What's so good about nikon F2?

[Calzone]

So why are these priced so high, when almost all other film slr can be had for a lot less. What is a fair price for a silver one with the small prism? The lowest price I can find is around $700. It looks like the larger metered prism ones are much cheaper, so is the small prism so rare?

Recently I purchased a user chrome F2 with DE-1 eye-level prism from B&H for $350.00. Soon thereafter I bought a very clean black paint F2 with DE-1 for $599.00 at Adorama.

My chrome version is an early version that features slotted screws, and a different rewind knob.

My black F2 is a later one from 78, and I was told by a repairman that the later ones of this era have some small advances/improvements that make them a better camera. My later black F2 is both quieter and smoother BTW.

Anyways the F2 is a Nikon Pro camera. Don't allow others to sway you to lesser models with less than 100% VF'er coverage. The quality of Nikon's "Pro" cameras means extra quality and extra durability. Pro cameras are just that, and others are not.

One of the strongest reasons to own a Pro Nikon SLR camera is the 100% VF'er for composition. What you see is what you get on the negative, otherwise shooting a rangefinder is likely a better choice if framing accuracy is unimportant.

Another reason to use a Nikon Pro camera is for the durability.

Another reason to select a Nikon Pro SLR is for certain features like interchangable prisms and screens as well as the widest selection of accessories.

BTW I mounted a Nikon F3 "K" screen in my chrome F2 with DE-1 because its much brighter than the F/F2 screens. To mount a F3 screen it requires exchanging the screen frame which is easy to perform with a jewler's screwdriver. My black F2 features a mat Beattie Intensescreen that is amazingly bright.

Also know that F2 VF'ers offer 80% magnification, while F3HP and other Nikon F series Pro cameras that came later like the aforementioned F6 only offer 75% magnification, but they also offer increased eye relief. The added magnification on the F2 I find handy when doing Macro work and especially when shooting wide angles.

Also know that 90% of all the DE-1 prisms were chrome making black DE-1's rare.

Cal

 

[Teuthida]

Don't be a dummy. Get an F5: 8 frames per second with built in motor while autofocusing and a self-diagnostic shutter designed for at least 150.000 actuations all coming in a magnesium alloy housing with a detachable viewer in titanium.

All for chump change.

 

[Speedfreak]

I really like the black ones with the very tiny prisms, which seem to be higher priced.

Yes, everyone likes them. Note that the plain prism is meterless (!) though.

I find the metered F2 prisms ugly but ymmv...

 

[CorreCaminos]

anybody who buys an f2 when they can buy a mint f5 for the same price needs to have their head examined,

Non-sense. The F2 is functional w/o batteries and has all analog controls.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

When I was at DINFOS for Navy photo school in 2003, one of my instructors told us a story about how he parachuted into Afghanistan with a Combat Camera team to do recon. The crew of the C-130 that did the drop came around to drop a sled of equipment via a drogue chute but the tie downs weren't on right and the sled dumped all the gear at a few hundred miles per hour onto the Afghan desert. All the photo gear was packed into pelican cases; Nikon D1s, F4s, F5s, laptops, pretty much everything was destroyed or damaged badly enough that it wasn't working properly. The one piece of gear that was working just fine was an F2 that augured itself into the desert floor a bit, was found, dug out, brushed off and worked fine.
That was our lesson on "always take a backup."

Phil Forrest

 

[Harry Lime]

The 100% viewfinder is a sword that cuts two ways.

The most obvious strength is that you get to see exactly what ends up on the negative.
So, it's great for repro and scientific work and in general if you are working off a tripod.

It's not so great for handheld work, because everyone drifts a little. The slack you get with something like a 96-98% viewfinder ensures that you really will get everything you wanted on the negative, even if you are breathing, had too much coffee or like most living creatures can't stand 100% still, because you're nervous system is constantly firing.

I actually marked the ground glass on my F2, so I am looking at something more akin to 96%.

Personally I am not a big fan of 100% viewfinders for this exact reason. I can't remember the last time I used a tripod and it leaves no margin for error. I much prefer a 96-98% finder. 92% is too cropped.

Slide frames will also crop your 100% negatives, as will many machine prints.

 

[Harry Lime]

snik goes the Leica and CLAK goes the Nikon!
Cheers, Richard

Ha, yeah the F2 has the loudest shutter I've ever heard on an SLR. my F2 has been fully overhauled and it still sounds like the shutter is going to fire the mirror through the prism block.

The F3 is much quieter than the F2, but neither is as quiet as the gentle "SWISH! of the original F (which has to be my all-time favorite SLR).

 

[victoriapio]

cant go wrong with an F, F2 or F3. I used all three with motors during my PJ days and each one, IMHO, was an improvement over the prior model. Of all my years of shooting them, I had one shutter fail on an F. Never had to do anything to any of them other than that.

 

[Keith]

I agree with the hocky puck description! 😀

I've come very close to buying a classic Nikon F over the last couple of years and did actually get to handle one thanks to RFFer P Lynn Miller (who seems to have vanished) whom I had a coffee with one day and of course we had our favorite cameras with us. So he got to sample an OM and I had a play with an F.

I have to say, that got rid of the desire to own one ... it just didn't do it for me. It felt industrial!

 

[Shac]

So why are these priced so high, when almost all other film slr can be had for a lot less. What is a fair price for a silver one with the small prism? The lowest price I can find is around $700. It looks like the larger metered prism ones are much cheaper, so is the small prism so rare?

$700 ?? KEH has a chrome F2 with DE1 EX+ for $465

I like the F2 b/c of it's build quality, the short film wind stroke, great handling etc. I also like the F's. All later models (F3 on) that didn't fit my hands as well

 

[loneranger]

$700 ?? KEH has a chrome F2 with DE1 EX+ for $465

I like the F2 b/c of it's build quality, the short film wind stroke, great handling etc. I also like the F's. All later models (F3 on) that didn't fit my hands as well

I think the DE1 is the monster prism, that is why it is cheap, relatively.

 

[redisburning]

I think the DE1 is the monster prism, that is why it is cheap, relatively.

incorrect, the de-1 is the plain prism.

 

[clayne]

Love all F, F2, and F3 bodies. You seriously cannot go wrong with any of these - with my preference biased towards the F2.

Some of the bodies were a problem (Minolta). But, the lenses were among the best with Kodachrome. They rendered color better (to my taste) than anything Canon or Nikon produced. For b+w, the Contax lenses (Zeiss) were great as well.

Minolta had some decent bodies, not quite as pro as Nikon, but they definitely led in optical design.

 

[steveyork]

Some of the bodies were a problem (Minolta). But, the lenses were among the best with Kodachrome. They rendered color better (to my taste) than anything Canon or Nikon produced. For b+w, the Contax lenses (Zeiss) were great as well.

The Leicaflex series (original SL, and SL2) predated the Minolta based R line (R3 to R7). All German designed from the ground up. Sherry Krauter, one of the well known Leica repair people, calls the Leicaflex SL 'the M3' or SLRs. Some bias in her comments, but the cameras were overbuilt. The Leicaflex series of cameras is similar to the Nikon F and F2. I think the pinnacle of mechanical cameras occurred around in that '65 to '74 time frame. Lots of good cameras. Then technology and plastic started taking over.

 

[dleyva2]

The F2 I recently purchased has started to grow on me fast. It is big, makes a lot more noise than other cameras, and attracts attention when you are using it. That being said, somehow it just flows smooth. Real smooth.

 

[JMQ]

I think the DE1 is the monster prism, that is why it is cheap, relatively.

The "monster" prism you are referring to is the DP-1 or DP-11. The plain prism is the DE-1.

Here are the camera models + the respective prisms

F2 photomic: F2 body + DP-1, takes all lenses with the rabbit ears
F2S: F2 body + DP-2. DP-2 has the LED
F2SB: F2 body + DP-3. DP-3 uses the silicon cells, and is quite rare
F2A: F2 body + DP-11, takes lenses that have been AI'ed
F2AS: F2+DP-12.

 

[DominikDUK]

The finder is not the brightest but it is superb and clutter free. I often compose for full frame and make my own enlargements. A 100% finder does make a difference. The F2 can also be used as Hammer. Still prefer my F to the F2. The Leicaflex is not bad either. The advantage of the F2 is that it can accept modern batteries and the mirror up doesn't result in losing a frame.

Dominik

 

[rbsinto]

I bought mine in 1988, a motorized body with a DP-1 finder.
Quickly swapped the DP-1 for a DP-12, and picked up a cheap ($35.00!!!) DE-1 finder as well, and have been using the body ever since.
Rugged and reliable with all the essential features, it's really all the camera God ever meant for me to have.

 

[clayne]

Dominic, the finder is not the brightest? It's quite bright with a decent lens on the body. F2 has one of the best viewfinders of the Fs in my opinion.

Other obvious advantage of the F2 is modern film loading.

 

[awilder]

I recently sold my F2A due to a lack of decent film processor in my area and moving on to digital. That said, the F2 was my favorite F series. Compared to the F3, the action of the all mechanical shutter release button allows you to determine almost exactly when the shutter will trip to fire at the decisive moment much like an M body. The F3's electromagnetic release and all that followed never gives you that tactile feedback, so predicting the moment of shutter release is difficult. The finder while not as bright as others is still very good however it has greater contrast than brighter screens from the competion making focusing more accurate. Also, the F2's viewfinder magnification is greater than high eyepoint finders (HP) that followed in the F3 and others making focusing more accurate.