Modern
Classic SLRs Series : |
System Versatility
One of the trend setting feature pioneered by Nikon F was the modular body design concept. The overwhelming success of the F has influenced virtually all competing professional system camera that followed to adopt similar design
These top of the line offerings from Canon and Minolta also have full interchangeability of optional prisms, film back and focusing screens etc. But a SLR that has really posted a more serious threat than the earlier two models was, surprisingly, a pin-sized system SLR camera - Olympus OM-1 introduced similarly around year 1971/2 by Olympus Optical Co. Japan !
For an example, both Canon F-1 (1971) and Minolta XK (1972) were the first batch of serious system camera designed to challenge the supremacy of Nikon F2.
The Nikon F2 provides similar versatility revolves around its basic camera body which forms the foundation on which the various components of the Nikon System can be assembled. Every component of the body can be changed, either for flexibility necessary to handle the varying needs of individual assignments, or for special needs to fulfill certain requirement. The idea of modular design is to allow users to custom attached different accessories to fit one's style or to setup to use for a specific type of photography.
What can be changed ? Everything, from lenses to viewfinders to viewing screens to motor drives to film backs of different capacity.... the list is virtually endless. Try experimenting by using the mirror locked up feature, remove the film back and the viewfinder prism - you have a basic bare-bone and see-it-through F2 camera body and you can custom attach any compatible system accessories onto it. To help you again visualizing how flexible the F2 can be - mount Speedy Magny film back will instantly transform a 35mm format Nikon F2 into a 4 x 5 Large format camera !While attaching a EE Aperture Control Attachment Unit with a Motor drive, you will then have a Nikon F2 that will behave like a Shutter Priority AE camera and enable you to fire away in a blistering 5 fps, and power rewind entire film roll in less than 7 sec ! If you are still complaining with what this mechanical camera can do for you, tell me if there is a better alternative...
This meticulous attitude is applied to the selection of only the strongest metals and alloys, ensuring that the strength built-in manifests itself in practice. Add production and assembling facilities that were some of the best in its class during its era, and probably you are beginning to understand why the F2 has the reputation it has.
<<< --- Alley... (63k Jpeg) Copyright © 2000. CYLeow ® Photo Editor of the Star Newspaper. Hosted by: Malaysian Internet ResourcesThe F-Bayonet Mount
But amid all this potential for change, Nikon bayonet mount - since its inception during mid-fifties remains unchanged. Nikon bayonet mount ensures that whatever Nikkor lenses you have, no matter how new* or old will find a way to mount on and function with your F2.
The Nikon standard (44mm diameter) bayonet type lens mounting flange permit attachment of any manual focus Nikkor interchangeable lenses. The flange is made of specially treated, hard wearing stainless steel that would ensure precise seating and alignment for exact 46.5mm flange to film distance. The 3 tabs bayonet design of the mount enables a short 60 degree twist to lock action for fast, secure and sure connection or removal.Nikon products have always been famed for its ruggedness and reliability. For instance, the body portion near the lens mount is a generous 2mm thick ! The corresponding lens mount of the lens is equally impressive - it is made of brass, harden by additional plating of hard chromium to both inhibit corrosion and further bring its hardness up to a level just below stainless steel of the mount of the camera body.
And, perhaps more than any other single aspect of the Nikon System, the famed rugged, dependable, uncompromising lens mount has come to symbolize the Nikon System in the minds of both amateurs and professionals alike because Nikon has actually produced more than 200 types of Nikkor lenses with varying speed, performance and grades and most of these Nikkor may also be used with the camera*.* (AF Nikkor may present some compatibility problems with some non-AI models). ** Some older super telephoto lenses (400, 600, 880 and 1,200mm) may require the use of of the Nikon's Focusing Unit between the lens and camera bodies.
Ruggedness & Dependability
A key factor in the professional's acceptance of the F2 is its outstanding dependability. The camera has consistently proved to be more than capable of taking the stress and strain of continued use day in and day out. It's rugged enough to withstand the bumps and bangs that a camera is invariably subjected to on assignment.
Beneath the Nikon F2's artificial leatherette consists of a body casting of corrosive resistant copper silumin alloy which has an exceptional metal properties of very high tensile strength approx. 33.5 kg/m¤ (475.5 Ib/in¤). Aimed to service demanding pros at work, thickness of F2 camera body walls is not less than 1.4 mm thick while the 2mm thick lens mount portion and the stainless steel lens flange section could well support many of those gigantic super telephoto Nikkor lenses.
The resultant F2 body is tough enough to absorb the heavy pounding of a five-frames-per-second motor drive transporting cassette after cassette of film. Precise enough to withstand the constant interchange of lenses and accessories without losing either accurate fit or register. These qualities are, individually, rare even in many rivaling camera models. For the F2 is designed sophisticatedly enough to handle the most challenging photographic tasks, but not at the cost of needless complexity.Handling & Human engineering Factor
Another area where OLDER Nikon cameras really excel are its handling. The way a camera handles is vitally important. Good compromise between functionality and portability is important too. Balance of weight becomes even more pronounced when working at slow shutter speeds or with long telephoto lenses.The camera's weight must be distributed so that the camera sits comfortably in the hand while camera's size is a controversial subject today but we feel that the camera should be sized so that the photographer can get a firm, secure hold; at the same time, the controls should be spaced far enough apart so that it is impossible to press the wrong button when working in a hurry and operation becomes virtually automatic.
These Nikon characteristics are immediately distinguishable from others. The weight, balance and size provides a level of human engineering that few other professional cameras would able to duplicate. The reknowned "Nikon feel" was part of a successful factor ensuring the huge success of Nikon F2 during the seventies.
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The Eyes of Nikon:-
Nippon Kogaku KK Rangefinder RF-Nikkor lenses:- Main Index Page
Nikon Auto Focus Nikkor lenses:- Main Index Page
Nikon Manual Focus Nikkor lenses- Main Index Page
Fisheye-Nikkor Lenses - Circular | Full Frame | Ultrawides Lenses - 13mm15mm18mm20mm | Wideangle Lenses - 24mm28mm35mm |
Standard Lenses - 45mm 50mm 58mm | Telephoto Lenses - 85mm105mm135mm180mm & 200mm |
Super-Telephoto Lenses - 300mm 400mm 500mm 600mm 800mm 1200mm |
Special Application lenses:
Micro-Nikkor Lenses - 50mm~55mm -60mm 85mm -105mm 200mm Micro-Zoom 70-180mm
Perspective Control (PC) - 28mm 35mm PC-Micro 85mm
Dedicated Lenses for Nikon F3AF: AF 80mm f/2.8 | AF 200mm f/3.5 EDIF
Depth of Field Control (DC): 105mm 135mm
Medical Nikkor: 120mm 200mm
Reflex-Nikkor Lenses - 500mm 1000mm 2000mm
Others: Noct Nikkor | OP-Nikkor | UV Nikkor 55mm 105mm | Focusing Units | Bellows-Nikkor 105mm 135mm
Nikon Series E Lenses: 28mm35mm50mm100mm135mm | E-Series Zoom lenses: 36~72mm75~150mm70~210mm
MF Zoom-Nikkor Lenses: 25~50mm | 28~45mm | 28~50mm | 28~85mm | 35~70mm | 36~72mm E | 35~85mm | 35~105mm | 35~135mm |
35~200mm | 43~86mm | 50~135mm | 50~300mm | 70~210mm E | 75~150mm E | 80~200mm | 85~250mm |
100~300mm | 180~600mm | 200~400mm | 200~600mm | 360~1200mm | 1200~1700mm
Tele-Converters: TC-1 | TC-2 | TC-200 | TC-201 | TC-300 | TC-301 | TC-14 | TC-14A | TC-14B | TC-14C | TC-14E | TC-16 | TC-16A | TC-20E
Nikon F | Nikon F2 | Nikon F3 | Nikon F4 | Nikon F5 | Nikon F6 | Nikkormat / Nikomat |
Nikon FM | Nikon FE/ FA | Nikon EM/FG/FG20 | Nikon Digital SLRs | Nikon - Other modelsMIR Supports for Photographic Community: Various Message Boards/Community Forums
Nikon F-series| Nikon F2-series| Nikon F3-series| Nikon F4-series| Nikon F5-series|Nikkormat/Nikomat-series
Nikon FM-series|Nikon FE-series|Nikon FA|Nikon Digital SLR series|Various Nikon Models|Nikkor Optic -shared
Others:- Free Trade Zone - Photography| Free Trade Zone - Business Community |Free To Zouk - Photographic Community
Apple's Mac Public Community Message Board | Windows based PC & Apple/Mac Public Community Trade Exchange CentreRecommended links to understand more technical details related to the Nikkor F-mount and production Serial Number:
http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-153.html by: my friend, Rick Oleson
http://www.zi.ku.dk/personal/lhhansen/photo/fmount.htm by: Hansen, Lars Holst
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/nikonfmount/lens2.htm
http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/serialno.htmlAbout this photographic site.
HOME - Photography in MalaysiaCopyright © 2000. leofoo ®. MIR Web Development Team.
In memory of my friend Com. Augusto Staut, Brazil, 1971-2000.
Credit: Chuck Hester, US for his patience, encouragement and help to setup the various content in this site; Robert Johnson for some of his original images on the F2H-MD appeared in this site; my ex-staff, KiaSu for his superb 3-D logo appeared in this Nikon F2 site; Marc Vorgers from Holland who generously provide me with some of his images of F2AS; MCLau®, who has so much time with me to re-edit the content in this site and not to mention buying a Nikon Coolpix 990 just for this site. Keat Photo, Kuala Lumpur for providing their Nikon F2A to take some images for this site; again, Mr Edward Ngoh the great camera collector who provides us his collection of F2AS with MD-2; hawkeye.photographic.com for their images on the Speed Magny film backs; Sean Cranor for his image on Nikon F2 25th Anniversary Model; Ted Wengelaar®, Holland for his continuous flow of input on some of the early Nikon bodies; CYLeow ® , photo editor of the Star newspaper, Malaysia for some of his images used in this site. Ms Rissa Chan, Sales manager from Shriro Malaysia who has helped to provide some of the very useful input. HiuraShinsaku®, Nikomat ML, Japan for some of his images on various F2 models; my staff, Wati, Maisa, Mai and my nephew, EEWyn®, who volunteered and helping me did so many of the film scanning works. Contributing photographers or resellers: Jen Siow, Foo KokKin, Arthur Teng, Mark Fallander, John Ishii, Ed Hassel, YoonKi Kim, Jean-Louis, M.Dugentas (Dell Corner.com.), Mr "Arsenall" and a few images mailed in from surfers with no appropriate reference to their origin. Dedicated to KU Yeo, just to express our mutual regrets over the outcome of a recent corporate event. Made with a PowerMac, broadcast with a Redhat Linux powered server.