There are considerably more than a lot of the consumer-level cameras I’ve reviewed here. Next to the shutter release and film speed selector on the right shoulder of the top plate is, predictably, the film advance lever and frame counter. Next to the lens mount, under your right middle or ring finger as you hold the camera, is a button with a lever wrapped around it. That’s probably the second thing you’ll notice. The frame counter resets automatically. The Nikon F2 professional camera was introduced in 1971 by Japan's premier camera and lens maker, Nippon Kogaku KK, as the successor to the famous Nikon F, which by then was growing long in the tooth. If you’ve indexed the lens properly, the maximum aperture should be indicated correctly in a small window on the front of the viewfinder housing, above the lens. The advance lever is also the power switch for the light meter — it must be pulled out from its “home” position about 15 degrees. or Best Offer. The shutter itself is mechanical — no batteries required. This pool is for shots taken with all Nikon F2 bodies: Nikon F2 (1971), Nikon F2 Photomic (1971), Nikon Photomic S (1973), Nikon Photomic SB (1976), Nikon Photomic A (1977), Nikon Photomic AS (1977), Nikon F2 Titan It is a completely new camera with practically the exact same functions and solutions. The prism looks clean, but is missing the release lever (see photo), and the maximum aperture engagement lever does not function. Side note: The viewfinder’s coverage is a full and majestic 100 percent, and features greater magnification than either the consumer cameras of the era or the F3. Serviced! That Ken Rockwell quote up top about using it as a hammer? That’s totally a thing on the F2. It’s kind of like the Plymouth 426 Hemi ‘Cuda of cameras. Everything is placed very carefully in a comfortable and convenient spot, and enough functions are combined in multi-function controls to win the F2 excellent marks for overall ease-of-use. It’s probably my second-favorite light meter display (losing out to the LEDs in the FM2n and/or the later-model finders for the F2 that I don’t happen to own). Okay, to be fair, the Nikon F3/T might be the most well-loved of all hard-working 35mm SLRs by a slim margin, but the F2 was the gold standard workhorse for a decade or more. More impressive is what it does from there on down to 1/2000. Exposure compensation is also possible with the shutter speed selector. I purchased the pictured camera at a local camera store in Biel/Switzerland in August 2001. F2SB was also regarded by many Nikon fans and collectors alike as being one of the most collectible among all Pre-AI Nikon bodies. On to the review. If this sounds like adjusting the film speed to act as exposure compensation, that’s because it is — Nikon just codified it for us. The Nikon F camera, introduced in April 1959, was Nikon's first SLR camera. Because below 1/90 seconds, the speeds are continuously variable. C $258.04 Buy It Now +C $50.25 shipping Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Photo courtesy of Wikipedia. The rotating latch also actuates a stop on the inside of the camera that prevents the film cassette from leaving the camera body unless the latch is fully open. SR44 batteries are even better. But since the shutter speed is displayed in the viewfinder, I really like to be able to adjust it without dropping the camera from the ready position. The Photomic concept with the external link to the lens aperture ring is carried on unchanged. The shutter speed is variable between 1/90thsecond through t… That the shutter is purely mechanical and will still operate at any speed in spite of dead batteries is the icing on the cake. Dropped cassettes during one-handed film-changing are a thing of the past, though. The only others I can think of that even come close are the Canon F1 and Miranda Sensorex. Imagine the solidity of a Barnack Leica combined with the weight of a Mamiya RB67 and the chunkiness of a Pentax K1000. Series E lenses from decades ago work flawlessly because they also are AI-S, but modern E(Electronic diaphragm) lenses will always shoot wide-open. The shutter release button, too, is a finely machined piece of metal. The camera body is extremely clean, although the mirror bumper shows plenty of wear, and will ultimately need to be replaced. But they aren’t auto-indexing. Some later models of viewfinder progressed through variations of meter displays using LEDs (like the FM2n and other 1980s consumer Nikons), and auto-indexing. All rights reserved. Focusing: Screen Type K: Fresnel matte lens, w/ Split-image rangefinder with Microprism collar, w/ a 1… The DP-1 couples the shutter speed by replicating the speed selector knob on the side of the finder housing, and mechanically connecting the new knob by way of a small pin in the top face of the selector on the camera. Given that the later finder versions, after Nikon upgraded the meter’s photo cells to silicon, are regarded as even more accurate, I bet they’re stunning. This material may not be copied, published, broadcast, rewritten, redistributed or manipulated without permission for any purpose. Known as much for their considerable heft as for the model’s innovations, rugged durability and long-unequaled versatility, to this day thousands of F2s lie waiting in photojournalists’ closets for the day when digital dies, or the zombie apocalypse, whichever comes first. This is Nikon Imaging Website. Not too easy to operate, not too hard, and lockable for when it’s bouncing around in your bag. It’s superbly bright and the standard focusing screen, which features a center horizontal split-image focusing aid surrounded by a microprism ring, is excellent. You can select from an astounding array of film speeds — from ASA 6 through 6400. Categories: Article, Film Camera. It was one of the most advanced cameras of its day. The F2 has a rounded shape compared with angular Nikon F, so it feels slightly more comfortable in one's hands. With finder DP-1; uses semi-auto indexing so that the twist-twistmust be done when mounting a lens. Měření funguje, časy přesné. The rewind knob itself features a flip-out crank as well as being knurled around its circumference. 10 watching. Maybe the Minolta XE-7. Nikon F2 Photomic The Nikon F2 is a professional level, interchangeable lens, 35 mm film, single-lens reflex (SLR) camera. The Nikon F2 is a 35mm Single Lens Reflex (SLR) camera. It’s just a little harder to get a grip on with one finger when I’m holding the camera to my eye (ad the camera is too big to get my thumb up their while still supporting the body). Viz foto. Only the original F Photomic heads had mercury batteries in the finder. Nikon F2 Photomic. All of the F-series professional Nikons feature interchangeable viewfinders except for the latest, the F6. While the F2 was not the first camera to achieve that speed (it was a Minolta rangefinder with a leaf shutter), the F2 was among the first professional SLRs to do so, and certainly the most rugged and reliable at that point. The rewind knob is very functional, too. DP-1 photomic viewfinder CdS meter; shutter speed, aperture, and meter needle displayed in the viewfinder The rest just haven’t handled one yet. Begin advancing the film, and once you’re satisfied it’s secure on the spool, push the back shut. F2A PHOTOMIC digital camera pdf manual download. $12.00 shipping. And I’ve used few other cameras that even come close in terms of the sheer totality of its usability, versatility and downright magnificence. International Organization for Standardization, Nikon N70: It’s like a digital camera for film, Another year with the Nikon FM2n (times two), What’s it worth? Optimized for Nikon's AI lenses (1977 - 1983). Some later versions of the metered finder also incorporated an eyepiece shutter — to block stray light from entering the camera through the eyepiece on long exposures and the like — operated by means of a sliding button above the eyepiece. Nikon listened to the professional photogs and eliminated a  lot of the F’s weak points. As such, you can actually achieve even more compensation by moving beyond the provided marks (provided that’s possible from whatever starting ASA you’ve selected). Okay, to be fair, the Nikon F3/T might be the most well-loved of all hard-working 35mm SLRs by a slim margin, but the F2 was the gold standard workhorse for a decade or more. More than 800,000 of these superb cameras were made, and while they are relatively common on the used market today as a result, they still fetch a better price than many of their original competitors. The DP-1 enables center weighted TTL metering using a match needle system with plus and minus (+/-) marks indicating over or underexposures respectively. Huh? Those are times — 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 seconds, in fact. The super-secure latch system by itself is a huge confidence builder and, probably, evidence that the F2 goes beyond being superbly crafted and a touch into over-engineered territory. But really? $110.00. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. The Nikon F2 is the camera to beat all cameras in many photographers’ eyes. Notice it has numbers around it, and an indexing mark on the round central hub of the lever? If you use this version, there's no need to put batteries in the camera, even though it will take them. While the aperture-coupled “Photomic” TTL metered prism was introduced as an option for the F, it was a standard feature on the most common F2 varieties. galvogalvo 9 years ago. My main gripe with the DP-1 finder attached would be that the shutter speed dial is more difficult to operate. Key Features. Camera has been tested , serviced and is in perfect working order with FRESH BATTERIES. Let's look at the camera body first. Nikon F2 Photomic A First introduced in 1977, this body was made between Dec. 1978 and Mar. I plan to hang on to mine so it can be buried with me (well, not really, but I’ll probably have it long enough to will it to someone). Based on the serial number it dates to 1975. While modern professional DSLRs brag that their shutters can withstand 200,000 or even 250,000 actuations, it’s entirely possible that no one knows the serviceable average maximum actuations on an F2 because they just keep going and going. An evolution of the original F, the F2’s continued to set the standard for professional 35mm SLR cameras. circa 1980. Click here to go to main Camera Manual site RIGHT CLICK ON LINK BELOW, CHOOSE … The shutter is a thing of beauty, either at rest or in operation. It’s not as beautiful as a Ferrari, or as luxurious as a Bentley, but its performance is wrapped in a unique and utilitarian beauty that will be remembered for centuries. The first thing you’re likely to notice about the Nikon F2 is its weight. Nikon listened to the professional photogs and eliminated a lot of the F’s weak points. It was manufactured by the Japanese optics company Nippon Kogaku K. K. (Nikon Corporation since 1988) in Japan from September 1971 to June 1980.