OT: Nikon F Motor Drive?

[jyl]

I apologize, this is definitely OT, but it does involve a rather old camera so I hope that is going to let me squeak by.

I just returned from a really rewarding couple days in the mountains with my fairly-new-to-me Nikon F. It was so enjoyable to use that old camera, turning dials, eyeballing a needle, using my head - no stabbing at buttons, squinting at teeny digits, or relying on a computer exposure algorithm.

The experience was so good that I am thinking of getting a second F and this time I am looking at F's with the F36 motor drive and cordless battery pack. But I'd love some feedback on how the motorized F is to use.

I think some people here have the F / F36, right? Assuming one doesn't need really high-speed continuous, what weirdnesses and irritations should I be prepared for?

 

[captainslack]

Never used an F with a motor drive, but the MD-12 attached to my FE is LOUD!!! No stealth photography with that bad boy, trust me!!!!

 

[VinceC]

I used one of these for newspaper work about 15 years ago. It's loud, bulky, squarish and heavy. For me it totally changed the otherwise comfortable handling of an F -- sort fo the difference between a precision tool and a powertool. I used it mainly for sports, something I didn't often shoot. On the other hand, the screw-on battery pack includes a shutter button that's very well placed, comparable to the afore-mentioned MD-12 (which I've also used). It also has a shutter button on the motor-drive housing itself, most easily pressed using the thumb of your right hand, which takes some learning. I just pulled mine out of the camera closet to take a look at it. Settings for single shot or three continuous modes -- 2 frames per second, 2.5 frames per second with a shutter speed of 60 or higher; or 3 frames per second with a shutter speed of 125 or higher. Can also do 4fps with the mirror locked up. If memory serves correct, I shot it mainly on single mode so as not to take my eye from the finder while shooting action. Takes 8 double-A batteries, which accounts for a lot of the weight.
Vince C.

 

[Nikon Bob]

jyl

I have no experience with the F and motor drive but if it is anything like the F2 and it's motor drive it will be a very heavy outfit and loud. The F2 with motor drive is boat anchor heavy and no joy to carry around your neck for any length of time. Interesting set up though. you might find this site of interest http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/michaeliu/cameras/nikonf/fmotors/index.htm . The motor drive may be hard to find and expensive as they are more a collectors item now than a user item. Those are about the only irritaions that I can think of.

Bob

 

[Honu-Hugger]

Same experience as those above with the "F" drives, and the F2. These drives will make the MD-12 seem light and quiet. Parts and repair are also difficult to obtain for the early drives, along with the scarcity and high price that Bob mentioned. You might say they're an acquired taste...fun to use from a nostalgic sense.

 

[kiev4a]

I had an F with a motor drive. It could be quirky. One of the reasons it is more of a collector's piece is that the "F" the drive had to be fitted to that particular camera. On the F2 and later you just strapped on any MD and started shooting -- at least that is my understanding.

Just picked up an MD-4 for my F3 HP but probably won't use it a lot and it doesa make the camera a lot heaver and more bulky.

 

[Nikon Bob]

Another quirk, at least with the F2 MDs, is that you have to set the number of exposures on the MD to match the number on the roll in use. If you set the number at 36 on the drive and have a 24 exposure in the camera the MD will rip the film out of the cannister in an attempt to give you 36 exposures. The joys of an all mechanical drive. Yeah the MD 12 is a real fly weight by comparison.

Bob

 

[photodog]

My personal recommendation is to avoid the Nikon F motor. I've used most of the Nikon motors. I had an F36 motor in the late 70's. It does not fit on your hands very well as it's heavy and does not have rounded edges like the FM. There can be a problem fitting the motor to the body as the F body needs a special motor bottom plate and needs to be syncronized with the motor.

 

[peter_n]

I have an F3hp and it's MD-4 motor drive. Its a wonderful unit, apparently indestructible actually but it is a bit on the noisy side and bulky/heavy. But nowhere near as noisy as the earlier drives that you're talking about.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I have an F36 with Remopak (early cordless), MD-1 with MB-1 (10 AA), MD-2 with MB-1, and MD-3 with MB2 (8 AA). I do not use any of them, they are in the collection. If you want a Nikon with a Motor Drive, and want to use a "Vintage" camera, the F2 with MD-3 and AA pack is probably the best choice. It is the lightest of the bunch, and has manual rewind. Not as much to go wrong. The MD-1 and MD2 have some quirks in the order that the rewind is engaged. Do it wrong and you blow gears. The FM and MD12 is a great combo, but uses AI lenses. So if you have older non-AI lenses, it works in stop down metering mode. The F2 with a DP1, DP2, or DP3 keeps wide-open metering.

 

[jyl]

For some reason I have never been that taken by the F2. Oh, I'll probably own one someday. But lately, as I've reached - and passed - an age that might barely not be middle-age but is certainly no longer young, I'm developing a fetish about using things that are about as old as I am.

You know, like a Canon P, an early F, a Jaguar XKE Ser 1, and so on.

 

[Nikon Bob]

I am the opposite when it comes to the F and F2. I view the F2 as an improved F especially with the AS finder. I never really warmed up to the F3 though for some reason. I do own an F but not an F3. You are right in that it is enjoyable to take older tools and produce results that are on par with what is currently available. If you are a die hard, there is nothing wrong with getting an F motor drive to use but it does have some drawbacks as noted. If you get one let us know your experience with it.

Bob

 

[jyl]

Well, I picked up a black F with black FTn and F36/cordless for $250. It was advertised as non-working meter and non-working F36.

Turns out the F36 works, thought it had an electrical problem but turns out it just needed to be unjammed. And the FTn meter responds to light, but is jumpy, so if my luck holds a resistor cleaning will be all it needs. Until then I can just swap over my other FTn head.

So I've got a working setup and so far it feels nice. Not too heavy, compared to the F3/MD4. Louder but not terribly so. Very nice to hold, even provision for a hand strap (upper and lower lugs on the right hand side). Promising so far.

 

[kiev4a]

I have the F3 HP, and an MD-4 on the way (slowest seller on ebay). I had an F with the MD 1 that sometimes worked--sometimes didn't. A friend of mine has a nice F2 I've been trying to talk him out of for years. Since I got yhr F3 I haven't been so disappointed I never had an F2.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Congratulations on the Nikon F with F36! Great price!

Kiev4a: The MD-1 goes with the F2. You probably have an F36. The F36 has its own back, an MD1 slaps onto the bottom of the F2 but leaves the F2 back in place.

 

[jyl]

Thanks. The camera is "experienced", shall we say, but it is going to be a daily shooter so I wasn't looking for anything minty, as I'm hard on cameras. Yeah, I'm pleased.

The guy I bought it from is about 100 miles away and has like 20 F's and another 20 coming soon, plus a lot of glass - and he doesn't ask an arm or a leg - glad I found him.

Walking from the post office with the camera today - I took it out of the package immediately - I was accosted by three people who were interested in the camera. One turned out to be a former pro with a ton of MF Nikon stuff, I'm going to go over to his house and see some of his stuff one of these days. F3/P new in box, Noct-Nikkor, and so on.

It took me a while to figure out the drive. E.g. I thought "continuous" didn't work until I realized what the "S-C" rocker swtich does.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Watch out for the fine old F36 trick of firing off the entire remainder of the roll for no apparent reason. I've owned 2, used 4, and they ALL did it occasionally. Some did it most of the time. That was 25+ years ago and I'd be amazed if they had improved with keeping.

Cheers,

Roger (www.rogerandfrances.com)

 

[jyl]

This sounds silly, but one of the things I'm liking most is the strap lug on the right lower corner (the base of the handle), which lets me hang the camera vertically and will, when I get the appropriate strap, allow me to have a hand strap.

I wish more cameras could be hung vertically. When the camera strap is hung over your right shoulder, and you swing it to your eye, with a conventional horizontally-hung strap, I always feel the non-slip part of the strap binding up on my clothes.