This is one of those that makes Nikon famous?

Bukitimah

Senior Member
c4a1245.jpg
 

Eye-level

Banned
The Nikon F was the 35mm SLR that took the crown away from the rangefinder crowd way back in 1959. Up until it's release rangefinders ruled. After the F SLR became king and still is to this day. It also heralded the F mount bayonet lens and interchangeable focusing screens and meterheads. It was the first true system camera. For over 10 years just about every photojournalist in the world used the F system. It is world wide renowned then and now for it's durability and near indestructibility. It has probably won more Pulitzers than any other camera ever made. It has been used in space. Yes sir that is the one that put Nikon on the map for sure.

 

SamSpade1941

Senior Member
I cant remember who but a rather well known camera repair man dubbed the Nikon F the Hockey Puck because they simply did not break. They just kept working, the one weak link on the Nikon F was the F36 which was known to be finicky and had to be tuned in most cases to the camera in which it was mounted. I personally never had any experience with one as that was strictly exotic fare and I was lucky to own the Nikon F Apollo I owned at all considering I was a teenager at the time, I paid $250 for used along with a non AI 55 mm f/1.2 lens and shot photos with it like there was no tomorrow. When I joined the Army and began earning the big money I think around $650 a month, I spend what amounted to the best part of a months pay on a Nikon F2 AS and mounted my 55mm lens on it. I later sold my Nikon F to a buddy who ended up pawning it.

I will say this with no reservations, I loved my Nikon F2 like no other camera period end of the story. It was the most beautiful thing in my eyes that ever was. It was rock solid dependable and always worked and was simply a joy to shoot with. It never failed me, having said that neither did my Nikon F. Both cameras in the time I owned them traveled around the world, endured traveling in ruck sacks and jumping in and out of helicopters. The F is a monument to tough and my F2 never did anything better than the F did. It is threads like these that makes me wish I had both cameras back and what I throughly dislike about digital cameras. They don't have that same feel or connection.
 

SamSpade1941

Senior Member
Well I always said that the F2 held its value well, you have to bear in mind when I purchased my F2AS it had already been out of production for 6 years the F3 came into production in 1983 and I could have bought one of those cheaper. I chose to pay more for the F2 which was lightly used. I will end up getting another one at some point.
 

Eye-level

Banned
KEH is the place to get a used F or F2 nowadays. Get one in Ex and you will get a really nice camera for decent money. If you want the cat's meow like new or something rare and are willing to pay the big bucks Kevin Cameras is the place (especially for F's) but he is super high dollar probably to much.

If I was a rich guy I would buy a F2 Titan probably 2 of them! :)
 

SamSpade1941

Senior Member
You know years ago in Shutterbug there was a dealer in San Diego IIRC Del's Camera the Nikon Candy Store and he had literally everything Nikon. He would take out HUGE multi page ads that I would comb over for accessories for my Nikon F2. I wonder if he went out of business he does not seem to advertise any longer and he is not on the Internet.
 

Eye-level

Banned
N.I.K.O.N is such a person on Ebay although right now he doesn't have much inventory up. He is in Texas I believe. japancamerahunter.com can get you anything made in the land of the rising sun camera wise but you have to pay him.
 

gav329

Senior Member
So nice to read Nikon Japan or made in japan on the older camera equipment. My old Pentax gear says that on it too and is fabulously well made. Wasn't too expensive either 20 years ago. Shame that a lot of Nikon and the other manufacturers have moved from Japan. The Japanese made truly superb photo equipment!!


Gav

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Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
So nice to read Nikon Japan or made in japan on the older camera equipment. My old Pentax gear says that on it too and is fabulously well made. Wasn't too expensive either 20 years ago. Shame that a lot of Nikon and the other manufacturers have moved from Japan. The Japanese made truly superb photo equipment!!
Gav

Japanese share holders have needs too… Profit still rules the market. Japanese workers used to work for almost nothing. Now that they have tasted the money and what it buys, they want more. Chinese workers will get there too.

Hopefully someday jobs will be back in America to feed our families and kids.
 

gav329

Senior Member
Japanese stuff far superior to the Chinese though without a doubt. Money not a problem for the Japanese I see every year here on holiday judging by the top of the range nikons round their neck's. They do make and enjoy nice cameras.


Gav

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stmv

Senior Member
one of the pleasures is looking at the quality of manufacturing. I love holding the Nikon F3 and marveling at the precision. Rack forward the film mechanism, and the bearings are silky smooth. I think that is why many love the D300/700/D3/D800 cameras.

On the otherhand, the quality control of the "offshore" production sites of Nikon have produced quality product. I really don't see much quality issues with the D7000. Seem plenty solid, and the defect
ratio is on par with production in Japan. (remember the D800 issues - Made in Japan)

But,, will say that each generation of gear is just a bit cheaper. Pre AI,, art, AI,, fine crafstman, the plastic AI autofocus,, not bad, but... and now G lens,, well even less quality, but still fine peices of equipment.
 

LensWork

Senior Member
You know years ago in Shutterbug there was a dealer in San Diego IIRC Del's Camera the Nikon Candy Store and he had literally everything Nikon. He would take out HUGE multi page ads that I would comb over for accessories for my Nikon F2. I wonder if he went out of business he does not seem to advertise any longer and he is not on the Internet.

Del's was actually in Santa Barbara, on State Street, not too far from Brook's Institute of Photography. I had heard that Del Hegland (owner) had closed the store some years ago and gotten into the real estate business. Through the doors of Del's passed at least one example of virtually everything Nikon ever made, including such legendary items as the 6mm f/2.8 fisheye, the 2000mm f/11 reflex, the 300mm f/2.0 with matched TC-14C, etc.
 

SamSpade1941

Senior Member
Del's was actually in Santa Barbara, on State Street, not too far from Brook's Institute of Photography. I had heard that Del Hegland (owner) had closed the store some years ago and gotten into the real estate business. Through the doors of Del's passed at least one example of virtually everything Nikon ever made, including such legendary items as the 6mm f/2.8 fisheye, the 2000mm f/11 reflex, the 300mm f/2.0 with matched TC-14C, etc.


Thank you! It was Santa Barbara Ca. , believe it or not his ads were the reason I subscribed to Shutterbug for years and years on end. When I got out of photography the first time around and sold my F2 and other gear like my Watson Model 100 and darkroom equipment. I stopped reading Shutterbug. When I got back into photography in 2009 I was very let down to see his ads were missing from the pages of Shutterbug. His store was truly the Nikon Candy Store.
 

Photowyzard

Senior Member
Hopefully someday jobs will be back in America to feed our families and kids.

Hopefully, but I don't see it happening any time soon. I would rather pay $100 more for my consumer electronics and have the jobs came back here rather than the current situation.

Or, slap tariffs on the goods and force the "manufacturing countries" to open plants here and employ North Americans. I am happy to buy what we make!

Then, you will see jobs come back to America.
 

Eye-level

Banned
Wipe out all of the politicians and offshore banks and Wal Mart then we will see Made in America again...LOL

Although I prefer my cameras and sewing machines to be made in Japan. :)
 
Last edited:

Eye-level

Banned
OK a "more complete advertising history of Nikon leading up to the F"...enjoy!

The Nikon SP and the Nikon F share tons of parts! It was the glass that put them on the map initially and then when they came up with that Zen circle, triangle, square body in the F and the mirror it was all over for the rangefinder.

Nikon vintage cameras
 
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