Nikon F/F2 250 exposure backs- how are they held?

[Merkin]

I was killing some time the other day looking through the Head Bartender's classic camera profiles, and I got to wondering- How on earth do you hold one of the Nikon Fs or F2s when they have the bulk film backs on them? I've seen a Leica that was built for bulk film, but the relatively small size of a leica makes it seem almost manageable, but Fs and F2s are not small cameras. Do you hold it from the top? From the bottom? Around the side of the takeup spool somehow?

Thanks!

 

[Pickett Wilson]

Being an oldtimer and having actually used one back in the day a couple of times, there was a pistol grip that had a trigger switch that connected to the motor drive.

 

[Merkin]

Ah, thanks Pickett! I've only seen them in pictures, and none of the pictures had a bottom mounted pistol grip, only the normal motor drive release at the top.

 

[Pickett Wilson]

Yeah. It seems like you never see the pistol grip. I would have hated to use one of the things without it, though. But with 30+ feet of film in there, you could really blast away with it.

 

[Merkin]

If you don't mind me asking, what were you using it for? Sports?

 

[Pickett Wilson]

Yeah. It was a newspaper pool camera (in great demand by the regular sports shooters), but I managed to snag it a couple of times. Honestly, I could burn enough film with my Nikon F's and the regular motor drives. Having one all the time would have driven me to financial ruin! 🙂