Nikonos III for street shooting ? Am I nuts ?

[Rodchenko]

I could have done with a Nikonos this morning in London...

 

[Alpsman]

sorry to be off-topic, but i am quite excited over the nikonos. can i ask
how "off" is an underwater lens when used on land ? Can it be used
on land in the first place or will it crackle and die ? LOL

Reason is ask is that there is a 28 f3.5 lens (on keh.com) which would be better for street ?

raytoei

The UW 2,5/35 (Typ 1, 2 & 3) and the UW 4/80 are for above & underwater.
The LW 2,8/28 is weathersealed for above water only.
All others are calculated for underwater only.

 

[GaryLH]

sorry to be off-topic, but i am quite excited over the nikonos. can i ask
how "off" is an underwater lens when used on land ? Can it be used
on land in the first place or will it crackle and die ? LOL

Reason is ask is that there is a 28 f3.5 lens (on keh.com) which would be better for street ?

raytoei

In a 28 u need to look for the 28f2.8 lw... A very hard lens to find.. The uw model is underwater only.. The lw was designed to be used on land only and is weather sealed.

Gary

 

[Overkill-F1]

I had a Nikonos II when I had a young family/mortgage/etc and starting out in photography. It was a go everywhere camera. One of my favorite photos from it is of me & my son in the public pool. I felt I had to sell it to help finance large format gear and I always regretted letting it go. Last year I found a Nikonos III w/ 35mm lens for a good price and love it. I really think the model III is the best Nikonos of the bunch. The shutter is easy to get used to and zone focussing great.
...Terry

 

[Montag006]

I think it's a great idea, I have been considering getting another ( I had a III way back in the 70's and of course sold it). I like the idea of going anywhere with it. And the creative options they open up....

 

[MrFujicaman]

Well, I've ordered 2 Nikonos VI-A's and both of them have had issues and got returned. I prefer the ergonomics of the VI-A to the III, but a camera that handles well,but won't take pictures is of very little use.

Guess I'll stay with the III

 

[Mackinaw]

Well, I've ordered 2 Nikonos VI-A's and both of them have had issues and got returned. I prefer the ergonomics of the VI-A to the III, but a camera that handles well,but won't take pictures is of very little use....

I've read more than a few times that the electronics of the IV-A were troublesome and less than reliable. For that reason, I oped for a Nikonos V. Had it about 15 years now and it's been a great camera.

Jim B.

 

[rhl-oregon]

When will you post some of those dusty flea market shots? Some of us have been waiting to see!

My Nikonos III has been in the Classifieds with no nibbles for a while now, so it is likely to resume its domestic status as a wet-weather/above-ground camera...

Well, I've ordered 2 Nikonos VI-A's and both of them have had issues and got returned. I prefer the ergonomics of the VI-A to the III, but a camera that handles well,but won't take pictures is of very little use.

Guess I'll stay with the III

 

[gliderbee]

I had the same idea a few months ago. I already had a III body but without lenses, and I have recently bought a V with the 35mm, 80mm and the Sea and Sea 20 mm with all viewfinders for those and the sb-103. I might go diving again, just to use it. Great cameras. I used the 35 already for testing, not yet the 80 or 20.

Stefan.

I bought myself a "BGN" Nikonos III for last Xmas from KEH-mainly because I'd always wanted one when I was younger.

Lately, I've been using it for street shooting at the area flea markets. I do this because I want to get used to the camera,and the flea markets are very dusty (think Alabama red mud/clay soil dust blowing in the wind) and to see how well it works for street shooting.

My thinking is that A) if it's sealed against water, it should be dust proof also. It was so covered with dust yesterday that I had to wash it off when I got home. B) the lens is the same Nikkor 35mm f2.5 as the 35mm f2.5 for the Nikon S cameras and the LTM version, so it's pretty sharp. C) for street shooting,most of us zone focus anyway,so the lack of a rangefinder isn't really that big of a deal for most of what I'm using it for. I use ISO 400 B & W with a yellow filter most of the time,so I'm shooting at f 16 @ 1/250th or f 11 @ 1/500th. D) the Nikkor 35mm f2.5 is kinda costly in LTM. I bought the Nikkonos III body and lens for $90. E) if I get caught in the rain,it's no big deal.

Okay....am I crazy or just semi-smart ?

 

[MrFujicaman]

When will you post some of those dusty flea market shots? Some of us have been waiting to see!

My Nikonos III has been in the Classifieds with no nibbles for a while now, so it is likely to resume its domestic status as a wet-weather/above-ground camera...

Uhhhhh....when I finally get a film scanner !

 

[charjohncarter]

Street photography, yes, if you live England, Ireland, or Portland Oregon. Oh, one other use if you go to pools (1973):

 

[rhl-oregon]

Street photography, yes, if you live England, Ireland, or Portland Oregon. Oh, one other use if you go to pools (1973):

Lovely. Makes me want to jump in the community pool in this dry clear Oregon summer weather, and shoot happy kids. (But their parents would scream in this climate of fear of strangers photographing children.) so maybe I'll just go splash in the Willamette with the geese.

 

[charjohncarter]

Lovely. Makes me want to jump in the community pool in this dry clear Oregon summer weather, and shoot happy kids. (But their parents would scream in this climate of fear of strangers photographing children.) so maybe I'll just go splash in the Willamette with the geese.

Right HCB would probably be up on charges today. I got ripped for asking on RFF if I should take my Nikonos II to England and Ireland. But when I lived in Oregon (Eugene and Portland area), especially as I don't come in out of rain, I would have liked to have had one.

 

[JohnTF]

Right HCB would probably be up on charges today. I got ripped for asking on RFF if I should take my Nikonos II to England and Ireland. But when I lived in Oregon (Eugene and Portland area), especially as I don't come in out of rain, I would have liked to have had one.

Something to what you say, in the US, I used to walk out on the porch to check the meters in the odd camera, pointing at the sky, and I later heard there were "rumors" I was photographing kids--

Shooting in Mexico and Europe, especially if your photo equipment looks expensive, according to a long time associate, people often assume you have artistic intent-- and I have to have some extras printed up for the next trip. Once they see you are serious-- most people have no problem, or if they do, you move to another subject.

I had to give up diving due to ear problems, but I did carry a Nikonos IV to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, and BION, out as well. I believe it was about 100% humidity at the bottom in the morning. Shot Kodachrome, the camera was as good as I was.

I believe the standard lens is 35mm as there is some focal length shifting under water. Nice one lens set up. I always mounted the lens upside down so I could more easily read the settings when I tipped it up.

They require a rebuild now and again, but I believe mainly if you are diving, the silicone grease and spare seals that come with it should serve well for weatherproofing- or say boating.

I think you are on the right track, I have a couple of project IIIs, (advance lever broken off) but the prices I see on them used-- are low enough to make a great street camera in general.

Now, if only I had picked up that Calypso that was hanging dusty in the shop years ago??? ;-)

Regards, John

 

[rhl-oregon]

I'm getting more sentimental about mine by the moment (or by the post), and it hasnt even left home. Just because I can't get more than 2 out of 24 right underwater doesn't mean the 35 2.5 isn't capable of great work in the rain and river and dust.

Going to load it up right now with something I can I set at f8 and blaze away. Wait, blaze is the wrong verb.

 

[charjohncarter]

Something to what you say, in the US, I used to walk out on the porch to check the meters in the odd camera, pointing at the sky, and I later heard there were "rumors" I was photographing kids--

Shooting in Mexico and Europe, especially if your photo equipment looks expensive, according to a long time associate, people often assume you have artistic intent-- and I have to have some extras printed up for the next trip. Once they see you are serious-- most people have no problem, or if they do, you move to another subject.

I had to give up diving due to ear problems, but I did carry a Nikonos IV to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, and BION, out as well. I believe it was about 100% humidity at the bottom in the morning. Shot Kodachrome, the camera was as good as I was.

I believe the standard lens is 35mm as there is some focal length shifting under water. Nice one lens set up. I always mounted the lens upside down so I could more easily read the settings when I tipped it up.

They require a rebuild now and again, but I believe mainly if you are diving, the silicone grease and spare seals that come with it should serve well for weatherproofing- or say boating.

I think you are on the right track, I have a couple of project IIIs, (advance lever broken off) but the prices I see on them used-- are low enough to make a great street camera in general.

Now, if only I had picked up that Calypso that was hanging dusty in the shop years ago??? ;-)

Regards, John

JohnTF, I take my Nikonos II to Velas and let anybody shoot with it. They all think it is great.

 

[charjohncarter]

I'm getting more sentimental about mine by the moment (or by the post), and it hasnt even left home. Just because I can't get more than 2 out of 24 right underwater doesn't mean the 35 2.5 isn't capable of great work in the rain and river and dust.

Going to load it up right now with something I can I set at f8 and blaze away. Wait, blaze is the wrong verb.

Well, you get more UW shoots per roll than I. It would be a great camera to take rafting on the MacKenzie (sp?), if I had the guts to raft that river.

 

[JohnTF]

JohnTF, I take my Nikonos II to Velas and let anybody shoot with it. They all think it is great.

Bring it over to the "Old Folks" pool-- or are you enjoying the view at the other? ;-)

Another box in the attic project, need a few parts and some skills-- maybe I will send them off to be serviced? Though, it is depressing to see what some are bringing -- another window missed, but a perfectly good and ultra durable camera-- I never fared too well with them UW, but somewhere I have a slide of me down about 40 ' near Nassau -- I almost drown trying to get the strap past my air hose.

I thought I was going on a "little" beginner's dive, turned out to be open ocean 40'. I bought a mask with a purge valve after that, water got about to eye level before I could clear it.

J