Does anyone still use their Nikon F2 regularly?

Theo Sulphate · Oct 4, 2015

I have five F2's with various metering heads, so a CLA will be expensive.

I do use them: just last month I took my first F2 Photomic with 300/4.5 pre-AI to the zoo. Got some good handheld shots.

Jesper · Oct 5, 2015

This weekend I saw a guy in his early twenties with a F2A and 105/2.5 slung across his shoulder.
It made me smile.

ColColt · Oct 5, 2015

I just got my F2A back several days ago after a great Soverized CLA had been done including resistor ring cleaning and new Cds cells. It's among my top three best cameras and will be with me till the end.

F2APristine by David Fincher, on Flickr

flavio81 · Oct 5, 2015

I have the F2 but don't use it regularly, because it's on good shape, a coveted black F2AS model, and I want to "babysit" it. I prefer to take out the FE or FG instead, because i won't cry if something happens to them.

If i had another, battered F2, then for sure i'd take it out every day.

That's what happens with my Canon F-1N cameras: one of them is mint, the other battered - thus, I can use the battered one every day without fear.

ColColt · Oct 5, 2015

You can't take it with you, use that thing! I don't have any so nice they don't get used and I have some fine specimens besides the F2A.l They all get used.

P6x7 by David Fincher, on Flickr.kr/p/xySNwB]_1DF3977aq[/url] by David Fincher, on Flickr

BlackFTN by David Fincher, on Flickr

flavio81 · Oct 6, 2015

ColColt said:
You can't take it with you, use that thing! I don't have any so nice they don't get used and I have some fine specimens besides the F2A.l They all get used.

P6x7 by David Fincher, on Flickr.kr/p/xySNwB]_1DF3977aq[/url] by David Fincher, on Flickr

BlackFTN by David Fincher, on Flickr

I also have the Pentax 67, but to be honest with the modern SMC 90/2.8, plain prism, and without the pistol grip, looks more compact that the one in your photo!

ColColt · Oct 6, 2015

I don't really use the handle. It's just there if needed and you don't' have a strap. I like the metered prism. My first two 6x7's didn't have it and I had to carry a Luna Pro SBC. I decided it wast time for an on camera meter. That's why the Leica sports an MR-4 meter.

BradleyK · Oct 6, 2015

An update: Since thinning out the herd this past spring (Really, does a hobbyist need two dozen 35mm SLRs?), I am now down to 10 Nikons, six of which are F2s in various iterations. Of the six, four are currently on active duty; two additional will be post-Soverization.

Xmas · Oct 6, 2015

Three here:

Each have damaged top and bottom plates
One with damaged rewind shaft
DE-1 with powdered glass crown
Shutter with two holes+fabric paint repair

They all take ok photos

cuthbert · Oct 6, 2015

I use my two F2s (an F2A and a F2AS) regularly, as a matter of fact, they are among my most used cameras, I tend to use them more often than my FM and FT3.

leicarfcam · Oct 6, 2015

I'm using 3 but have been thinking about going back to the Nikon F.

John_Nikon_F · Oct 8, 2015

Xmas said:
Three here:

Each have damaged top and bottom plates
One with damaged rewind shaft
DE-1 with powdered glass crown
Shutter with two holes+fabric paint repair

They all take ok photos

Time to send one of them to Sover? Should be nice having one that's in good shape again.

-J

Xmas · Oct 8, 2015

John_Nikon_F said:
Time to send one of them to Sover? Should be nice having one that's in good shape again.

-J

HiJohn

Sover says replacement for damaged shutter metal is 'curtains',...

http://soverf2repair.webs.com/Shutter_curtains.htm

I only repair when necessary camera just a tool like gbag, tripod or enlarger. Patching damage with fabric paint ok so far.

Noel

Paul Goutiere · Oct 8, 2015

Last weekend I took my F2 Photomic and crusty old Rolleiflex MX for a trip to Bow Lake in Banff National Park.

This weekend we will do something similar, perhaps the Highwood Pass in Alberta's Kananaskis Country. See if I can find a photogenic mountain sheep.

flavio81 · Oct 8, 2015

Xmas said:
HiJohn

Sover says replacement for damaged shutter metal is 'curtains',...

http://soverf2repair.webs.com/Shutter_curtains.htm

I only repair when necessary camera just a tool like gbag, tripod or enlarger. Patching damage with fabric paint ok so far.

Noel

I also have a cracked curtain in my F. Will try fabric paint, thanks!!

Ap507b · Oct 8, 2015

Both my F2's are loaded & see regular use. More use than any of my other camera's at the moment. Just find them so enjoyable to use.

Xmas · Oct 8, 2015

flavio81 said:
I also have a cracked curtain in my F. Will try fabric paint, thanks!!

Mine problem was two puncture wounds, the fatigue cracks on Sovers site linked above may be more difficult to fix, but you could try.

flavio81 · Oct 12, 2015

Xmas said:
Mine problem was two puncture wounds, the fatigue cracks on Sovers site linked above may be more difficult to fix, but you could try.

I never found the "liquid electrical tape" product, so I patched the curtain with plain masking tape, painting the crack over with black nail varnish. Worked PERFECTLY and still light tight after about 144 shutter actuations.

My crack was as long as about 1/5th of the curtain height.

Back on topic, the F2 is the superior machine, however the F sounds nicer to the ear. Much nicer!!

Xmas · Oct 13, 2015

You can use the fabric paint kids use on tea shirts, but may need to load light colours with soot.
Works on fabric shutters or bellows cameras...
Don't forget and put F2 in washing machine!

ColColt · Oct 13, 2015

If I had an F2 that needed shutter repair it would go to Sover. If I didn't want to do that I'd try speaker repair cement as a last resort before turning it into a paper weight.

kivis · Dec 21, 2015

My Nikon F is with me everyday. Mated to a non-Ai Nikkor 50mm f1.4

summicron1 · Dec 21, 2015

Paul Goutiere said:
I remember buying my first Nikon F2, used, in 1985. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven.
Occasionally I take it out as a second body to My F3 or F4, but for the most part it sits on a shelf.

It's not that I use a lot of 35mm these days preferring my medium format cameras and their great negatives, but I wonder if
perhaps I should use the F2 a bit more.

Does anyone use their F2 on exclusively or on a regular basis?

View attachment 55057

Finished a roll today.

Axle · Dec 21, 2015

Yup the F2 Photomic and F5 are the two 35mm SLRs that I grab on a regular basis!

ColColt · Dec 21, 2015

Just shot a roll of HP-5 yesterday with the F2AS.

BradleyK · Dec 21, 2015

Although I've thinned out my Nikon herd over the past year or so - I've sold/traded/given away a pair of F5s, an F4E, three F3HPs, and several F2s in various iterations - I still have six F2s in my arsenal (four F2ASs, an F2A and a plain F2). Four are currently on active duty (three of the F2ASs and the F2) and two more are slated to be Soverized. Mr Procrastinator, however, is now faced with a $0.71 CDN (in USD terms), so the CLA that both deserve will be delayed. As well, two of my MD2s will eventually make the trip to Sover to be regeared, when the Canadian dollar recovers a bit.

Does anyone still use their Nikon F2 regularly?

Attachments

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency