Nikon F2 and DP-1 Photomic Meter Repair

ic-racer · Jan 30, 2025

I did not go into detail about the re-painting. What I did was to do the black in lacquer and after it was dry I did the white letters in enamel. That way I could fill in the letters with a little overflow of white and wipe with paint thinner. The paint thinner does not harm the lacquer. After that there was just a little haze and that was removed with some rubbing compound.

ic-racer · Jan 30, 2025

Actually, I did not like the gloss finish, so I re-did it in semi-gloss.

ic-racer · Feb 1, 2025

The second F2 arrived.

This one is the F2A, which is an F2 body with DP-11 finder. It is from 1978 based on the serial number. Looks pretty well preserved. Even came with original vintage Nikon branded strap.

The camera had never been opened. It even still had the dab of laquer on the locking screws for the shutter tensioners.

The DP-11 finder is pretty much identical the the DP-1 I just repaired, except the mechanical element on the front interacts with the AI groove on the lens, rather than the metal ears.

Since the DP-11 system does away with 'indexing' the lens for its fastest aperture, another means of showing the aperture in the viewfinder was needed. In this case a little prism system allows one to see the tiny f-stop numbers near the rim of the aperture ring.

Is this really better than the other system? We will see. (or maybe NOT SEE, as the aperture numbers can be pretty dim).

ic-racer · Feb 1, 2025

The DP-11 finder underwent basic maitinance.

New foam, optics cleaned, variable resistor element cleaned and some minor repairs.

The electronics in this one are great; did not need any adjustments.

F4U · Feb 1, 2025

Nice. But all my lenses are pre-AI. Fact not open to discussion: The Nikon F2 was the finest 35mm camera ever made.

ic-racer · Feb 2, 2025

So far I have decided to keep my Non-AI lenses Non-AI and not file the notch in the aperture ring.

Just the way the shutter tensioners are implemented makes F2 a top mechanical camera in my book. So many neat features I have known about when they first came out. Plus I'm finding out new things that were not clear to me in the 1970s. For example the winding gears are disengaged from the curtains when the curtains move. One way they got the curtains to speed up, almost twice the speed of the "F."

F4U · Feb 2, 2025

The fit and finish of the F2 is unlike any other camera of any kind. Solid and dependable. The P-47 Thunderbolt of cameras. Gets you back home no matter how many bullet holes are int it.

mshchem · Feb 2, 2025

F4U said:
The fit and finish of the F2 is unlike any other camera of any kind. Solid and dependable. The P-47 Thunderbolt of cameras. Gets you back home no matter how many bullet holes are int it.

"for durability under extreme conditions. A number of Nikon F2's rode in Evel Knievel's X-1 Skycycle when he attempted to jump Snake River Canyon. The motor drives kept clicking and taking pictures all the way down to the bottom when he crashed, and each camera was fully functional, if pretty beat up, after being removed from the 'bike.'"

Nikon advertising

ic-racer · Feb 2, 2025

Everything back together and calibrated on the F2A.

Andreas Thaler · Feb 2, 2025

@ic-racer

When will you do such high-quality work professionally?

ic-racer · Feb 2, 2025

There is a practical reason for all this. It keeps me sharp for work. I'm the top problem solver at work, but some day someone younger and better may arrive; nothing lasts forever.

Andreas Thaler · Feb 2, 2025

ic-racer said:
There is a practical reason for all this. It keeps me sharp for work. I'm the top problem solver at work, but some day someone younger and better may arrive; nothing lasts forever.

But we experienced these camera generations ourselves when they were new in the shop windows of the camera dealers. We were witnesses to the times and have first-hand experience.

That gives us an advantage over those born later

ic-racer · Feb 2, 2025

Andreas Thaler said:
But we experienced these camera generations ourselves when they were new in the shop windows of the camera dealers. We were witnesses to the times and have first-hand experience.

That gives us an advantage over those born later

Yes. In fact the F2 is nostalgic for me. It was in 1973 I held one in my hands on the counter of the camera store. I also tried the OM-1. At the time I thought the Nikon was clumsy and not designed as well as the OM-1. I got the OM-1 and never came back to the F2 until now.

I still have the same OM-1 I got back in 1973 Here it is, all cleaned up, foam removed from the prism and calibrated for zinc cells.

ic-racer · Feb 4, 2025

So, to complete the Holy Trinity I got an F2AS. Knowing it was an F2AS, I bid pretty high. I saw it was dirty, but the cap still on the PC outlet, made it look like it was low milage and just dirty.

ic-racer · Feb 4, 2025

The camera was listed as 'non-functional' as it had a somewhat severe dent in the back and it would not open (for the seller). Obviously I got it open.

It was not too hard to straighten out the dent. In fact the metal is very soft; it is easy to overdo it.

F4U · Feb 4, 2025

The dirt was put there to protect the paint job.

ic-racer · Feb 4, 2025

Cleaning up nicely.

ic-racer · Feb 4, 2025

F4U said:
The dirt was put there to protect the paint job.

Under the dirt, however, It was not like that first one with the pleasent patina from use. This one had some scratches and dents from flagrent abuse. Hardly any film was run through it. Inside the back it is pristine. No rub marks from cassettes in and out, etc.

ic-racer · Feb 4, 2025

It did clean up nice in the end. I was expecting it to, as I paid twice as much for this one.

The serial number dates it to 1977.

Everything works as it should. It has never been opened from what I can tell, based on the lacqer still on the adjustment screws for the shutter.

I did not need to even open the DP-12 as it was still in calibration. Same with the curtain speeds. No tweaking needed.

ic-racer · Feb 4, 2025

2025 USD auction prices for the cameras presented here:

1969 F FTn = $60
1974 F2 Photomic = $80
1978 F2A = $150
1977 F2AS = $300

ic-racer · Feb 15, 2025

I found out the meaning of the sticker on the wind lever. Apperantly this indicated the focus screen originally sold with the camera. In this case "K."

Alan Edward Klein · Feb 16, 2025

A little off-topic, sorry. But I have a Nikormat FT3. The meter is intermittent. Fixable?

Ben Hutcherson · Feb 16, 2025

Great work and I'm enjoying seeing the service on these!

Now you need a DP-2 and DP-3 to round out the set! I think DP-3(F2SB) is my favorite of the bunch since it has all the advantage of full meter coupling with non-AI lenses. To me it's far more versatile since most most manual focus AI lenses have the coupling shoe present, and I've even added shoes to a few AF lenses.

ic-racer · Feb 16, 2025

Yes, DP-3 looks nice. One issue I have with DP-12 is not being able to see the aperture numbers. Also, in my own assortment of lenses, most do have the ears. Even without the ears, stop down metering with illuminated LED is not too bad (expecially compared to Rolleil SL35, where the meter needle becomes almost invisible after f11 )

Nikon F2 and DP-1 Photomic Meter Repair

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