Nikon reflex housing - high serial number

[sonodoc99]

I recently saw a listing for a “new in the box” Nikon reflex housing type II with accessories. It seemed to be at a lower price (though still expensive) compared with others in OK condition. I had some extra cash (sold some space program stuff I collect) so I bought it. It came in the original box and the cable releases along with the “fingertip release” that seems so difficult to find were all still either in their original plastic bags or included with the original bags (and with the yellowed transparent tape). The interesting thing is the serial number. The edition of the Robert Rotoloni book I have (2007) mentions the highest recorded serial number as 471769 (p 451) and the 45-degree prism as 67629. The unit I have has serial number 471771. The 45-degree prism though is 67563 and this supports the idea that the prisms were not specifically matched to the reflex housing by date of production. The unit works fine though having tried it with the 18cm lens on an SP body, I can see why it was not widely used. The introduction of the Nikon F surely contributed to the reflex housing being withdrawn from production.

 

[wes loder]

The highest number I have record of is 471773/67561. It listed on ebay in November 2017. Your housing listed on ebay in January of this year. Of all the reflex housings that will work on a Nikon RF camera, the one sold by Nikon has to be one of the most awkward to use. Impossible to use hand-held. The Zeiss Panflex has better handling.

 

[CameraQuest]

The easiest way to shoot the 180 and longer NRF lenses is adapted to other systems, including but not limited to the Nikon F, Nikon Z, and most film or digital SLRS or mirrorless.

The Nikon RF mirrorhousing is very interesting, but incredibly inconvenient to shoot with.

 

[sonodoc99]

I agree that the Nikon reflex adapter is inconvenient at best. I have never used a Visoflex or Panflex so I don’t have a basis for comparison. But my testing reinforced the idea that the use with the telephotos would be very difficult at best to impossible for sports photography. For long-range use on a tripod with still or slow-moving objects, maybe. Pretty easy to figure out why it was not wildly popular. I have an N-F adapter but I haven’t tested it yet with the 18cm on an F body.

 

[UV76]

Shooting with Reflex Housing requires patience and a little work getting used to it.
I typically use N-F tube and F or FtZ adapter to Z for 18cm f2.5, 25cm f4 or 35cm f4.5 but tried shooting with reflex housing the other day. It is a heavy rig so most definitely need a sturdy tripod
End to end workflow sequences need getting used to... I don't normally shoot airplanes and missed the first few shots forgetting to correctly adjust the cables and couldn't quite get the timing right on some shots.

1) Setting up reflex housing and attaching cables to the camera (and optionally the motor)
2) Set aperture (wide open) and nail down focus, set back aperture to desired F value
3) Shoot using the finger-tip release button on the reflex housing (it has a long throw as wes loder mentions above)
If you don’t have a motor attached
4) need to loosen the cable attached to camera shutter button to enable film winding or make sure the cable release have "just right" tension
5) reset mirror on reflex housing by pushing reset ring
If you have a motor attached
6) you can skip 5) because you have a motor but you lose vision if you shoot continuous shots because the mirror flip flop motion on the reflex housing is entirely manual and cannot be released during continuous shots for S3/SP/S4 (unless you shoot with S2E whereby the shutter button movement syncs with motorized film wind). Changing between vertical or horizontal frame can be easily done by using a button on the reflex housing.

18cm f2.5

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25cm f4

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35cm f4.5

35cm f4.5 missed sample

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[wes loder]

Luis deCasenave, a photojournalist working for El Mundo in Puerto Rico at the horse races. I own that 500mm now. He set it up at the turn of the track and waited for the moment. I like the cigar.

 

[UV76]

The easiest way to shoot the 180 and longer NRF lenses is adapted to other systems, including but not limited to the Nikon F, Nikon Z, and most film or digital SLRS or mirrorless.

The Nikon RF mirrorhousing is very interesting, but incredibly inconvenient to shoot with.

I find mirror housing more suited for macro photography using Bellows One compared to telephoto shooting...