recognize this Nikkormat?

[AusDLK]

Anyone recognize this Nikkormat? SN # FT 3198561

I've seen LOTS of Nikkormats but never one like this. It doesn't index the lens like others I've seen.

Is this a prototype? Is it rare? Is it VALUABLE? 🙂

 

[madNbad]

It's a meterless FT and apparently they didn't sell very well so Nikon didn't make very many of them. Not exactly a sought after collectable but will bring a premium price for a Nikkormat. Nice find!

 

[AusDLK]

Meterless? It has settings for ASA and has both the internal and exterior metering indicators. And a battery compartment. I put a 1.35v battery inside and the needle moves. So, it's definitely not meterless...

 

[madNbad]

OK, I was wrong. Do you change the ASA by using the button by the name plate?

 

[sevo]

Parts missing? It rather looks as if there were a screw hole next to the red dot, right where the shutter speed lever/ASA lock ought to be.

 

[AusDLK]

Yes, that appears to be how it's done -- but it's not clear to me how to set to it a certain ASA number.

And no holes -- there is one red dot and one black dot.

 

[Erik van Straten]

It looks like a Nikkormat FT, so no FTn. That means that it has no auto-indexing system when changing lenses. Not rare.

Erik.

 

[ronnies]

It's an FT as Erik said. Set the ASA next to the lens maximum aperture I think.

Ronnie

 

[sevo]

Yes, that appears to be how it's done -- but it's not clear to me how to set to it a certain ASA number.

And no holes -- there is one red dot and one black dot.

IIRC (and going by pictures of FT on the net) there should be a tab attached between ASA and 1600 on the FT. That black "dot" ought to be be a screw hole - perhaps it has filled up with dust and nose grease, or a past owner camouflaged it with paint.

The FT did not auto index, you manually set the ASA number to be opposite of the maximum aperture of the lens.

 

[Erik van Straten]

There are also Nikkormats with no lightmeter at all, the Nikkormat FS. If anybody has a black one of those for sale, please contact me.

Erik.

 

[mynikonf2]

The FT's that I know of all have that black dot. It is used as the shutter speed index. Since the serial numbering began with 3100001 this camera is well into the production run so I wouldn't think it represents a prototype.
I'm not sure what you mean by "It doesn't index the lens like others I've seen."? It appears from the photos to have the meter coupling pin to index the lens. Could you expand upon this indexing question?

 

[Highway 61]

I'm not sure what you mean by "It doesn't index the lens like others I've seen."? It appears from the photos to have the meter coupling pin to index the lens. Could you expand upon this indexing question?

On the FTn and the following models you index the lens by turning the lens aperture ring forth and back in full once you have mounted the lens, and then the camera meter "knows" what the max. aperture of the lens is. On the FT you manually index the lens max. aperture by setting the ASA numbers in front of a marking whose place will vary depending on the max. aperture of the lens you have mounted (works a bit like using the DOF marks to hyperfocus with a guessfocus camera, you won't use the same markings if the selected aperture change, and here you won't put the ASA number iin front of the same marking whether you use a f/1.4 of a f/2.8 lens, etc).

 

[farlymac]

It was for this reason that when I bought my first Nikkormat back in the early seventies, I made sure it was an FTn. But then, now I have all six versions (FT, FS, FTn, EL, ELW, EL2).

BTHW, madNbad, if you do find an FS (the non-metered Nikkormat), it will have no indexing pin ring.

PF

 

[AusDLK]

Thanks everyone. Now I know the differences between a FT and a FTn.

The black dot does not appear to serve any purpose on this camera. It is in the same place as found on the FTn where the shutter speed is set -- but on the FT the red dot on the other side of the lens mount is used to set the shutter speed.

 

[Livesteamer]

The FTN had center, bottom weighted metering. Didn't the FT series have averaging metering? Joe

 

[Dwig]

Thanks everyone. Now I know the differences between a FT and a FTn.

The black dot does not appear to serve any purpose on this camera. It is in the same place as found on the FTn where the shutter speed is set -- but on the FT the red dot on the other side of the lens mount is used to set the shutter speed.

Actually, I think that the camera has been serviced and reassembled incorrectly. The shutter speed scale should align with the black dot, not the red one, and the ASA<>f/stop scales should not obscure any of the shutter speeds.

 

[Highway 61]

Actually, I think that the camera has been serviced and reassembled incorrectly. The shutter speed scale should align with the black dot, not the red one, and the ASA<>f/stop scales should not obscure any of the shutter speeds.

Exactly. Plus, the 2 o'clock red dot is the Nikon mark for aligning the lens and the body before you turn the lens CCW to lock it.

Since the FT was manufactured before the FTn, no way for a FT to have useless dots which would be useful on a FTn.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Actually, I think that the camera has been serviced and reassembled incorrectly. The shutter speed scale should align with the black dot, not the red one, and the ASA<>f/stop scales should not obscure any of the shutter speeds.

Yes, you are right. I also thought that something was wrong.

Erik.

 

[AusDLK]

Exactly. Plus, the 2 o'clock red dot is the Nikon mark for aligning the lens and the body before you turn the lens CCW to lock it.

Since the FT was manufactured before the FTn, no way for a FT to have useless dots which would be useful on a FTn.

Oh, drat. I guess that makes sense. Odd, though, that it could have been reassembled incorrectly in this way and still appear to function properly.

Oh well... Now what do I do with it?

 

[Highway 61]

Oh well... Now what do I do with it?

You take the lens mount off, take the lens coupling dot/ASA ring apart, and get the speeds ring and everything reassembled the right way. Probably not very difficult.

The red dot is at 2, the black dot is at 10, so it's not very hard to understand how the shutter still works properly even with the speeds ring reassembled the wrong way. Everything is probably symmetrically built under the lens mount.

That said, if it works... Having some (not selected) shutter speeds hidden under the ASA/lens index dial isn't much of a problem.

It might be that one of the previous owners had it taken apart and reassembled that way on purpose, for very personal ergonomics reasons (always being able to doublecheck whether the lens had been indexed properly while selecting shutter speeds at a very quick glance, for instance).