Nikon F Tribute

[Timmyjoe]

My new infatuation, which I hope turns into a love affair.

There are tribute threads to most of the Nikon SLR film cameras. I think the original needs its own thread.

Best,
-Tim

 

[ktmrider]

Could not agree more. Although I do not use SLR's much anymore, I still have a beautiful Nikon F (plain prism) in the cabinet. I used a pair of them in the early 1970's as a newspaper photographer and journalism major at IU.

It was the original system camera. If Nikon was smart, they would remake it with a digital sensor and would probably sell a million of them.

Am still thinking about trying a Leicaflex SL one of these days but the Nikon F is probably as important to photographic history as the original Leica or even Leica M3.

 

[Bschif]

Sweet camera! Is the PC terminal cover a standard Nikon cap? I would like to cover the terminal on my F

 

[DominikDUK]

Could not agree more. Although I do not use SLR's much anymore, I still have a beautiful Nikon F (plain prism) in the cabinet. I used a pair of them in the early 1970's as a newspaper photographer and journalism major at IU.

It was the original system camera. If Nikon was smart, they would remake it with a digital sensor and would probably sell a million of them.

Am still thinking about trying a Leicaflex SL one of these days but the Nikon F is probably as important to photographic history as the original Leica or even Leica M3.

Not to rain on the Nikon parade but Exakta was the original system camera and first pro slr they just had the bad luck to fall into the soviet occupied zone and are constantly getting overlooked by "photo historians" for that reason.

I love my Nikon F it's my favourite SLR great finder strong as an ox maybe even stronger and it just oozes quality. My second love is the Exakta 🙂 but the Nikon has some advantages over it.

 

[Timmyjoe]

Sweet camera! Is the PC terminal cover a standard Nikon cap? I would like to cover the terminal on my F

The PC terminal cover is the one Nikon used in the 1980's and 1990's, not the newest one, but I'm not sure it's the type used when the Nikon F was first introduced.

Now let's see some pictures of your beautiful Nikon F cameras.

Best,
-Tim

 

[rbsinto]

My new infatuation, which I hope turns into a love affair.
There are tribute threads to most of the Nikon SLR film cameras. I think the original needs its own thread.

Best,
-Tim

Hey!
Remarkably, your F looks pretty much the same as mine and everyone else's.
Except mine is black, has a motor drive, a meterless prism and is dented, dinged and showing brass. Otherwise identical.
What are the chances?
Which is why I don't post pictures of it.

 

[Godfrey]

My new infatuation, which I hope turns into a love affair.

A nice, clean F Photomic FTn ... Just like the one I bought in 1969, my first SLR.
Very nice.

G

 

[Timmyjoe]

Thanks G.

Best,
-Tim

 

[Travis L.]

I've been having a lot of fun with setup.

 

[Shac]

One of several 🙂rolleyes🙂 F's I own - the first I bought in 1967 or 68 and still have (this isn't it). I do use some of them but not enough

 

[kshapero]

Bought mine used in 1974, circa 1963

 

[Travis L.]

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

Not to rain on the Nikon parade but Exakta was the original system camera and first pro slr they just had the bad luck to fall into the soviet occupied zone and are constantly getting overlooked by "photo historians" for that reason.

I love my Nikon F it's my favourite SLR great finder strong as an ox maybe even stronger and it just oozes quality. My second love is the Exakta 🙂 but the Nikon has some advantages over it.

Not to mention the KW Praktina SLR, which was designed from the outset to be a system camera. And whilst it is not an SLR, you could make a pretty decent argument that the Rolleiflex was a system camera, too, when one considers all the various accessories produced for it. Notwithstanding, a black F with plain prism is one of very few cameras I don't own that I would really love to have a clean example of.
Cheers
Brett

 

[ktmrider]

Much as I enjoy Leica M's, if push came to shove, I might admit to thinking the Nikon F's were the best film camera ever made. In college, I could afford a Nikon F but not a Leica M4 or Leicaflex SL. I used the Nikons to pay my way through college.

 

[Pioneer]

Good cameras. Not too pretty but they are reliable. Enjoy your F.

 

[lynnb]

I was extremely fortunate to come across a very early Nikon F with original Nikkor-S 5cm f2 lens (with 9-bladed aperture). It's quite a rare F - an early S/N with significant differences in detail to later Fs. It's been CLA'd and is a beautiful camera.

 

[Paulbe]

lynnb--a beauty! Is that one of the fabled "6400" series?
Paul

 

[Timmyjoe]

One of several 🙂rolleyes🙂 F's I own - the first I bought in 1967 or 68 and still have (this isn't it). I do use some of them but not enough

Shac, that's a beautiful black F.

I noticed we have the same Nikkor-S lens. Is yours a bit sloppy in the focus? Mine is, but I'm a bit concerned with sending it for service as the images it produces are really nice as it is. Compared to a current 50mm f1.2 Nikkor that I also have, at anything below f2.8, the old Nikkor-S is sharper.

Best,
-Tim

 

[Timmyjoe]

Good cameras. Not too pretty but they are reliable. Enjoy your F.

Guess it's how you define pretty. As a former mechanical engineer and machinist, I find the machined surfaces on the F, especially in morning sunlight, to be beautiful. Better than the machined surfaces on any other SLR I've ever used, and matched only by the original Leica M3.

I'll agree it's a bit boxy, but that's part of its charm. 😉

 

[Timmyjoe]

I was extremely fortunate to come across a very early Nikon F with original Nikkor-S 5cm f2 lens (with 9-bladed aperture). It's quite a rare F - an early S/N with significant differences in detail to later Fs. It's been CLA'd and is a beautiful camera.

Wow Lynn, that's gorgeous. Would love to hear about the differences in detail from the later F's. My Apollo has the different advance lever and self timer lever, and the F2 PC socket. What does yours have that's different?

Thanks,
-Tim