Nikon F2 tribute

[Shac]

I have had for about 20 years a black plain prism Nikon F starting from 1968, and before that I had a Nikkorex F. About 20 years ago I bought the same camera out of nostalgia.
Now I am very sensitive to aesthetics and for my personal taste the Nikon F is way more beautiful and has more character , although I am not saying that the F2 is ugly.
What I find ugly instead is any metered F or F2.
As to the differences they are all irrelevant to me, and, besides, I heard that the F2 is heavier larger and louder

My thoughts exactly (except the last)
Also - I bought my first F in 1968, and then in the early 70's added an F2. Still have them.

 

[Pál_K]

Here is one of my F2S's with MD-1 drive and MB-1 battery pack (with analog voltage meter). I have another F2S and three F2 Photomics. The lens here is a Nikkor 28-45mm f/4.5 AI, a bit rare; there's a later 25-50mm that Nikon made which looks nearly identical to this one.

Actually, I think the metering heads make the F2 (and the F) clunky to use due to the connection to the lens and to the shutter speed dial.

I've thought about getting a plain-prism F2, but decided against it because I have two plain-prism F's; to me, the F2 was really designed to be used with a meter, so that's how I've kept it. My plain-prism F's are a lot of fun with their simple uncluttered viewfinder and relatively trim body.

 

[kiemchacsu]

Thanks for your thought;
I just bought an F2 with DP-1 finder instead of waiting for a Plain Prism Nikon F.
Aesthetically, I prefer the DE-1 finder much more than the DP-1 but I don't want to wait any longer.
Will drop a post here once I receive the package.

I came to Nikon with an F and enjoyed it for the most part, but changed to an eye-level F2 fairly quickly and haven't looked back. In my mind the F2 is everything good about the F (namely build quality and reliability), but finessed and improved in a hundred little ways. Some of the changes are significant, others are very subtle until you actually have the camera in hand.

A few of the biggies for my use:
- Shutter button where it should be. This is the single main factor that drove me away from the F.
- Subtle curves to every edge that make the whole body much more comfortable to hold.
- Very short throw to the film advance.
- Mechanical speeds from 10" - 1/2000"
- MLU that doesn't cost a frame.
- Regular (incredibly solid) film door.

Even if you don't have any use for the additional 'features', the handling is so much better on the F2 that I'm not sure why you would choose an F as a shooter.

 

[PaulDalex]

Hi Shac,
incredible coincidence!
I regret so much that I got rid of my first Nikon F!
The problem was that I has a backache, and after toting in many work travels a heavy bag (there were 3 lens and 2 bodies the Nikon F and the Nikkorex F plus a Lunasix and tripod) without having the opportunity to take a single photo I gave up.
I wish I could afford back then to own 2 cameras!
So I bought the delicious Minolta CLE which had an even worst fate!
In fact Minolta discontinued the camera (way too soon!) and I panicked because I could not afford to buy Leica lenses (no Ebay back then!) . So I got rid of the CLE too!
But again I started having nostalgia of the CLE and so I bought another CLE (about the same period I got my second Nikon F) from an English gentleman photographer.

 

[nickthetasmaniac]

Dusty and his ball

F2, 50/f1.4 Ais and Portra400

 

[kiemchacsu]

Nikon F2 tribute

I have a motto -Everybody needs a Leica M2- at the top of my page, implying that the M2 is the purest version of the Leica M that everyone should have. To this day it is still my favorite machine. However, as a long-time Nikon user, I am always looking for a favorite camera, which is not only a black box to take photograph, but a machine that carries a kind of philosophy. Some time ago, I figured that the Nikon F would be such machine that I would be hunting. But maybe fate has not come I have been struggling with poor mans Nikon F: the Nikkormats.
Until today, when holding this Nikon F2, I confirm that this is the Nikon camera that I have been looking for a long time. So, please change the Motto sentence above to -Everybody needs a Leica M2 and a Nikon F2- #buyfilmshootfilm

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cjm]

Same here. The M2 is my favorite but when accuracy is required, the F2 is hard to beat.

F2, Micro-Nikkor 55mm f3.5, Tri-X

 

[lukx]

I concur, M2 and F2 are the perfect combination of rugged durability and precision. Best of both worlds if you will.

 

[hap]

Same here. The M2 is my favorite but when accuracy is required, the F2 is hard to beat.

F2, Micro-Nikkor 55mm f3.5, Tri-X

there are so many very cool Nikon film SLR's....even the ones that take batteries. I would like a F2AS but prioritizing other unneeded stuff.

to me a F2 without a meter finder is too close to my Nikon RF's. I quenched the "fire" with an FT3. yes, still batteries.

 

[Pál_K]

The Leica M2 would be my favorite were it not for the frame counter. I like the M3’s frame counter much better.

Anyway, after buying my first Nikon, an F3/T in 1988, I became interested in Nikon. Although I thought the F with its distinctive FTN finder exemplified Nikon and photojournalism, an afternoon reading about Nikon in the local library convinced me the F2 was the one to have.

So, for about the next 10 years, there wasn’t a near-mint F2 that I could walk away from: I had to have it. I had to “save” it.

So now I have an embarrassing number of Nikon F2’s and Nikons overall.

 

[Deleted member 65559]

I concur, M2 and F2 are the perfect combination of rugged durability and precision. Best of both worlds if you will.

Given the current price of black M2s, i think any combo of an M* & F* makes one heck of a pair of working film cameras. Over the years i've used a lot of Ms & F(2), and although i have CAS pretty much under control, I might have difficulty resisting an F2 Titan, if i were in Toyko

Flickr

 

[Erik van Straten]

Nice pair! I have a black F standard prism too! In fact I have three black Nikons: S2, F and Nikkormat FTn. On the F and the FTn I use a Nikkor H Auto 50mm f2. The S2 sees more use than the other two.


gelatine silver print (skopar s 50mm f2.5) nikon s2

Erik.

 

[p.giannakis]

Given the current price of black M2s, i think any combo of an M* & F* makes one heck of a pair of working film cameras. Over the years i've used a lot of Ms & F(2), and although i have CAS pretty much under control, I might have difficulty resisting an F2 Titan, if i were in Toyko

Flickr

Those do look beautiful !

 

[kiemchacsu]

Nikon F2 tribute

Finally, the search for the -Ultimate bos- Nikon camera has come to an end, which is the machine you see here: Nikon F2, standard version with non-metered prism DE-1 or commonly called -pagoda prism- based on its appearance. Surely many people will tell me -crazy- when trading the DP-1 metered prism this plain one and add the cost difference, however, as an aesthetician, the camera for me is not simple a camera which is just a black box but beyond that, it is the emotion that the camera brings after the shots. A camera is not only used to take pictures, but also to occasionally pull it out just to admire its beauty. The plain prism F2 gives the photographer the purest experience for the photographer, showing in the viewfinder is exactly what you get on the film, without any additional aperture speed or light parameters. any metering flickering that might distract you. For me, this is also the reason why I engaged the Leica M2 with the same philosophy. What a coincidence that I am now settled with two legendary, which I call the last purely mechanical masterpieces that Leica and Nikon have ever produced: the Leica M2 and the Nikon F2. And finally: -Everybody needs a Leica M2 and a Nikon F2- #buyfilmshootfilm

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Hari]

I like 100% viewing of the screen.
What separates the F2 from the
other 'pro' Nikons is the fact that
the F2 you can remove the motor
with film still in the camera unlike
the original F. Also, the removeable
battery pack for the motor is lacking
in the F3 NIkon.

 

[nickthetasmaniac]

The Leica M2 would be my favorite were it not for the frame counter. I like the M3’s frame counter much better.

I love the M2 frame counter, a perfect embodiment of the Bauhaus design ethos!

 

[Highway 61]

Albi, France, 2016.

Nikon F2 w/ DE-1 finder - Nikkor Ai 28mm f/2.8 - T-Max 100

 

[Larry Cloetta]

Albi, France, 2016.
Nikon F2 w/ DE-1 finder - Nikkor Ai 28mm f/2.8 - T-Max 100

That's just perfect.

 

[Retro-Grouch]

"... not only a black box to take photograph, but a machine that carries a kind of philosophy."

Kiemchacsu, that is so perfectly stated! It's what determines most of my equipment choices, and an explanation of what sometimes looks to others like an irrational decision about the equipment I use in any given situation. Also, incidentally, it's what is behind my choice to stick with film.

 

[narsuitus]

For comparable size, dependability, features, simplicity, and lens quality, the Nikon F2 and the Leica M6 35mm film cameras are my personal favorites.


Nikon F2 & Leica M6 by Narsuitus, on Flickr