Browsing Nikon F's on EBAY?

[KN4SMF]

What can you type into the search to turn up Nikon F's and only Nikon F's? There are 3500 Nikon listings of all kinds containing the letter F somewhere in them. I don't want to sit here and go through all that just to see Nikon F.

 

[BrianShaw]

You can pare it down with a series of minuses:

Nikon F -F2 -F3

 

[mshchem]

If you want the last and the best look for Nikon F Apollo. This is the F with the F2 style winding lever and different flash sync. I have 3 F cameras 2 Apollo bodies, 1 slightly older. They work perfect, I have a couple really pretty plain prisms and a couple of the last Photomic FTn meter prisms. The Apollo models also take the round threaded eyepiece accessories.

 

[BradS]

A search for “Photomic” will return fewer and more relevant results.

 

[Les Sarile]

Make sure you always check out if they have it at https://www.keh.com/ first. I was recently reminded of buying a camera listed in "excellent" "practically unused"condition on ebay and hastily returned the bent body in favor of one in "bargain" condition on KEH which by any measure and angle you look at it was in excellent shape and 100% working perfectly. But if they ever did misrepresent the condition of the item, they will make it right.
They are also on ebay at https://www.ebay.com/usr/kehoutlet?_trksid=p2053788.m1543.l2754 but they may not have the exact same products listed on both.

Also, for used manual focus many decades old cameras, I have far better results checking local CL listings over ebay as I can actually check it out before paying for it.

 

[KN4SMF]

Thanks, but I already have a pre-Apollo as I call it. It has a serial number mere days before the Apollo came out. Mine has everything but the plastic tip. And it's in mint condition. I'm mainly looking for a working "beater". I get tired of babying a mint camera. I just want to take pictures and if another scratch or ding gets on it, then fine.

 

[darkosaric]

I get tired of babying a mint camera. I just want to take pictures and if another scratch or ding gets on it, then fine.

Life goes fast, use that one you have. I had mint Leica M6, you should see it now, value is down, but pleasure using it is high .
Best suits are saved for special occasions, and often that special occasion is his/her own funeral.

 

[Les Sarile]

Life goes fast, use that one you have. I had mint Leica M6, you should see it now, value is down, but pleasure using it is high .

I had a chance at an anniversary edition M6 sealed in a box but had to pay first before I can peek in the box. Then I remembered I didn't like rangefinders much . . .

 

[KN4SMF]

Nah. I can be hard on a camera. I don't want to be worring about that first scratch or ding. Been there before. I'd rather it already be that way.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Make sure you always check out if they have it at https://www.keh.com/ first. I was recently reminded of buying a camera listed in "excellent" "practically unused"condition on ebay and hastily returned the bent body in favor of one in "bargain" condition on KEH which by any measure and angle you look at it was in excellent shape and 100% working perfectly. But if they ever did misrepresent the condition of the item, they will make it right.
They are also on ebay at https://www.ebay.com/usr/kehoutlet?_trksid=p2053788.m1543.l2754 but they may not have the exact same products listed on both.

Also, for used manual focus many decades old cameras, I have far better results checking local CL listings over ebay as I can actually check it out before paying for it.

I second recommending using KEH to search for Nikon F, F2, and F3s.

 

[Les Sarile]

Nah. I can be hard on a camera. I don't want to be worring about that first scratch or ding. Been there before. I'd rather it already be that way.

C'mon, folks around here say you can hammer nails with these!

Not something I would do with mine though . . .

 

[jim10219]

"Nikon f body"
Be sure to use the quotes. It won't show you every Nikon F, but it will filter out a bunch of the wrong stuff. The quotes make it look for only listings with that exact phrase in that order. And you have to put something after the F, otherwise you'll get stuff like a "Nikon F"100 and "Nikon F"3.

 

[mshchem]

If you go through KEH or a legitimate dealer on Ebay you should find a deal. I agree that Bargain stuff from KEH can be nice, but it can be pretty used up to. Roberts on Ebay has always got good deals on less than perfect stuff.

 

[chriscrawfordphoto]

If you go through KEH or a legitimate dealer on Ebay you should find a deal. I agree that Bargain stuff from KEH can be nice, but it can be pretty used up to. Roberts on Ebay has always got good deals on less than perfect stuff.

If you buy from Roberts, buy it from their website, not eBay. Roberts sells the same used stuff on eBay and on their website, http://usedphotopro.com but they charge lower prices on their own site because of the huge fees eBay charges them!

I've been buying from Roberts since I was 15 years old. I live in Fort Wayne, Indiana's second largest city, which is a 90 minute drive from Indianapolis. Went down there and bought a new Olympus OM-D E-M1 mark II a couple weeks ago, and went down Monday and picked up a used vertical grip for it. They're great people to buy from.

 

[KN4SMF]

Thanks for these answers. And for the poster who recommended Roberts, thanks. I had dealt with them before a couple times and was happy. I had forgotten about them. but alas, I've come up empty on finding a working junker tonuight.And this is not a matter I intend to keep on my mind. Like I said I already have one. So may as well use it. But it's pretty tight and needs service. Is there a "Sover Wong" of Nikon F's I can send it to?

 

[cooltouch]

Nikon F camera

Roberts are good people. I've bought quite a few items from them.

 

[blockend]

I don't want to sit here and go through all that just to see Nikon F.

It could be worse, try looking for a 35mm lens. eBay shows every lens ever made for a 35mm camera! The F is still my favourite, er.. F. Prices went nuts a few years ago with good examples going for north of £800. This seems to have calmed down in recent times, as people began to search out the F2 in preference.

 

[guangong]

The bottom half of the Nikon case does a good job protecting camera body from nicks and dings. Why not use a camera in mint condition? Cameras are meant to be used. Or is the intention to have camera placed in coffin, resting on never worn suit?
Bought first F n 1960, and last, a beautiful black one, at Dells in Santa Barbara, in 1980s. Bought an F2 a couple years ago. All have plain prism. When browsing internet, prices seem reasonable to me, especially when compared with prices when new. Durable, compact and capable with an attractive “mechine like” design (as opposed to my other favorite SLR, Leicaflex, with sleek, clean design). Both are my favorites.

 

[mshchem]

If you buy from Roberts, buy it from their website, not eBay. Roberts sells the same used stuff on eBay and on their website, http://usedphotopro.com but they charge lower prices on their own site because of the huge fees eBay charges them!

I've been buying from Roberts since I was 15 years old. I live in Fort Wayne, Indiana's second largest city, which is a 90 minute drive from Indianapolis. Went down there and bought a new Olympus OM-D E-M1 mark II a couple weeks ago, and went down Monday and picked up a used vertical grip for it. They're great people to buy from.

Indiana has 3 great stores that I know of. Robert's, Jack's, and Gary Camera. I am going to take a camera store vacation some day

 

[BradS]

Indiana has 3 great stores that I know of. Robert's, Jack's, and Gary Camera. I am going to take a camera store vacation some day

Ha! I didn't realize that all three of these stored are in Indiana. Weird.

 

[removedacct1]

I have a friend who is retiring and moving our east next month, and he is clearing out the camera equipment from his shop (Shadowsmith Photographics, Corvallis, OR). A few days ago he sold me a Nikon F with a Nikkor Micro 50mm, and he currently still has one Nikon F body (chrome, made in 1969, meter does NOT appear to function) to divest himself of. No lens included, and I have a couple photos of it. Message me if you're interested - it is in very nice condition and less $$$ than what the auction site would fetch.

 

[Huss]

Adorama has an F in good condition for
$79

 

[chriscrawfordphoto]

Indiana has 3 great stores that I know of. Robert's, Jack's, and Gary Camera. I am going to take a camera store vacation some day

Gene's Camera in South Bend is very nice, too. Roberts is the best of them all though; Jack's and Gene's are both expensive places, while Roberts is competitive on prices with B&H on most items. I've never been to Gary Camera, so can't comment on them.

Fort Wayne used to have a wonderful store called Sunny Schick Camera Shop. They closed in 2017 after 90 years in business. I'm still sad about that; I bought a lot of gear, film, chemicals, and books there starting when I was about 10 years old. I photographed the store on its last day in business: http://chriscrawfordphoto.com/chris-results.php?category=103

 

[BradS]

How is it that there are (still) so many great camera shops in Indiana?

 

[Fin]

Why not use a camera in mint condition? Cameras are meant to be used.

^^^ All this. If they were meant to be shelf ornaments, they wouldn't contain finely designed and engineered mechanisms.

Get something like a LowePro never ready style case for it. The larger ones will fit a Photomic. Add a good quality strap and use it, maybe a hippy strap if you want it to look retro. Oh, and try to take photos rather than throw the camera at the subject...