Does anyone still use their Nikon F2 regularly?

[Pumalite]

The MD-2 has a plastic gear that loves to self-destruct. Get an MD-1 or consult Sover Wong for an easy fix for the MD-2. I have an MD-1; it's damned heavy but I can't imagine life without it, mostly because I like having a hand grip (I don't use a camera strap; my camera needs to be in my hand, ready to go, or else it doesn't get used).

If you can get a battery pack with the AA holders, lithium batteries work great. They make the camera top-heavy though.

Got brass gears in mine. Use it all the time.

 

[BradleyK]

Thirty-plus years of steady (and often times heavy) use and not one of my four MD2 drives has experienced "gear failure." Either I have been unusually lucky or the issue has been overblown...

 

[2bits]

I use my F2 all the time.

 

[John_Nikon_F]

Bradley, what serial range are we talking about? Only well-used late model drives develop the problem. The one I had was in the 446xxx range.

 

[BradleyK]

Bradley, what serial range are we talking about? Only well-used late model drives develop the problem. The one I had was in the 446xxx range.

Mine range from 425xxx on the F2(DE1)bodies to 460xxx + on the F2A/F2ASs. At what vintage of drive do the problems appear?

 

[mohawk51]

F2 Use

Wouldn't leave home without the F2 Titan. And the F3 Titan!

 

[John_Nikon_F]

Mine range from 425xxx on the F2(DE1)bodies to 460xxx + on the F2A/F2ASs. At what vintage of drive do the problems appear?

Right around the 440xxx serial range, also when Nikon switched to the often-broken black plastic tabs to hold the body in place. So, probably around the time that the MD-3 and AW-1 were introduced. The gears tend to wear out on the MD-2's with heavy use, so, with a gently used MD-2, you might not yet notice it, whereas, with a beater, it'll quack like a duck when it advances the film. When you've a chance, I'd probably send the newer drives to Sover and have him replace the gears with the brass gears. Supposedly also makes the drives quieter than new.

-J

 

[Clay2]

Yes indeed, about 85% of the time. MD2 motor-drive needs new gears from Sover, I wore it out, ha!

Bet regards,

/Clay

 

[Viggi]

I do like following threads where people extol the reliability and build quality of their equipment. I like hefty, well constructed and (sometimes) well-crafted and tactile cameras. But reading through this thread from the first post on just highlighted the clichés used like cheap currency. "Built like a tank" - please, stop saying that. Is it a good thing? Heavy, unwieldy... just over-used phrase and not at all meaningful any more. And "hammer nails with it" - really? Has anyone tried it? Don't think any camera will stand up that. And it is also a boring, banal statement. "It's a weapon" - yes, in as much as any moderately heavy object can be. So what. Your camera is heavy. Big deal.

Like this thread though - nice info and love for a good camera.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

I do like following threads where people extol the reliability and build quality of their equipment. I like hefty, well constructed and (sometimes) well-crafted and tactile cameras. But reading through this thread from the first post on just highlighted the clichés used like cheap currency. "Built like a tank" - please, stop saying that. Is it a good thing? Heavy, unwieldy... just over-used phrase and not at all meaningful any more. And "hammer nails with it" - really? Has anyone tried it? Don't think any camera will stand up that. And it is also a boring, banal statement. "It's a weapon" - yes, in as much as any moderately heavy object can be. So what. Your camera is heavy. Big deal.

Like this thread though - nice info and love for a good camera.

A tank is made of metal, used generously. Hammer nails? Yes, small nails, without doing much more than cosmetic damage. Weapon? There's a purportedly true incident of a pro photographer bashing a would-be assailant on the head with an F or F2 in bolo mode, assailant went to the hospital, Nikon kept taking pictures.

 

[ArtO]

Ran about 1/2 roll of XP2 through one of my F2's today. I'll finish it off during the week. I love the weight and feel of this camera.

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

Ran about 1/2 roll of XP2 through one of my F2's today. I'll finish it off during the week. I love the weight and feel of this camera.

I know! You can hammer nails with it!

 

[Vilk]

I do like following threads where people extol the reliability and build quality of their equipment. I like hefty, well constructed and (sometimes) well-crafted and tactile cameras. But reading through this thread from the first post on just highlighted the clichés used like cheap currency. "Built like a tank" - please, stop saying that. Is it a good thing? Heavy, unwieldy... just over-used phrase and not at all meaningful any more. And "hammer nails with it" - really? Has anyone tried it? Don't think any camera will stand up that. And it is also a boring, banal statement. "It's a weapon" - yes, in as much as any moderately heavy object can be. So what. Your camera is heavy. Big deal.

Like this thread though - nice info and love for a good camera.

AH, AN UNBELIEVER! SOMEBODY SWING AN F2 AT 'IM PLEASE!

(just no DP-3, they're getting rare... )

 

[mohawk51]

Use the F2

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

Oh yes. It's a beautiful machine. Sometimes with the DP-12 on it or meterless. Mechanical ingenuity....

 

[D1v1d]

My best film shots are with my F2S. Just back from servicing . Check out my portfolio (all F2S:
http://dasmithuk.500px.com/rainy_day/#/0

 

[GarageBoy]

I do like following threads where people extol the reliability and build quality of their equipment. I like hefty, well constructed and (sometimes) well-crafted and tactile cameras. But reading through this thread from the first post on just highlighted the clichés used like cheap currency. "Built like a tank" - please, stop saying that. Is it a good thing? Heavy, unwieldy... just over-used phrase and not at all meaningful any more. And "hammer nails with it" - really? Has anyone tried it? Don't think any camera will stand up that. And it is also a boring, banal statement. "It's a weapon" - yes, in as much as any moderately heavy object can be. So what. Your camera is heavy. Big deal.

Like this thread though - nice info and love for a good camera.

Thank you!
Heavy doesn't mean its well built, it just means its heavy...
Efficient engineering means you have a well made product using the minimal amount of material needed to do such a job

I love my F2AS, and its a wonderful camera, but when you walk around holding your camera (not a fan of straps), you notice it real quickly
I'm pretty sure my F3/MD4 combo is lighter without batteries

 

[John_Nikon_F]

^ If your F2AS has a MD-1/MB-1 or MD-2/MB-1 with alkalines, yes, that'd be true. Body itself, lighter than the F3/MD-4 combo, but slightly heavier than the F3 alone, which weighs the same as a Nikkormat FTn (also is the same size as said 'mat).

-J

 

[LJSLATER]

I love my F2AS, and its a wonderful camera, but when you walk around holding your camera (not a fan of straps), you notice it real quickly

I'm the same way, I don't like camera straps. The MD-1/2 provides more grip than the camera alone, but its square shape doesn't lend itself to a comfortable grip. It's also heavy. In order to save weight, I've tried using my MD-1 without the battery pack, but I didn't like it. I found I'd grown used to resting my pinky on the battery pack and without it, my finger rested on the hard edge (also, the motordrive obviously doesn't work without batteries, and I use the MR-2 secondary release a lot). I want to try an MD-3; its round shape reminds me of the MD-12, which is extremely comfortable and provides superior grip. The MD-3 doesn't have a rewind feature though, which is something I would miss.

The MD-4 is a nice shape, but it gets really slippery since the grip is just painted metal without much texture.

 

[Vilk]

I want to try an MD-3...

Anecdotal evidence, I know, but still--nothing but (reliability) grief with MD-3; gave up on them altogether entirely after missing shot after shot. I work my drives relatively hard, pretending the digi revolution never happened--MD-2 is worth its weight in gold... Hey, just think you're holding a gold bar, it might work!



PS. Have you tried lithium AAs in the MD-2? Noticeably lighter and faster.

 

[LJSLATER]

Anecdotal evidence, I know, but still--nothing but (reliability) grief with MD-3; gave up on them altogether entirely after missing shot after shot. I work my drives relatively hard, pretending the digi revolution never happened--MD-2 is worth its weight in gold... Hey, just think you're holding a gold bar, it might work!



PS. Have you tried lithium AAs in the MD-2? Noticeably lighter and faster.

Did the gears in your MD-3 break?

I LOVE lithium batteries. I started using them for their lighter weight, but they also seem less likely to leak.

 

[John_Nikon_F]

Did the gears in your MD-3 break?

I LOVE lithium batteries. I started using them for their lighter weight, but they also seem less likely to leak.

Also, Sover Wong recommends using the CR 1/3N lithium-manganese 3 volt cell in the F2 bodies. Doesn't sweat, so no chance of corrosion. Both my F2's have them. As does my FM2n. All my motor drives, including the F-36, have lithiums in them. As does my SB-26.

Re: the gears on the MD-3, Sover can fix that, or supply the parts necessary to permanently fix the issue. His brass gears. The auto rewind featue is nice, but it really isn't much faster than just spinning the crank. I can't remember the last time I used that feature on an MD-1 or MD-2.

-J

 

[Vilk]

Did the gears in your MD-3 break?

I LOVE lithium batteries. I started using them for their lighter weight, but they also seem less likely to leak.

nope, not gears--contacts or coils: worked upside down or on the side, just not the right side up

 

[LJSLATER]

^ That's funny but sad.

My F2 stopped working the other day; I'm quite upset about it. I'm not sure what happened, but I think the motor drive may have been seated improperly and jammed the shutter. It won't budge. Plus, the film in the camera tore in half when I tried to rewind it. I'm in contact with Sover, and may send it to him. Unfortunately, if the shutter is dead, I think it's more economically feasible to replace the whole body.

So bummed. It's been my daily shooter for a couple of years now. I guess I'm lucky to have backup cameras available (F3HP and FM2N). So it could be worse.

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

^ That's funny but sad.

My F2 stopped working the other day; I'm quite upset about it. I'm not sure what happened, but I think the motor drive may have been seated improperly and jammed the shutter. It won't budge. Plus, the film in the camera tore in half when I tried to rewind it. I'm in contact with Sover, and may send it to him. Unfortunately, if the shutter is dead, I think it's more economically feasible to replace the whole body.

So bummed. It's been my daily shooter for a couple of years now. I guess I'm lucky to have backup cameras available (F3HP and FM2N). So it could be worse.

I disagree. It likely more economically feasible, at least in the long run, to have a full CLA on that body and the shutter replaced. Then you'll have a perfectly functioning F2 that should last years and years. Who knows what issues lie in a different F2 replacement of which you have no idea of its past? First is more expensive now but pretty much a sure thing. Second is cheaper now but a crap shoot gamble and often more expensive long term.

 

[schewct]

I have the Nikon FM2N which i used it on a regular basis.