Photos from your Nikkormat.

[Erik van Straten]

The EL2 supposedly has a much better meter (I think this was when they swapped from CDS to selenium cells?)

I guess they swapped from cadmium sulfide cells to photodiodes. Selenium cells are big and not sensitive enough. They were in those years already oldfashioned.

Personally I like the looks of the early Nikkormat FTn, above all the black ones.

Erik.

 

[xia_ke]

Nikkormat FT2 w/20mm F/4, yellow filter, Ilford FP4+ in Ilfosol 3 1+14.

 

[xia_ke]

I guess they swapped from cadmium sulfide cells to photodiodes. Selenium cells are big and not sensitive enough. They were in those years already oldfashioned.

Personally I like the looks of the early Nikkormat FTn, above all the black ones.

Erik.

Thank you for the correction. I remembered reading somewhere about the metering change, but couldn't remember the specifics.

I think any black paint Nikkormat/Nikomat is a great looking camera, but I think I slightly favor the FT2. Right now I have an EL and FT2 in the rotation. Any of the mechanical ones are a fantastic value right now. They're built like a tank.

 

[Rob-F]

Nikomat FTn, Nikkor-H Auto 50mm f/2 non-AI, Ilford HP5+.


2018.04.28 Roll #150-02092-positive.jpg by dourbalistar, on Flickr

Very Nice! Good pictures can be had anywhere, if one has an eye for them!

 

[dourbalistar]

Very Nice! Good pictures can be had anywhere, if one has an eye for them!

Thanks, Rob-F! It was actually pretty dark in the restaurant, but there was one sliver of light hitting the sauces. Using a new-to-me camera, so I wanted to test the accuracy of the meter in low light. I think I opened up all the way to f/2 and hoped for the best at 1/8, with elbows braced on the table. Turned out much better than expected!

 

[KEH]

Shot from an antique shop in Endicott City, Maryland:

FT3 with CV40/2, Cinestill BW-XX. There is something reassuring about the build of a Nikkormat. All that heavy metal...

Kirk

 

[markk]

Meters in Nikkormats

Meters in Nikkormats

I have to respectfully disagree about "most meters don't work or are inaccurate"

I have owned 4 Nikkormats (currently own an FTn and FT2). The meters in all 4 cameras worked and were reasonably accurate for my uses with Tri X, Delta 400 and Delta 100.

I will admit that they can be "jumpy" from time to time, but other than that I have had no issues.

I also have an F and an F2, and the meters work just fine in them as well.

 

[xia_ke]

markk you've had better luck than I have. While I haven't come across any dead meters on my quest, I have only had a couple that have come within one stop of my Digisix 2. The majority have been 2+ stops off, with additional variances between daylight and artificial light.

 

[dourbalistar]

I must have gotten lucky, because the meter on mine seems to work ok. It does jump when grossly over- or underexposed, but otherwise seems to take accurate readings.

Snell Barn at Joseph D. Grant Park.

Nikomat FTn, Nikkor-H Auto 50mm f/2 non-AI, Ilford HP5+, developed in LegacyPro L110 at 1:31 for 5.5 minutes.


2018.05.05 Roll #151-02156-positive.jpg by dourbalistar, on Flickr

 

[dourbalistar]

Nobody knows what the "mat" in Nikomat/Nikkormat means?

Nikomat FTn, Nikkor-H Auto 50mm f/2 non-AI, Ilford HP5+, developed in LegacyPro L110 at 1:31 for 5.5 minutes.


2018.04.28 Roll #150-02103-positive.jpg by dourbalistar, on Flickr

 

[dourbalistar]

Nobody knows what the "mat" in Nikomat/Nikkormat means?

Ok, after some Google-fu, I found out that the "mat" in Nikomat is マート. Google Translate says that means "mart". Can any Japanese speakers confirm, or is there something lost in translation? I wonder why mart becomes mat. 😕

Apparently, there was also a literal Nikomart convenience store, which has since gone bankrupt.

 

[xia_ke]

I think I read somewhere that it referred to the automatic mirror return, which was still kind of a big deal when the original Nikomat/Nikkormat models came out, especially for a consumer grade camera. This is a VERY vague recollection of something read years ago. Hopefully someone can confirm?

 

[dourbalistar]

A little more digging turned up this link:
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/nikkormat/index.htm

"...the name "Nikomat", sounds like "Ikomat" in Japan where it is a trade name of Zeiss Ikon, Germany.... "Nikon" was once a legal claim from Zeiss Ikon that it is not supposed to be used on camera bodies, so the name "Nikkor" was used instead for some of the Nikon's products in some countries in Europe during those early years."

 

[dourbalistar]

Nikomat FTn, Nikkor-H Auto 50mm f/2 non-AI, Ilford HP5+, developed in LegacyPro L110 at 1:31 for 5.5 minutes.


2018.05.05 Roll #151-02166-positive.jpg by dourbalistar, on Flickr

 

[dourbalistar]

Nikomat FTn, Nikkor-H Auto 50mm f/2 non-AI, Ilford HP5+, developed in LegacyPro L110 at 1:31 for 5.5 minutes.


2018.04.28 Roll #150-02105-positive.jpg by dourbalistar, on Flickr

 

[ChrisPlatt]

From the FT on any camera body with the Nikkormat or Nikomat names
seems built to the same quality standard as the Nikon F pro models.

Chris

 

[dourbalistar]

1960 Ford Thunderbird.

Nikomat FTn, Nikkor-H Auto 50mm f/2 non-AI, Fujifilm Fujicolor 200.


2018.05.19 Roll #155-000919560012.jpg by dourbalistar, on Flickr

 

[dourbalistar]

Nikomat FTn, Nikkor-H Auto 50mm f/2 non-AI, Ilford HP5+, developed in LegacyPro L110 at 1:31 for 5.5 minutes.


2018.05.12 Roll #153-02317-positive.jpg by dourbalistar, on Flickr

 

[farlymac]

Nikomat FTn, Nikkor-H Auto 50mm f/2 non-AI, Ilford HP5+, developed in LegacyPro L110 at 1:31 for 5.5 minutes.

2018.05.05 Roll #151-02166-positive.jpg by dourbalistar, on Flickr

Aun Tuan Bui, aka Kao Boi?

PF

 

[farlymac]

Along the US-35 bypass near Stanardsville, VA.

Nikkormat FT2/Nikkor-S 35mm 1:2.8/Fuji Acros 100

1939 Chevrolet Master Deluxe Sedan by P F McFarland, on Flickr

It was flipping cold that day, only getting up to 20°F.

PF