My F2 got an upgrade

[mshchem]

I'm sorely tempted to buy another F2 with DP-11. My birthday is a few weeks away...

I think you should buy an AI 50mm lens . Nice A finder with a lens that doesn't couple to the meter
Oh well I bought my first F2 in 1973, who knew about dots???

 

[Horatio]

I think you should buy an AI 50mm lens . Nice A finder with a lens that doesn't couple to the meter
Oh well I bought my first F2 in 1973, who knew about dots???

Yeah, there's that... Oh I have some AI lenses. I just didn't remove the old one for the photo. Heat of the moment and all that...

It meters with that lens if I stop down with the DOF preview.

 

[mshchem]

Yeah, there's that... Oh I have some AI lenses. I just didn't remove the old one for the photo. Heat of the moment and all that...

It meters with that lens if I stop down with the DOF preview.

Yeah, I still have a old, but very well preserved Pentax SP500, all metering was done with a switch that stopped down the lens. You twirled the aperture and shutter speed till the needle was in the notch. When you released the shutter the switch would pop back to off.
I love that nice little camera.
I also love my F2's and F's, (and of course F3hp). You have a well traveled F2A, look for a plain prism with battle scars

 

[ChristopherCoy]

I think you should buy an AI 50mm lens .

Which one? There's like 17.

 

[mshchem]

Which one? There's like 17.

Don't waste your money on the 1.2, IMHO. I would be looking for a later s/n or most important mint condition. I believe Nikon still sells these new?

 

[ChristopherCoy]

I believe Nikon still sells these new?

Couldn't tell ya. But I know there's the 2, 1.8, 1.4, and 1.2 in the different versions.

 

[mshchem]

The 1.4 with the newer coatings would be my choice. Brighter the better to focus. I've seen these pretty cheap, buy a F3 with the lens

 

[Huss]

Which one? There's like 17.

I like the 50 1.8 "long nose" version. The front element is much deeper recessed than the pancake versions, which protects it more and acts as a lens hood.
Also the focus ring is twice as wide which makes it nicer to use. (two rows of ribs instead of one).

 

[Horatio]

The 1.4 with the newer coatings would be my choice. Brighter the better to focus. I've seen these pretty cheap, buy a F3 with the lens

How cheap is cheap? I've seen one locally for $150.

 

[ChristopherCoy]

I like the 50 1.8 "long nose" version. .

Was it in the Ai, Ais, or one of the other lines?

 

[Huss]

Was it in the Ai, Ais, or one of the other lines?

AI.

I DM-d u a link to a really nice one.

 

[mshchem]

How cheap is cheap? I've seen one locally for $150.

I wouldn't pay a lot. People get all romantic about the manual focus stuff, you can buy a nice F5 and a 50mm AF-D 1.4 for 400 bucks.

 

[George Mann]

Which one? There's like 17.

I had them all. The F2 is the most accurate/transparent (Summicron equivalent between F5.6/F11, with more accurate color), followed by the F1.8 long nose.

The Japanese pancake is Zeiss sharp and contrasty (if you like that sort of thing).

 

[Horatio]

You have a well traveled F2A, look for a plain prism with battle scars

The body has minimal wear, actually. It's the DP-11 that has taken the beating.

 

[ChristopherCoy]

Apparently not all Nikon's are alike.

Red dot 3xxxxx on the left, green dot 1xxxxx on the right.

 

[Nitroplait]

With a 20 month Sover Wong waiting list and prices as low as they are on the cameras, one may just stock up on F2’s with working finders.
The lower black is one I found today. It was less than $200 from a local brick & mortar shop including the lens and a 6 month warranty.
I almost feel personally offended when I see a healthy F2 at this low price.

 

[beemermark]

I’ve had my F2A for 40yrs and I didn’t know about the dots.

Neither did I. Put the finders have their own serial numbers so it's not too important to remember the "dot". Just because the needle is jumpy doesn't mean the carbon ring has failed. The meter uses a Galvanometer and only takes a little dirt/oil/film to make the needle stick then bounce loose. Happens with a lot of match needle meters.

 

[George Mann]

The meter uses a Galvanometer and only takes a little dirt/oil/film to make the needle stick then bounce loose. Happens with a lot of match needle meters.

Yes. My DP1 with wire wound resistor is doing this as well.

 

[Huss]

..The lower black is one I found today. It was less than $200 from a local brick & mortar shop including the lens and a 6 month warranty.
I almost feel personally offended when I see a healthy F2 at this low price.

That's the going rate for a Pentax K1000 w lens right now. Think about that for a moment...