On Christmas last year, I told myself "no more buying film cameras". The promise was quickly broken because a few days later I bought a plain Nikon F. That and Olympus OM-1, I think, are the most good-looking mechanical 35mm SLRs ever made.
True classic! You mentioned light meter phone apps, any recommendations? I have a canon EF and EXEE all mechanical and I’m curious to shoot all manual with an external meter! Thanks as always
What's amazing is how many of the F/F2 are still in use given they were usually bought by pros that beat the unholy hell out of them. Really speaks to the build quality.
I love this camera and now have 4 different versions. I prefer to use a model with an eyelevel finder. It has a "Nippon Kogaku" logo in place of the Nikon lettering on the top cover. My gem is an F with FT Finder without a battery test button, so it's a very early FT Finder.
Great history lesson. Thanks. After my Canon FT was stolen in the early 90s, I found a Nikon F with the same lens and a Photomic FTN Finder. Bit of a beast, and to be honest, I never got used to it. It took wonderful pictures though. Sold it after a couple of years, and bought an FTB. I guess that is where my comfort zone is. Kind of wish I didn't sell that Nikon though.
Nikon F is the King of slr classic film cameras. I love it! I just found a Nikkormat on black for 20€, in a ruff condition, fully working. I olso ordered a Nikkor s 50mm 1.4, now everything is machining perfectly. The feeling of holding this machines are so satisfying, from the shutter sound to the whole experience is just overwhelming good. Thank you for your time to create this videos, a lot of knowledge and helpful information!
I don’t know why people could possibly want a range finder, when they can use one of these miracles of machinery, or the f2 or f3 Better focus accuracy Better framing accuracy Better lenses imo -Better flexibility with lenses, and focus distances Better metering (if you use a metering model) And most importantly a 100% view finder ! I know why, social media trends, that’s about it Raymond Moore knew this and that’s why he shot the Nikon slr
There are people who still prefer to ride horses instead of driving cars. For myself, I like both, each has its merits, that is, I like riding horses and driving cars.
@@japanvintagecamera8869 Oh I know what people prefer, but that doesn’t mean one machine doesn’t do things better and more efficiently than another either
Looking in the camera shop windows in NYC in the late seventies you could see these black version cameras so bashed up they had almost no paint on them. Same with any lens that was painted. I still have an F and an F2A photomic. Nikon made their reputation on these and have been living off of that for many decades now.
I bought a 1965 F with a prism finder and a 50/f1.4 in 1967 while living in Manila. A year later, I bought a second body with the Photomic finder, along with a 28/f2.8 and the ubiquitous 135/f2.8. In 2023, I still have both cameras along with a beautiful black body F that is in need of a CLA. I worked for newspapers and magazines for years before owning a studio for 32 years and the cameras never failed me. Fantastic camera and a very good review.
love my F, great cameras. I have the original 50mm f2 seven element 9 blade tick mark lens that you mentioned, very nice lens. Also have the 50mm f2 H, maybe I'll compare the two just for fun. Enjoyed the video, thanks.
You can in a slightly clunky way. Rotate the A R ring around the shutter button to R. This will disengage the sprocket and allow you to re-cock the shutter. Of course don’t forget to rotate the collar back to A when finished with double exposure.
I bought a well used one a few years back. The lens release is stubborn and so is the rear release for the photo mic head but it works well. Disappointingly one of the shutter blinds had a small mark which looked like it might have been made my a finger nail. On closer inspection with a torch I realised the blind had a pin hole. Enquiring as to weather the blind could be replaced I was told they're no longer available. So I painted a little plastic enamel paint to the area of the blind in question and so far the hole has been light tight.
Thank you for the comparison, very informative. From your experience, this lens is a radioactive, how harmful is using and keeping a radioactive lens ? Best regards.
The radiation emitted from the lens glass is enough to cause a reaction on a Geiger counter, but weak enough that it can't get through a sheet of paper. The level isn't high enough to he a health concern.
I have one with curious dull chrome finish and mandatory eye level prism. Beautiful and yet very capable machine, love the shutter sound and every buttons on it, feel sturdy and well dampened. Most importantly it also produces great pictures as ever
On Christmas last year, I told myself "no more buying film cameras". The promise was quickly broken because a few days later I bought a plain Nikon F. That and Olympus OM-1, I think, are the most good-looking mechanical 35mm SLRs ever made.
I agree but Minolta did also very good looking cameras like the XE1 for exemple
@@christophewagner4028 … and so as the Canon cameras and Nikon. hahahahahaha 😂
Pentax Spotmatic! :-)
True classic!
You mentioned light meter phone apps, any recommendations? I have a canon EF and EXEE all mechanical and I’m curious to shoot all manual with an external meter! Thanks as always
for iOS i'm using the myLightMeter apps and for live preview metering apps i'm using Kontakt Meter which is free unlike the myLightMeter.
What's amazing is how many of the F/F2 are still in use given they were usually bought by pros that beat the unholy hell out of them. Really speaks to the build quality.
I love this camera and now have 4 different versions. I prefer to use a model with an eyelevel finder. It has a "Nippon Kogaku" logo in place of the Nikon lettering on the top cover. My gem is an F with FT Finder without a battery test button, so it's a very early FT Finder.
Great history lesson. Thanks. After my Canon FT was stolen in the early 90s, I found a Nikon F with the same lens and a Photomic FTN Finder. Bit of a beast, and to be honest, I never got used to it. It took wonderful pictures though. Sold it after a couple of years, and bought an FTB. I guess that is where my comfort zone is. Kind of wish I didn't sell that Nikon though.
Nikon F is the King of slr classic film cameras. I love it! I just found a Nikkormat on black for 20€, in a ruff condition, fully working. I olso ordered a Nikkor s 50mm 1.4, now everything is machining perfectly. The feeling of holding this machines are so satisfying, from the shutter sound to the whole experience is just overwhelming good. Thank you for your time to create this videos, a lot of knowledge and helpful information!
My sidearm, my partner, my third eye
I don’t know why people could possibly want a range finder,
when they can use one of these miracles of machinery, or the f2 or f3
Better focus accuracy
Better framing accuracy
Better lenses imo
-Better flexibility with lenses, and focus distances
Better metering (if you use a metering model)
And most importantly a 100% view finder !
I know why, social media trends, that’s about it
Raymond Moore knew this and that’s why he shot the Nikon slr
There are people who still prefer to ride horses instead of driving cars. For myself, I like both, each has its merits, that is, I like riding horses and driving cars.
@@japanvintagecamera8869
Oh I know what people prefer, but that doesn’t mean one machine doesn’t do things better and more efficiently than another either
Just got my first Nikon F. Seems nice but it will never supplant my Nikkormat or Edixa reflex d
Looking in the camera shop windows in NYC in the late seventies you could see these black version cameras so bashed up they had almost no paint on them. Same with any lens that was painted. I still have an F and an F2A photomic. Nikon made their reputation on these and have been living off of that for many decades now.
I bought a 1965 F with a prism finder and a 50/f1.4 in 1967 while living in Manila. A year later, I bought a second body with the Photomic finder, along with a 28/f2.8 and the ubiquitous 135/f2.8. In 2023, I still have both cameras along with a beautiful black body F that is in need of a CLA. I worked for newspapers and magazines for years before owning a studio for 32 years and the cameras never failed me. Fantastic camera and a very good review.
The F is really an SP Rangefinder camera with a return mirror shutter/viewing system.
love my F, great cameras. I have the original 50mm f2 seven element 9 blade tick mark lens that you mentioned, very nice lens.
Also have the 50mm f2 H, maybe I'll compare the two just for fun. Enjoyed the video, thanks.
Can i do double exposure on it?
You can in a slightly clunky way. Rotate the A R ring around the shutter button to R. This will disengage the sprocket and allow you to re-cock the shutter. Of course don’t forget to rotate the collar back to A when finished with double exposure.
I am surprised as someone living in Japan you still prounounce the word Nikon incorectly like an american.
I bought a well used one a few years back. The lens release is stubborn and so is the rear release for the photo mic head but it works well. Disappointingly one of the shutter blinds had a small mark which looked like it might have been made my a finger nail. On closer inspection with a torch I realised the blind had a pin hole. Enquiring as to weather the blind could be replaced I was told they're no longer available. So I painted a little plastic enamel paint to the area of the blind in question and so far the hole has been light tight.
Thank you for the comparison, very informative.
From your experience, this lens is a radioactive, how harmful is using and keeping a radioactive lens ?
Best regards.
The radiation emitted from the lens glass is enough to cause a reaction on a Geiger counter, but weak enough that it can't get through a sheet of paper. The level isn't high enough to he a health concern.
I have one with curious dull chrome finish and mandatory eye level prism. Beautiful and yet very capable machine, love the shutter sound and every buttons on it, feel sturdy and well dampened. Most importantly it also produces great pictures as ever
if its dull chrome there's a chance it could be the titanium version?
@@michaeljewell53 I don't think Nikon ever produced Nikon F Titanium, it started from F2, when it was made specifically for Antarctic expedition