The 10 most rare F-mount lenses

rbsinto said:
I don't understand your "cringing" remark.
I am a user rather than a collector of equipment, so I see no problem at all when someone has a piece of gear modified in some way to make it more convenient to use for taking photographs, as I have often done.
After mentioning that I put Nikon F2 film advance lever plastic tips on my S3 rangefinders, I was admonished by an insulted collector who told me that it was my duty to preserve my gear in its original condition for future generations. There are enough Polishers and Worshippers out there with the pristine stuff squirrelled away in glass cases to keep the future generations happy, so it's not anything I'll waste any time worrying about.
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Let me further explain myself. I never said that you should not convert your gear. I merely made a statement about a feeling of mine. I am a "user" as well as a "collector" of the gear I use. That is how I came to appreciate the quality of the gear that I collect. I have also converted my gear to meet my photographic needs when necessary. In hindsight, I wish I had bought the gear that was already made for the purpose for which I made the modification. I guess what I did not make clear in my original post is that there is a finite amount of truely "mint" original early Nikon gear & I stress the word "MINT", that has survived. It seems a shame to me (the way I see it, it's ok if you don't it see it that way, if it's your gear) to convert "MINT" equipment when there is so much gear that does not qualify as "MINT" grade equipment, to convert. That is what I should have said instead of saying "it makes me cringe" but again hindsight is always better.
 
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> After mentioning that I put Nikon F2 film advance lever plastic tips on my S3 rangefinders

Why not just use the Lever Advance from the Apollo F's on it? Should replace the entire advance lever. I've seen spare parts Apollo style advance levers on Ebay.

He would have been really annoyed if I used the metal tips from my early F2's on it. (I would not do it, though. They are uncommon.)
 
Brian Sweeney said:
> After mentioning that I put Nikon F2 film advance lever plastic tips on my S3 rangefinders

Why not just use the Lever Advance from the Apollo F's on it? Should replace the entire advance lever. I've seen spare parts Apollo style advance levers on Ebay.

He would have been really annoyed if I used the metal tips from my early F2's on it. (I would not do it, though. They are uncommon.)
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I thought that the advance levers on the F and the S3/SP were not interchangeable, so I used what was availible to me.
One tip came from an F2 parts body, and the second from an advance lever that I bought separately somewhere or other. I used a Dremmel to drill out the brass screw shields, and widen the channels and epoxy to cement the tips in place. I'm still looking for one more tip for my SP.
If it's too expensive or impossible to find another, I'll just counterfeit it by making a mold from aluminum foil wrapped on my F2's lever tip, and then use epoxy as casting material, and then finish/polish it with a Dremmel, and spray it gloss black. I did it this way for my F years ago and it works just fine.
 
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mynikonf2 said:
Let me further explain myself. I never said that you should not convert your gear. I merely made a statement about a feeling of mine. I am a "user" as well as a "collector" of the gear I use. That is how I came to appreciate the quality of the gear that I collect. I have also converted my gear to meet my photographic needs when necessary. In hindsight, I wish I had bought the gear that was already made for the purpose for which I made the modification. I guess what I did not make clear in my original post is that there is a finite amount of truely "mint" original early Nikon gear & I stress the word "MINT", that has survived. It seems a shame to me (the way I see it, it's ok if you don't it see it that way, if it's your gear) to convert "MINT" equipment when there is so much gear that does not qualify as "MINT" grade equipment, to convert. That is what I should have said instead of saying "it makes me cringe" but again hindsight is always better.
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Being a member of the Nouveau Poor I can't afford any Mint or Pristine gear. Besides, I never consider equipment to be Investments, but rather only Tools, so I don't care about cosmetics. It's only the mechanics and optics that matter to me.
So the Collectors can rest easy, I don't have anything nice enough or rare enough they'd want anyway. My gear is only good for taking pictures.
 
I've seen Nikon SP's with the Apollo advance lever on them. I've interchanged some trivial parts. (Okay- the LITTLE Plastic window that fits in the middle of the Shutter Speed Dial was missing from an otherwise perfect SP and I took one from the beaten up F and glued it into the SP... DON'T TELL THE PERFECTIONIST GUY OR NIKKI!)
 
Rare? Collectable?

Rare? Collectable?

I bought 2 Fs new in '71 and have been using them and a slew of lenses and accessories to feed my family ever since. Long ago I lost boxes, neveready cases, instructions, etc. and I'm still using some "rare" stuff. Not collectable cause it is all brassy and "used". They are tools and good tools last. They are in the same class as my truck and my grandfathers wrenches.

Isn't it blasphemy to discuss Fs and Spottys on this site?
 
I saw this listed earlier but the 6mm f2.8 - I've only seen two and shot one.

The 6mm f8 and have shot this one.

The 13mm and have only seen one for sale.

The 10mm ortho fisheye might not be rare but is not common. I've only seen on and seen two for sale.
 
Brian Sweeney said:
It depended on the serial number of the lens, some were constructed differently and could not be "factory converted" with a new aperture ring. Typically, the lenses without screws in the rear were not eligible for factory conversion. Other shops would cut a groove in the aperture ring, but not Nikon. Some lenses were more expensive to convert, such as the GN-Nikkor.

I had my 105/2.5 "RIFR", 24/2.8 Nikkor-NC, and 55/3.5 Nikkor-P factory Ai'd for $18.50 each. In the 1970s of course.
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I somehow missed the cutoff on the $18.50 price, after I had sent in my lenses, so I paid double.

They were supposed to return the parts? I do not recall.

I had the 105 converted by a third party, but I was not thinking of collector status.

Still a nice lens, one sits on my recently acquired well brassed black F2, which I bought -- uh, just because it was there. ;-)

John
 
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I still have the price list with SN range for each of the lenses that could be converted. I worked in a camera shop while paying my way through college. I kept the old Nikon dealer catalog.
 
ferider said:
For me it's a converted and unique 85/1.5 Helios 40-2. But I've bragged about that before 😱 🙂
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Incidentally I've been looking at that conversion job and at my non-converted 85/1.5 Helios 40 (M39 variety, chrome). The conversion seems pretty non-destructive, all it does is to ensure that the lens focuses beyond infinity, eventually with an M42-Nikon adapter permanently attached to the back. However it's quite a fat lens. Have you tried on what F cameras yours will mount, and on the F/F2 what finders are compatible with it?
 
rxmd said:
Incidentally I've been looking at that conversion job and at my non-converted 85/1.5 Helios 40 (M39 variety, chrome). The conversion seems pretty non-destructive, all it does is to ensure that the lens focuses beyond infinity, eventually with an M42-Nikon adapter permanently attached to the back. However it's quite a fat lens. Have you tried on what F cameras yours will mount, and on the F/F2 what finders are compatible with it?
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No, sorry, only have the F.
 
ampguy said:
1. very 1st version of the 43-86 zoom

2. 28/2.8 non-AI, but lettering modern style

3. 80-200/4.5 AI (12 element)
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Mmmmh, what is the very first version of the 43-86? I have the one for the Nikon F (pre Ai) with rubber focusing ring and always wondered whether it was ever produced with fluted focusing ring.

To this list one could also add the 35 2.8 tick mark and the 28 tick mark which appears in a brochure but not even the collectors books all agree whether it existed in the market.

GLF
 
mynikonf2 said:
it makes me cringe hearing about them being converted to AI, especially when the aperture ring is mutilated by grinding.
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in many cases, grinding is only option left. or start hunting who knows how expensive original Nikon AI-adapting parts.
 
giellaleafapmu said:
Mmmmh, what is the very first version of the 43-86? I have the one for the Nikon F (pre Ai) with rubber focusing ring and always wondered whether it was ever produced with fluted focusing ring.

GLF
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The first version 43~86 had the diamond shaped rubber inset focus ring, chrome nose, and was single-coated. The SN started at 4386xx (I think that's the right number of x's).
 
The AI 800/8 ED-IF and AI 1200/11 ED-IF are not very common lenses. The super-wide AI 13/5.6 also a rare lens.
The most rare Nikkor I have is probably the 105/4 bellows (latest version). The most expensive rare lens I have is probably the AIS 58/1.2 noct.
 
Brian Sweeney said:
The first version 43~86 had the diamond shaped rubber inset focus ring, chrome nose, and was single-coated. The SN started at 4386xx (I think that's the right number of x's).
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Ok, that is in line with what I knew and with what I have... This is not a common lens but is not that rare at all. If you wait to see that at your local shop that might never happen but if you look for it in the right websites it is actually not too difficult to find.

Just as a side note, the lens had a bad reputation but I quite like for portraits used around f5.6.

GLF
 
Others that are often overlooked since they are rare and not particularly desirable as user lenses:

8.5-25cm f/4-4.5 - Nikon's first production zoom predating the 43-86
10.5mm f/4 preset - like the 2.1cm f/4, its an RF lens remounted for the F

Also, the original variants of the "first family" lenses (those introduced in 1959 with the camera) which all have f/stop rings that extend well back of the body flange, almost completely hiding the F's body flange from view from the side. This part of the original mount design was to shield the mount from dirt/dust. It was substantially reduced around 1961-2 to the modest 1.5-2mm or so found on lenses through the introduction of AI coupling. These early variants fit only the Nikon F & F2, Nikkorex F, and Nikkormat FS. They do not fit any metered Nikkormat nor any AI body.
 
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