Nikkormat Prism Question

[dynachrome]

My repairman tells me that the Nikkormat FT3 I sent him needs a new prism. I have read that the prisms in the FTN and FT2 have the same part number. Does the prism in the original FT also have the same part number?

 

[__Brian]

The FT is uncommon compared to the FTn. I have the Ftn repair manual, but cannot find an FT repair manual.

I think if you check the viewfinder coverage for the Nikkormat series- will give as good an indication that the Prism is the same. The FT covers 92% of the frame, same as the FTn, FT2, and FT3.
The Nikkormat EL Also covers 92% of the frame. Same logic- probably compatible prism.

On a humorous note: The prism of the Minolta XG-1 fits in the Kodak Retina Reflex-S perfectly, and is much brighter than the original. Cameras made decades apart, half-way around the world apart. You never know until you take the cameras apart and try it out. I still have the Retina Reflex-S, brightest Viewfinder of any of them.

 

[dynachrome]

I got a chrome FTN from the auction site for $9 and sent it to the repairman earlier this week. I decided that it was not worth sacrificing one of my FTs even if the prism is the same. More than 20 years ago when I was learning about Nikkormats I got very confused by the purchase of one. It had an FT body but an FTN top.

 

[BradS]

At one time, I had a prism from a Nikkormat FT2 - it may still be around here somewhere...anyway, lemme know if you want/need it. I'll look around for it and see if I can find it. Somewhere, I have a small collection of miscellaneous Nikkormat parts too.