New Nikon F 50 Year Aniversary Edition!

[snegron]

Actually, the question is if Nikon produced a brand new, 50 year anniversary limited edition of their F body next year, a hand made copy in the original specs of the 1959 F body with standard prism, 50mm 1.4 lens with matching serial number, would you buy it?

The only difference would be that it would have the usual special edition stamp on the front of the body indicating it was a 50 year anniversary edition. The idea is like the SP 2000 they produced of their rangefinder, only this time it would be of the camera that we Nikon addicts bow down to in in reveration.

If Nikon asked a ridiculously high price, like about $2,400.00 for this edition, would you jack up the credit card and buy it?

 

[Mick Fagan]

Nope!

But if it was the last of the F2 range, then I would be lining up ready to purchase.

I believe the last F2 was the best.

Mick.

 

[Neanderman]

I believe the last F2 was the best.

I agree with that, but no, I still wouldn't buy a new one.

 

[Photo Engineer]

My "F" was one of the first produced and has a low serial #. It is in mint condition. So, no, I would not buy one.

PE

 

[snegron]

Nope!

But if it was the last of the F2 range, then I would be lining up ready to purchase.

I believe the last F2 was the best.

Mick.

Those last edition F2's are still commanding high prices on the used market! I would think that Nikon would reproduce the original F because of the 50 year mark next year. I think I would open a secret credit card account that my wife wouldn't know about just to get the "special edition F"!

 

[Pinholemaster]

No, had an Nikon F once, but like my F2 much more.

 

[roteague]

No

 

[David Brown]

Cameras like that are produced (and priced) for collectors. It's not like a Nikon F is rare. They're around. A cla and they would last decades more.

 

[snegron]

Cameras like that are produced (and priced) for collectors. It's not like a Nikon F is rare. They're around. A cla and they would last decades more.

Again, I think it is more about collector appeal. Yes, there are many F bodies out there, but look at the prices of early models in mint condition. They are getting harder to find. I will be the first to admit that while a newer F model (circa 1970-75) in excellent condition would be a great user camera, it would not cost as much to purchase as would an earlier model from the first or second year of production.

There are many F collectors out there who know the intricate detailed variations between an F body of 1962 vs. a 1974 body. At first sight they appear to be the same, but upon close examination there are several diferences (stamp on top of camera that reads either Nippon Kogaku Tokyo or Nikon, pattern on self timer switch, film railing differences, colors of numbers on speed dials, etc.)

Although I am not an expert on F history nor a professional collector in any way, I appreciate the historic value of the F and its contribution to 35mm photography. I don't have the money to go out and collect numerous F bodies with each of their variations, but I would seriously consider getting a brand new limited edition F if Nikon made it. It would be a really cool camera to own!

Of course, my plans would be quickly dampened because knowing Nikon they would only sell this special edition to their local market in Japan. I'm sure that Japanese collectors would buy them all up within the first month of production and store them away somewhere leaving the rest of the world with only a dream of owning one.

 

[Photo Engineer]

There were several varieties of Nikon F cameras. One was made for the Japanese market and the other for export. This was similar to the Nikkormat EL which was the Nikomat EL in Japan.

In any event, both of the F models were made in two varieties that I have been able to trace. One allowed the meter prism to be added, and the other did not allow the meter prism. Earlier models would not accept the meter prism. So, AFAIK, there were 4 varieties of Nikon "F". Which one would you have them produce?

PE

 

[mikebarger]

No, but I sure liked the F with the F36. Had a nice pair of all black.

Don't shoot much 35mm anymore, but I wouldn't go backwards from the F3 HP for a F or F2.

Mike

 

[Jim Jones]

. . . AFAIK, there were 4 varieties of Nikon "F". Which one would you have them produce?

PE

There would be little point in producing a copy of the ugly and awkward Photomic. The prism finder is another matter. One wonders if Nikon couldn't make just the finders for us who still use them.

 

[bdial]

I've owned a couple of F's, used many more, never cared much for the F2's and I own an F3. The F's are nice cameras, however, the later ones are better in many respects.
A collector's edition F is something I'd consider pretty much a waste of time and money. I know it sounds like sour grapes but my reasons are;
1, I wouldn't be able to afford it, and 2, I'd have no interest in a camera that I could never use (too much risk to it's "collector value"), even if I could afford it.
A nearby camera shop has a 75 anny Rollei for sale, at a very good price compared to B&H. It's been there for at least a year. It's very pretty, with it's wood presentation box and all, but such a waste at the same time.

 

[snegron]

There were several varieties of Nikon F cameras. One was made for the Japanese market and the other for export. This was similar to the Nikkormat EL which was the Nikomat EL in Japan.

In any event, both of the F models were made in two varieties that I have been able to trace. One allowed the meter prism to be added, and the other did not allow the meter prism. Earlier models would not accept the meter prism. So, AFAIK, there were 4 varieties of Nikon "F". Which one would you have them produce?

PE

Probably the red dot version as it accepted the prism head.

 

[Roger Hicks]

No, but I sure liked the F with the F36. Had a nice pair of all black.

Don't shoot much 35mm anymore, but I wouldn't go backwards from the F3 HP for a F or F2.

Mike

Bloody F36! A great device for wasting film, when it suddenly and unexpectedly fired off all the shots on the counter for no reason! It was OK in the studio for copying, but out of the studio, the only ones I ever had were disasters.

I still have 5 Fs and wouldn't want F2s (we switched to them in the studo where I used to work, which is where I got two of my Fs and one of my F36s) and cannot see any appeal at all in later models.

Then again, I'm a Leica M addict: M2, M4-P, MP, M8 but never M7.

But in response to the OP, no, I sure as hell wouldn't waste money on a 'collector' F: my two black paint Fs with plain prisms are now just nicely worn in.

 

[lens_hacker]

All Nikon F cameras accept the original "Bulls-Eye" Photomic meter. The TTL meters "T" and "Tn" need the viewfinder housing to be slightly enlarged. Cameras after 67 block are good, the switch-over was late in the 65 block. The last Photomic meter, the "FTn", added "grabbers" to the front to prevent "Photomic Fly-Away Syndrome". This requires the name plate on cameras earlier than the 69 block to be modified.

I doubt that collectors would buy this camera. The price of the S3-2000 which has the best 50mm F1.4 lens ever made by Nikon fell to less than half of its introductory price. Too many near-mint F's and F2's to make it worthwhile for a user to pay over $2,000 for a new one. I paid $125 for my near mint late 7444xxx "Apollo" Nikon F and $75 for a 1st run 7101xxx F2.

 

[Photo Engineer]

There would be little point in producing a copy of the ugly and awkward Photomic. The prism finder is another matter. One wonders if Nikon couldn't make just the finders for us who still use them.

Jim;

The camera usually came with the plain prism and you added the Photomic prism afterwards. This is in the days when that camera cost a lot of $$$ even with the then current exchange rate.

One version was incompatible with the Photomic as I indicated and would have to have some serious modification to allow one to fit. These were all produced in one of the early runs.

I have tried to put several Photomic prisms on mine and the opening is large enough, but there is a lip on the trailing edge of the camera body which is too high. We have measured several prisms and cameras in an effort to achieve this fit or figure out the problem, all to no avail.

PE

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

If they do go forward with this, they'll recoup their investment selling the first thousand or so to the Japanese home market, and then every sale after that is gravy.

 

[Jim Jones]

Jim;

The camera usually came with the plain prism and you added the Photomic prism afterwards. This is in the days when that camera cost a lot of $$$ even with the then current exchange rate.

One version was incompatible with the Photomic as I indicated and would have to have some serious modification to allow one to fit. These were all produced in one of the early runs.

I have tried to put several Photomic prisms on mine and the opening is large enough, but there is a lip on the trailing edge of the camera body which is too high. We have measured several prisms and cameras in an effort to achieve this fit or figure out the problem, all to no avail.

PE

All the new Nikon F models I remember seeing and occasionally buying overseas in the late 1960s and early 1970s came with the Photomic finders and the f/1.4 lens. At the time I was too enamored by the accuracy of the Photomic FTN finder over the Weston meters I was using (and still do) to object to its bulk. Filing down the lip on the trailing edge of the early bodies to accept the Photomic was routine. We considered the 50mm f/2 better for close-up photography. Due to its scarcity it was valued as highly as the faster lens.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Jim;

I bought mine in Tokyo in late 1959 or early 1960. None of the models came with the metered finder. It was an extra cost item. In fact, it was apparently not released until shortly after I bought mine, as the design of the insert in the body for the prism changed. It was such an early model that the blue book lists the serial # in a special category. The number apparently does not follow the usual Nikon convention.

Many of the color pictures of flying in my gallery were taken with that camera. It has had a lot of use.

PE

 

[lens_hacker]

You could also get a clip-on Selenium meter that coupled to the shutter speed dial and the lens aperture via the prong. My "Meter 3" is still accurate, and fits all of the cameras. My Photomic "Bullseye" meter fits the early 6420xxx body, the earliest that I've got. It was introduced later than that body.

 

[snegron]

If they do go forward with this, they'll recoup their investment selling the first thousand or so to the Japanese home market, and then every sale after that is gravy.

That seems to be what they have done in the past. I find it unfair though that most of their limited edition or collector edition bodies have been produced for their local market only. There are many of us in other parts of the world (not judging by the response on this thread) that would love to purchase their collector edition cameras. :rolleyes:

I wonder if Nikon is aware that there are people outside Japan that collect Nikon cameras?

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I would think that the internet has made national markets pretty porous for this sort of item. What's to keep foreign buyers from ordering online?

 

[HerrBremerhaven]

I would expect a 50th (or 60th; next year) Anniversary F6 over any other camera. If anything, this might be like the 50th Anniversary (of Nikon) F5 variant.

Rangefinders seem to be more popular with collectors. If Nikon ever do another run, perhaps it might be an S4, which is not very common at all.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat
Dead Link Removed

 

[bruce terry]

Were it a replicated, early, early, plain F, I might not be able to resist. That was my first and thus sentimentaly most-favorite 35mm camera. An Air Force buddy brought it back from Japan for me in the summer of 1958. Hadn't had it six months when I dropped it on a cement floor, top of prism first. Other than a slight dent at the prism tip, that F never missed a beat. Long gone now, but I'll never forget that then-special, brilliantly-bright, reflex image w/ the 1.4.