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There are a total of 4 known
commercially available Motor Drive Units designed for the Nikon F2. MD-1 as the name
indicates, was the initial offer during the early stage of the F2 era. It is very
difficult to come across a MD-1 even in the used market; however, the scarce in number
may not interpret as higher premium in its collector value compared to the more popular
MD-2. This is due primarily to earlier design constraints and the lesser features
find in the MD-1. Anyway, despite that, MD-1 still command a favorable used prices
even at the secondary market. In fact, at popular online sales outlet such as Ebay,
I have seen closed deal almost comparable with MD-2. I do hope the buyers realize
the difference between the two units.
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Improvement were made to the original drive in later stage where Nikon termed the upgrade as MD-2. Subsequently, a new scaled down version of the motor drive was introduced as MD-3. The motor system for the Nikon F2 was designed to match with the camera body. |
Unlike the MD-4 designed for Nikon F3 where the motor unit and power pack is integrated as a single block, these older drives of MD-2, MD-3 (except the MD-100 for F2H) need a power pack that mates with the motor drive unit. All these motor drives can be powered by interchangeable AA cells or rechargeable nickel cadmium batteries in a lock-on cordless battery pack, as well as separate power sources. Compared with earlier drives for the Nikon F, these drives were very thoughtful in its design, extremely well made and vast simplification in handling of a much improved motorized system. As a Nikon user, I particularly like the MD-2 and always thought of getting a MD-2/F2AS setup for collection...
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There are not much difference in MD-1 and MD-2 except in few areas. The improvements made in the MD-2 are:- it has two electrical contacts at its back portion of the drive where it permitting the use of special film back like MF-3 which will provide a rewind-stop function; the MD-1 does not has the electrical contact and thus, it cannot be use with such film back and film is rewound completely into the original cartridge.; next, MD-1 has a battery check dial instead of LEDs which was provided in the MD-2. The SC-knob and the shutter release button of the Nikon F2 MD-2 is most unusual and quite creatively designed. It can be removed to act as a remote control switch via SC-1 remote cord. |
The S-C knob for older MD-1 has large, square shape while it is more rounded on the MD-2 (but at least there are units surfaced recently that 'some' MD-1 units has a similar MD-2 release knob design see here for more). The MD-1' S-C knob has a 4 pins based sockets and accept the S-C knob from the MD-2, but not the other way round.
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After the Nikon F2/T was introduced, a F2/T was chosen as the camera model with a fixed pellicle reflex mirror couples with a modified MD-2 which catapult the MD-100 as it was called to 10 fps ! The camera with the accompanying MD-100 is referred as "Nikon F2 High Speed Motor Drive camera". The MD-100 has the battery pack MB-100 adjoined and cannot be separated and it was the rarest among all units. |
You may noticed MD-2 is significantly more expensive than the MD-3 even at the used market. How come the MD-3 is so much cheaper than the -2 (or -1)?
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The slower MD-3, 4 fps. max. (using MN-1 NiCd units or AC/DC converter) also lacks the power film rewind and firing rate converter of the MD-1 or MD-2. It also has no provision for leaving the film leader out on rewind and thus cannot use with Film back MF-3. Because it has no converter, you can only use the MD-3 on continuous at sync speed (1/80) and higher; slower than that, and you need to use single-shot mode. The MD-3 is nice to some because it lacks the power rewind hence contributing to its cheaper retail price. Further, There is no need to remove the O/C key from the camera's base when connecting the MD-3 with the body. Instead, the O/C key's tab, when unfolded, slips into a slot in a ring on the MD-3 motor drive. |
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..... Mr. Foo |
Another good point is, it will always provides a consistent bursting rate regardless what the power source is: 3.5 fps w/MB-1 using AA batteries; 4 fps using MB-1 w/MN-1 NiCd cells, and 2.5 fps w/MB-2 attached. However, it is not meant for those who demands speed in camera operation. MB-2 battery pack was more like a companion battery pack for MD-3 (although it takes MB-1 as well), it can host 8 AA's rather than the 10 that the MB-1 would require. Predictably, the MD-3 is somewhat slower than the MD-2 even when reverting back to MD-3/MB-1 combination, although if you're not shooting with NiCds, you probably won't notice the difference. Despite omitting some professional requirements from its features list, the MD-3 remains was one of the best selling motor drives model for the Nikon F2 series models.
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Grip Head and SC Remote Cord MC-1 |
An accessory 3-meter (10 feet, and longer cable of 33 or 66 feet are also available) SC cord MC-1 is used for this purpose. You can connect the 4-pin plug on the SC cord to the socket on the motor drive where the grip head normally fits. The grip head should fit the other end of the cord. This feature is NOT provided in the MD-3, along with other omission of features such as power rewind, naturally it is less pricey than the features-riched MD-2.
Personally, I still like the old ways where Nikon camera still offers you a choice of ways of handling your particular shooting situation. With a drive attach or just using a bare minimum setup of the camera body and a few lenses will provide a great deal of portability. I am not a pro and most the time, I am only shooting for leisure (and lately, I am leaning more towards collecting rather than shooting...).
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The only complaint as a user is, F2 with a Motor Drive is really too heavy but I know I am using the perspective of the Y2K user to make such an unfair statement for a product that once was an overwhelming King Pin product among 35mm professional users. |
Anyway, even after close to 30 years, looks like things has not been improved very much though, WHAT ? Doubting what I said again ? See for yourself... a 1998's EOS-3 with Booster Pack compared with a 1971's 5 fps Olympus OM-1 w/MD-1 motor drive.. so looks like I am over-reacting here..
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But I also noticed an outstanding feature of the F2 motor drive system in the way that every single part of it can be used with each and every F2 Nikon ever made, with no need to adapt or modify the camera at all. So I would assume every single F2 Nikon has been purposely built with motor drive photography in mind, in case the user needs it, right from the very start. |
| Nikon F2 black set, a very nice outfit: black F2 body with Photomic DP-1, Nikkor 2/50, 250 film magazine MF-1 no.303436, motor drive MB-1, approx. Year: 1972 | |
That could have saved us a great deal in maintaining compatibility among all Nikon F2 models that have been produced during the entire life span from 1971 to 1980.
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The Eyes of Nikon:- |
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 models
MIR Supports for Photographic Community: Various Message Boards/Community
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Others:- Free Trade Zone - Photography| Free Trade Zone - Business Community |Free To Zouk - Photographic Community
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Recommended 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.html
About this photographic site.
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HOME - Photography in Malaysia |
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Copyright © 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.
