Thanking you muchly. Just bought a Nikon F/F-36 camera with no manuals for finder or motor drive . Your vid was excellent and will return again once I find 625A batteries .
Thanks so much. I have this camera and finder and your videos are incredibly helpful and educational for me. Thanks again, appreciate your time and efforts, great work.
Good job on this my man, I always wanted to know the deeper technicalities of this finder and how it works. I started shooting digital 10 years ago and as time goes on I'm starting to scorn the plastic and boring feel of these modern cameras I'm gravitating back to the older film cameras, even shooting rolleiflex and other medium format, of course the digital cameras have many advantages but they don't speak to the soul do they? You're doing good work on this channel, respect
Many times a jumpy or non working finder is because the finder is poorly sealed and gets dust inside. I have found that GENTLY blowing canned air into the base of the finder will very often correct the problem.
Thank you very much for this great video. I just bought a Nikon F FTn camera on ebay, and I have some old Series E lenses I would like to use with it. Your video made it very clear what I need to do, since the Series E lenses do not have the rabbit ears prong.
I have a Nikon F with the Ftn Photomic finder. I have a Nikon 28mm f/2.8 'E' series lens without the meter coupling prong. It has to be used on the Nikon F in 'stop down metering' mode. I set the lens on f/5.6 before mounting it, and push the finder meter coupling lever in before mounting. Then proceed to compose and focus normally, and push the depth of field preview button to stop the lens down to taking aperture and meter for proper exposure. (exactly as in the video) Works fine.
Awesome video! I have this same camera, but when I look through my viewfinder everything is just black? Do I need film in the camera in order to see through the lens? I would think not, but I just got this camera yesterday. Thanks!
So you have a Nikon F with this finder? If so, the only thing I can think of is that the mirror is up! Check out my Nikon F video to see how to operate this.
When I turn my aperture on my lens the meter retracts and disconnects with the lens. How would I fix that? Also didn’t know that needed batteries. I shot a whole roll that didn’t end up taking any photos. Is that why?
Make sure you are fitting the finder to the body correctly and make sure the lens connects with the finder correctly (from 6:50 minutes). Not having batteries in the finder results in the meter not working and that's all. It won't result in producing no photos! Maybe you had a fast shutter speed and small aperture resulting in vastly underexposed shots? There could also be a fault with the camera.
I have two Nikon Fs, both with FTN finders. I find that setting the ASA is very difficult on both cameras. The silver ring should lift up to allow it to rotate around the center stationary part. But in both my cameras the ring barely budges when trying to lift it. I was hoping to see you do it. At the very end you made reference to the ASA setting but you didn’t actually change the setting. Is that perhaps because you find it hard to adjust too? Am I missing something?
I don't recall it being too difficult to change the ASA speed. I guess 50+ years will make things a little stiffer! I intend looking at this for you, but my F bits are in a glass cabinet and it's difficult to access.
So when I attach my lens to the body and it clicks into the finder the red dot on the finder moves to 5.6. I move the aperture on my lens fully to the right and then the left, like you say to do in the video, and it moves from 5.6 to 1.2 on my finder. However, the red dot on the finder stays at 1.2 regardless of whether or not I change the aperture on my lens….is that normal? It doesn’t go back to 5.6, or an in between number, unless I take the lens back of and then put it back on. If I move the aperture on the lens is it supposed to move from 5.6 to 1.2 and stay like that?
Yes, that is normal! The red dot will always indicate the maximum aperture of the lens (in your case f1.2). The aperture ring on the lens will show the selected aperture. :)
I just acquired a Nikon Ftn Photomic camera, manufactured 1971 from what I can ascertain from the serial number. Everything works the way it's supposed to except I did find the meter is about 3/4 stop off from meter readings taken at the same subject, with same lighting; with same lens as my Nikon FM also from meter readings taken with my digital camera. (The FM and digital cameras agreed). That I attribute to the batteries installed in the Ftn (it came with batteries installed). I'm assuming the batteries installed in the Ftn are the nearest 'modern equivalent' to the mercury batteries the Ftn finder was originally designed for. So I get around that by 'fudging' the ASA setting on the Ftn until meter reading agrees with the FM and digital camera. Also I noted that there is no lens aperture selection visible in the Ftn finder..just the shutter speed in the little window located just to the right of the meter needle. Is this normal? I use Nikon Nikkor AI/AIS lenses on my Ftn. The Ftn head on my camera appears to be exactly the same as in this video. Thanks very informative video.
While shooting my fourth role of film with my new Nikon F and Photomic FTN finder,, something strange happened to the viewfinder. The shutter speed numbers shown inside the viewfinder somehow got out of sync and no longer match the shutter speed numbers on the outside knob. When I first noticed the problem, the numbers shown inside the viewfinder were half as fast as the numbers on the knob: if the inside reads 4, the outside reads 8. If the inside reads 60, the outside is set to 120. Today, it happened again. Now the numbers on the inside are 1/4 as fast as the outside. It seems to me that somehow a component keeps slipping out of line somewhere inside the viewfinder, but I have no idea how to go about repairing it. Any suggestions?
Tim, I opened the viewfinder and located the problem. There was a small gear responsible for moving a dial which advances the shutter speed count inside the viewfinder that was jumping out of alignment. Tampering with it, I actually made it worse (it stopped moving altogether), but also realized that the meter's calculations are performed independently of whether or not the shutter speed is accurate. I can live without it.
Since your query is only 4 months old, you might want to take a look at this video on upgrading an FTN head to accept and correctly meter using newer batteries than the discontinued PX13 mercury batteries: ua-cam.com/video/sy7PbcvCzoE/v-deo.html
Hello my Photomic does not remain on a fixed position on the camera body, it seems the pin from the FTN does not clip into the moving hook which moves with the pin behind the camera body. What can I do to fix the problem? Thank you Ranieri
Congrats for the video, very informative. Just one question. After you use in stop down mode (with the pin pushed up) how do you put the pin down again if you want to use a ai lens
No. All F series cameras have their own dedicated array of finders. Plus the F3 has the meter in the body whereas the meter is in the prism for Fs and F2s. Hence their massive size.
question: when i used to obtain these i found it intuitively obvious as to how all this stuff works, both independently and in unity. how's come the comments section is full of questions that are hard to believe as being sincere? are we in an era where most among the masses have lost all patience and common sense?
@@Samsung9alaxy anywho, sorry to have bothered you; i suppose i had just been typing rhetorically or perhaps thinking out loud. since i have you here i must say that, imo, these videos of yours are exceptionally well done: extremely clearly laid out and nice and spartan both visually and auditorally (
Look at "fix old cameras" video on how to modify for modern batteries with a diode. Mercury cells haven't been available for decades in the US. Zinc air cells are very short lived for another option. Silver oxide cells will work with the mod and maybe a lithium battery too.
Since your query is only 2 months old, you might want to take a look at this video on upgrading an FTN head to accept and correctly meter using newer batteries than the discontinued PX13 mercury batteries: ua-cam.com/video/sy7PbcvCzoE/v-deo.html
Considering this video is only a week old, and very good too may I say, I am absolutely intrigued to know where you have found 1.3v PX-625 mercury batteries. Please tell because anything only similar, alkaline for instance, will have a different discharge rate and send the meter half wild.
My nameplate doesn’t angle in, however I have the new bay without the frame so the photomic clips in the bay but does NOT fit around the nameplate with the pins. Very peculiar
When I turn my aperture on my lens the meter retracts and disconnects with the lens. How would I fix that? Also didn’t know that needed batteries. I shot a whole roll that didn’t end up taking any photos. Is that why?
Thanking you muchly. Just bought a Nikon F/F-36 camera with no manuals for finder or motor drive . Your vid was excellent and will return again once I find 625A batteries .
Probably one of the best and most useful camera related videos I've sat through. well done
Excellent overview of the Ftn Meter and the relationship to the Classic Nikon F......!!!!
Great review. Enjoyed so much. Thank you and keep them coming. No one reviews these beauties like you do
very informative.
multitudes of gratitude for you efforts !!!!
Thanks so much. I have this camera and finder and your videos are incredibly helpful and educational for me. Thanks again, appreciate your time and efforts, great work.
superb video, thanks for all your fine efforts
really great video. Clear and informative. Thanks for taking the time with it!
Thanks! I appreciate it.
Good job on this my man, I always wanted to know the deeper technicalities of this finder and how it works. I started shooting digital 10 years ago and as time goes on I'm starting to scorn the plastic and boring feel of these modern cameras I'm gravitating back to the older film cameras, even shooting rolleiflex and other medium format, of course the digital cameras have many advantages but they don't speak to the soul do they? You're doing good work on this channel, respect
Thank you! Very informative 😊
Excellent job. Always wondered.
That's one beautiful camera. My boss had one and let me use it. Way back in the early seventies. I had a Nikkormat FTn.
XLNT video! I learned a lot. Thank you
I love this video
Nice Black Nikon F "Apollo"
Many times a jumpy or non working finder is because the finder is poorly sealed and gets dust inside. I have found that GENTLY blowing canned air into the base of the finder will very often correct the problem.
ghw7192 Thanks for the tip!
Thank you very much for this great video. I just bought a Nikon F FTn camera on ebay, and I have some old Series E lenses I would like to use with it. Your video made it very clear what I need to do, since the Series E lenses do not have the rabbit ears prong.
Richard Angeloni I'm glad it was helpful! Enjoy your new F.
I have a Nikon F with the Ftn Photomic finder. I have a Nikon 28mm f/2.8 'E' series lens without the meter coupling prong. It has to be used on the Nikon F in 'stop down metering' mode. I set the lens on f/5.6 before mounting it, and push the finder meter coupling lever in before mounting. Then proceed to compose and focus normally, and push the depth of field preview button to stop the lens down to taking aperture and meter for proper exposure. (exactly as in the video) Works fine.
Very interesting. Thanks.
having pressed the coupling pin up to use with a lens without the 'rabbit ears' how do you get it back down again to use with a coupled lens?
Paul F, thanks for all your comments on my videos and your help with the reply to 72Disco1998
In order to put the prism on, what should the dial settings be? In order for everything to line up properly?
Another excellent overview. I wanted to know how the finder was removed from the camera, which might be something to add.
Awesome video! I have this same camera, but when I look through my viewfinder everything is just black? Do I need film in the camera in order to see through the lens? I would think not, but I just got this camera yesterday. Thanks!
So you have a Nikon F with this finder? If so, the only thing I can think of is that the mirror is up! Check out my Nikon F video to see how to operate this.
When I turn my aperture on my lens the meter retracts and disconnects with the lens. How would I fix that? Also didn’t know that needed batteries. I shot a whole roll that didn’t end up taking any photos. Is that why?
Make sure you are fitting the finder to the body correctly and make sure the lens connects with the finder correctly (from 6:50 minutes). Not having batteries in the finder results in the meter not working and that's all. It won't result in producing no photos! Maybe you had a fast shutter speed and small aperture resulting in vastly underexposed shots? There could also be a fault with the camera.
I have two Nikon Fs, both with FTN finders. I find that setting the ASA is very difficult on both cameras. The silver ring should lift up to allow it to rotate around the center stationary part. But in both my cameras the ring barely budges when trying to lift it. I was hoping to see you do it. At the very end you made reference to the ASA setting but you didn’t actually change the setting. Is that perhaps because you find it hard to adjust too? Am I missing something?
I don't recall it being too difficult to change the ASA speed. I guess 50+ years will make things a little stiffer! I intend looking at this for you, but my F bits are in a glass cabinet and it's difficult to access.
Great video! What advice can you give for an FTN with a jumpy meter needle? Can it be repaired?
Yes, it can be repaired! Here in the UK you could send it to Sover Wong.
So when I attach my lens to the body and it clicks into the finder the red dot on the finder moves to 5.6. I move the aperture on my lens fully to the right and then the left, like you say to do in the video, and it moves from 5.6 to 1.2 on my finder. However, the red dot on the finder stays at 1.2 regardless of whether or not I change the aperture on my lens….is that normal? It doesn’t go back to 5.6, or an in between number, unless I take the lens back of and then put it back on. If I move the aperture on the lens is it supposed to move from 5.6 to 1.2 and stay like that?
Yes, that is normal! The red dot will always indicate the maximum aperture of the lens (in your case f1.2). The aperture ring on the lens will show the selected aperture. :)
@@Samsung9alaxy thank you for the video, super helpful, as well as, your reply! I appreciate all the help
I just acquired a Nikon Ftn Photomic camera, manufactured 1971 from what I can ascertain from the serial number. Everything works the way it's supposed to except I did find the meter is about 3/4 stop off from meter readings taken at the same subject, with same lighting; with same lens as my Nikon FM also from meter readings taken with my digital camera. (The FM and digital cameras agreed). That I attribute to the batteries installed in the Ftn (it came with batteries installed). I'm assuming the batteries installed in the Ftn are the nearest 'modern equivalent' to the mercury batteries the Ftn finder was originally designed for. So I get around that by 'fudging' the ASA setting on the Ftn until meter reading agrees with the FM and digital camera. Also I noted that there is no lens aperture selection visible in the Ftn finder..just the shutter speed in the little window located just to the right of the meter needle. Is this normal? I use Nikon Nikkor AI/AIS lenses on my Ftn. The Ftn head on my camera appears to be exactly the same as in this video. Thanks very informative video.
Your finder is functioning normal. Congratulations on your new acquisition!
While shooting my fourth role of film with my new Nikon F and Photomic FTN finder,, something strange happened to the viewfinder. The shutter speed numbers shown inside the viewfinder somehow got out of sync and no longer match the shutter speed numbers on the outside knob. When I first noticed the problem, the numbers shown inside the viewfinder were half as fast as the numbers on the knob: if the inside reads 4, the outside reads 8. If the inside reads 60, the outside is set to 120. Today, it happened again. Now the numbers on the inside are 1/4 as fast as the outside. It seems to me that somehow a component keeps slipping out of line somewhere inside the viewfinder, but I have no idea how to go about repairing it. Any suggestions?
A knowledgeable friend of mine suggests it's dirt or corrosion on the shutter speed pulley.
Tim,
I opened the viewfinder and located the problem. There was a small gear responsible for moving a dial which advances the shutter speed count inside the viewfinder that was jumping out of alignment. Tampering with it, I actually made it worse (it stopped moving altogether), but also realized that the meter's calculations are performed independently of whether or not the shutter speed is accurate. I can live without it.
Tenho uma desta, F2 prata e preta e em ótimo estado de conservação, meu xodó!
Lovely!
Just got a new open box ftn finder. Need batteries for it though. What is a modern equivalent that may work as a sub for the old mercury batteries?
PX625 battery.
Samsung9alaxy great any particular voltage
@@cullmancreations They will be 1.5v
Since your query is only 4 months old, you might want to take a look at this video on upgrading an FTN head to accept and correctly meter using newer batteries than the discontinued PX13 mercury batteries: ua-cam.com/video/sy7PbcvCzoE/v-deo.html
Hello my Photomic does not remain on a fixed position on the camera body, it seems the pin from the FTN does not clip into the moving hook which moves with the pin behind the camera body.
What can I do to fix the problem?
Thank you
Ranieri
I don't know how to fix this problem. You should contact a camera repair specialist.
@@Samsung9alaxy ok thank you.
Raniert
Congrats for the video, very informative. Just one question. After you use in stop down mode (with the pin pushed up) how do you put the pin down again if you want to use a ai lens
The Nikon F doesn't use AI lenses! This finder requires a lens with a prong to interact with the meter.
You don't pull the pin down. The ai/ais lens will automatically connect to the pin when the prong reaches the center.
you can use AI Lenses. with the photomic ftn finder.
Could this finder be used on a Nikon F3?
No. All F series cameras have their own dedicated array of finders. Plus the F3 has the meter in the body whereas the meter is in the prism for Fs and F2s. Hence their massive size.
Is it possible to mount this FTN finder onto a F2 body?
The Brickventurer Yes, if the finder is modified by putting a groove in the shutter dial connecting plate.
Aww bummer. Was thinking of getting the finder for my F2.. is the modification tough to do?
Just bought my self a FTN finder and will be modifying the groove with a small file. Will update how it goes. Maybe even a video tutorial. :)
question: when i used to obtain these i found it intuitively obvious as to how all this stuff works, both independently and in unity.
how's come the comments section is full of questions that are hard to believe as being sincere?
are we in an era where most among the masses have lost all patience and common sense?
Who knows! :)
@@Samsung9alaxy anywho, sorry to have bothered you; i suppose i had just been typing rhetorically or perhaps thinking out loud.
since i have you here i must say that, imo, these videos of yours are exceptionally well done: extremely clearly laid out and nice and spartan both visually and auditorally (
@@daktarioskarvannederhosen2568 Thank you. I appreciate your words.
Look at "fix old cameras" video on how to modify for modern batteries with a diode. Mercury cells haven't been available for decades in the US. Zinc air cells are very short lived for another option. Silver oxide cells will work with the mod and maybe a lithium battery too.
What is the most cost-effective way to replace those discontinued PX13 mercury batteries?
Just use PX625 batteries, but the metering won't be as accurate.
Since your query is only 2 months old, you might want to take a look at this video on upgrading an FTN head to accept and correctly meter using newer batteries than the discontinued PX13 mercury batteries: ua-cam.com/video/sy7PbcvCzoE/v-deo.html
Where do I buy the batteries?
I buy mine off eBay.
Considering this video is only a week old, and very good too may I say, I am absolutely intrigued to know where you have found 1.3v PX-625 mercury batteries. Please tell because anything only similar, alkaline for instance, will have a different discharge rate and send the meter half wild.
It's a standard 1.5v 625A alkaline battery and the meter has been re-calibrated!
+Samsung9alaxy How did you get it recalibrated?
+asianformusic Sover Wong did it!
Will the FTN fit onto a 1966 F ? (Many thanks)
This finder should fit on a 1966 F, but please check the information in the video regarding the finder box and nameplate.
@@Samsung9alaxy Many thanks.
How do I send you my Photomic questions?
Post them here! Then other subscribers or myself will attempt to answer them.
No video shows how to reset the pin on the finder!!!!!! How!!???
My nameplate doesn’t angle in, however I have the new bay without the frame so the photomic clips in the bay but does NOT fit around the nameplate with the pins. Very peculiar
Many F's have had parts replaced over the years, due to loss or damage. Yours has obviously had the nameplate replaced for an earlier example.
You missed to say aperture must set to 5.6 to put in the lens
You don't have to! I only set it to f5.6 to demonstrate the engaging of the pin as the lens clicks into position on the mount.
When I turn my aperture on my lens the meter retracts and disconnects with the lens. How would I fix that? Also didn’t know that needed batteries. I shot a whole roll that didn’t end up taking any photos. Is that why?
72DISCO1998 - no, it won't fit!