Nikon F2 Cassettes?

saman13 · Nov 7, 2017

My stepdad found his old Alden bulk loader from college and said he’d ship it to me if I wanted it. I like the idea of being able to load shorter rolls because it takes me forever to finish a roll of 36. I shoot with an F2 and I knew that Nikon made a cassette for it so I thought I’d try to pick one up. Well, no luck anywhere. Not a single one on eBay. Plenty of the earlier F cassettes, and the 250 exposure cassettes, but no standard ones.

Seems pretty strange to me because I’ve never had any issue finding an accessory for an F2 because so darn many were made. Does anyone know why this is? Anywhere I could find one that I’m not thinking of?

mweintraub · Nov 7, 2017

It should be the standard 35mm/135 cassettes. Not sure of an F2 that takes custom ones.

saman13 · Nov 7, 2017

I know I can use standard cassettes, but I’d like to use the cassettes that open when the film door is closed so I wouldn’t have to worry about scratching the film. Nikon did make them, they’re the AM-1.

But, as I said, I can’t find them, so I’ll be using the standard reloadable cassettes.

summicron1 · Nov 7, 2017

there may be nikon cassettes that work in an F2, but if I were you i'd stick to standard reloadable -- LOT cheaper. The nikon ones at this point are collector items.

Leica cassettes work on the same principal and are my go-to load for using my M and screw mount cameras -- but the Leica cassettes were a lot more widely used and there are a lot of them around.

If you are moderately careful with your reloadables, and brush the felt from time to time, you will have no problems.

John Koehrer · Nov 7, 2017

You're looking for AM-1 cassettes.

narsuitus · Nov 7, 2017

The nine reloadable AM-1 film cassettes seen in this image only works in the Nikon F2 SLR.

Nikon also made a reloadable film cassette that worked only in its rangefinder cameras and a reloadable film cassette that worked only in its Nikon F SLR.

I preferred rolling my own 35mm film cassettes using the metal felt-less Nikon AM-1 in my Nikon F2 35mm SLR. These reusable and durable cassettes do not have the felt light traps that are found in less expensive film cassettes. As a result, film is more likely to move faster and smoother as the motor drive pulls the film out of the cassette. Also, thin emulsion films are less likely to get scratched as they are pulled out of the cassette.

Nikon AM-1 Film Cassettes by Narsuitus, on Flickr

saman13 · Nov 7, 2017

narsuitus said:
The nine reloadable AM-1 film cassettes seen in this image only works in the Nikon F2 SLR.

Nikon also made a reloadable film cassette that worked only in its rangefinder cameras and a reloadable film cassette that worked only in its Nikon F SLR.

I preferred rolling my own 35mm film cassettes using the metal felt-less Nikon AM-1 in my Nikon F2 35mm SLR. These reusable and durable cassettes do not have the felt light traps that are found in less expensive film cassettes. As a result, film is more likely to move faster and smoother as the motor drive pulls the film out of the cassette. Also, thin emulsion films are less likely to get scratched as they are pulled out of the cassette.

Nikon AM-1 Film Cassettes by Narsuitus, on Flickr

Yep, those are pretty much the reasons I looked into finding one. Anyone have an idea why they’re so hard to find?

MattKing · Nov 7, 2017

saman13 said:
Anyone have an idea why they’re so hard to find?

narsuitus has them all?

summicron1 · Nov 7, 2017

saman13 said:
Yep, those are pretty much the reasons I looked into finding one. Anyone have an idea why they’re so hard to find?

Probably, since they only fit one camera -- and Nikon, if the other poster is correct, made a separate cassette for each of at least three cameras -- people didn't buy them because they were not interchangeable among cameras, so not a lot were made/sold.

Leica cassettes are interchangeable -- you can use a black knob one in just about all Barnack cameras (except the very earliest) and you can use chrome knob ones in both M-series and the Barnack cameras. M5 and up don't use them, sadly. Leica cassettes are wonderful for the reasons you cite, and virtually indestructible. A Watson bulk loader also has the facility to close the gate on these cassettes, and others also, perhaps.

mshchem · Nov 8, 2017

I have a couple of these at least one for the F and one for the F2. I think I recall in the instructions, Nikon mentioned these would work with special bulk film that came precut to 36 exposure lengths???.
In any event you would need to load the spool in the dark and then insert and lock it into the metal cassette. These are cool as hell. When you turn the key to lock the back closed it opens the cassette. I've never used one, too lazy, but they are cool.

chip j · Nov 8, 2017

YES! The Watson loader made loading my F cassettes ( I have 12) a breeze, faultless. That's all I used for years w/Panatomic-X. NEVWR an issue. I was just GIVEN a MINT FTN (meter works great!), and I can't wait to load those F cassttes.

BrianVS · Nov 8, 2017

Not many were sold in the first place. Most people used regular pre-loaded film when the F2 was popular, and those that loaded there own used less expensive spools.
They did not sell for much 20 or so years ago. They were not too hard to find on Ebay ~10 years ago.
The spools work perfectly on a Contax Rangefinder, which is what happened to mine.

cooltouch · Nov 10, 2017

saman13 said:
I know I can use standard cassettes, but I’d like to use the cassettes that open when the film door is closed so I wouldn’t have to worry about scratching the film. Nikon did make them, they’re the AM-1.

But, as I said, I can’t find them, so I’ll be using the standard reloadable cassettes.

Here ya go:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_od....H0.Xnikon+am-1.TRS0&_nkw=nikon+am-1&_sacat=0

saman13 · Nov 10, 2017

cooltouch said:
Here ya go:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_od....H0.Xnikon+am-1.TRS0&_nkw=nikon+am-1&_sacat=0

Those have “AM-1” in the title, but aren’t they actually just the Nikon F cassettes which won’t work in an F2?

BrianVS · Nov 10, 2017

Those look like the cassettes for the Rangefinder Era cameras, which I believe also work in the F.

The AM-1 is marked AM-1 and has an F2 in white paint. Different mechanism than the earlier units.

chip j · Nov 10, 2017

I'm pretty sure the F2 cassette is AM-2. There were enough of 'em on ebay a couple yrs ago.

narsuitus · Nov 11, 2017

There are eight film cassettes in this image that are clearly marked AM-1. The AM-1 cassettes work in the Nikon F2 body but do not work in the original Nikon F body.

The one cassette in the middle of the image is the film cassette for the original Nikon F camera. It does not work in the Nikon F2 body.

Nikon F2 AM-1 Film Cassettes +1 by Narsuitus, on Flickr

chip j · Nov 11, 2017

Yes, I was clearly mistaken.

pentaxuser · Nov 11, 2017

If AM-1 cassettes are nearly impossible to find, there is a Shirley-Wellard cassette that works on the labirythine principle i.e. no felt trap and a free run for the film. They were U.K. made and I have no idea if they come up on U.S. e-bay. I also cannot swear that they fit a Nikon F2 but I think they are a universal fit for all 35mm SLRs.

Have a look, at the Roger and Frances Photography website. The instruction manual is re-produced there. If you do decide to buy one and it may not come with any instructions then you might consider a small donation to the Roger and Frances website. I have no connection to the website

pentaxuser

Nikon F2 Cassettes?

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