Hi everyone, new member here (Torquay, UK). Today I took delivery of my dream machine - a black F2 with DP-1 head, s/n 7544597 (so made in 1975). To hang on it there's a Nikkor P 105mm f/2.5, s/n 246083 (1969-70, so definitely non-AI).

I'm not a Nikon cultist - my main cameras are Olympus OM-1s - or a collector as such, but ever since I could pronounce the word "photojournalist" I have yearned to own one of the legendary Nikon SLRs. And now I do. Just owning such a iconic beast is a great feeling - but hey, this is a Nikon F2, so it still works perfectly well and will take pictures as good as I can make them. Brilliant!

As I said, this is not my main camera, but it will certainly get used. I might even be able to spring for another non-AI lens or two, in the fullness of time - probably a 28 or 35. Nevertheless - oh, what a feeling! Maybe I should change my user name to Manual Man - I just adore these wonderful machines and their hands-on experience.

Good morning, Greenbank;

Welcome to this group also.

Yes, there is something about using these older cameras where it is expected that the person holding the camera will be fully involved in the picture taking process. You have a very nice beginning with the Nikon marque, but I do understand that you also have a preference for the Olympus OM-1. Still, you will find that the Nikon F2 is not all that different from your OM-1. It will be an enjoyable camera to use.

I am still enjoying the Nikon F with the FTn finder on it, but I will admit that I do like the F2 the best in the series, which at this time extends only from the Nikon F through the F2 and stops now at a recently received Nikon F3HP. John_Nikon_F had been encouraging me to consider the F3 for quite some time, and I finally succumbed. I am certainly impressed with the F3HP. That is one camera that you really do notice on a neck strap.

And we do have Summer like weather beginning now. Time to load another roll of film.

Enjoy;

Ralph
Latte Land, Washington

Thanks for the welcome, Ralph. Yes, to some extent a 35mm SLR is a 35mm SLR. For me a big part of the F2's particular thrill is being able to own (and use) such a great classic; the handling is not greatly different from the OM-1 (just enough to make me pay attention!). Mind you, after taking it out for a spin a few days ago, my big priority is to get a neck-strap - a padded neck-strap - that is one big difference I have noticed from the OM-1. But, jeez, using any manual SLR is so much fun!

Good morning;

As a progress report, my main working Nikon F2AS with DP-12 finder is on the way over to Sover Wong for one of his technical ministrations. The DP-12 is to have one of his ceramic light metering variable resistors installed to promote longevity.

Not too much else happening in photography here. Still doing things with radios and there is also a motor home RV in the family now. With the very limited space in the motor home, it is not practical to try installing a dark room. I have settled for using a digital camera out there, and with the computer and printer, I can make prints while out there in it. There are some applications for digital technology.

Enjoy;

Ralph
Latte Land, Washington

Nice to see I'm not the only one still using this gear. You guys/gals have tempted me into writing my first post.

Several years ago (I'm guessing around 1999 or so), I was perusing an auction site several of us were using where all benefits were going to a friend who had a motorcycle accident, and was not in a good state (brain injury. The site and gentleman are still around). One of my friends was auctioning off some old camera gear he was no longer using; like many others, he was switching to digital.

I had used my parents' Pentax K1000 before, and really liked it (digression: My brother still uses that camera). So I bid, and got this old gear. It is still pretty much my only camera (sorta...see below). I figured, I wanted to learn as much of the theory of photography as possible, so what better way than a fully manual camera?

What I got in that auction:

Nikkormat FT, including the shoe (not hot shoe) for the flash, which is apparently quite rare,
Nikkor-P 105/2.5 (man, do I love that lens)
Assorted filters, Samigon 2x lens extender (maybe used it once for macro shots), cable shutter release, and probably a few more things I'm forgetting.

I've almost immediately added:

Nikkor-S-C 50/1.4 (bought it off John White of AIConversions.com, so it's been AIed by him. I had no need for the conversion, but nice if I ever get that FM2 I keep talking about!)
Vivitar 283 flash,
Lunasix 3 light meter (don't trust the FT one, obviously, and means I don't need any battery at all in the camera). Someone has also given me their old Lunasix 3, so I have a backup.

Someone has also sent me a spare Nikkormat FTn body with a Soligar 35mm-105mm lens. Never used either (why would I?)

I need to add more prime lenses, but those two have served me well.

As far as learning? You know how that goes. I just set up my own darkroom in our house, since we were reno-ing the basement anyway. I just showed up to an event (some Mixed Martial Arts weigh-ins, as I train with some professional fighters) to shoot, and the local "guy who covers every event" was there. He had one (not sure what, but surely super-expensive) digital camera, two slave units on tripods so that he could get two more angles of every shot. Nice guy. His website has thousands of photos for sale, as he can just stay there and hold the shutter button. He thought my gear might be interfering with his slave units until I pointed out that my gear didn't have batteries.

Nice to see others are still using this type of gear.

Good morning, Phil;

Welcome to the group. Yes, there are still some people using this "older technology."

And I do agree with you about the NIKKOR 105/2.5 lens. I believe that it was the prior version of that lens on a Nikon rangefinder camera in Korea that started the appreciation for NIKKOR glass. The photographer had printed his negative, and there was a spot in one location on the print. He looked at the negative, but there was not any dust there; it was in the negative. Curious, he put it back into the enlarger, and began to blow up that part of the negative. He was quite surprised to discover that there really was something in the negative, and it was the clear image of a helicopter quite some distance away.

While I do still have my Nikon F and F2 cameras for use with the NIKKOR lenses, there is also a Nikon D60 digital camera that the NIKKOR lenses will go right onto. Now with the motor home, I can carry a small printer along with the computer, and make prints for the people while I am out there. I admit that this is much more convenient than trying to carry a darkroom setup in the motor home. Sort of a hybrid application for the NIKKOR glass.

And I really like your reply to the fellow with the digital camera set-up with the two slave electronic flash. One friend, Jon, was at a National Park with his old Canon FD gear when another fellow with a digital camera of that year's vintage was pointing out to Jon all the advantages of the digital equipment over Jon's old obsolete film gear. When the fellow had finished his dissertation, he then turned to the scene and raised his camera to record the scene and show Jon the immediately available results. His digital camera did not work, and the display showed the message "No memory card." The exasperated fellow blurted out that he had forgotten to bring any memory cards. But, Jon is all heart, and a truly compassionate guy. Jon reached into his pocket and pulled out and offered to the fellow a 36 exposure roll of Velvia.

Enjoy;

Ralph, Latte Land, Washington

The oddest thing happened to me today. I was on eBay and I happened across this old Nikon F and I thought "Well I could bid on this." I didn't think that the price was too high and before I could shop myself, I had made a bid. The odd thing is, mine was the high bid. So now I will have a Black F with a Photomic finder show up on my doorstep. The listing said that the shutter was good and that the meter works. The pictures on the listing were kind of blurry and I can't really tell what the condition is. Also I have the problem of not having a suitable lens. Yeah, I already own an F3 and a 50mm f1.4 Ai-s, but I was thinking that a 50mm pre-Ai lens would be better for this camera. I guess I'll know more in a week. By the way, I joined this group today.

Dave