All of mine work except a DP-2. That makes Nine working, one not working. The DP-3 and DP-12 use Silicon Photo Diodes, like the Canon F1 New which came out much later. The original Canon F1 (and the slightly revised version) use CDS cells like the Nikon F Photomic meters and DP-1, DP-2, and DP-11. CDS cells can lose sensitivity over time, usually on the lowest end and highest end of the range. The advantage of the Nikon F and F2: you can replace the meter head with ones that works. With the Canon- body needs to be taken apart for the repair.
The meters on my Canon F1 (original version) and Canon EF (The real one, not that AF stuff) work just fine. The latter was $35, missing a screw that was causing wind backlash. Turns out a screw from a Fed-2 worked just fine.
SO- Nikon F and F2, comparable in terms of meter reliability and the Nikon is easier to fix.
Canon 7: I bought a Canon 50/0.95 with a Canon 7 "lens cap". Was cheap, ~$500. The Canon 7 had been dropped so hard that the prism for the framelines sheered at the base "through the glass". Shards everywhere in the mechanism. I cleaned the glass shards out and glued the prism back together, worked fine. Bottom line of the 35mm frame a little fuzzy. The Canon 7 and Canon P sound louder than the earlier cameras, metal foil shutter. Other than not having a cold shoe- no issues. The Canon V series was the last to use gold for the beamsplitters rather than silver, as per cameraquest. The Canon P dropped the linkage for the auto-parallax corrected external finder.
The advantage of the Nikon F and F2: you can replace the meter head with ones that works. With the Canon- body needs to be taken apart for the repair.
So far every Nikon F i have had (5 in total) had a bad meter (bad cds cells), except for one which I could resurrect. On the other hand that one was a FTN model, while the others were Photomic TN models, which are older and thus i guess those CdS cells were not so resilient.
Nikon F2 needle-based metering heads will almost always require service to work OK, even if they appear to work.
Every single Canon F-1 that has passed through my hands (about 8 or 9?) had a working meter. It's obvious why: the system is electrically far simpler. On the Nikon metering heads (for F or F2), the electrical path is relatively more complex: there's the brass potentiometer ring, the wipers, a PCB, contacts between the top part of the meter and the bottom part of the meter, etc etc. More parts to get dirty, corrode.
I just have not had the same problems with my Nikon F Photomic metering heads. I've owned my Nikon F "Bullseye" since 1978, bought second hand for $150. Photomic T, Photomic Tn, and 5 Photomic FTn meters. I've taken a couple apart and cleaned the variable resister rings and pickups- an easy job. I am selective about buying cameras, most from used camera stores between 1978 and 2000.Rule Number 1: Look for cameras kept in ever-ready cases. Most pro's do not use them, and means the camera is stored in the Dark.
Canon F1 both old & new are great cameras, no question about it, but they are really a side discussion when someone is deciding on a Nilkon F or F2 without a meter prism,
I wonder how's the climate where you live. My city is extremely humid (82% HR right now out there). CdS cells suffer with this, particularly the older ones.
Put a camera in a very dry environment and it will be 'like new' forever.
too much of the wrong kind of good & not enough of the right kind of wrong
Canon F1 both old & new are great cameras, no question about it, but they are really a side discussion when someone is deciding on a Nilkon F or F2 without a meter prism,
The point I was trying to make Greg is, that you stand a much better chance of buying a Canon F1n or a New Canon F1 with an accurate working light meter than a Nikon F, or Nikon F2.
Note that the original Leicaflex does not have interchangeable focusing screens. I did not like the "aerial view" with only the central spot for focusing.
Both the F and F2 use the same screens, and have a large assortment available. The type "F" screen, large microprism circle, cannot be used in the TTL Photomic meters.
The Ever-ready case for the Nikon F makes a convenient holder for the Back when changing film.
Other then the extra top speed on the F2, I always felt the two non-metered cameras were pretty much the same. I couldn't even tell whether one was louder. Lenses dirt cheap (in a good way) for what you get. I own a couple F's; maybe I'll get an F2 someday. Ha, ha, one of the few affordable original black paint cameras out there.
At one time I had an F24...If F+F is F2, then I have an F14.
At one time I had an F24...
The first time I tried an F2 Photomic, it felt top heavy. I didn't like it. The first time I tried an F2 with plain prism, it was a revelation. I loved it!How can it be more of a beast? It feels better balanced in the hand. I have the F-1 here and the F2SB here, the difference is evident. Of course, without a metered prism the F2 is more handy. But you get a very precise quasi-spot meter on the F-1 for the same form factor than a plain prism F2!
The first time I tried an F2 Photomic, it felt top heavy. I didn't like it. The first time I tried an F2 with plain prism, it was a revelation. I loved it!
I have had one of my F cameras since early 1960s, and acquired an F2 a few years ago. I only use plain prisms. I suppose the only way to choose is to handle both and see which fits you.
As far as build quality, Leica doesn’t come close. Nikon F &F2 are nicely finished inside the cameras. Also, Nikon shutters use ball bearings...never heard of a Nikon needing a periodic shutter adjustment. The only Leica to use ball bearings was a C, during WWII.
By the way, I am a Leica user. Leica won the rangefinder war because of superior design, not build quality.
Most lenses for F and F2 started life as Zeiss clones, some tweaked to be slightly better or faster.
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