Nikon F or not ??

[Tim Murphy]

Dear Board,

I guess the one thing that no one has mentioned is how much brighter and better the viewfinder is on F2. Perhaps the difference is slight when using non-metered eye-level finders, but the difference was huge with a metered prism to me.

I still faithfully put a roll or two through the Nikon F that was my grandfathers. It's a very early serial number, like 60 or 61 and he had to send it to Nikon USA to be fitted for the FTN prism. I will never part with it, but the one Nikon F2 with the DP-1 amazed me with the brighter and clearer viewfinder. And yes, my grandfather's Nikon FTN was maintained, and I had it gone through completely a few years ago.

Maybe I just have bad eyesight?

Regards,

Tim Murphy

Harrisburg PA 🙂

 

[Godfrey]

Dear Board,

I guess the one thing that no one has mentioned is how much brighter and better the viewfinder is on F2. Perhaps the difference is slight when using non-metered eye-level finders, but the difference was huge with a metered prism to me.

I still faithfully put a roll or two through the Nikon F that was my grandfathers. It's a very early serial number, like 60 or 61 and he had to send it to Nikon USA to be fitted for the FTN prism. I will never part with it, but the one Nikon F2 with the DP-1 amazed me with the brighter and clearer viewfinder. And yes, my grandfather's Nikon FTN was maintained, and I had it gone through completely a few years ago.

Maybe I just have bad eyesight?

Hmm. I used them side by side and never noticed a difference. It might perhaps be the focusing screen you are using, vs the one I'm using. I've always fitted the E screens in my F/F2/F3 bodies, and the viewfinder brightness is only marginally different to my eye with the F3.

G

 

[former member]

Differences in viewfinder brightness is affected by the focus screen used, and condition of the prism. I've had more prisms in the F suffer from desilvering than in the F2. It's not just age- I noted this issue more than 30 years ago.

 

[Ambro51]

.....so, Who is the “go to” for restoring a non functioning ftn meter?

 

[davidswiss]

Thanks for all the comments, I didn't get the F. Spent the morning using the F2S and when the F came up (at auction) I was the low bidder. I'm still in two minds about whether I should have bid more. My problem, as at most auctions, was that I wanted 4 items and the last one, a lens, was the one that I wanted most and the F was first on the list. I do still regret not going higher but also wonder whether I'd have used it as much as the F2S.

 

[dmr]

.....so, Who is the “go to” for restoring a non functioning ftn meter?

My guess is that the camera service place in Smyrna could do it. You can find them on the web, very generic name, something like "Camera Service Company" or something like that. They did a great job on a lens of mine a while badk.

 

[Pál_K]

Unless I’m mistaken, all the Nikon metered heads for the F, the particular non-AI heads for the F2, and the particular non-AI Nikkormats suffer from wearing of the ring resistor (essentially a potentiometer as you change aperture). It would be nice to have a list of the few people or places that repair these.

 

[Godfrey]

In the past (about 10-12 years ago), I went to Sover Wong (https://soverf2repair.webs.com) for service on Nikon F and F2 equipment (including the FTn meter heads) when asked for help by various friends. He did a superb job.

G

 

[davidswiss]

In the past (about 10-12 years ago), I went to Sover Wong (https://soverf2repair.webs.com) for service on Nikon F and F2 equipment (including the FTn meter heads) when asked for help by various friends. He did a superb job.

G

I can second the recommendation for Sover for F2, he did a great job on mine, but I'd no idea he also worked on the F.

 

[cary]

He isn't working on Nikon F's, I traded emails with him about a year ago. He told me he was so busy with his backlog of F2's.

 

[Livesteamer]

There was a gentleman in Utah who used to rebuild FTN heads for a flat fee around $100, It's been several years since he did one for me and I don't know if he still works on them.
Robert Decker
2180 South 5900 West
Mendon Utah 84325
435 752 1275
drwyn@aol.com

 

[Contarama]

Sover is not even accepting F2 cameras for the next year or two. Clearing out the backlog.

 

[Godfrey]

Sober is not even accepting F2 cameras for the next year or two. Clearing out the backlog.

Ah. I had the same problem when I was looking for someone to work on my 1890 Elgin National pocket watch a year and some back: everyone who would work on it was booked up for six months to a year ahead. I'll put a note on my address book page for Sover marking out his current status.

BTW: I did find someone to work on the pocket watch ... right here on this forum. And he did a bang up job of restoring it, it now runs beautifully and looks great!

G

 

[presspass]

Since we've moved into repair territory, any recommendations for Nikon F or F2 other than Sover? I'm too old to wait a couple of years, and I would like a couple of Fs and maybe an F2 or two go through CLA. Suggestions? Thanks

 

[Godfrey]

Since we've moved into repair territory, any recommendations for Nikon F or F2 other than Sover? I'm too old to wait a couple of years, and I would like a couple of Fs and maybe an F2 or two go through CLA. Suggestions? Thanks

Try contacting Advance Camera Repair, https://www.advancecamera.com. They have done some excellent work on a couple of my other cameras, and I know they work on Nikon gear too. Their turnaround is usually in the 12-16 week range, from the stuff I've done with them.

G

 

[Disappointed_Horse]

Jim at International Camera Technicians did a great job on my FE. I'm sure he could help. He's fast and good but not cheap—you can't have all three.

 

[Erik van Straten]

gelatin silver print (nikkor h auto 50mm f2) nikkormat ftn

Amsterdam, 1974

Erik.

 

[snegron7]

The F with standard prism is a nice, solid camera. Biggest quirk to overcome is loading it with film. It doesn't have a hinge door like every Nikon film SLR that came after it. I have an F with standard prism and another F with FTN Photomic prism finder. The meter in my FTN prism was working well until a few years ago (I couldn't find any Weincell batteries for it). Both my F's spend their time in storage now; my F2A gets used most out of my film cameras. Loadind film is so much easier with my F2A compared to my F's.

 

[Godfrey]

The F with standard prism is a nice, solid camera. Biggest quirk to overcome is loading it with film. It doesn't have a hinge door like every Nikon film SLR that came after it. I have an F with standard prism and another F with FTN Photomic prism finder. The meter in my FTN prism was working well until a few years ago (I couldn't find any Weincell batteries for it). Both my F's spend their time in storage now; my F2A gets used most out of my film cameras. Loadind film is so much easier with my F2A compared to my F's.

The Nikon F Photomic FTn was my first SLR camera. My other cameras before it were fussy to load, I never noticed that the F was difficult, only that it took a moment to do since i had to remove the back. In a sense it's easier since the whole transport is in front of you without a door flipping back and forth beside it: you can see everything and be sure the film is properly fitted and on the take up securely.

Of course, it must be said that I never rush when I'm loading film, and have never been in a shooting circumstance where it was needed .. I just always have another camera loaded and ready to go if the shoot might need fast changes. 😉

G

 

[snegron7]

The Nikon F Photomic FTn was my first SLR camera. My other cameras before it were fussy to load, I never noticed that the F was difficult, only that it took a moment to do since i had to remove the back. In a sense it's easier since the whole transport is in front of you without a door flipping back and forth beside it: you can see everything and be sure the film is properly fitted and on the take up securely.

Of course, it must be said that I never rush when I'm loading film, and have never been in a shooting circumstance where it was needed .. I just always have another camera loaded and ready to go if the shoot might need fast changes. 😉

G

Back in the early1980's, I used to shoot events for a public relations company. I used an F3 and an FM2N for that time period. I had to load film rolls super quickly, most of the time in dark venues where I could barely see my camera. I needed the hinged back of the F3 and FM2N to "speed load" film as quickly as possible.

That was a long time ago. I no longer need to load rolls of film as quickly as I once did, however, now that I'm older I find it difficult to load an F body (biggest fear is inadvertently putting my thumb through the shutter curtain). So, I enjoy the "safety " that hinged backs provide (like the F2A, F3hp, etc.).