Where have all the Nikons gone?

CMoore · Mar 24, 2018

What is your definition of trashed.?
ANY camera from Circa 1972 is going to need work
Often, Ebay requires looking at for Several Weeks.
If the price fits, does it matter if it comes from Japan, Canada, Mexico, usa, Finland.?

Are all these listings trashed or covered in mold.?
I have never seen a camera in That Bad of shape, on Ebay, that was not listed as a Parts Camera.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Nikon-F2-P...077545&hash=item2f181b7f87:g:DksAAOSwPoZasprK

https://www.ebay.com/b/Film-Cameras/15230?Brand=Nikon&Model=Nikon%20F2&Type=SLR&rt=nc

Les Sarile · Mar 24, 2018

trendland said:
"The real thing is a F2 the F3 has no value." ....and it had to do with electronic most did not like - but without batteries both cameras do their job

Just to be sure I understand, both cameras do not do their job without batteries as the F3 has 1 shutter speed available without batteries. I do appreciate that the motor drive also powers the meter which I believe is the only combination that does regardless of model or brand. I also appreciate that the F3 was made in such large numbers - was in production a long time, which means it is far easier to accessorize it.

Granted the F3 is not without it's issues like the worst viewfinder light implementation ever and disabling of meter until frame 1. But to me, it is too bad they didn't give it a pointy viewfinder like it's predecessors.

I'll grant you that it's metered viewfinder is less hideous . . .

BradS · Mar 24, 2018

CMoore said:
What is your definition of trashed.?
ANY camera from Circa 1972 is going to need work
Often, Ebay requires looking at for Several Weeks.
If the price fits, does it matter if it comes from Japan, Canada, Mexico, usa, Finland.?

Are all these listings trashed or covered in mold.?
I have never seen a camera in That Bad of shape, on Ebay, that was not listed as a Parts Camera.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Nikon-F2-P...077545&hash=item2f181b7f87:g:DksAAOSwPoZasprK

https://www.ebay.com/b/Film-Cameras/15230?Brand=Nikon&Model=Nikon%20F2&Type=SLR&rt=nc

Yes, you are right f course. I may have exaggerated...just a little.
I think I was a little tired of "shopping carefully" on eBay at the time of the OP.
Just whining really.
But, hey, we're just having fun here...and people are posting photos of their beautiful (and bullet holed) Nikons....so, it really is all good!

E. von Hoegh · Mar 24, 2018

Les Sarile said:
It is 2018, so who really does need an F2 . . .

Let's see,
Excellent design? Check.
Excellent build quality? Check.
Not battery dependent? Check.
Serviceable? Check.
Excellent lenses? Check.
Utterly reliable? Check.
Cheap? Check.
Yep, I needed an F2.

E. von Hoegh · Mar 24, 2018

ciniframe said:
I'm not a Nikon user but if one needed a body to hang lenses on perhaps one of the lesser non-professional models. Folks I've met who had the FG really liked it and consumer cameras weren't as likely to have seen heavy use. They were compact and lightweight too. It would be the body I think I'd look for if I found a killer deal on a nice Nikkor or some special aftermarket lens with an F mount and needed a body to hang it on.

The FG will not couple with pre AI lenses, and when the electronics die it's unrepairable. It is not an F2.

MattKing · Mar 24, 2018

Every time I see the title to this thread, I think of Pete Seeger:

BradS · Mar 24, 2018

MattKing said:
Every time I see the title to this thread, I think of Pete Seeger:

That's awesome. I actually had this song (but the version by Peter, Paul and Mary) in mind at the time of the OP. I am glad somebody noticed....

Thanks for the link.

Les Sarile · Mar 24, 2018

BradS said:
That's awesome. I actually had this song (but the version by Peter, Paul and Mary) in mind at the time of the OP. I am glad somebody noticed....

Bunch of hippies. Probably use hippie straps too . . .

BradS · Mar 24, 2018

Les Sarile said:
Bunch of hippies. Probably use hippie straps too . . .

I'm a little too young to have been a hippie but I remember them as a peaceful and loving lot....So, I'll take it as a compliment.

I think I had a hippie strap...back when they were just called wide and colorful...

E. von Hoegh · Mar 24, 2018

I should point out that I watched for several months before I found my creampuff $100 (shipped) F2a. The black one just wandered in with the camera fairy.
They are out there.

E. von Hoegh · Mar 24, 2018

BradS said:
I'm a little too young to have been a hippie but I remember them as a peaceful and loving lot....So, I'll take it as a compliment.

I think I had a hippie strap...back when they were just called wide and colorful...

Hippie straps will eat the upper corners of your camera unless you use the leather protective extensions.
An F2 on a narrow leather strap really gets in touch with the back of your neck after eight or so hours.

chip j · Mar 24, 2018

F2 "utterly reliable"?? Did you ever hear one "PING"? That's build quality for you. my F doesn't ping nor any other of the many Nikons I have.

E. von Hoegh · Mar 24, 2018

chip j said:
F2 "utterly reliable"?? Did you ever hear one "PING"? That's build quality for you. my F doesn't ping nor any other of the many Nikons I have.

For God's sake stop with the "ping". You had ONE that needed service/repair and you've been using it as a brush to tar and feather all F2s for frigging MONTHS. Enough already.
No I have NEVER heard one "ping".

CMoore · Mar 24, 2018

chip j said:
F2 "utterly reliable"?? Did you ever hear one "PING"? That's build quality for you. my F doesn't ping nor any other of the many Nikons I have.

Join APUG.?
Did you ever hear One Of Their Members Bitch and Gripe Incessantly.?
I also have Many Nikons......F2's.....and Not One Ever Pings.
Give it a rest already.

chip j · Mar 24, 2018

I REALLY WANT a F2 but I'm terrified of buying another after reading about all the ones that ping.

E. von Hoegh · Mar 24, 2018

chip j said:
I REALLY WANT a F2 but I'm terrified of buying another after reading about all the ones that ping.

Annnnd welcome to the "ignore" list.

Theo Sulphate · Mar 24, 2018

MattKing said:
Every time I see the title to this thread, I think of Pete Seeger...

Paula Cole for me.

Uncle Bill · Mar 27, 2018

The only examples of the F2 I don't have are the eyelevel prism DE-1, (saw one at my local vintage camera pusher but I just didn't have the cash in the camera slush fund at the time) and the F2AS, and that one I want in chrome for some reason.

Part of the problem is people are buying up used gear, and two eBay sellers have gone nuts with their buy it now prices and in my case with shipping to Canada (will the shipping come with airline loyalty points?). You can take a gamble on an F2 from Japan but it will all depend on how that camera was stored, you could wind up with a mushroom farm.

trendland · Mar 28, 2018

chip j said:
I REALLY WANT a F2 but I'm terrified of buying another after reading about all the ones that ping.

Don't care so much. ...
with regards

CMoore · Mar 28, 2018

Am i out of line if i do this..........?
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/f2a.158586/

BradS · Mar 28, 2018

CMoore said:
Am i out of line if i do this..........?
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/f2a.158586/

indeed! He has posted an excellent counter example to my initial whining

It is a nice looking camera at a fair prices from a reputable member.

GWalls · Mar 29, 2018

You can take a gamble on an F2 from Japan but it will all depend on how that camera was stored, you could wind up with a mushroom farm.

After living in Japan I never found the humity there too be any worse then living in the southeast, USA. Does that mean we shouldn't buy any cameras from the southern US either? Bull! The Japanese usually take much better care of their cameras then folks that I have seen here in the US.

Ap507b · Mar 30, 2018

Have 3 F2's, two of which have come from Japanese ebay sellers. Both sellers had good feedback & both cameras were described as fungus free & I can't see any obvious signs of it without taking covers off. Both work as described. The last one to arrive was an AS a broken meter. Was a black one in good cosmetic condition for what the seller wanted for it & bought it to get it repaired.

As for pinging, neither the A or AS ping but my oldest 1972 one does. Not that loud & can live with it until I get around to having it serviced. Camera still works great otherwise. F2 is just a quality piece of kit IMO.

blockend · Mar 30, 2018

If you want to hear ping my Yashica FR rings like a bell. A lovely camera in many ways with excellent lenses, but the shutter resonance is like a ghost story sound effect. The Nikons are out there, but like cars good cameras have a careful original owner, a second one who keeps things running, and then get passed from buyer to buyer until they die.

TheRook · Mar 31, 2018

After a well-known blogger writes about how awesome a camera model is, the demand for that camera goes up. Everyone wants one, and the prices go up - it doesn't take much research effort for sellers to find out what's hot and what's not.. This seems to further trigger other people to jump on the bandwagon and write about or recommend the camera... it becomes the new must-have camera. As a consequence, the camera becomes scarce, leaving mostly the less desirable, beat-up or non-functioning units available. The used film camera market is strongly influenced by a sort of "sheep mentality" - evident by a sudden jump in demand for a particular model, resulting in its eventual scarcity.

Where have all the Nikons gone?

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