Where have all the Nikons gone?

BradS · Mar 20, 2018

Where have all the Nikon F2 gone? It seems like the few that are offered for sale (on eBay) here in the US are all trashed. There are a ton being offered by sellers in Japan...some are covered in mold and some are relatively decent looking...

Did Japan camera dealers vacuum up all the good Nikon F2 bodies while nobody was looking?

mono · Mar 20, 2018

I have two of them and will keep them as long as I live!

chip j · Mar 20, 2018

They are developed shutter ping and now nobody wants them. I got rid of mine, and will never touch another.

trendland · Mar 20, 2018

BradS said:
Where have all the Nikon F2 gone? It seems like the few that are offered for sale (on eBay) here in the US are all trashed. There are a ton being offered by sellers in Japan...some are covered in mold and some are relatively decent looking...

Did Japan camera dealers vacuum up all the good Nikon F2 bodies while nobody was looking?

The wrong question - better ask : Who the hell went all of the nice AND cheap cameras toward? Including trash F2 but real cheap AND good conditioned F2 to normal prices.
That is your interest? Where you did find F2 in "new" or "mind" condition in the past?
Do you remember? Some realy lucky guys find them in private ebay - to normal pricing but most were sold from dealers.
Today they are indeed "hamster" this cameras.
You just have to wait 2 - 3 years - then dealers will show you F2 in trash condition (with normal pricing) F2 in normal contition to new / mint pricing and last remaining F2 in mint condition with sotheby's pricing.
To possibiltys from reason :
1) you are MUCH too late
2) dealers are real gangsters..

with regards

PS : Make your decision what has gone wrong - I would count on point 2) !!!!

saman13 · Mar 20, 2018

For whatever reason, I think the prices on all of them shot up. I picked mine up, a pretty clean black one, about a year ago on ebay for $35 in an auction no one else bid on. It even came with a Vivitar series 1 zoom, gear bag, and a few filters. When I went looking for a spare beater back after I got Clyde Butcher's signature on mine, I realized that I would easily pay more for just a back than I originally paid for the whole camera!

trendland · Mar 20, 2018

saman13 said:
For whatever reason, I think the prices on all of them shot up. I picked mine up, a pretty clean black one, about a year ago on ebay for $35 in an auction no one else bid on. It even came with a Vivitar series 1 zoom, gear bag, and a few filters. When I went looking for a spare beater back after I got Clyde Butcher's signature on mine, I realized that I would easily pay more for just a back than I originally paid for the whole camera!

So you are the lucky hero of the month Saman 13 - I've Seen trashed F3 at over 100 bucks and not even One F2 in normal (good) conditiond under 250 bucks.
But - ok : condition is a relative issue and many F2 were used proffessional.
with regards

PS : 35 bucks - a real "hero".....

Huss · Mar 20, 2018

BradS said:
Where have all the Nikon F2 gone? It seems like the few that are offered for sale (on eBay) here in the US are all trashed. There are a ton being offered by sellers in Japan...some are covered in mold and some are relatively decent looking...

Did Japan camera dealers vacuum up all the good Nikon F2 bodies while nobody was looking?

What's your price range? What prism/head are you looking for? The meterless DE-1 is now the most expensive. Are you willing to pay extra for one serviced by the Nikon F2 grandmaster flash Sover Wong?

Theo Sulphate · Mar 20, 2018

There was a time in the late 1990's when I couldn't pass up any opportunity to buy an excellent-condition F2. I've stopped doing that, but now I have five of them. They're not really my favorite with a Photomic head because I feel that makes them clunky to use. However, they truly are great cameras.

Paul Howell · Mar 20, 2018

Not only F2, but F3, Canon F1new, Minolta XK, Minolta 9, as pro level cameras were made in smaller numbers, many were heavily used, collectors have gathered up many, other than the F6 no new film bodies, so as numbers dwindle demand increases as will the price. The F2 being all mechanical, other than the meter can be repaired even if means machining a part. Although I have moved from Nikon to Minolta, I have 2 A9000s, 2 Minolta 9s, and a few others mid level cameras so if one gives up the ghost I can still shoot with my Minolta A mount lens.

LeftCoastKid · Mar 20, 2018

I have six of them (4x F2AS, 1x F2A, 1x F2), four with MD2-MB1s. Three bodies are "mint" as are two of the motor drives. I'd sell my first-born before I'd part with any of them...

faberryman · Mar 20, 2018

I just checked eBay and there are 180 F2s listed in the US alone.

ransel · Mar 20, 2018

I have owned only one F2 - purchased it used in 1983 or so. Still works but the meter is starting to jump - don't know what that means. I like the FM myself.
If your F2 ever completely craps out, here are some uses for it.

macfred · Mar 20, 2018

A F2 (I have two of them) always fits in your luggage ...

what's in my bag ... ? by Andreas, on Flickr

marcmarc · Mar 20, 2018

Well, I've got two F2's and I gave up years ago trying to keep them in reliable condition. I'm not talking about the meter, I use a incident meter, but I'm referring to the F2 body itself. It simply became too expensive to say nothing of the fact that you don't know the camera is malfunctioning until you develop the film afterward and make the discovery. Don't get me wrong, I love the F2 but we have to face reality. These are very old cameras that have often seen very heavy use over the years. Nikon has long ago stopped repairing these and making parts which means often times parts have to be pulled from other cameras so you are replacing a worn out part with another worn out part. What could possibly go wrong? After the last time I got back an F2 from repair and it again malfunctioned I "upgraded" to the F3 and it was the best move I could make. The F3 is newer so they have less mileage on them and for the most part they have been reliable. I do have one F3 that the film advance lever is stuck and one repair guy couldn't figure out why but no big deal, I've got two others that are working well so this other body I can keep for parts as if I'm correct Nikon no longer supports the F3 either. As for my two F2's - well, I may hold on to them as it seems that as the supply of cameras dwindles, their value may increase. Maybe these two can be repaired, who knows, but as parts get more and more scarce intact bodies like mine will become more in demand.

BradS · Mar 21, 2018

ransel said:
......here are some uses for it.

Excellent! Thanks.

Theo Sulphate · Mar 21, 2018

The Nikon F2 has got to be the most rugged, reliable, and most parts-available SLR's ever made, alongside the Canon F-1 maybe.

Caveat: the Photomic heads used for pre-AI metering will have their ring resistor wear over time.

chip j · Mar 21, 2018

I have a beautiful minty F w/hardly any mileage on it--meter works great!!

mshchem · Mar 21, 2018

I've plenty. I have huge hands, anything smaller seems clumsy to me. I have put non meter prisms on a couple of my F2's they are cool. My first F2 was a F2S I despise the leds. Still the prettiest SLR, for my tastes, old school, is an Apollo F plain prism in chrome. F2 is a better camera but not quite as elegant. F3 is a lovely camera but a tad bit too feminine for my tastes. I love my F5 (s ). For digital D3 is pretty no nonsense, non movie camera.

Nothing finer for a 35mm SLR than a Nikon F2.

mshchem · Mar 21, 2018

LeftCoastKid said:
I have six of them (4x F2AS, 1x F2A, 1x F2), four with MD2-MB1s. Three bodies are "mint" as are two of the motor drives. I'd sell my first-born before I'd part with any of them...

I'm with you on the first born part. I've got a couple MD2 motor drives, rarely use them, but damn they are cool. My first Nikon was a F2S I bought new in 1973 for 550 bucks body only. It was worth twice as much as my 65 Chevy biscayne I never really liked the leds in the S models. I have a couple F2A bodies and a couple with plain prisms. Great cameras.

Marco Gilardetti · Mar 21, 2018

This is the first time that I read about F2s being unreliable. But years are passing indeed, and what yesterday could be the most advisable choice, today could indeed have turned into the choice for the most patient diehards. Still, it's quite disconcerting reading how someone swears on these machines being unreliable and costy to maintain, and then in the next message someone else swearing over them being a tank.

Theo Sulphate · Mar 21, 2018

The Nikon F2 was designed for heavy use by professionals in an era where the SLR had matured and Nikon had already learnt much from its experience with the F. Due to the F's high reputation, Nikon knew there would be even more demand in the 1970's for the F2 and so they had to make it as good as possible.

That said, even the newest F2 is over 35 years old. If it's had a hard life in professional use, it may well be due for replacement of worn parts. If it's had an easy life, as I suspect mine had before I bought them, they only need a CLA.

Even so, there are so many of them and so many replacement parts, that I imagine an F2's trip to Sover Wong or another excellent craftsman would put it right again.

Les Sarile · Mar 21, 2018

Paul Howell said:
The F2 being all mechanical, other than the meter can be repaired even if means machining a part.

I always wondered what the battery was for even though the F2 doesn't have a meter . . .

trendland · Mar 21, 2018

Theo Sulphate said:
There was a time in the late 1990's when I couldn't pass up any opportunity to buy an excellent-condition F2. I've stopped doing that, but now I have five of them. They're not really my favorite with a Photomic head because I feel that makes them clunky to use. However, they truly are great cameras.

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Theo - seriously : Is that necessary?
To blame most of us with your post?
You have a need for this - I suppose?
You should be cautious with your phantastic collection.Never give your adress - or you will need a burglar protection

with regards

PS : 2003 - 2006 was the right time to collect many wonderfull cameras for less.
People bought digital and dealers handled film cameras like radioaktive contaminated trash.
Minoltas of the 80th at 12 bucks / Nikon Fe/Fm in very nice condition with 3 lenses from private auctions for $ 90,- a.s.o. The manual lenses for "zero" because manufacturers told them :
"with digital you need a new lens wich has digital corection from design "
(Nikon full frame did not change the mounting camera base)
Well and I feld free until it was too late.
By the way at this time I saw a Nikon 301
(not realy bad from my point) within original package "unused and new" for $49,-......but I did not buy it

Damned

macfred · Mar 21, 2018

trendland said:
..
By the way at this time I saw a Nikon 301
(not realy bad from my point) ...

The lady of the house still has her F301 (N2000 in the US) she bought new in 1986 - works like a charm (even the built-in alarm clock) !

guangong · Mar 21, 2018

Last year my son-in-law bought an F2 with working meter and lens at a very reasonable price from a dealer with guarantee, so they are out there. Have had Fs from 1959 and two years ago got an F2. Meter didn’t work but I never liked Nikon’s bulky meters and put on a standard prism. Of course when buying cameras used by professionals should be avoided, and best if owned by MD or successful lawyer. Good F2 cameras are out there, but patience is required.

Where have all the Nikons gone?

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