Need help with Nikkormat FTn diopter type.

rpavich · Oct 13, 2016

I just acquired a back up camera; a Nikkomat FTn EP.

I have an FM2 also and I use a +1 diopter in it, it's a pretty standard type and size, however the FTn isn't.

I "think" that an F2 or F3 "Non-HP" diopter is the one that would work on this camera but I want to make sure before I spend the cash.

Does anyone know for sure if that's the case; that the F2 Non High Point diopter is the one that works on the FTn?

Forget it; I found out that the FM2 type DOES fit the Nikkormat.

John_Nikon_F · Oct 14, 2016

Any diopter with the 18mm threads will work. The FM/FE/FA series diopters work, but won't work with an accessory shoe. That said, unless you're shooting flash, or plan to mount the 21/4 Nikkor-O or one of the early fisheye lenses to the camera, there's no need for the accessory shoe, which actually kinda messes up the clean lines of the FS, FT, and FTn prism housing.

-J

rpavich · Oct 14, 2016

John_Nikon_F said:
Any diopter with the 18mm threads will work. The FM/FE/FA series diopters work, but won't work with an accessory shoe. That said, unless you're shooting flash, or plan to mount the 21/4 Nikkor-O or one of the early fisheye lenses to the camera, there's no need for the accessory shoe, which actually kinda messes up the clean lines of the FS, FT, and FTn prism housing.

-J

You're right. It looks much better without the accessory shoe.
Thanks

John_Nikon_F · Oct 22, 2016

Not a problem.

I actually once deleted the hot shoe from an FT2 to turn it into an FTn that accepted newer batteries.

Here's how it looked:

All three had the FTn style nameplate. The chrome one was a stock FT2. The modified FT2 in the middle, and the FTn was stock, except for the advance lever and self-timer lever, which came from the modified FT2 body. Other than the different shutter release collar, the black lens release button, later shutter speed ring, black topped depth-of-field preview button, threaded PC socket, and the trim ring below the rewind crank, it looked almost exactly like an FTn. Only other difference was the slightly chunkier prism housing on the top cover.

rpavich · Oct 22, 2016

Well now the mystery deepens. I use a +1 diopter on my FM2 and it's just fine but when I try to use a plus one diopter on the Nikkotmat it's doesn't work right; there is something wrong or different about the camera. I think it is because on the nikkormat you take off the existing diopter and replace it while I'm in FM2 you just add to it by screwing the corrector into the existing diopter.

jimjm · Oct 22, 2016

I'm fairly sure the default diopter power for all Nikon viewfinders since the F is designed to be a -1. Most bodies sold with a screw-in eyepiece which were just plain glass and didn't change the diopter strength. If the eyepiece doesn't have any markings on the edge, it's just glass. The mark on the diopter is the final effective diopter of your viewfinder when it's installed. So, your +1 diopter is actually a change of 2, from -1 to +1. I use an +0.5 diopter, since I wear reading glasses with a +1.5 power.
The diopters (marked on the edge) are supposed to replace the plain eyepiece. No reason to stack one on top of the other, unless you like it that way.
I've had almost every manual-focus Nikon body and many of the Nikkormats, and have used the same power diopter on all of them.

rpavich · Oct 22, 2016

jimjm said:
I'm fairly sure the default diopter power for all Nikon viewfinders since the F is designed to be a -1. Most bodies sold with a screw-in eyepiece which were just plain glass and didn't change the diopter strength. If the eyepiece doesn't have any markings on the edge, it's just glass. The mark on the diopter is the final effective diopter of your viewfinder when it's installed. So, your +1 diopter is actually a change of 2, from -1 to +1. I use an +0.5 diopter, since I wear reading glasses with a +1.5 power.
The diopters (marked on the edge) are supposed to replace the plain eyepiece. No reason to stack one on top of the other, unless you like it that way.
I've had almost every manual-focus Nikon body and many of the Nikkormats, and have used the same power diopter on all of them.

Well then, i'm at an impasse.

My FM2 works great with the +1 but the Nikkormat clearly needs something different for whatever reason.

John_Nikon_F · Oct 24, 2016

Is there any impact damage to the camera? Possible that things might not be in alignment. But, yes, it should match.

-J

rpavich · Oct 24, 2016

I just figured it out. I didn't have a +1 in my FM2; I had a "0". The +1 is in my M6.

I just tried the 0 in my Nikkomat and it worked fine.

I guess it came down to user error...thanks for the help guys.

Need help with Nikkormat FTn diopter type.

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