Calling all Nikkormat Users/Lovers

I just recently (in the last couple of months) bought an FT2 off of a friend of mine, and I've put about 7-8 rolls of film through it so far. Maybe 10, I don't remember.

In any case, I love shooting it because it's so simple, and everything just works... as long as I don't keep the film advance cocked and loaded while I store it, or else the shutter jams on it, causing the shutter to release slowly (even if I had the shutter speed at something like 1/500 it'll release like it was on 1/4 or something slow like that).

I don't have a whole lot of the negs from this film scanned, and what I do have scanned are generally the prints that are scanned, but I have a few on my flickr account.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sosideways/sets/72157620673182501/

 

Well I could upload a couple thousand 4x6 minilab type scans, but that surely will ruin the reputation of Nikon's optics. I've had one (FTN) for 25 years, it is good companion to my older F and the other more recently acquired F's and Nikkormats living in camera cases.

 

I have 2 Nikkormats FTn; one Black; one Silver. And a Nikkormat FT2, but I'm not going to bore you with pictures of the last decades. Never a problem. Built like tanks.

 

I got my Nikkormat Ftn I think six years ago because I liked the look of the family shots my dad took in the early 1970s, especially with Tri-x and Kodachrome.

 

I bought an FTn late last year when I saw one going for less than $40 (with shipping) on Ebay. I liked it so well that I just bought an FT2 in the same price range. The mechanics of these cameras are remarkably smooth, comparable to my Leica IIIf, and the shutter/mirror mechanism is very quiet for an SLR. I will scan and post a few samples as soon as the prints dry.

 

I have an old FTN that I inherited in the mid 1970s. What got me started developing my own B&W film in the mid 70s was the lousy B&W prints (very gray, with no contrast) that I got back from the local drug store from this camera. I was in 9th grade and the guy at the counter told me that if I wanted to get good B&W prints you had to do it yourself.

I used that camera extensively for 5 or 6 years while working for a newspaper, and shot many weddings for a studio with it back in the last 70s to early 80s. Recently got back into B&W film and set up a darkroom. The camera works as well as I remembered it did. Recently added another FTN from Evilb@y, and just bought a Nikon F2 with 50mm F2, and 85mm F1.8 lenses (both with AI and pre-AI intefaces) for $125 total from Craigslist!

 

I bought my black FT3 a few years ago for $120. It now sits on my desk with a 45mm f2.8 GN Nikkor that a friend gave me, waiting to deliver wonderful images again. I usually shoot MF or my Leica M3 first choice, but I like to get back to my roots wtih the FT3 once in a while. I love the weight and the build quality. I'd really like to add a 35mm f2 to it, if I get the chance. I also used it to great result with the last two rolls of Kodak HIE that I had.

 

I would love to add a second FT2 to my staple, just so I can have either different speed films in each, or a roll of color film in one, and a roll of b&w film in the other.

 

My FT3 has been working fine with an increasing number of lenses since I bought it new in 1977. I was lucky without knowing it -- the FT3 was the first Nikkormat model that took the easy-to-find #76 silver-oxide cells. The meters in the previous models took the now illegal #625 mercury batteries.

 

I love my Nikkormat and the only thing keeping me from using it more is that I now where glasses. The eye peice ring scratches them.

 

THE camera.

Built like a brick you-know-what. Very simple and straightforward with only the 4 basic things to set: film speed, shutter speed, aperture and focus -- nothing else to get in the way.

I got a new FT2 with a 50/2.0 non-AI back in 1974 when I was a kid. Wow - I took great photographs with that camera for 20 years until it got stolen. Just bought an FT3 about a year ago along with a 50/1.8 AI.

I have 2 other film cameras and would put up a decent fight before giving them up, but the FT3 you will have to pry it out of my cold fingers.

 

Pretty sure you could use the non-Mercury battery in the FT2 as well.

My FT2 has an LR44 in it right now.

 

My first SLR was a Nikkormat FT2, which is what I still use. I don't really have access to a scanner, so I can't submit anything, but it is in surprisingly good condition, even after 30-something years!

 

Good point Tessar. Thinking back, that's one of the reasons I chose the FT3, as well as it's compatibility with AI, AIS and non-AI lenses. It will even work with AF lenses, as long as their not G series. I used it with my 20-35mm f2.8 AF to great result.

 

Got two currently. A chrome Nikomat FTn and a black Nikomat FT2. Pix of both can be seen in my flickr account, or on the Nikomat flickr pool that Uncle Bill set up a while ago. I also have a parts FT/FTn hybrid, some guts from a chrome FT3 that was dead, and a chrome FTn coming from shutterbladeoutlet that's going to be donating some parts to my current FTn. Over the years, I've owned a few Nikkormats.

Here comes the list, in chronological order.

1969-97: Nikomat FTn chrome - kinda ugly when I got it from my father in 1987, very ugly when it left, but still working perfectly. Sold as a Nikkormat FTn with FT2 nameplate.

1990-97: Nikkormat FT2 chrome - looked decent, but needed some work when it arrived. Shutter speed ring was off by a stop. Camera was repaired twice, once for that problem, then eventually for a replacement ring resistor. Just became massively jumpy and very inaccurate. Became a Nikomat FT2 before being sold.

1998-05: Nikomat FTn chrome - looked decent, had a jammed shutter - repaired twice. First time, shutter was overlubed by the shop, was very erratic, so had it overhauled again by a different shop. Shutter replaced. Meter coupling was iffy when I sold it, so it acted like the ring resistor was dying.

2004-05: Nikkormat FTn chrome - decent looker, late model with K screen. Needed recalibration, since it was still set up for mercury cells.

2005: Nikomat FT2 black - first black Nikkormat I owned. Had FTn nameplate installed, instead of FT2 style plate, just like my original chrome FT2 when I sold it.

2005: Nikkormat FT3 chrome - decent body, but didn't care for the nameplate style, so sold off.

2005: Nikomat FTn black - early body with multiple issues, purchased as parts body for chrome FT2 below. Donated "J" screen to it.

2005-06: Nikomat FT2 chrome - overhauled and new mirror box installed. Nice body once it was finished, sold due to financial issues in 2006. Every once in a while, pops up on eBait.

2006: Nikomat FT2 chrome - eBait purchase that needed work, due to it spending most of its life in Hawaii. Quite corroded. Received different casting. Still had a somewhat jumpy meter when sold. Was pretty much an FTn when I got it, tho.

2007: Nikomat FTn chrome - parts body.

2007-08: Nikkormat FT2 black - received various parts from black FTn, then overhauled. Sold in April 2008.

2007: Nikomat FT chrome - jammed when I got it, was an easy unjam. Meter was a little jumpy, but useable. Given away later that year.

2007: Nikkormat FTn chrome - received with FT. Jammed. Unfortunately, not easy to unjam, so parted out. Donated "J" screen to black FT2 above.

2007: Nikomat FTn chrome - late model, overhauled, but had to abandon @ shop, due to financial issues.

2007: Nikomat EL chrome - dead meter cells.

2007: Nikkormat FT2 black - Meter off two stops, brassy, but good otherwise. Sold off in late 2007.

2008: Nikkormat FT2 black - mostly dead meter. Given away.

2008: Nikkormat FT2 black - another cheapie, broken self-timer lever, given away.

2008: Nikomat FTn chrome - nice, slightly jumpy meter. Unfortunately, traded off for some F5 parts or something like that.

2008: Nikkormat FTn black - nice, think one of the meter cells was dead, since it was very erratic. Sold off as a Nikomat FTn.

2008: Nikomat FT2 black - current FT2, just overhauled, awaiting pickup.

2008: Nikomat FTn black - okay camera, donated some parts to the above FTn.

2008: Nikkormat EL black - $25, traded on next body

2008: Nikomat FTn chrome - erratic meter, but accurate. Traded on F4s.

2008-09: Nikomat FTn black - nice mechanically, not so nice cosmetically. Died when dropped on concrete drive.

2009: Nikomat FTn black - nicer cosmetically, but erratic meter, sold early this year.

2009: Nikomat FTn chrome - decent, traded for black FT3 below.

2009: Nikkormat EL chrome - decent mechanically, ugly cosmetically. Thrown in a trade deal with some other gear.

2009: Nikkormat FT3 black - decent, meter off a stop, 1 second sometimes erratic. Sold earlier this month.

2009: Nikomat FTn chrome - current FTn. Needs refoaming, meter cells, self-timer repair, resoldering of synch sockets due to top cover replacement, but works well otherwise.

2009: Nikkormat FTn chrome - parts body mentioned at top, will be donating meter cells, if they're good, plus some other parts.

-J

 

Two FT3's. One black, one chrome. The black one has a cracked lens mount. I didn't know it at the time I bought it. The chrome FT3 is my current favorite. It has some Rollei IR film in its belly now. I've stuck an 85mm AI lens in its mouth and it seems to love it.

 

I have one which was dropped on its head (read pentaprism) and it didn't faze it; still works fine!

I wonder what would have happened if that had been my N80:confused:?

Anyway, I tried to sell it the other day along with some other gear and got a low ball offer so I decided to keep it and to h*ll with the sales idea.

With best regards,

Stephen S. Mack

 

Just a really nice condition chrome fully working FT3. I don't use it enough, because when I want a basic manual film camera, I tend to grab my beater Nikon FM or my Minolta SRT-202s.

 

I have a Nikkormat FTn with a few lenses and boy do I love it! I use it for most of my shooting now. I have a black one and it is just so handsome! I love that the shutter speeds are set by a ring around the lens mount. Is it so fun!

 

I must have about 20 mechanical Nikkormats. Two FT2s and an FT3 were completely overhauled by Essex Camera Service. The black FT2 is a little brassy and the meter needle sometimes gets a little jumpy but it's the one I've used the most. The FT3 is nice with AI/AIS lenses and works even with lenses with no prong but with pre-AI lenses you have to meter in stop down mode and flip up the AI tab. The FT2 takes the same MS-76 battery and works equally well with pre-AI and AI/AIS lenses as long as they have a prong. I donlt mind the manual indexing. These features make the FT2 my favorite. I consider the black FTN to be the prettiest of the mechanical Nikkormats. The only thing I don't like about the mechanical Nikkormats is the lack of interchangeable focusing screens. If I know I'll be doing mostly macro work I'll use an FE with an E screen or switch to a Canon F-1 or Minolta X-700. If the meter mechanism is not too badly worn a Nikkormat can be a reliable and enjoyable camera to use. A few of my Nikkormats are Nikomats. I am missing the FS but I have the other models. The FT is not as well made as the later Nikkormats and has a much more annoying indexing method. I find it easier to use an FT with lenses of the same speed so indexing is not needed each time. I have used an FT with a 35/2.8, 55/2.8 and 135/2.8 and with a 28/3.5, 55/3.5 and 135/3.5. I may have also used an FT with the 35/2, 50/2 and 85/2 combination.

 

Anything older than an FT2; is good to take to a good technician and tell him to change the circuit to use the new 'silver oxide' batteries and to calibrate the Photometer. I'm happy with the work.

 

it's a beater

nikkormat FT3 found on e-bay! for $1
it came very dirty, crud built up on mirror, dust everywhere
dent above "nikkormat" on pentaprism
dent on hinge side by screw that did cause advance lever to stick until hammer and punch fixed it
battery cover missing, duck tape residue buildup form duck tape being used as battery door
"B" is a mystery speed, or will cause jam
when jammed, open door and turn spool by hand
no mirror foam
door foam sticky

 

I have an FT3 that I bought last year. It's in nice condition except for a small dimple in the top deck, which I'll bang out some day.

Otherwise, it cleaned up nicely and is an excellent camera. It's sturdy, basic and with few frills -- just how I like cameras to be.

No unnecessary switches, dials, buttons, scene modes or other baloney.

 

Not at the moment but my first Nikon was a Nikkormat FTN which my father got for me in 1984. It was later traded for a Nikon FG. In hindsight, I think I would prefer to have the FTN to the FG but at the time I was young and having a proper 'Nikon' logo on the front instead of 'Nikkormat' was important to me!


Steve.