Wulfthari
Well-known
I see nothing to appreciate in these DSLRs, and I douct that in 37 years they will still be in condition to take pics.
yek
Regiestered new user
F2 and Nikkor-S 50/1.4
Wulfthari
Well-known
Ilford FP4 shots with Nikon F2A:
Nikkor 35-200 wide open, at 200 mm wide open
at 35 mm
Nikkor 85mm f1.8, swirly bokeh
Swans' nest with eggs, 35-300mm
Swan chick harassing a canadian goose, 300mm f4 IF
Panorama with 85mm f1.8
Nikkor 35-200 wide open, at 200 mm wide open
at 35 mm
Nikkor 85mm f1.8, swirly bokeh
Swans' nest with eggs, 35-300mm
Swan chick harassing a canadian goose, 300mm f4 IF
Panorama with 85mm f1.8
wakarimasen
Well-known
Hello folks,
I'm thinking of getting an F (Photomic FTN) or an F2 (AS). Any tips on differences between the models?
I'm thinking of getting an F (Photomic FTN) or an F2 (AS). Any tips on differences between the models?
Wulfthari
Well-known
Completely different beasts, the F has a monster head, with the batteries inside it so it's quite top heavy, it doesn't have the 1/2000s top speed, it doesn't have a back door to load the camera etc...
The F2, especially A and AS are more modern cameras.
wakarimasen
Well-known
Will Ai lenses operate only in stop-down mode on the F? Do they work 'normally' of the F2?
Robert Lai
Well-known
Nikon AI and AIS lenses all have the metering prong at f/5.6 to mate with the pin on the meter head. So, they will work with the F meter heads, as well as the earlier non-AI F2 meter heads.
You do have to run through the aperture range from minimum aperture to maximum aperture to properly "index" the meter to the lens. This lets the meter know what the wide open aperture of the lens is.
The AI lenses don't require you to do this - hence "Automatic Indexing", which is what AI stands for.
You do have to run through the aperture range from minimum aperture to maximum aperture to properly "index" the meter to the lens. This lets the meter know what the wide open aperture of the lens is.
The AI lenses don't require you to do this - hence "Automatic Indexing", which is what AI stands for.
Shac
Well-known
As the others have said but I'd add that Ai/AiS lenses will not automatically index on the FTn meter (it indexes using the "prong") but will auto-index on the F2AS. The F2AS meter is one of the most sensitive around as well. FTn uses a needle to show setting, while F2AS uses diodes (more robust)
FTn EV2 - EV17 at ASA 100
F2AS EV -2 to EV 17 at ASA 100
Last comment - one of the internal parts (resistor?) of the FTn wears out and very difficult to replace. The latter F2AS's had gold contacts I believe, which besides their younger age, would be less resistant to failure
FTn EV2 - EV17 at ASA 100
F2AS EV -2 to EV 17 at ASA 100
Last comment - one of the internal parts (resistor?) of the FTn wears out and very difficult to replace. The latter F2AS's had gold contacts I believe, which besides their younger age, would be less resistant to failure
Robert Lai
Well-known
I highly recommend Robert Decker for Nikon FTN meter service
I highly recommend Robert Decker for Nikon FTN meter service
The FTN meter has a couple of key flaws.
One is the carbon ring resistor which can wear out.
The second is foam which was placed around the prism, to isolate it from the housing. With time this foam deteriorates and eats away the silvering on the prism. This desilvering becomes visible as irregularities on either side of the eyepiece, or as a line down the middle.
Robert Decker lives in Utah, and he has replacement ring resistors as well as replacement prisms. He can also adjust the battery voltage to 3V, so you can use alkaline or silver oxide cells. He will remove the foam on the prisms so that they will not desilver in the future.
I just sent him a couple of FTN prisms.
General overhaul is $85, and add $35 if you need a new prism.
Turnaround time is 1 week.
I finally bought a "like new" prism from Japan just because it didn't have desilvering. Then, a good soul from photo.net sent me his Excellent + condition FTN prism that suffered from desilvering.
Both now work like champs!
For the F2 prisms, the F2A (DP-11) has wirewound resistors (like a rheostat), that Sover Wong tells me will last a lifetime and then some. The others will eventually give out - even the resistor in the AS prism (DP-12). However, he has custom made ceramic resistor replacements for the AS prism that have been proven to last over 1 million revolutions without any decay. The cost of the ceramic resistor is $40 on top of your service fee. He also has new CdS cells (again custom made), which he can replace any dying cells in your original meter.
I highly recommend Robert Decker for Nikon FTN meter service
The FTN meter has a couple of key flaws.
One is the carbon ring resistor which can wear out.
The second is foam which was placed around the prism, to isolate it from the housing. With time this foam deteriorates and eats away the silvering on the prism. This desilvering becomes visible as irregularities on either side of the eyepiece, or as a line down the middle.
Robert Decker lives in Utah, and he has replacement ring resistors as well as replacement prisms. He can also adjust the battery voltage to 3V, so you can use alkaline or silver oxide cells. He will remove the foam on the prisms so that they will not desilver in the future.
I just sent him a couple of FTN prisms.
General overhaul is $85, and add $35 if you need a new prism.
Turnaround time is 1 week.
I finally bought a "like new" prism from Japan just because it didn't have desilvering. Then, a good soul from photo.net sent me his Excellent + condition FTN prism that suffered from desilvering.
Both now work like champs!
For the F2 prisms, the F2A (DP-11) has wirewound resistors (like a rheostat), that Sover Wong tells me will last a lifetime and then some. The others will eventually give out - even the resistor in the AS prism (DP-12). However, he has custom made ceramic resistor replacements for the AS prism that have been proven to last over 1 million revolutions without any decay. The cost of the ceramic resistor is $40 on top of your service fee. He also has new CdS cells (again custom made), which he can replace any dying cells in your original meter.
Wulfthari
Well-known
These are my two F2s:
I'm satisfied of both prisms, the DP-12 as far as I understand has silicon cells, not CdS, but I might be wrong.
So far no issues with any of them.
I'm satisfied of both prisms, the DP-12 as far as I understand has silicon cells, not CdS, but I might be wrong.
So far no issues with any of them.
Montag006
Established
Thanks for the info, Robert
Thanks for the info, Robert
Robert, thanks for mentioning Robert Decker.
I love FTn's . I have 2 prisms that I thought were destined to be
paperweights or conversation pieces
Now there might be hope!
David
Thanks for the info, Robert
Robert, thanks for mentioning Robert Decker.I love FTn's . I have 2 prisms that I thought were destined to be
paperweights or conversation pieces
Now there might be hope!
David
Greyscale
Veteran
Nikon F2s with Nikkor P Auto 105/2.5 by Mike Novak, on Flickr
f2s010 by Mike Novak, on Flickr
f2s002 by Mike Novak, on Flickr
Greyscale
Veteran
This just came in the mail.
Nikon F2A Photomic with Vivitar 35/2.5 (TX mount) by Mike Novak, on Flickr
Nikon F2A Photomic with Vivitar 35/2.5 (TX mount) by Mike Novak, on Flickr
Timmyjoe
Veteran
That should be fun.
Jerevan
Recycled User
Wulfthari
Well-known
Few shots with Agfa 100, my F2A and a Nikkor 1.8:
Wulfthari
Well-known
Few shots with the F2AS, fuji Pro 400 and various lenses.
Panoramic shots with the Nikkor 300mm f4 AIs IF, they are not perfectly vertical but this setup is very heavy:
Micro Nikkor 55mm f2.8:
24 mm f2.8:
50mm f1.4 S-C:
Panoramic shots with the Nikkor 300mm f4 AIs IF, they are not perfectly vertical but this setup is very heavy:
Micro Nikkor 55mm f2.8:
24 mm f2.8:
50mm f1.4 S-C:
Alpsman
Well-known
The F2 shutter is noisier than the F shutter.
Greyscale
Veteran
Nikon F2S, Kodak Tri-X, Micro-Nikkor 50/3.5, Ilfotec DD-X by Mike Novak, on Flickr
Nikon F2S, Kodak Tri-X, Micro-Nikkor 50/3.5, Ilfotec DD-X by Mike Novak, on Flickr
Nikon F2S, Kodak Tri-X, Micro-Nikkor 50/3.5, Ilfotec DD-X by Mike Novak, on Flickr
Nikon F2S, Kodak Tri-X, Micro-Nikkor 50/3.5, Ilfotec DD-X by Mike Novak, on Flickr
wakarimasen
Well-known
Have decided against an F and am on the lookout for an F2. After reading about the various models, their functionality seem pretty amazing - considering the mechanical construction