/RF alignments on half a dozen or so Nikon RFs for me.

 

[WJJ3]

What reason did they give you? Did your FE need replacement parts?

Nikon no longer has parts for a lot of cameras and will only accept those cameras they don't have parts for if its likely that no replacement parts will be needed (replacement mirror foam, lubes etc. not included) in the CLA.

Yeah, at the time they said they didn't have parts for the FE anymore so they wouldn't touch it. I had actually dropped it and bent the rewind knob enough to not be able to open the back or rewind. The rest of the camera still worked fine (gotta love Nikon bodies). This was back when the FM3a still sold new, so I think that may have contributed to them not wanting to touch it.

I was just looking at the Kiitos repair center you linked though and was delighted to see they will service the FE. Makes me want to get another one (^ ^)

 

[Godfrey]

I've just acquired an early Nikon F with original 5cm f2 Nikkor. It's a Nippon Kogaku engraved model from late 1959 or January 1960, serial #6407XXX and Nikkor-S 5cm f2 lens serial is #525XXX. It is almost identical to this, apart from the different serial numbers.

The foam buffer for the mirror (located at the top of the mirror box, under the fresnel) needs replacing, and some slow speeds are off a little. It will need a good CLA as the old foam particles would have made their way into its innards.

It's a beautiful camera, and quite collectible. I'll be using it rather than letting it have an ignominious end as a shelf queen.

Any recommendations for good Nikon service technicians or service centres, who respect the integrity of vintage Nikon cameras, would be appreciated. Australian-based is preferred, but quite happy to consider elsewhere.

I do not know if Nikon Australia still have in-house expertise with such an old camera. I do not want to risk damage or replacement of original parts with parts that are not genuine to this model. I would like to preserve the camera as an original.

Much appreciate any advice or leads you can give me.

Many thanks,

Nice. Mine looks like that too, although the pre-AI lenses I have are the Micro-Nikkor 55/3.5 and Nikkor-H 85/1.8. (I had them both AI'ed so I can use them on the F6 and Nikon DSLR models.)

My current F was a body that a friend of mine found in his basement with lens missing. No idea how long it sat around that way. I had a local camera repair shop do a complete clean and overhaul; it's working beautifully now.

I have been under the impression (since 1969...!) that the first two digits of the serial number on F bodies were the year of manufacture. I wonder if there's a serial number listing somewhere.

I've communicated with Sover Wong a couple of times in the past year. He will work on Fs. Just send him a note.

G

 

[lynnb]

Here you are Godfrey:

list of serial numbers and production dates for camera bodies

Nikon F Collection and Typology link to lens and body serial numbers on same site

more of Michael Liu's data on early Nikons

cheers,

 

[Maiku]

I second jonmanjiro. Send it to Kiitos. It will be worth the effort.

 

[lynnb]

thanks very much guys, I'm going to take Jon's advice and send it to Nikon Japan.

cheers,

 

[dave lackey]

thanks very much guys, I'm going to take Jon's advice and send it to Nikon Japan.

cheers,

Dang, got me wanting an F with the standard prism again now!!😱

Edit:

Ok, so I thought I would identify with your "F Joy"... so I got out my F2 and checked the meter and exercised it and then remembered my black Nikkormat FTN. I got it out and did the same, so now I have two to choose from in honor of Lynn's new camera! Yowzah!

 

[Godfrey]

Here you are Godfrey:

list of serial numbers and production dates for camera bodies

Nikon F Collection and Typology link to lens and body serial numbers on same site

more of Michael Liu's data on early Nikons

cheers,

Thanks! Looks like mine was produced between November 1960 and April 1961. Older than I thought!

G