Help identifying and valuing an original Nikon f with a trigger (leicavit) winder!

Gram Nylén

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Hello, I recently purchased this original Nikon f with a trigger winder (it was a fine price and piqued my interest). I can't find any documentation on the internet of such a camera let alone what such a thing might be worth and I was really hoping one of you experienced Nikon folk might be able to shed some light as to what I just purchased:




 

ic-racer

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If you just bought it how much was it? If you own it, can you tell us about it. How does it handle. How fast can it fire the shutter? Was it a worthwhile purchase? Should others try to find one too?
 

Ian Grant

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It may well be a prototype. I remember seeing a 10x8 Thornton Tourist camera at a Camera Fair 3 or 4 years ago, it had an 8" wide roll film back, the lens board was missing, but they were round and tool 2 or 3 lenses, and you rotated the board to select the lens. The camera was made before Pickard joined and invested in the company. I have two unusual Thornton Pickard shutters that there's no mention of in literature, both came from close to where the company was located.

Prototypes were made and given to photographers to test, it's not unusual, but it is pot luck finding them as they are rare. In this case it's likely the winder never went into production. Remember that prior to the Nikon F the professional system camera with motor drives was the KW Praktina, and a choice of spring or electric motor drives and a bulk film back, also a huge choice of lenses from multiple manufacturers.

I'd do some digging around, it may well be worth a lot more than you paid for it.

Ian
 

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That's very interesting, I've only seen those on rangefinder cameras. Usually on Leica's, but not always. I'm wondering why they didn't just put a motorized winder on it, especially on a big 'ol Nikon F camera. Whatever you do, don't sell it, it may be worth a pretty penny to someone. The Nikon spelling and the F on the front looks as if it was a genuine Nikon accessory. Then there's that serial number on it, which must mean something, but I have serious doubts they made 130,715 of those things.

My guess is that someone used an aftermarket winder and put the writing on it from a Nikon camera, or it's a genuine Nikon prototype. If it's the latter it could be worth a mint
 
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Mike Lopez

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I’m out of the country at the moment, but when I get home in a week I’d be happy to see if this shows up in my copy of the Nikon compendium. Although I bet there are others here who might have a copy and could get back to you before I could.
 

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One thing to note is that while the lettering is in the Nikon style, it isn't embossed, just painted on. On the very far top left of the piece that is on the back, it looks like I can see the pebbled covering peeking though, which is odd. On the other side of that piece, you can see where someone has brushed black paint on it, for what purpose I don't know.

The longer I look at the pics, the more I think (guess) it is a Leicavit that someone managed to adapt to the camera.
 

GregY

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A Leicavit is rounded not angular at the ends...i'd bet it's some kind of prototype
 

250swb

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Would you like to point to these areas using arrows and the original photographs? How you can see the serial number is painted on and not embossed I don't know but it may be. However the general shape and layout follows a 'standard' F-36 motor wind base except for all the mechanical alterations. The idea it is a Leicavit integrated into an F motor winder base and given a fake serial number is absurd, if it is all real it must all be Nikon.
 

reddesert

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The housing is very similar to the motor drive part of the F36 motor for the Nikon F: https://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/michaeliu/cameras/nikonf/fmotors/index.htm
without the battery grip part. The motor drive housing has obviously been modified to have the cutout on the left for the locking lever, and it doesn't have the motor dials on the back of the motor, information panel on the back, and so on. The housing seems like a genuine Nikon part, the modifications would have to be either Nikon factory or extremely skillful aftermarket.
 

Mackinaw

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A Japanese company name Mikami made rapid-winders for a Nikon F. This may be one of theirs.

Jim B.
 
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OP

Gram Nylén

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this was my friend's theory as well. This seems most likely as of right now.
 

mshchem

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OP
OP

Gram Nylén

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250swb

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It may or may not be worth noting the serial number is consistent with Nikon F-36 motor drives for 1967/68, so perhaps classed in the same group of 'film advance devices' by Nikon even though mechanical. The earliest date for that style of prism finder is also 1968 but of course everything could be coincidence.
 

guangong

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Did Nikon make a rapid finder for the Nikon S2? Or could it have been a prototype made before Nikon gave up on RF cameras? I can’t measure now, but isn’t the footprint of the original F the same as the S2? Either way, a Nikon collector will lust for this.
I would check with one of the prestigious auction houses that operate special camera auctions. As those with GAS on this site will tell you, there is no rational explanation. However, collectors due preserve the past.
.
 

250swb

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guangong said:
Did Nikon make a rapid finder for the Nikon S2? Or could it have been a prototype made before Nikon gave up on RF cameras? I can’t measure now, but isn’t the footprint of the original F the same as the S2?
.
Click to expand...

A simple Google search shows at least one person did make a Rapidwinder for the SP, but it's architecture is entirely different from the OP's.

https://www.cameraquest.com/nikon_sp_rapidwinder.htm
 

4season

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I wonder if it could have been a custom creation by someone like Marty Forscher, built upon an existing F36 housing.
 

reddesert

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Unfortunately, it is an internet myth that the Nikon F is built on the body casting of an S or S2. They have stylistic similarities, but the bodies are different widths. This came up a while ago when someone wondered if the backs were interchangeable. From camera spec sheets the F is about 146mm wide while the S and S2 are about 135mm and 136mm wide (S and S2 may be the same size with differences due to measurement method). I personally compared an F and S and verified the F is significantly wider. Also, the tripod socket is in a different place, and there are other small differences.

The Tom Abrahamsson rapidwinder for the SP mentioned by 250swb is a much later item, from the 2000s.

There's a whole Nikon Historical Society devoted to Nikons, artifacts, and trivia, they and/or the suggestion of collectors/dealers would surely like to see this - perhaps Stephen Gandy at Cameraquest, who has documented many oddities like the half-frame Nikon S3M with motor https://www.cameraquest.com/nrfs3m.htm
 

MarkS

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Marty Forscher in NYC was a master at modifying cameras for the professional trade, and inventing new devices (like the Forscher ProBack for 35mm Polaroid). This winder might be one of his.
 

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That was my first thought. Oh, it must have come off a Nikon rangefinder body. But like reddesert mentioned, they're not really the same camera bodies. Doubtful the innards of the shutter release on the bottom would be the same even if the body size was similar.
 
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