[bside123]

Hi Guys:

So yesterday... a good friend of the family gifted me with her 95 year-old father's Nikkormat Camera. The kit is in excellent condition, and all functions appear
to be working, although I haven't run a roll of film through it yet. The camera will need a thorough cleaning, but there is no mold, fungus, oil on the blades or
even dust in the lens. There's tons of stuff on the internet, but in a nutshell, what have I got here? This camera seems to be very well built.

Any tips or comments would be greatly appreciated.

Nikkormat FT2 Serial Number 5240111
Nikon Nikkor 50mm, F1:2 Lens, Manual Focus (7 blade, if I counted correctly)

I've read some that these lenses were/are highly regarded, but I don't know which version I have... Supposedly, this lens heralds back to approximately 1974-75, and apparently, you can still
buy a brand new one today!

Feedback Please 


Nikkormat FT2


Nikon Nikkor 50mm f/1:2 Lens


Nikon Nikkor 50mm f/1:2 Lens

[thunderbrick]

Very rugged, fewer features than the F or F2, but you can drive nails with it.  Might have a problem finding a battery for it, but why do you think it needs to be cleaned?  Are the light seals and mirror cushion intact and dry?  Sometimes the foam rots with age and gets gummy..

The copal shutter rarely fails or needs cleaning.  I have a handful of these cameras, and i don't think I've ever seen a bad one, even if dropped.

[bside123]

Thanks 'Brick.

Nothing seems "gummy."Everything is dry, and the seals appear to be intact. By cleaning... I mean the camera itself. I don't know how many years its been sitting in a box. The optics are dusty and dirty... so is the mirror and a little grime here and there, but nothing major. What about the lens?

[dB Cooper]

Looks just like my father's FTn. Its ancient but still works perfectly every time we take it out. Not sure which order they came in. Was the FT2 the one without the light meter? Think my dad's used the mercury batteries which are no longer available but there are substitutes.

The f/2 was the entry level "normal" lens and don't know how it ranks vis a vis the other Nikkor 50s but should give perfectly fine results. Yours looks like the later style 50. Don't know if the lens "formula" changed but some Nikon nerd somewhere probably does.

This camera used the Copal Square shutter which was in a wide range of cameras at the time rathere than an OEM-made shutter like the Nikon FT. Only real downside to this camera IMO was the shutter speed setting around the lens mount, right next to the aperture setting. The aperture ring was knurled and the shutter speed was smooth with a "tab" for a handle so you wouldn't change one by mistake when setting the other. I found the shutter setting control awkward and could never get used to it; I always ended up having to look at the front of the camera to locate the little handle when I needed to change the shutter speed.

Wikipedia, naturally, has a good page laying out the differences.   

[charmerci]

Back when Nikon had the expensive, professional F/F2 and later F2A/F2AS Nikon bodies, they decided to come out with cheaper/home user models called the Nikkormat - eliminated by the early 80's when they came out with less expensive Nikon bodies. The f2 lens that you have is a - later than that body's - 80's model of lens (it's an "AI" version) - as said above an inexpensive but good model. They also had a f1.8 (which I used to own) and a highly regarded 50mm f1.2 version.

AI lens - automatic indexing (the later AIS is slightly different mechanically) - was because later Nikons didn't have that pin sticking out of the body that adjusts the aperture but because it has that little "u" hook, is backwards compatible with your older model.

[SET Man]

Hey!

  Din/bside123, you lucky dog! 

  The camera looks good. Doesn't look like it had been use much and good that there is no fungus and etc in the lens. One good thing about Nikon is that they kept the camera mount when they start making AF cameras. So, all Nikon's old F-mount lenses will work on any Nikon SLRs or today's DSLRs.

   Anyway, most of the older SLRs from the '70s were well built. This one is likely all mechanical shutter with match needle metering. So, yes the battery only operate the meter. You can use the camera even if the battery is dead.

   First thing to do is set it at 1 sec and time it and see if it right. If 1sec sounds right than like the rest of the speed should work well. Than set the f stop to the max, look in to the lens from the front and fire the camera a few times, the aperture should open and close quickly and snappy. If it is slow and sluggish than you have problem like oily blade or inside the aperture mechanism.

    As for battery you have to find out, likely it was design to use mercury cell. You can buy zinc air cell from Wein that would be the right voltage (1.35V) for it but since it operate when is expose to air the zinc air cell will run out of juice fast after the hole is open doesn't matter if you use or not.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?atclk=Category_Camera+Batteries+%26+Power+Supplies&sts=ma&ci=4950&N=4291645525&Ntt=zinc

   You can prolong it by cover up the hole when not in use but that only help a bit. On some camera you can use the modern silver oxide cell but it is a bit at higher voltage and will cause the meter to be off. On some camera you can mod or adjust the meter to take the current silver oxide, this is what I did to my 1966 Minolta SRT 101.

   Once you get the meter to work, take a reading on a gray card if you have one, if not take a reading from a evenly lite white wall with that camera and than use you DSLR take a reading at the same ISO setting and compare the two and see how accurate the Nikon is, one third to half stop different is not uncommon.

   Than the only way to test of accurate the shutter and meter is to have it tested. But you can put a roll of slide film in it and see. Slide film have very narrow exposure latitude so any inaccuracy in shutter speed will be easier to see than with negative. I usually do this with all my cameras I've got.

   Man! Sorry that's long one, what can I say I do love films and film cameras.  I'm sure some of you here already know that. So, yeah. Get a roll or two of film and go have and have fun 

Take care,
Buddy


   

   

[thunderbrick]

Clean it?  Simple.  Go to your basement and get a nice, soft,  clean 1"-3" paint brush. 

Brush off the top of the camera and around the lens.

Open camera.  Repeat process, but don't touch the shutter with the brush.

Pull up tail of your undershirt, preferably in the front.  Gently wipe front and rear elements. 

Same for rear eyepiece.

Use the camera.

If you want to go the high-dollar route, spend $15 on a Giotto rocket blaster. 

Remove lens, blow on mirror and screen several times.

Done.

[thunderbrick]

Or ship it to me for cleaning.  When I die you can have it back.   

Seriously, that is MINT!  Don't do anything to it, just use it.   

[thunderbrick]

Looks just like my father's FTn. Its ancient but still works perfectly every time we take it out. Not sure which order they came in. Was the FT2 the one without the light meter?

Nope.  The FT2 was the last or nearly last model and by that time the built-in meter had been around for a long time.  It had the hot shoe which I don't think the Nikkormat FTN did.  Prior to that was the FS I think, but we're going back to the late 60s if I remember correctly.

The Nikkorex was mid 60s, and that didn't have a meter, but the Nikkorex Zoom 35 did, above the lens, not TTL

I had to go to the mancave to see.   I have a Nikkormat EL, two FT2s, an FTN and the two Nikkorex camera on a shelf in the audio room.   

[gnuyork]

Nice B side. Dust it off and shoot some film! My dad gave me his Minolta SRT 201 (looks very similar to the Nikkormat) a couple years ago. It was actually the first real camera I ever used when I was in high school. I'll have to admit, I haven't used it since he gave it to me. It's hard to choose other film cameras when I have a Leica M6 to use.

Also I was gifted a Canon AE-1. Same story, have not even used it yet.

Need to get burning some film.

[charmerci]

Pull up tail of your undershirt, preferably in the front.  Gently wipe front and rear elements. 

eh, I wouldn't suggest wiping the rear/inside elements. If that gets scratched, the photos won't be good.

[thunderbrick]

Those modern coatings were pretty hard, and it would take a lot more than a cotton cloth to bother them.

Yes, a scratch on the glass might be noticeable, but I was talking about the coatings, as well as trying to make a joke about why clean it, it's mint?

[bside123]

Thanks for all the responses everybody! Yea... I look forward to taking this camera for a test run, as soon as I get some film. 

I'll be very careful with the "cleaning" boys, and Thunderbrick, I'll make sure that my underpants are soft, clean and dry before I use 'em to scrub the elements! Although, my Mama taught me well, and I would never dare think of embarrassing her by getting caught wearing dirties. Anybody else here from an "immigrant" household? 

But seriously, I will carefully knock the dust off the lens, mirror, prism and the rear eyepiece optic. I have a little experience keeping lenses clean and fresh without scratching them.

Regarding the build, Thunderbrick is correct. You could "drive nails" with it. I remember seeing these cameras "back in the day." The slogan at the time, if memory serves me correct, was that you could "drop kick" one of these babies, and then pick it back up and keep shooting. I won't be doing that, but I do need to get a roll of film in it soon.

Speaking of film, the only place I have to buy film around here is a Walgreens, and they only carry Fujifilm Color Film in 200 & 400 ASA. Are there good internet sources for ordering and purchasing film... particularly B&W?

The camera DOES have a spot, light meter and uses a MS76, silver oxide battery. I've checked, and these are still available. No telling if the light meter still works, though, and I ain't holding my breath. I've shot enough of my early years without one at all.

Chamerci: the lens is a f/1:2 and NOT a f/2 as you mentioned. This is a "pre AI" lens. I'm also researching to find a good quality adapter to to mount this on my A-mount, full-frame Sony to shoot with it fully manual. The Sony has focus peaking which would still work fine in the full manual position. B&H seems to carry a supply of adapters... don't know how good they are.
 
Buddy: Thanks as always for the film camera tips. I'll be using some of them to get back up to speed in shooting a film camera. It's been a while.

Thanks again everybody for all of your responses. 

[SET Man]

......

Speaking of film, the only place I have to buy film around here is a Walgreens, and they only carry Fujifilm Color Film in 200 & 400 ASA. Are there good internet sources for ordering and purchasing film... particularly B&W?

...
Buddy: Thanks as always for the film camera tips. I'll be using some of them to get back up to speed in shooting a film camera. It's been a while.

Thanks again everybody for all of your responses. 

Hey!

    Din, no problem. I love films and vintage film cameras and I do have a few as you can see on my vintage camera post.

    It is unfortunate for former Minolta user like us that Minolta decided to drop the old mount when they switched to AF. There are some of gems of old Minolta's Rokkor lenses out there. The good thing is that their AF lens are descendant from those great Rokkor.

    Anyway, as for film. Well, since you don't have much choice there locally. I would suggest B&H ...

http://bhphotovideo.com/

   And Freestyle Photographic Supply...

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/

   And as for B&W film, go with Kodak Tri-X 400. I like to shoot Tri-X 400 at 320 with yellow K2/8 filter. Are you doing to develop B&W film yourself or send it out to lab?

  Well, have fun. It is good to see someone here who shooting film these days.

Take care,
Buddy

[sfox7076]

Enjoy  http://www.lomography.com  is a great resource.

[bside123]

Enjoy  http://www.lomography.com  is a great resource.

Thanks for the link. I'll check it out.

[gnuyork]

I second B&H. Good selection, fast shipping.

I have my stash in several formats:

[bside123]

gnuyork: Nice stash! Better not let on where you're keeping it...

SET Man / Buddy: No, unfortunately I won't be developing the film myself. The days of having a darkroom are long gone. Tri-X used to be my "go to" B&W film, as it is very adaptable to many situations as well as easy to push without big grain problems.

BTW, this question has probably been asked before, and if so... please direct me to the thread. If I need to start another thread, that's okay as well: What is the best, bang-for-the-buck method either scanning or converting film negative and/or prints to digital in order to process the images in Lightroom, etc.? We have your standard variety scanner at the office that we use in our graphics department. Would that be sufficient?  Thanks.

[bside123]

UPDATE: 

I stuck a new MS76 Silver Oxide battery into the onboard light meter of the the FT2 today, and it fired right up. It seems to be working. This is a pleasant surprise.

I checked the settings against my Full Frame Digital camera, and the Nikkormat is only 1 stop different! In the same box as the old camera is a light meter. Guess I'm gonna drag that out... oh and another lens. 

Film is on the way...

Thanks and best regards.

[gnuyork]

UPDATE: 

I stuck a new MS76 Silver Oxide battery into the onboard light meter of the the FT2 today, and it fired right up. It seems to be working. This is a pleasant surprise.

I checked the settings against my Full Frame Digital camera, and the Nikkormat is only 1 stop different! In the same box as the old camera is a light meter. Guess I'm gonna drag that out... oh and another lens. 

Film is on the way...

Thanks and best regards.

Bside - if you're serious about scanning, I'd look at ebay for a used film scanner, or get a new plustek. I found a used minolta DiMage 5400 and it's a fantastic scanner. With some post work I can easily make 18x24 prints. Even a few prints I made were almost 4 feet long that look quite good if you don't view them with your nose on the print.

Here are a couple of the larger ones I did for a show. The guy on the right of photo was my photo professor (and sometimes life mentor). Sadly, he passed away this past December. He was a student of Minor White at RIT and also a student of Beaumont Newhall.

In fact most of the film in my freezer was given to me by him, as well as a couple enlargers, one of them a Leica Focomat 35mm (and medium format) which never has been used. The other is a Beseler 4x5 color enlarger. I need to set these up one of these days and get back to doing stuff the old fashioned way. It's just that digital and RAW processing is just so darn convenient.