In 1994, Nikon introduced a Titanium version based on their immensely popular mechanical Nikon FM2n. As the camera was officially discontinued in 1997 and many collectors have started collecting this rare piece of hardware. As opposed to the Champaign finished for the Nikon F3T in 1983, the FM2T's finish is matted finished in a very distinguishable grayish Titanium color but shown its shinny interior once the exterior coating is scratched.
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I have spent a while trying to retouch the images which aimed to restore its original color via a computer screen. Probably the owner of the camera shop that I loaned the camera body knew my intention was to create a website. He willingly offered to dispose his where it was originally bought directly in Japan back in 1996 on a personal trip. It was packed even with an instruction manual in Japanese only and also accompanied with an invitation to join the Nikon Club, Japan. |
<<-- Copyright-FREE© Images collection, 2000 leofoo® Malaysian Internet Resources
The accompanying leaflet was printed only in Japanese outlining the various parts where the tough and corrosive resistant Titanium metal pieces were being used in the construction of this camera. Well, as you know Nikon has a very long history of adopting Titanium as a material of choice for their top notch SLR camera models. Not just the body shell, but more engaged in the development and deployment of shutter curtain design in their SLR cameras. That has resulted with all the professional series F models (Except the vertical traveled curtain F4 and the current F5) employed a horizontally traveled focal plane Titanium shutter curtain inside those bodies.
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The two generation of the Nikon F2 and F3 was best represented by these Titan models. The far left is a Nikon F3/T with a HP finder while its right is a Nikon F2/T with a non-metered Eye-Level finder. |
The popular FM2, FE2 and the FA were employed with a different type of design, instead, the curtain was a vertically traveled beehive-looked honeycomb pattern Titanium shutter curtain. Titanium is one of the world's strongest, yet lightest materials; its specific gravity is approximately half that of brass, yet its hardness is almost the same as that of steel, while its corrosion resistance is greater than that of stainless steel. However, titanium is a very difficult material to process and thus you won't find a lot of models were made in Titanium. I am not sure whether the Nikon F has a Titanium version (Even the NASA spec Nikon F was not mentioned).
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The camera has a dedicated box and packing on its own instead of resorting the using similar Nikon FM2n boxes. The "New" shown on the box carries no meaning as FM2n was often called "New FM2" in Japan. |
The FM2n/T is marginally lighter than the FM2n or even the older Nikon FM when compared. FM's weight is 590g, FM2n is around 540g but the FM2n/T is 515g (body only). The FM2n/T is essentially a current model of a Nikon FM2n but with a Titanium exterior shell.
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Well, there is not much additional bonus or surprises inside the camera as the shutter curtain used for the camera remains the same as with the current Nikon FM2n. The shutter curtain uses a vertically traveled aluminum alloy shutter blades (The FM2 and early batches of the FM2n were using Nikon developed Honeycomb Titanium Shutter design mentioned earlier - until 1989 and replaced with the current Aluminum Alloy blades). The rest of control, functions and features operate exactly like a Nikon FM2n. |
<<<--- Serial number for this
model starts with an alphabet "T".The texture of the titanium body is well
revealed in this photograph taken by Mr. MCLau.
Well,
to conclude there is no differences between the normal FM2n and a FM2/T may not be
entirely correct. Here is something that may appeal to me differently - the FM2/T
is very much smoother in operations than the Nikon FM2n. Click stops in the shutter
speed ring is positive and tension spring has improved a lot when you turn or adjust
the film speed settings. Another section I have noticed is the film advance mechanism,
it is extremely smooth. On what basis can I remarked this ? Because I have all the
Nikon FM, FM2n (three units) and two units of the Nikon FM2T when I took these images
for this site (So don't argue with me...). It is the reason why I decided to buy
this after on a friendly 'loan to shoot' session from the shop I mentioned earlier.
The FM2T featured here is essentially the same spec used for the launching of the
limited edition of 300 units Taiwanese 'Year
of the Dog'.
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Check the new FM2n Millennium 2000 ! |
The single piece of information was in Japanese, thus I have to ask Hiura Shinsaku of the Nikkormat ML, Japan to translate for me as such:
Translated from the Japanese Text : "Thank you for purchasing Nikon New FM2/T. This body utilizes genuine Titanium material for its exterior cover (Top cover/bottom cover) with Nikon New FM2 body. Titanium has its various advantages as being extremely hard, lightweight and excellent anti-corrosive metal characteristic.
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Genuine Titanium material makes Nikon New FM2/T very durable that protects internal precise mechanisms against external shock and hard knocks. The specifications of this body is same as Nikon New FM2/T except its finish and in the weight. Please read instruction book of Nikon New FM2 to use this camera. * weight: about 515g (body only)" |
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From the FM2/T's pamphlet says: " The Nikon FM2/T, a special version of the Nikon FM2 camera, uses titanium for its right and left top covers and the base plate. Titanium is one of the world's strongest yet lightest materials; its specific gravity is approximately half that of brass, yet it is hardness is almost the same as that of steel, while its corrosion resistance is greater than that of stainless steel. |
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However, titanium is a very difficult material to process. Nonetheless, as early as 1957, Nikon first fashioned shutter curtains out of titanium, and now, Nikon technical know-how is utilized in creating one of the toughest SLRs around-the Nikon FM2/T". |
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A recent auctioned at Ebay shows a Limited Edition Nikon FM2n/T model. |
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NEXT - Nikon FM2/T Limited Edition |
Standard
production Nikon FM Series models:-
Nikon FM | Nikon FM2 | Nikon FM2n | Nikon FM10 | Nikon FM3a |
Known
variants:-
Nikon
FM Gold
| Nikon
FM2/T
| Nikon
FM2N Tropical Set
| Nikon
FM2/T Limited Edition
| Nikon
FM2N LAPITA
|
Nion
FM2n Millennium 2000
Shared Resources: MD-11 | MD-12 | Focusing Screens | Titanium Shutter | Flash Units -SB-16 | SB-15 | SB-10 or other Options | Databack | Nikkor lens mount (related info)
Others:- Nikon AF-TTL Speedlights | SB-20 (1986) | SB-22 (1987) | SB-23 | SB-24 (1988) | SB-25 (1991/2) | SB-26 (1994) | SB-27(1997) | SB-28 (1997) | Nikon SB-29(s) (2000) | Nikon SB-30 (2003) | Nikon SB-600 (2004) | Nikon SB-800 (2003) Nikon AF-TTL Speedlight DX-Series: Nikon SB-28DX (1999) | SB-50DX (2001) | SB-80DX (2002)
Nikon
BC-flash Series |
Original
Nikon Speedlight
SB-2
| SB-3 | SB-4
| SB-5
| SB-6 | SB-7E
| SB-8E
| SB-9 | SB-E
| SB-10
SB-11
| SB-12 | SB-14 | SB-140 UV-IR| SB-15 | SB16A | SB-17 | SB-18, SB-19 | SB-21A (SB-29) Macro flash | Flash Accesories | SF-1
Pilot Lamp
Instruction
Manual: Nikon FM (HTML | PDF) | Nikon FM-10 (HTML) | Nikon FM2n's
User's Manual
available only in HTML format (6
parts) | Nikon
FM3A
(HTML)
Specifications: Nikon FM, FM-10, FM2, FM2n and FM3A / Main
Reference Map: (HTML) Nikon FM, FM2, FM-10, FM2n (Applicable
to FM2T, FM2 "Year of the Dog"; Millennium 2000") and Nikon FM3A
 |
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 |
Nikon Auto Focus Nikkor lenses:- Main
Index Page
Nikon Manual Focus Nikkor lenses:- 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 |
 Index Page |
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
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
W A R N I N G: The New G-SERIES Nikkor lenses have no aperture ring on the lens, they CANNOT ADJUST APERTURES with any of these manual focus Nikon FE series SLR camera models; please ignore some portion of the content contained herein this site where it relates.
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History of Nikon SLRs
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Credit: To all the good people who has contributed their own experience, resources or those who are kind enough granting us permission to use their images appeared in this site. Mr. MCLau®, who has helped to rewrite some of the content appeared this site. Chuck Hester® who has been helping me all along with the development of all these Nikon websites;LarsHolst Hansen, 'Hawkeye' who shares the same passion I have; Ms Rissa, Sales manager from Nikon Corporation Malaysia for granting permission to use some of the official content; TedWengelaar,Holland who has helped to provide many useful input relating to older Nikkor lenses; Some of the references on production serial numbers used in this site were extracted from Roland Vink's website; HiuraShinsaku from Nikomat Club Japan. t is also a site to remember a long lost friend on the Net. Note:certain content and images appeared in this site were either scanned from official marketing leaflets, brochures, sales manuals or publications published by Nikon over the years and/or contribution from surfers who claimed originality of their work for educational purposes. The creator of the site will not be responsible for may discrepancies arise from such dispute except rectifying them after verification."Nikon", "Nikkormat", "Nippon Kokagu KK" & "Nikkor" are registered tradename of Nikon Corporation Inc., Japan. Site made with an Apple IMac.