Got my grandfather's old Nikon F, looking for some information on it

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Got my grandfather's old Nikon F, looking for some inform...

keegan
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p.1 #1 · Got my grandfather's old Nikon F, looking for some information on it

Hi all. I just inherited this:

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camera from my grandfather. It came with a 105mm lens i think, or somewhere around there. I'm looking to get a wide angle lens, can anyone inform me as to why type of lens to look for? Nikon puts a lot of letters beside their lenses and I don't know exactly what type of lens will work.

Also, it is quite old and hasn't been used in a few decades. I assume it will need some maintenance, how would I find someone who can do that for me? Will any old camera shop in my area take a look at it, or should I send it to a specialist?

Nov 01, 2012 at 01:42 PM

DocsPics
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p.1 #2 · Got my grandfather's old Nikon F, looking for some information on it

Two step process:

Step 1: Get some film

Step 2: Go out and shoot to your hearts content. It is so cool when our loved ones hand down tools for us to use as they did in their days.

May not need any maintenance at all. Probably a new battery for the exposure meter (if it has one).

Enjoy

Nov 01, 2012 at 01:51 PM

keegan
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p.1 #3 · Got my grandfather's old Nikon F, looking for some information on it

Thanks for the reply DocsPics. Do you have a suggestion on what film to get? I don't know what to look for, I started with digital cameras.

Nov 01, 2012 at 01:56 PM

Two23
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p.1 #4 · Got my grandfather's old Nikon F, looking for some information on it

I would go for some Ilford HP5. It's ISO 400 and that gives you a lot of lee way for faster shutter speeds. It has the classic look the camera was made to produce. There is a serial number on the lens and camera. If you look those up you'll have an idea of when they were made.

Kent in SD

Nov 01, 2012 at 02:14 PM

Zichar
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p.1 #5 · Got my grandfather's old Nikon F, looking for some information on it

Here's a good primer for the Nikon F: From history to operations

http://www.mir.com.my/michaeliu/cameras/nikonf/

And drop by the MF Nikon thread for glass options
http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/929565/
As a general guide, you're looking for anything that's not AF-S

I don't shoot film often either, have only stuck with black and white films because I'm used to digital for colour
Also due to ease of getting stock - photographic equipment store not too far from my workplace
Have had good experience with Ilford Delta 3200 and Delta 400

Nov 01, 2012 at 02:18 PM

Zebrabot
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p.1 #6 · Got my grandfather's old Nikon F, looking for some information on it

The standar test of an old camera is to set the shutter to 1 second and fake take a photo. If the shutter takes about 1 second to open and close, you're good to go. If not something is gummed up or may need a cleaning.

Any color film thesr days is tolerant of a huge screw up factor.

If you want black and white, neopan 400 from fuji is extremely hard to expose and develop wrong. I have yet to see a completely screwed up roll of this stuff.

For my own use, kodak tmax 400 is the all around winner. Kodak Tmax and Ilford Delta films are very fussy about how you develop them.

In the end it's really hard to get bad results with black and white stuff, which is why it's fun.

Nov 01, 2012 at 02:45 PM

Two23
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p.1 #7 · Got my grandfather's old Nikon F, looking for some information on it

Whatever film you have, when you send it to be developed ask for them to make a scan of the images. That way you can post them online. I process mine in Photoshop as well, just as I would digital shots. If you decide you like using the camera, you might look for a circa early 1960s 35mm lens for it. I use the serial numbers to look up the manufacture dates.

Kent in SD

Nov 01, 2012 at 02:56 PM

Airphoto
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p.1 #8 · Got my grandfather's old Nikon F, looking for some information on it

Just a heads up. IF the meter works you have an extremely rare and expensive camera. The meter movements are pretty fragile and not replaceable, no parts available
That being said some of the lenses taht were wonderful back then were the 24mm 2.8 the 55mm micro or any of the 50mm. watchout for haze and fungus in the lenses. Thee was also a 200mm f/4 that was great.
Non nikn lenses Vivitar series one made a 90-180 macro zoom f/4.5. really nice lens, they also made a 3.3 200mm and a 2.3* 135mm really super shar lenes. The vivitar made a70-210 f/3.5 that was soso ;lacked contrast.
Tamron will have some really nice older lenses 200mm 300mm 2.8 and 400mm f/4 all should fit all manual focus. if they meter link they will have the hook on the lens

Edited on Nov 01, 2012 at 03:12 PM · View previous versions

Nov 01, 2012 at 03:11 PM

DTOB
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p.1 #9 · Got my grandfather's old Nikon F, looking for some information on it

Two23 wrote:
Whatever film you have, when you send it to be developed ask for them to make a scan of the images. That way you can post them online. I process mine in Photoshop as well, just as I would digital shots. If you decide you like using the camera, you might look for a circa early 1960s 35mm lens for it. I use the serial numbers to look up the manufacture dates.

Kent in SD
Ballpark, what do you par for your scans Kent? Labs around me charge an arm and a leg (like $25 a roll) for scans that are around 2000px wide and pretty muddy.

I got fed up with that quickly and got me an Espon v500. There are better scanners available, but for the $150 I paid for it, I am quite happy with the results.

To the OP, fantastic camera you've got there. I know Kent recently started a thread about wanting one. They are still serviceable. Very nice to have a piece of your grandfather to hold on to, and to see the world through the same camera he did. Have fun.

Dylan

Nov 01, 2012 at 03:11 PM

keegan
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p.1 #10 · Got my grandfather's old Nikon F, looking for some information on it

Thank you everyone for the recommendations on films and other ideas. I'll give this camera a testing this weekend, hopefully everything works!

Nov 01, 2012 at 03:13 PM

runamuck
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p.1 #11 · Got my grandfather's old Nikon F, looking for some information on it

I don't think you have a meter. Learn "Sunny f16" or pick up a used meter.

Be ready to answer lots of questions about the camera.

Edited on Nov 01, 2012 at 03:29 PM · View previous versions

Nov 01, 2012 at 03:15 PM

DTOB
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p.1 #12 · Got my grandfather's old Nikon F, looking for some information on it

runamuck wrote:
I don't think you have a meter. Learn "Sunny f16" or pick up a used meter.

You could also shoot it alongside a DSLR and use similar values for ISO/SS/Aperture.

Nov 01, 2012 at 03:27 PM

derry1
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p.1 #13 · Got my grandfather's old Nikon F, looking for some information on it

looks like one of my Photomic T cameras of many years past,,

the meter was fair but still used a handheld for the final shot,, was a work horse though with many roles of film though it,, cannot recall where it went or if I sold or gave it to someone,,

enjoy,,

Derry

Nov 01, 2012 at 04:30 PM

Two23
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p.1 #14 · Got my grandfather's old Nikon F, looking for some information on it

DTOB wrote:
[
Ballpark, what do you par for your scans Kent? Labs around me charge an arm and a leg (like $25 a roll) for scans that are around 2000px wide and pretty muddy.

I got fed up with that quickly and got me an Espon v500. There are better scanners available, but for the $150 I paid for it, I am quite happy with the results.

Since I mostly shoot 120 and also a fair amount of 4x5, I have an Epson v700 to scan those formats. To scan 35mm I have a Nikon Coolscan V. I am lucky in that I have a traditional camera store right in my town (a local chain in fact) that still processes 35mm & 120, types C41, E6, and b&w. They charge about $9 to process a roll and save the images to a CD (no prints.) That's really not bad.

http://www.haroldsphoto.com/filmservices.asp

Kent in SD

Nov 01, 2012 at 04:34 PM

DTOB
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p.1 #15 · Got my grandfather's old Nikon F, looking for some information on it

$9 for development AND scanning?? Nope not bad at all.

Nov 01, 2012 at 04:48 PM

Baywing
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p.1 #16 · Got my grandfather's old Nikon F, looking for some information on it

It has a primitive meter in the finder, but IIRC, it used a mercury cell battery which you won't be able to find now. While the F is valubale, it is much more valuable if it had the original prism finder as many of the finders were switched when the meter finder was introduced. The prism finders were lost or tossed and today, the prism finder is often worth more than the camera itself.
The shutter test at 1 sec is good, and run a roll of B&W thru it first. At some point, with the film in the camera, let some sunlight hit the back and if the film fogs, the seal around the back is NG. The shutter is cloth, and being old, is likely more fragile than the newer thinner metal ones.
I also have my grandfathers Nikon F, it has the original prism finder, is light tight and best of all, is from the first year of production according to the SN. Over 20 years ago, I had a local Nikon service tech offer me alot of money for it, but nowhere what it was reallly worth.

Lenses should carry the AI or AIS designation.

Nov 01, 2012 at 05:53 PM

Zebrabot
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p.1 #17 · Got my grandfather's old Nikon F, looking for some information on it

The F has a titanium shutter, not cloth. It's pretty advanced. Many of the lenses from that time are not AI or AIS either.

It doesn't matter either way, just don't force an old lense on a new body or you may break something, and it won't be the old lense.

The only other part to gum up over time is the self timer, but that's not really important for use.

There aren't too many light seals to go back on a F, which is nice.

You can set your film speed using the red and black arrows on the bottom of the camera. Just rotate the red arrow to an ISO speed for color film and the black arrow black for B&W. It will help you remember what speed film is loaded of you don't use the camera for a while.

Nov 01, 2012 at 08:56 PM

Ian Boys
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p.1 #18 · Got my grandfather's old Nikon F, looking for some information on it

1) I wouldn't trust the meter. Use sunny 16 or get a cheap handheld incident meter.

2) For film I recommend Kodak Tri-X

3) For lenses ideally you want the pre-AI ones. They are much cheaper as they won't fit on digital cameras. The 28mm f3.5 is excellent and very cheap. The 35mm f2 costs a bit more but is wonderful.

You DON'T need AI or AI-S lenses on this camera. It predates that type of lens by over a decade. And they cost more as they are compatible with modern DSLRs.

Nov 01, 2012 at 08:56 PM

NightOwl Cat
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p.1 #19 · Got my grandfather's old Nikon F, looking for some information on it

I also have two F's here, one belonged to my dad, and he sent me all his gear, and one I got in a box of stuff from Craigslist, along with a bunch of the old movie cameras.

My Dad's gear

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About the only Nikon F mount lenses that wouldn't work too well on it would be the ones without the aperture ring, the G lenses.

If you want to have it checked over, or need to send it for repairs, try APS, http://www.nikoncamerarepair.com they are in Morton Grove, Illinois.

And the rummage box

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Nov 01, 2012 at 09:59 PM

lukeb
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p.1 #20 · Got my grandfather's old Nikon F, looking for some information on it

derry1 wrote:
looks like one of my Photomic T cameras of many years past,,

the meter was fair but still used a handheld for the final shot,, was a work horse though with many roles of film though it,, cannot recall where it went or if I sold or gave it to someone,,

enjoy,,

Derry

+1

Brings back many memories

Nov 01, 2012 at 10:11 PM

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