Almost new F2

[richard ide]

Made a big mistake yesterday and went to a camera show in Toronto. Found that it is a really good way to spend money. Among other things; I bought a Nikon F2 with a 50mm F1.4 lens for $240.00. So clean and pristine that it appears to have just come out of the box. The owner said it had less than 20 rolls put through it. Good backup for the one I bought in 1974 and have put at least 2000 rolls through. Happy as the proverbial porker.

 

[noacronym]

I'll bet it's gorgeous. Nikon's best camera. Only a Nikkormat is better.

 

[FL Guy]

Congrats!

Richard:

Great find, probably one of the most versatile pieces in a Nikon kit. The right batts, meter couplings, add-ons galore, left-overs from the original F gear kit "mostly" work (screens, etc.).

These things are bubbling up from time to time, you got yours at the cost of a CLA "+", but the cosmetics are the benefit. Nice!

Stay Safe!

FL Guy

 

[noacronym]

The F2 exhibits a feeling of workmanship unlike any other, ever.

 

[Chan Tran]

I'll bet it's gorgeous. Nikon's best camera. Only a Nikkormat is better.

I didn't know that so I was so stupid and bought the Nikon F2AS instead of the Nikkormat FT3 for much less.

 

[LJSLATER]

Congratulations! I like my F2S and 50mm f/1.8D so much, I installed a coupling prong on the latter so I can use the two together.

 

[Jeff Kubach]

Sounds great!

Jeff

 

[noacronym]

I didn't know that so I was so stupid and bought the Nikon F2AS instead of the Nikkormat FT3 for much less.

I only say that because it doesn't matter how sunny and bright your scene is, but if it's dark above your head where you happen to be standing, you can't see the meter needle in the F's and F2's. I HATE that.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

The Nikkormat MLU is better, too.

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

The F2 exhibits a feeling of workmanship unlike any other, ever.

Agree. I call it the Leica of the Nikons!

 

[Chan Tran]

I only say that because it doesn't matter how sunny and bright your scene is, but if it's dark above your head where you happen to be standing, you can't see the meter needle in the F's and F2's. I HATE that.

Oh I didn't know that either. I have a plain prism also and either with the DP-12 or the plain prism there is no problem.

 

[Aja B]

I only say that because it doesn't matter how sunny and bright your scene is, but if it's dark above your head where you happen to be standing, you can't see the meter needle in the F's and F2's. I HATE that.

Your unfamiliarity with the F2AS and F2SB is on FULL display. Drop the hate and read-up.

 

[noacronym]

Your unfamiliarity with the F2AS and F2SB is on FULL display. Drop the hate and read-up.

The original post said nothing about the kind of finder. When someone says Nikon F2, I instantly think of the DP-1 finder. Heck, I was a camera store salesman for much of the 1970's. I know these machines like the back of my hand. As for the LED finders, I don't think too much of them. LED's burn out and then you've got nothing. Meter movements work forever. The weakest link of all of course is the meter cells, and secondly the resistor bands get worn and cause drop-outs. A pretty F2 with a DP1 is one of the gorgeous sights of this world, except when it's dark above your head. I got rid of all that and stick with the Nikkormat FT2. It's all anyone will ever need in a 35. Unless you have a Mamiya/Sekor 1000DTL, with both meters working.

 

[Chan Tran]

The original post said nothing about the kind of finder. When someone says Nikon F2, I instantly think of the DP-1 finder. Heck, I was a camera store salesman for much of the 1970's. I know these machines like the back of my hand. As for the LED finders, I don't think too much of them. LED's burn out and then you've got nothing. Meter movements work forever. The weakest link of all of course is the meter cells, and secondly the resistor bands get worn and cause drop-outs. A pretty F2 with a DP1 is one of the gorgeous sights of this world, except when it's dark above your head. I got rid of all that and stick with the Nikkormat FT2. It's all anyone will ever need in a 35. Unless you have a Mamiya/Sekor 1000DTL, with both meters working.

I thought I just wanted the top of the line and really gained nothing by opting for the F2AS instead of the F2A. But now I have seen many of the F2A that have problems with the meter movement while the F2AS don't seem to have dead LED. But to correct my previous post. I had the F2AS and a plain prism. The camera was stolen in 1984 and I gave away the plain prism in 1986.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Meter movements are shock sensitive, jolting them hard enough will destroy the meter needle and coil assembly's poise and make it erratic.

 

[richard ide]

My description in the first post should have been silver F2 Photomic. Still cannot believe how pristine it is. Annoyed that I forgot to get some IR film at the show.

 

[noacronym]

I thought I just wanted the top of the line and really gained nothing by opting for the F2AS instead of the F2A. But now I have seen many of the F2A that have problems with the meter movement while the F2AS don't seem to have dead LED. But to correct my previous post. I had the F2AS and a plain prism. The camera was stolen in 1984 and I gave away the plain prism in 1986.

I'm just running my mouth. What you have there is GORGEOUS. Anybody who says otherwise, give them a pop on the mouth and say it's from me. Heck yo've got a camera there that only a Nikkormat can outdo. Nevermind the trash talk. We're just jealous.

 

[Chan Tran]

I'm just running my mouth. What you have there is GORGEOUS. Anybody who says otherwise, give them a pop on the mouth and say it's from me. Heck yo've got a camera there that only a Nikkormat can outdo. Nevermind the trash talk. We're just jealous.

Every time someone talks about the Nikon F2 makes me sad. The F2AS was my first camera and I was making $5 an hour. Reading the other forum where people always asking about which camera should they upgrade to. I think if it was not stolen from me I never need to upgrade. It was good enough for me in 1977 and it would sure be good enough for me now.

 

[narsuitus]

Only a Nikkormat is better.

We are all entitled to our opinions. I never owned a Nikkormat but had the opportunity to use the Nikkormat FTN on the job. I, however, preferred to use my own F2 bodies for the following reasons:

1. I needed the F2 interchangeable viewfinders
2. I needed the F2 interchangeable view screens
3. I needed the F2 100% viewfinder coverage
4. I needed the F2 motor drives
5. Did not like to location of the FTN shutter speed control
6. The F2 felt better in my hands.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11336821@N00/6307637714/

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

I only say that because it doesn't matter how sunny and bright your scene is, but if it's dark above your head where you happen to be standing, you can't see the meter needle in the F's and F2's. I HATE that.

Nikon DL-1 Photomic Illuminator



Ken

 

[Pumalite]

I like them both. I have 4 F2AS and 5 Nikkormats. Unbeatable for B^W film

 

[E. von Hoegh]

We are all entitled to our opinions. I never owned a Nikkormat but had the opportunity to use the Nikkormat FTN on the job. I, however, preferred to use my own F2 bodies for the following reasons:

1. I needed the F2 interchangeable viewfinders
2. I needed the F2 interchangeable view screens
3. I needed the F2 100% viewfinder coverage
4. I needed the F2 motor drives
5. Did not like to location of the FTN shutter speed control
6. The F2 felt better in my hands.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11336821@N00/6307637714/

I have a Nikkormat Ftn, and a Nikon F/Ftn and eyelevel prisms. I do a certain amount of macro work, and that's why I bought the metered finder for the F. Years later, I was given a nice Nikkormat Ftn which has a more convenient MLU, a less convenient shutter speed dial, an almost identical (built in) meter, and lacks interchangeable screens. The 100% viewfinder of the F is very useful for me as well.

So each camera has it's advantages, which is better depends on the use it's put to.

 

[Aja B]

I know these machines (F2) like the back of my hand.

You decried the absence of the exact feature you desire. As for LED's, rarely have I had a problem with any of the lights in many (many!) F2 bodies. Try an F2SB or F2AS for yourself. I'm not familair with the Nikkormat line. Are the meters, shutter speeds and aperture settings in these bodies illuminated so one can read them in extremely low light? I live or die by these features. And do they have the metering and ultra-low slow shutter spds of the AS/SB, out to 10 seconds?

 

[noacronym]

You decried the absence of the exact feature you desire. As for LED's, rarely have I had a problem with any of the lights in many (many!) F2 bodies. Try an F2SB or F2AS for yourself. I'm not familair with the Nikkormat line. Are the meters, shutter speeds and aperture settings in these bodies illuminated so one can read them in extremely low light? I live or die by these features. And do they have the metering and ultra-low slow shutter spds of the AS/SB, out to 10 seconds?

I had an F2S once with the big motor drive. What a camera! But I got rid of it after a few months because when I'm dirt poor like that, I scold myself too much about having something too nice for my means. No, a Nikkormat won't go to the long exposures, but you CAN see the needle when it's a lot darker than you can see it with a DP1.

 

[Uncle Bill]

Made a big mistake yesterday and went to a camera show in Toronto. Found that it is a really good way to spend money. Among other things; I bought a Nikon F2 with a 50mm F1.4 lens for $240.00. So clean and pristine that it appears to have just come out of the box. The owner said it had less than 20 rolls put through it. Good backup for the one I bought in 1974 and have put at least 2000 rolls through. Happy as the proverbial porker.

Congratulations on the find at the last Camera Show, I nearly went myself but something came up at the last minute. You can't go wrong with a F2 from the owner of two F2s with DP-1 heads and one F2S.