Pre-AI Nikkor Group

[Uncle Bill]

Hi everyone, my Name is Bill (Hi Bill) and I have a love for Pre AI Nikkor bodies.

I own two Nikon Fs an early model (a 641) with an eyelevel prism and an Photomic Tn made in
1967. My F2 has the DP-1 meter head and I have a Nikkormat Ftn which was the first Nikkor body in my camera line up.

The big question is why? Well my dad owned the early Nikon F and a Nikkormat, when he was on his way out due to cancer, I inherited the F and my brother got the Nikkormat (and also got a Topcon and Leica IIIg). Both cameras took a lot of family and travel photos over the years. With my black and white (and sometimes colour work) I am out to capture a look from the 1960's and '70s using traditional films and developers and Pre-Ai Nikons are just cool to use.

 

[Uncle Bill]

Hi guys, feel free to post pictures from your old Nikons and Nikkormats.

 

[Moopheus]

I got my F in a similar way. My dad bought it for himself c. 1972 (it's an "Apollo") and gave it to me at my bar mitzvah, which was a few years later. More recently I bought an F2, and more lenses. Pre-AI lenses are a good deal for the budget-minded, since they don't work as well with the digital cameras, and seem to cost about half what the later lenses are going for.

 

[Uncle Bill]

My Dad got his Nikon F used sometime in the 1960s and picked up the Nikkormat new. I have a photo on my flickr account of my brother and I as kids in Halloween costumes with dad and his Nikon F, I was checking out even way back then.

 

[Mark Antony]

I have a Nikon F2 and a Nikkormat FT2 here is a photo of my gear.

Since I took this pic I've added a 55mm Micro.
Mark

 

[puderse]

Been usings my F's since I bought them new. 13 Nikkors for them plus the Nikkors for the S2a's. Semi-retired from making a living with them. Kids gone elsewhere. Started second career. Only 1 grandkid and I enjoy shooting and re-habilatating cameras that were around for E-3.

 

[djkloss]

Hi All, Hi Bill!
Well, I started out with a Nikkormat in 1972 which mostly sat on the shelf till about 1999. I took a few good pics with it but never liked the shutter speed ring. when I took it in for repair, I borrowed my dad's F2 and fell in love. When I had to give it back, I bought an F3. Eight years later it died from lots of use, so I asked my dad if I could 'borrow' his F2 again. I love that camera! No batteries required And all my old non-Ai lenses too.

~Dorothy

 

[Ralph Javins]

Good morning, Uncle Bill and other Nikon F/F2 users;

It is a nice surprise to find that there are others who also appreciate the virtues of the camera that fixed Nikon in their position in photography and photo-journalism. The SP range finder started it, and the F confirmed it.

After losing everything in the late 1980's, I have recreated the kind of a working Nikon F system many would have used in the 1960's; F plus lenses from 24 mm through 200 mm. Still looking for a SB-7E to repair to make it complete. Bought the first F2 to use on the back of the telescope with a DW-2 for focusing. Recently I was offered an F2AS blackbody I just could not refuse. Everything recently CLA and working.

Still enjoying them. Still recall the photograph of Galen Rowell tied into some pro on the side of a cliff with his F2 blackbody in his hands.

Enjoy;

Ralph Javins

 

[John_Nikon_F]

Bill,

Thanks for creating the group. Currently have two non-AI Nikon bodies. A Nikon F FTn, which currently is wearing a Tn prism while the FTn prism is being recalibrated, and a Nikkormat EL. I've owned eight F's, an F2 Photomic, and countless Nikkormat/Nikomat bodies over the years. Lens-wise, I have four lenses that at least started out as pre-AI, three of which have been AI'd. A 24f2.8 Nikkor-NC, 35f2 Nikkor-O (the only one that's still non-AI), 50f2 Nikkor-HC, and a late 85f1.8 Nikkor.

-John

 

[Jerevan]

Well, I have to admit I use (and love) my F2, beaten and worn by its former owners but after a repair session at Sover Wong, it will now keep on a good while yet. I am currently using a 50/2 Nikkor-H and 105/2.5 Nikkor-P.

The DP-11 prism is great but I am now thinking of getting a unmetered prism. I am looking at buying a plain F prism. I know it fits, but does anyone have (or can take) a photo of how this F prism plus F2 body combination looks? Thanks for any help!

 

[John_Nikon_F]

It looks ok, but at the same time, since there's no nameplate (except for the tiny "Nikon" inscription on the front plate), odd. Personally, I'd wait until a user DE-1 comes along and mount that to the F2. Alas, I don't have a pic of that combo, since I never mounted my old F eyelevel prisms to my F2A...

Gotta say that the non-AI NAS seems to be kicking in again. Replaced the EL with a well-used FTn, since I've discovered that the EL's are hardwired, and sometimes an electrical fault can be a royal pain to locate. Currently high bidder on a black Nikomat FT2 and a chrome late FTn, both with 50mm Nikkors. The FT2 wears a non-AI 50f1.4 Nikkor-S that may make its way onto the F FTn, and the FTn wears an AI'd 50f2 Nikkor-H.

-J

 

[Uncle Bill]

John,

Good luck with bids on the Nikkormats!

Bill

 

[John_Nikon_F]

Bill,

Thanks. Won both, but the Nikomat FT2 seller didn't want to sell it to me, so I only have a pair of FTn's. No biggie. I can always go to the repair shop that fixes my Nikons and grab one of my previous FT2's from them.

Currently have my F FTn loaded with a roll of Velvia 100 that I intend to cross-process in C41. Should be interesting to see the results from the experiment. I also picked up another 50f2 Nikkor-H that had a milled aperture ring on it. Transferred the factory AI ring from my 50f2 Nikkor-HC over to it, since the H lens was nicer. I also seem to have a "fetish" for the Nippon Kogaku Nikkors... Just seem to prefer them to the later chrome barrel lenses. Might be because the font on the focusing ring is bigger.

-J

 

[Uncle Bill]

Ok the Nikkormat FT2 seller did not want to sell to you? Is it just me, are ebay sellers getting a little squirrelly. I live in Canada and I am noticing more USA only listings which is a bit of an annoyance.

 

[John_Nikon_F]

Correct. Wasn't willing to do a normal local pickup, like what I've done in the past, where I meet with them, hand them cash, and pick up the item. Instead, they wanted me to mail a money order (the PO is about 7 miles from here, btw), then, when they got it and it had cleared, I could then drive the 70 miles round trip to pick it up. A little fishy.

-J

 

[Uncle Bill]

The seller sounds bogus if they are not interested in doing a cash transaction face to face. considering you were willing to meet them over coffee or other beverage and take care of things.

Bright side you have some Nikkormat FTns and they are tanks.

 

[John_Nikon_F]

Yep. Both are chrome. One's a fairly early body that happens to look late, since I did update everything to the FT2 cosmetics on it, the other is a late body that will likely go to my father, in hopes of rekindling his interest in analog photography. It looks like that by the end of the month, I might get a black Nikomat FT2 back from the shop for $55.00. So, I'll be about $80 in the hole on it, but that's ok.

I need to learn to be less indecisive when it comes to gear...

-J

*edit 10/17/08* Black FT2 has returned.

 

[2F/2F]

Howdy. I just joined up. I am mainly a Canon FD guy, but I am also in love with my Nikon F and its pre AI glass. The glass is dirt cheap, has a very unique look, and adapts great to my Canon 10D, so I don't have to spend thousands of dollars on new lenses. Also, they are just such well-built cameras. The kit I have is an original kit from the original owner. Its an F, a 35mm f/2, a 50mm f/1.4, and a 135mm f/3.5, all with cases, hoods, and caps, and all circa 1967. It was a sweet deal; all in close to mint condition for $300. My picture for the postcard exchange this round was taken using the camera.

 

[Uncle Bill]

Welcome to the world of F mount, I made the switch from Canon FD four years ago and have not looked back. The Nikkor O 35/2 is a sweet lens.

 

[John_Nikon_F]

Just Nikomatified one of the FTn's... Visited Northwest Camera Repair in Everett, WA, and paid $3.00 for a real nice chrome Nikomat nameplate, which improved the looks of the body considerably, since that was one of the parts that made it into a beater. While I was there, I picked up a normal back for my F3P, so I can go without the MD-4 and not worry about fouling the contacts on the bottom of the MF-6B back. A little off-topic, but the body is currently wearing the Nippon Kogaku 50f2 Nikkor-H with the factory AI ring.

 

[fotch]

Hello all. I would like to join this group.

My first expensive camera was a new Nikkormat EL w F1.4 lens and I still have it. Since then I added other later models (F3, FE) until one day, a friend of mine traded his like new, almost never used Nikon F2 with several lens for some non photo equipment I had.

At the time I was shooting with my F3 so to me it was just a almost new old Nikon (granfather to my F3) to add to the collection. Although I still mainly use the F3, I am going to start shooting more with the F2 to enjoy the mechanical precision instrument it is.

One lens in particular that I have had fun with and also profited in its photos is the Nikon 7.5 Fish Eye. Only the Nikon bodies that can lock up the mirror (F2, F3, EL) can wear this lens.

Oh well, enough reminiscing.

 

[Uncle Bill]

I have my Nikon F Photomic Tn off for some TLC, I had some issues with the meterhead being jumpy for prolonged periods of use. The tech I am using has a good reputation and after the overhaul of the camera and lens it will be for all intents a new 41 year old camera.

 

[2F/2F]

No need for that! If you have decent prism, I'll trade you a T head for it!

 

[RidingWaves]

Aloha! Joining up, got a lot of Pre-Ai/modified Nikkors, as well as a rapidly building collection of F's, people just keep Giving them to me! I do most of my own CLA's so if you need help let me know! ALoha

 

[EASmithV]

My first serious camera, the one that Initiated me into serious analog photography, was my old Nikon F. I still bring it with me sometimes when I think that my DSLR will run out of battery of memory.