Diagnosing underexposure with an F2

Coquitlam River BC

D
Coquitlam River BC

  • 1
  • 0
  • 25
Mayday celebrations

A
Mayday celebrations

  • 2
  • 2
  • 63
MayDay celebration

A
MayDay celebration

  • 2
  • 0
  • 67
Cold War

Cold War

  • 2
  • 1
  • 62

Recent Classifieds

Forum statistics

Threads
197,558
Messages
2,761,036
Members
99,403
Latest member
BardM
Recent bookmarks
0

Chan Tran

Subscriber
Joined
May 10, 2006
Messages
6,658
Location
Sachse, TX
Format
35mm
I'd be happy to find a working DP-11 that doesn't cost as much as an entire camera!
That's why I don't have an F2. The F2 was really my first camera and I bought it new in 1977 with the DP-12 finder. The dealer has a DE-1 in black that matches my camera that nobody buys so I bought it for $42. I paid $550 for the black F2 and the DP-12. Forward to 1984 when I managed a 1 hr photofinish shop in the mall and left my camera on my desk. Someone walked away with it. I've been thinking of buying another F2 just for nostalgia but the price of a black F2 and the DP-12 and DE-1 would be the same if not more than what I paid for them brand new.
 
OP
OP
ChristopherCoy

ChristopherCoy

Subscriber
Joined
Aug 9, 2011
Messages
3,599
Location
On a boat.
Format
Multi Format
I would agree to send the camera to Sover Wong. He takes a long time and expensive but if you simply want a camera that works I would just buy one that works. There are many F2 for reasonable prices that work perfectly. The high price is really related to the viewfinder.

Both of mine work thankfully. There are no light leaks, and I've had no mechanical issues to speak of.

In regards to the original post, the underexposure was across the entire frame, so it's not a shutter capping issue. I checked the shutter with the back open before I bought it to make sure it looks relatively accurate, and it works throughout all speeds without lag. Something caused me to believe that I needed to stop down as much as I did, and as I said, I really think it was because the lens notch had slipped under the meter coupling. The reason I believe that is because it had happened the night before. Maybe I didn't have the prism snapped down tight enough. I haven't been able to repeat the problem yet. The roll I developed yesterday was shot entirely with the same combo and it came out well.




I'd be happy to find a working DP-11 that doesn't cost as much as an entire camera!

I lucked into mine. I was going to buy the silver F2 body with the DP-1 for $190. When he brought the parts camera out I noticed that it had the DP-11 on it and talked him into switching the meters. We agreed on $225, so the DP-11 was really only $30 for me. At least that's the way I look at it.



That's why I don't have an F2. The F2 was really my first camera and I bought it new in 1977 with the DP-12 finder. The dealer has a DE-1 in black that matches my camera that nobody buys so I bought it for $42. I paid $550 for the black F2 and the DP-12. Forward to 1984 when I managed a 1 hr photofinish shop in the mall and left my camera on my desk. Someone walked away with it. I've been thinking of buying another F2 just for nostalgia but the price of a black F2 and the DP-12 and DE-1 would be the same if not more than what I paid for them brand new.

And they seem to only be getting higher! I think the prices on F2's have gone up just in the three months that I've been watching them.

And what is it about the black bodies? The guy at the shop all but begged me for mine. He said my black F2 was "easily" a $500 setup with everything I had on it. I didn't believe him but he said the black bodies always sell for much more than the silvers.
 

Chan Tran

Subscriber
Joined
May 10, 2006
Messages
6,658
Location
Sachse, TX
Format
35mm
Christopher! I was young back in 77. I was 22 and I thought black looked more like pro and the dealer charged $25 more for the black.
 
OP
OP
ChristopherCoy

ChristopherCoy

Subscriber
Joined
Aug 9, 2011
Messages
3,599
Location
On a boat.
Format
Multi Format
Christopher! I was young back in 77. I was 22 and I thought black looked more like pro and the dealer charged $25 more for the black.

Was black less commonly made than the silver or what?
 

Huss

Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2016
Messages
9,058
Location
Hermosa Beach, CA
Format
Multi Format
Usually they made more of the chrome than the black. But when the F3 came out only black is available (except for some of the F3T's) and now almost all cameras are black.

And that is why Leica is so awesome. Even now silver or black.
 
OP
OP
ChristopherCoy

ChristopherCoy

Subscriber
Joined
Aug 9, 2011
Messages
3,599
Location
On a boat.
Format
Multi Format
OP
OP
ChristopherCoy

ChristopherCoy

Subscriber
Joined
Aug 9, 2011
Messages
3,599
Location
On a boat.
Format
Multi Format
Black chrome or black paint? Standard or pre-patina Lenny Kravitz Reporter edition?
Perhaps something from the Johnny Ives line?

Why don't you just put a dress on the F4 and make it dance too while you're at it.
 

reddesert

Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2019
Messages
2,319
Location
SAZ
Format
Hybrid
Black Nikon F's are much less common than chrome and people ("collectors") pay a premium for them. Even more so for the Nikon rangefinders. By contrast, black Nikon F2's don't seem that uncommon, but maybe they are still a bit in demand. The black ones tend to get pretty brassed up at the corners so maybe there is an extra demand for unbrassed examples.

In the 1980s or so, the midrange Nikons (FE, FM, FE2, FM2, FA, even the FG) were all available in both black and chrome, and IIRC the black bodies usually cost some small amount more, about $10.
 

Huss

Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2016
Messages
9,058
Location
Hermosa Beach, CA
Format
Multi Format
I have black and chrome Fs and F2s. The kids like the chrome cameras as it screams ‘vintage’ while old farts like the black as it suggests action in Vietnam.
All the kids know about ‘Nam is a preCovid springbreak bender.
 
OP
OP
ChristopherCoy

ChristopherCoy

Subscriber
Joined
Aug 9, 2011
Messages
3,599
Location
On a boat.
Format
Multi Format
I’m sorry I wouldn't take out anything that pedestrian for a night at the Ritz.
.

The only way I'd pay for a night at the Ritz is if I were sleeping with Lenny Kravitz after dinner.
 
OP
OP
ChristopherCoy

ChristopherCoy

Subscriber
Joined
Aug 9, 2011
Messages
3,599
Location
On a boat.
Format
Multi Format
Well that was more than 30 years ago! Back in 84. Oh well I think the Fiero came out a year later in 85.

I know a guy....

450
 
Photrio.com contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
To read our full affiliate disclosure statement please click Here.

PHOTRIO PARTNERS EQUALLY FUNDING OUR COMMUNITY:



Ilford ADOX Freestyle Photographic Stearman Press Weldon Color Lab Blue Moon Camera & Machine
Top Bottom