The cost of manual-focus 35mm equipment increases to rise and Nikon gear is leading the pack. Ten or fifteen years ago one could find Nikon F3s and FM2s in top shape for USD 200 or less, and if you paid a hundred dollars for a Nikon FM or a Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 AIS, then it was in near-mint condition.

Today those same F3s and FM2s fetch twice what they did a decade ago, and good luck finding a Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 AI-S in usable condition for under USD 150. With the recent resurgence in popularity of analog photography, premium Nikon gear from the golden age of 35mm film has become a bit dear.

It’s not overpriced, mind you. Those of us who collect and use classic Nikon equipment became too accustomed to the “you can’t give this stuff away” days of the early 2000s. Today we’re all kicking ourselves for not having bought more.

What of the young person of today who wants to get into the Nikon system for the first time? Have they missed the boat?

Not necessarily.

In preparation for the upcoming second edition of my self-published Amazon e-book “Nikon Film Cameras, Which one is right for you?”, I’ve been tracking the prices of certain cameras and lenses from the manual-focus era.

It turns out that the older unmodified pre-AI lenses sell at a discount of about twenty to forty percent versus the later AI or AI-S version of the same lens. The Nikkormat cameras these lenses were intended for can be had for well under one hundred dollars (US) in top condition.

What of the young person of today who wants to get into the Nikon system for the first time? Have they missed the boat?

Pre-AI Nikkor lenses cannot be safely mounted on AI cameras without modification by a trained professional, hence the discount. In contrast, AI and AI-S series lenses can be mounted on pre-AI cameras with no loss of functionality. This presents the educated bargain-hunter with a new world of opportunities.

In this article, I’ll first review the differences between pre-AI and AI indexing systems and then give my recommendations for the best bargains of the lot.

What are Nikkor Pre-AI, AI and AI-S lenses?

AI stands for “Automatic Indexing” It is a feature found on all Nikon 35mm equipment produced after 1977.

Prior to that time, all Nikkor lenses had to be manually “indexed” to the camera after being physically mounted – the camera had to be manually told each lens’ minimum and maximum aperture. No other manufacturer required this extra step when mounting a lens and by the 1970’s it seemed antiquated.

How to manually index a Nikkor lens

The procedure is fairly simple but must be done correctly each time a lens is mounted nonetheless.

Nikkor lenses communicate aperture data to the camera so that the light meter can give an accurate reading at full aperture – an improvement over the stop-down metering method common in the 1960s and in use with such systems as Practika/Pentax M42 screw-mount or the Canon FL system.

Pre-1977 Nikkor lenses communicated aperture data mechanically via a special prong on the lens (the signature Nikkor “rabbit ears”) which mated to a metering pin on the camera.

When mounting the lens one must set the aperture to f/5.6 so that the prong will align properly with the pin, which should be seated as far clockwise as it will go, roughly the two o’clock position. Don’t force it; the mechanism will move with a gentle push of a finger.

Once the lens is seated flush with the mount and the pin properly mated to the prong, turn the lens one quarter turn counterclockwise until you hear a click.

The lens is now physically mounted to the camera, and you can proceed to the extra step required to index the lens so that the light meter knows the maximum aperture of the lens you just mounted.

Turn the aperture ring to minimum aperture, usually f/16 or f/22, then all the way to maximum aperture.

That’s it. The lens is now indexed.

On Nikkormat bodies, confirmation of proper indexing is found around the lens mount below the pin in a clockwise direction. You will see three numbers atop a narrow slit. The numbers are, from left to right, 5.6, 2.8 and 1.2. In the slit is a small red index mark.

If the lens is properly indexed then the red mark should correctly indicate the maximum aperture of the lens just mounted.

For example, if you mounted a 50mm f/1.4 lens, then the red mark should appear just slightly to the left of the number 1.2. Indexing a 24mm f/2.8 lens should result in the red mark aligning perfectly with the number 2.8, and so on.

The procedure is rather simple once done a few times. It’s really only inconvenient when changing lenses in less than ideal field conditions, especially if time is of the essence.

Pre-AI Nikon camera bodies: Nikon vs Nikkormat

The cameras which utilize the pre-AI system include the original F, early versions of the F2 and almost all Nikkormats or as they were known in Japan and parts of the Far East, Nikomats. I’ll be using “Nikkormat” throughout this article for consistency.

In this class, the F and F2 most certainly do not represent the best value for the money. These professional system cameras were used by people who made a living taking pictures under tough conditions and deadlines. They were beaten hard and abused. These were work tools and treated as such.

Well-preserved survivors fetch a premium price today. At this time the Nikkormat was the only other SLR sold by Nikon. In fact, during the 1960s the Nikon F was simply referred to as “the Nikon” and Nikkormat (called the Nikomat in Japan) was a separate brand. Indeed, one magazine advert of the period boasted, “There’s a lot of Nikon in every Nikkormat”.

This remained the case right up until the introduction of the AI models in 1977.

The Electronic Nikkormats: EL, EL2, ELW

Turning our attention to the Nikkormat series, let’s first make one clear distinction. Broadly speaking, Nikkormats came in two flavors, mechanical and electronic. Today the electronic Nikkormats are best used for strictly decorative and ornamental purposes.

The Nikkormat EL was the first camera with an electronic shutter produced by Nikon. As a general rule of thumb, one should avoid first-generation auto-exposure electronic shutters. This was a big leap in technology and few manufacturers got it right the first time. The EL and its successors, the ELW and EL2, were notorious power hogs which drained batteries voraciously, even when in the “off” position.

The only way to prevent this drain is to remove the battery, which brings us to the next fault…

The battery compartment in the electronic Nikkormats is situated in the lightbox under the reflex mirror. What were they thinking? Who knows. The lightbox of an SLR should be kept closed at all times and opened only when necessary. New cameras come with body covers over the lens mount for a reason.

Messing about inside the lightbox should be avoided. I am unaware of any other manufacturer which located the battery compartment under the reflex mirror, a mistake Nikon has never repeated. If you have inherited an electronic Nikkormat from your grandparents then, by all means, use it if it works.

I would not, however, pay for one or invest money in repairing or refurbishing a camera of this series.

The Mechanical Nikkormats: FT, FS, FTn, FT2, FT3

Turning to the mechanical Nikkormats, there were five in the series, produced between 1965 and 1977. Three can easily be eliminated from consideration. We’ll start with them first.

The Nikkormat FT, FS and FTn

The first two models were introduced in 1965, the FT and FS. The FS was a meterless camera. It was produced in very low numbers and is highly sought after by collectors today. The FT suffered from three annoying drawbacks which were corrected with the introduction of the FTn two years later.

First, it was necessary to re-set the ASA each time one changed lenses. Second, it used a full-field averaging metering pattern which reads the entire frame evenly with no distinction between center and corner. The FTn switched to Nikon’s now famous 60/40 centre-weighted metering pattern, a big improvement. Finally, the FTn displayed the shutter speed in the viewfinder; the FT did not.

If FT’s were readily available and less expensive than FTn’s, then I’d say they’re at least worth a look. But due to the FT’s status as the very first “prosumer” Nikon and its lower production numbers, collector interest keeps prices at par with the FTn. Given that, I can think of no reason to choose an FT over an FTn.

The next two models occupy the sweet spot in the high quality-low-price pre-AI universe.

The Nikkormat FTn and FT2

The FTn was introduced in 1967 and remained in production until 1975 when it was replaced by the FT2. The latter camera was in production for only two years. Production figures for these cameras vary from one online source to another, but I believe it fair to say that about one million FTn’s were produced and about a quarter as many FT2’s.

The FTn had all the premium features one would expect of a model at the top of this class: speeds from 1 to 1/1000 plus B, depth-of-field preview, shutter speeds visible in the viewfinder, self-timer, mirror lock-up, plus an external light meter readout on the top plate. Very few cameras of this class could accept a motor drive; the mechanical Nikkormats could not. Today the FTn is very price-competitive with comparable SLRs from other brands.

FTn’s are not merely plentiful and inexpensive, they are superb cameras and as ruggedly indestructible as an SLR can be. Nikon made no compromises in terms of engineering and build quality. These cameras are mechanical works of art.

Buy one in fair condition for twenty dollars and invest another hundred having a good technician bring it back to spec. You are now the proud owner of a piece of precision engineering which will outlive your grandchildren. You could buy one rated in “excellent plus” condition for perhaps sixty dollars, though I’d still have it looked over by a tech I know and trust. At fifty years of age, even in excellent condition, a complex machine like this will likely need a bit of maintenance. If you pay a hundred dollars for an FTn it better be in mint condition with the original box and paperwork.

Some FTn quirks

All of this raises the question, if FTn’s are such great cameras then why are prices so cheap? Because they suffer a few quirks which put some people off. First is the pre-AI lens indexing procedure described above. In addition, the shutter speeds are accessed via a collar around the lens mount in a manner some consider awkward.

Film speed is also adjusted around the lens mount, with a rather fidgety bracket at the underside. There is no hot shoe, but rather a detachable cold shoe accessory which is often missing. The FTn is big and heavy; it weighs nearly a full kilogram empty and without a lens. That’s a massive package even by the standards of the day.

Finally, the FTn was designed to accept mercury batteries which are no longer available. Alkaline replacements are available (designated PX625A), though they produce 1.5 volts as opposed to 1.35 for the mercury cell.

There is wide disagreement over the significance of this last detail. Some claim the voltage discrepancy throws off the meter in a logarithmic fashion such that one cannot compensate by fiddling with the ASA setting. In contrast, I know at least one experienced, well-respected technician who claims that it makes little difference and isn’t worth worrying about. When I objected that online forums were full of mercury battery solutions and workarounds he responded, “I’ve been fixing these things for 35 years! Who are you going to believe?” A full analysis of this issue is beyond the scope of this essay. You’ll have to decide this one on your own.

The FTn compared to…

The FTn is in the same class technologically as the Minolta SRT series, the Canon FTb, Konica Autoreflex series and the Olympus OM-1. All these cameras boast all-metal construction, high build quality, plus easy repair and maintenance. All were designed for mercury batteries which powered a cadmium sulfide (CdS) photocell in a center-weighted metering pattern, and their shutters fired on all speeds without a battery.

The Olympus’ distinguishing feature is its compact size and light weight; all the others are big heavy bricks like the Nikkormat. The Konicas used an early and entirely mechanical form of shutter-priority automation; all the others used match-needle manual-exposure metering. The Pentax Spotmatic, one of the most popular SLRs of this period, is more comparable to the earlier FT due to its use of a full-field averaging metering pattern.

The FT2: how much of an upgrade?

Nikon introduced the FT2 in 1975 with several upgrades. It weighs a bit less than its predecessor and enjoys an integrated hot shoe. In keeping with the times, the mercury cell was replaced by a single 1.5-volt LR44 battery.

The FT2 also added a split-image rangefinder focusing aid at the center of the screen, though some of the later FTn’s got this upgrade too. Most FTn’s made do with a microprism spot. Finally, there was a slight improvement to the manner for adjusting film speed.

In comparing it to other models of the era, I can’t think of many mechanical, all-metal, built-like-a-tank SLRs which used a 1.5-volt battery to power a CdS photo cell. The only one which comes to mind is the Pentax K-1000, a grossly overrated camera easily outclassed by the FT2. The former lacks a self-timer, depth-of-field preview, and mirror lock-up.

The FT2 viewfinder

There is no information in the viewfinder of the K1000 except the meter needle. Its light meter uses full-field averaging. The FT2 is, in my opinion, the best platform upon which to base a budget-conscious pre-AI Nikon system. It’s a bit more expensive than the FTn, though one can easily be had in excellent condition for well under one hundred dollars, and it offers full functionality with pre-AI lenses, which is really where you’re going to save money.

The Nikkormat FT3

The final model in the mechanical Nikkormat line, the FT3, was a stopgap measure until the arrival of the Nikon FM, which wasn’t quite ready for market at the time the AI system was introduced with the F2A.

Nikon didn’t want any pre-AI dinosaurs left in its product line once the new system hit the shelves so they swapped out the metering pin on the FT2 for an AI tab and, viola, the FT3 was born. The FT3 is identical in all respects to the FT2 save the upgrade from pre-AI to AI. It was produced for only a few months and sold alongside the FM for about a year before quietly being withdrawn. If you want to enjoy full functionality with pre-AI lenses, the FT2 is a better choice.

What you need to know, the “AI tab”

After the introduction of the AI-system a handful of cameras were blessed with a retractable AI tab enabling the mounting of unmodified pre-AI lenses. Of course with the AI tab disabled the lens cannot communicate aperture data to the camera, so light readings must be taken with the lens stopped down to the working aperture.

Cameras so equipped are:

  • Nikkormat FT3
  • Nikkormat EL2
  • Nikon FM
  • Nikon FE
  • Nikon F3
  • Nikon F4

When you decide to upgrade your collection, your best transitional cameras will be the FM and FE. Both are truly superior devices which can be had in great shape for USD 100 to 150.

This is the beauty of starting with a pre-AI system. You’re basically buying Nikon equipment at Canon or Minolta prices, but you’re not stuck. You can seamlessly transition to an AI collection via the retractable tab cameras.

Pre-AI lenses. What can you buy?

So if you stick to pre-AI, what sort of lens system can you expect to buy? First, let me disclose that my research tracked prices at two well-known retailers of used analog camera gear in the United States, both of which maintain websites with detailed product listings and consistent grading scales.

If you live elsewhere, you can expect to pay a bit more. Prices quoted herein are for lenses in either “bargain grade” or “very good” condition, indicating no significant optical defects, mostly smooth focusing plus cosmetic wear, sometimes considerable.

Here I am reviewing only the least expensive version, or slowest maximum aperture, of each focal length between 24 and 135 millimetres. The discount still applies of course to the pricier lenses. Want to save fifty bucks on a 35mm f/1.4? Look for an unmodified pre-AI example.

Wide/wide-normal lenses: 24mm – 35mm

Starting at the wide end, the Nikkor-N 24mm f/2.8 is plentiful and quite reasonable, coming in at about USD 125. I’m very pleased with the results I’ve had from mine. I ran a set of test shots against an AF Nikkor 24mm f/2.8. The older lens is softer in the corners wide open, but otherwise comparable. Some will tell you that wide angle lenses have improved tremendously in recent years. This may be true. I suspect the newer glass is sharper in the corners and suffers less distortion.

For this objection I have two answers. First, other than corner softness at open apertures, one would strain to detect much defect or distortion with the naked eye without pixel-peeping a 30+ megapixel image. Second, if you can find a better 24mm lens for USD 125, buy it. Even assuming that wide angle lenses have improved immensely in the past decade, that doesn’t mean the old ones are now substandard. Moreover, the latest and greatest lenses from Nikon are G-series with no aperture rings and are thus virtually useless on manual-focus cameras. Oh, and they ain’t cheap either.

Continuing upward, the 28mm focal length offers one of the best bargains in the Nikkor line, the 28mm f/3.5, a lens introduced with the original F in 1959 and which remained in production well into the 1980’s in AIS configuration, with no change to the optical formula.

Significantly, it was co-produced alongside the 28mm f/2.8 which was introduced in the mid-70’s. The fact that it was not withdrawn from production and superseded by the f/2.8 lens is a strong indicator of Nikon’s confidence in its quality. I tested mine against an AF-D 28mm f/2.8. The older lens was noticeably sharper in the corners and suffered less vignetting wide open. Perhaps I just got a bad copy of the AF-D, but the old f/3.5 does not disappoint.

Remember, Nikon is primarily a lens company. Their optical engineers take the art of lens making very seriously. If they regard a given optical formula as obsolete, they’ll withdraw it in favor of the improved version. The 28mm f/3.5 is dirt cheap only because buyers think reflexively that wider aperture = better.

Nobody buys a 28mm lens for portraiture or creamy bokeh. Unless you need a fast lens for low-light shooting, pick up a Nikkor-H 28mm f/3.5 in top shape for sixty bucks.

The 35mm focal length presents more of a challenge.

The Nikkor-S 35mm f/2.8 is a fine lens, though the early single-coated versions tend to flare. It’s not seen as often as the aforementioned 24 and 28, perhaps because Nikon’s most popular 35mm lens of the period was the f/2 version introduced in 1965.

It’s actually more common to see f/2’s than f/2.8’s for sale in this focal length. When available they can be had for under one hundred dollars. Aaron Sussman, author of the highly respected “The Amateur Photographer’s Handbook”, published in eight editions between 1941 and 1973, referred to the Nikkor-S 35mm f/2.8 as “one of the finest lenses of its kind”.  Today this magnificent piece of optical artistry can be yours for about seventy dollars.

Normal lenses: 50mm

Turning to the 50mm focal length, you’ve got two excellent choices. If your priority is distortion-free sharpness with high contrast, the Nikkor-H 50mm f/2 comes in at fifty dollars.

For better bokeh you can move up to the Nikkor-S 50mm f/1.4 for USD 80.

You’ll search long and hard to find a decent AI version of the f/1.4 for anywhere near one hundred dollars, whereas there’s not much of an AI premium for the f/2. So whereas the f/2 is cheaper the f/1.4 is the better deal if one measures the bargain by the amount saved versus the AI version.

Short-telephoto lenses: 85mm – 135mm

The 85mm focal length tends to be pricey in every 35mm system I can think of, though I’m not sure why.

At any rate, a Nikkor-H 85mm f/1.8 in nice shape commands about two hundred dollars. But before you fork over that cash, consider the next two candidates for portraiture instead.

The 105 and 135mm focal lengths offer two classic designs for portraiture. Both utilize a Sonnar-type optical formula first developed by Zeiss in the 1920s. At that time anti-reflective coating technology was in its infancy and optical designers sought to minimize the number of air-to-glass surfaces, so Sonnar lenses tend to have fewer groups of elements.

Today this type of formula has a cult following and is highly favored for portraiture. The early 105mm f/2.5’s with the chrome front ring used a Sonnar formula, as did all pre-AI versions of the 135mm f/3.5. The pre-AI 105mm with the black front ring has the updated optical formula and most have multi-coating (look for the “C” after the “P” around the front element). It is identical optically to the AIS version which sells for twice the price. That’s quite a premium for a built-in lens hood. Either version of the 105 can be had for one hundred dollars. The 135 fetches about fifty.

The final word…?

I’ve been using the Nikon system for about twelve years, though my pre-AI gear is much more recent.

When prices started to rise I decided I wanted a camera which could mount unmodified pre-AI lenses with full functionality so I picked up an FT2 for forty bucks. I took it to my local tech and now it shoots smoothly and flawlessly for a total investment, including the original purchase price, of about one hundred dollars.

I liked it so much that I bought an FTn which I have thoroughly enjoyed. My FM has been gathering dust for over a year. The Nikkormats are now my go-to cameras for everyday use. Unless I need a shutter speed over 1/1000, TTL flash or critically accurate metering in low light I feel no need to reach for the FM2, F3 or F100.

If you’re considering which 35mm system to buy into, don’t write off Nikon because of price. Give serious thought to a Nikkormat-based pre-AI system.

You will not be disappointed.

~ Brian

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29 responses to “How to save money with a Nikon Pre-AI camera system”

  1. Luke Edward Aikens Rutherford Avatar
    Luke Edward Aikens Rutherford

    How can I tell if a lens is pre ai? I just mounted a Vivitar 28mm f2.5 on my Nikon Fm2n. Now the meter does not work. I will get new batteries tomorrow. Right now I’m having kittens for fear that I may have wrecked my beautiful camera. I don’t knowhow to tell if the lens is ai or not

    1. well, the non Ai lenses need the prong to couple with the meters of the respective cameras. Ai lenses have a coupling mechanism on the rim of the lens. Non-Ai lenses do not have such a curt out for lack of a better term. Some cameras like the F3 or the F4 the FE and FM can lift up the coupling lever (for the Ai system). The FM2 or FE3 CANNOT lift that lever out of the way. If this is not lifted up, indeed the camera can be damaged. This damage would be mechanically, NOT the meter itself. So check the rim on/around the camera bayonet, there is a ring which turns with the aperture on the lens.

      Some lenses have been factory converted by Nikon when the Ai system was implemented, so this is a combination of an older lens (like the full metal rim lenses) with a Ai coupling system. Some lenses have been converted by milling out a cut out in the (larger) rim of the non-Ai lens.

      I cannot say if your particular lens is a Non-Ai lens or not.

      This is NOT a Ai lens: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vivitar-28mm-f-2-5-Wide-Angle-Lens-Nikon-Non-AI-Mount-manual-focus-/221228424768

      hope that helps
      Rolf

  2. The Nikkormat FT (not the FTn) is an underappreciated gem for the typical user — the lens has to be manually indexed to the meter, rather than the “Nikon shuffle.” OK, it takes 15 seconds instead of 5, but once set it will never “reset” because of a sticky ring or misapplication of the lens to the body. And how often does the current “typical user” change lenses anyway? The front assembly is a lot easier to service because of the lack of springs and ratchets (ever take one of those apart for service?) And so it’s easier to keep the metering system alive.
    Biggest drawback is that it’s not a center-weighted field — but as long as one keeps that in mind, I can’t see how it’s a drawback in today’s world—-photographers after that “speed-intensive” experience have probably migrated (totally?) to digital anyway.

    Prices on FTs are marginally less than FTns, they seem to have zero collector value, even when pristine. I have one of each, can’t really decide which one I like better, they’re pretty equivalent in use – only real difference is that I”ve owned my FTn since new (’74) and the FT only for a half-dozen years (I think I paid $<10 to KEH for a “bargain grade” that was cosmetically excellent but needed a good cleaning and refoam — how could I resist that?)

    1. You’re 100% right on all your points but trouble is that all the succeeding Nikons are so much more convenient to use. Being newer, they carry greater appeal like the EM, FM series which are lighter, more modern and less fiddly.

  3. This is a BRILLIANT article, super detailed and illustrated, and containing totally accurate information. Thanks for this!

  4. “Some claim the voltage discrepancy throws off the meter in a logarithmic fashion such that one cannot compensate by fiddling with the ASA setting. In contrast, I know at least one experienced, well-respected technician who claims that it makes little difference and isn’t worth worrying about. When I objected that online forums were full of mercury battery solutions and workarounds he responded, “I’ve been fixing these things for 35 years! Who are you going to believe?” A full analysis of this issue is beyond the scope of this essay. You’ll have to decide this one on your own.”

    It is nothing logarithmic there. The voltage difference will cause a liniar throw off. Problem is you are never know exactly how much voltage your alcaline battery has. It is why meters (I mean the ones for measuring distances) are mad of a solid material (wood, metal) and not of a rubber band.
    Who I am going to believe? The roll of slides exposed in such a camera.

  5. It is Praktica, not Practika.

  6. It is Praktica, not Practika

  7. Great article – thanks for providing more information about the little known Nikkormat cameras. I bought an EL for £70 with a zoom Nikkor lens (about $100). I love the look with the lens prong connecting with the camera – so retro. You suggest the EL isn’t the one to have – may be so – but I just want to point out that mine works great. I haven’t had to change the battery yet. And you set the shutter speed with a proper dial on the top face of the camera. The battery only drains with the camera advance lever in the ‘out’ position. You soon train your thumb to click it back in after the shot. Anyhow if the battery drains it doesn’t stop you – it just defaults to 1/90 sec.
    Results are great; I started with the Nikkormat 43-86mm zoom (probably the ‘kit’ camera lens of its day). Although only f3.5 it is a very handy zoom range – especially for car photos – my fave subjects. I also found a cheap f3.5 28mm. Of course I had to get the 50mm f1.4 and that’s a fabulous lens. The only drawback of the EL (apart from weight) is a naff shutter sound. But I’m very pleased with this camera. I moved to Fuji digital and Pre-AI Nikon gear after 10 years of the frustrating Canon digital system – crazy prices for lenses, and constantly moving target bodies, again at silly prices. I can also mount these lovely vintage Nikkor lenses on my Fuji X digital camera with a suitable mount too! It’s win win. Long live vintage camera gear…

  8. The old Nikkor 135mm f3.5 was always a very affordable and quality lens. However, examine them closely today. Most of them exhibit fungus and/or haze. Must be something in the manufacture of that particular lens because it’s hard to find one today without that damage.

  9. This article was what prompted me to go out in search of my own Nikon Pre-AI kit. A few months ago I became the proud owner of a Nikkormat FT2 in great shape that came with a later model 50mm f/2 Pre-AI lens, all for $65 USD. They truly are a great camera and a great value. I already had a 28mm f/3.5 AI lens to use with the FT2 and I subsequently found a great bargain Nikkor-P 105mm f/2.5 lens for about $75.

  10. Why begin with 24 mm? There is the beautiful 20/3.5 UD, the 20/4 and the 20/3.5.

  11. well, I just LOVE the feel of the older pre-ai full metal Nikkors. I put them onto my Nikon F2 Photomic (sorry).

    You should add that there is an especially sharp Micro-Nikkor f=3.5 55mm to be had… excellent lens… the smallish, cute GN-Nikkor f=2.8 45mm for smart manual flash photography (aperture gets changed with the distance after putting in the Guide number of your flash), full metal feeling as well.

    R.
    PS: the Minolta SRT series are very fine cameras too, with display of aperture and shutter speed in the very bright finder, good lenses, I just have started with Nikon glass and kept to it.

  12. I loved this very detailed and positive article so much that I went out and bought an FT2 off Ebay. It came with a late model Non-AI 50mm f/2 (no chrome front ring) and a Vivitar 35-105mm f/3.2 AI lens for $70. The light meter even works and that 50mm f/2 lens seems buttery smooth with lovely focus throw. I ran a test roll of Kentmere 400 through it and can’t wait to develop it. I’m pretty sure it needs new light seals, but it’s a joy to use, just like the article said!

  13. I own a few Nikkormats and F2 and F – The F is beaten to a heap and works perfectly. My Nikkormats are preferred to all of my cameras. And the work fine with 1.5 volt batteries. Good article.

  14. NEWS FLASH……….THE CANON FTB, AND FTB(n) HAS A……..SPOT METERING SYSTEM…….JUST LIKE IT BIGGER BROTHER……THE F1, AND F1(n).NOT AS THE STORY SAYS…….. THAT S WHY I SOLD CIRCULAR POLA FILTER FOR BOTH………TA DAAAAAA.

  15. Indra Wiguna Rosalia Avatar
    Indra Wiguna Rosalia

    Few weeks ago I save money with pre-AI, though not exactly same. I have a mint Nikon F3, then i bought a 50mm f1.4 pre-AI without any research about a slightly different mount, metering won’t work accurately, etc. That lens doesn’t even lock on my F3.
    Luckily the seller have an ability to modify pre-AI mount to AI and do this to me for free. Now that 50mm pre-AI mounted handsomely on my F3 with accurate metering, I dont have to use stop down metering technique. And it’s a lot cheaper than AI/AIs version, about 50 usd different.
    Now, I will searching for pre-AI lenses only.

  16. So who are buying all these Nikons? Newbies who just know that they are great cameras and so they must have one? Like the Hollywood types and their $10,000 Leicas?

    I suspect it’s Nikon = Must have. Not so much, is this necessary for me?

    If the goal is to take pictures via one’s new passion, film, there are many options. I’ve never even thought about owning a Nikon because of prices. And Canon later in the game found a nice place alongside. But any camera with the right brain behind the eyepiece will take great pictures.

    Ricoh, Vivitar, Olympus, Sears (Ricoh), Pentax. There are more. Buy a camera, learn it, go take pictures. I was at a concert last night taking pictures with my 1980’s Ricoh XR-P, several people thought it must be quite exotic as they’d not hear of it. Hah!

    And for many less-than-Nikon cameras, the K mount lens remains universal. I can take my Pentax DSLR’s 18-200 mm lens and put it on my Ricoh, which I only did once for the hell of it.

    I’m NOT trashing Nikons or the helpful information here. Just asking a different starting point question.

    1. “So who are buying all these Nikons?”

      Me. I own the Nikkormats used in this article. I bought them as part of a wider Nikon F mount collection.

  17. Hey, this is quite the labor of love. Pretty comprehensive. Our kit in the early 70’s consisted of one of the Leica M’s (mine was an M2…still have it & use it) fitted w/a 35mm Summicron f/2 & a Nikon FTn w/a 105 (always called a ‘one-oh-five’…posers called them ‘one hundred five millimeters.) my SLR of choice was the Nikkormat FTn w/the silver barrel 105. The body looked like it was milled out of solid steel. You could shoot the world with that combo.
    I held onto a 55mm f/2.8 micro-Nikkor. About a year ago, I got a ‘headless’ F2 body in great condition for almost nothing. I picked up a waist level finder, a full microprism screen and now I’ve got a sweet kit for close-up photography. Most of my work is with my M2 or M4, but on occasion, I shoot macro work of non-nature objects.
    I’m with you…pick up a lens or a body, get it cleaned and you’ve got a piece of top notch pro equipment for a song.
    Thanks for the adverts, they brought back memories.

  18. Thank you Brian – really nice round up. Back in the day I used most of the Nikons you mention and a Spotmatic, and I’d have to say though, that the pre-AI stuff is a PITA compared with the AI. Sure prices have gone up, but I’d send someone starting out straight to a later FM and a 50 f1.8 or 2.0 AI. The brilliant metering with those LEDs, ease of getting batteries and wonderful ergonomics make that the sweet spot for me. (That’s the set up I gave to my daughter, who’s happilly flogged it round the world for a few years now. I just occasionally shake the worst of the sand out of it when she comes home) I don’t generally look at US prices though. I’ve had an FM2N from new and while they’re sweet that they are a bit dear compared to an FM for a first-timer IMHO.

    Cheers

  19. @AlexLuyckxPhoto @ZDP189 So much information …. amazing article !!

  20. “I am unaware of any other manufacturer which etc, etc”. Always dangerous ground, as there will usually someone who does.
    I am aware of one, and I agree it’s s stupid place to put it. My Zeiss Contarex Super has this very feature, if this is what one can call it.
    I used a Nikon F Photomic Ftn in the early 1980’s, and thought this was heavy, but I was truly amazed at the weight of the fully working Nikomat FTn I sourced from Japan last year for just £15. As you point out, a fully usable camera and I agree, having the shutter speed setting around the lens mount, is a real pain, but not sufficient, IMO, to negate its other features.
    Regarding batteries, and especially the lack of 1.35V mercury cells, if one does have an issue using 1.5V batteries, there is a more viable option, use cheap 1.4V hearing aid batteries with a dumb adapter.

  21. Got this nikkormat ftn for $30 near mint and works like a tank ever since https://t.co/5pqIGdnIEy

  22. @AlexLuyckxPhoto I’m not sure I’d recommend the Nikkormats as cheap alternatives to the other Nikons,… https://t.co/sVuJlzjmYv

  23. @AlexLuyckxPhoto Although that’s my Nikkormat collection pictured, they’re not IMO, as nice to use as… https://t.co/S3oXTvFG0z

  24. @AlexLuyckxPhoto I think you left out that the FS is neither AI nor non AI, as there is no meter to c… https://t.co/n50rH2IC1c

  25. Brian great article and an interesting read…the only problem is I’m now looking for a FT2 🙂

  26. @AlexLuyckxPhoto “Today we’re all kicking ourselves for not having bought more.”

    Not me. I bought th… https://t.co/1H7KKvK3zb

 

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