I just started film earlier this year, and my dad gave me his dad's Nikon F2. It really gives me a sense of a stronger connection with my late grandfather 😊
Film is way more satisfying than digital once you get good photographs. Next thing you know, you’ll be scanning your negatives Then you will want a darkroom because making your own prints is amaZing, like making your own epic drawings without a computer.
I have three F2's. One I used back in the day so to speak. Another brand new never used. And one that I use all the time. This is a solid camera and as you say, completely mechanical which makes it realistically serviceable if by odd chance.....it needed service. I can't understand the logic of folks spending thousands on electronic contax cameras and others......which will eventually be unable to repair. They say it is about compact size and quality, etc. it is really about putting it on auto mode and shooting. Those of us who grew up with film appreciate that benefit but I shoot pretty quick with a fully mechanical film camera. This is a great camera to anyone who is considering buying and F2. Just learn how to use it and you will never go back.
This has made my mind up about fixing my mom's Minolta... I shot it once for my "camera history" video, but I need to get it back to good condition. The thing you said about your kid knowing his life was documented with his grandpa's camera really resonated!
Great video. My favorite still camera. Still have mine from 1978 when I bought it new as an F2AS. I added the DS-1 EE aperture controller and the motor drive. I love the 55 Micro 2.8 so much I bought another and adapted it to my Canon 5D MkII.
ive often shot leica's and tbh the F and F2 are my all time favorite cameras! just a classic and staple of history and i was always in awe with the beauty and sharpness of their lenses!
I need a film slr for a photography class i’m taking, and I got this camera from my granddad. I’m beyond excited to start shooting with it, and it means so much more to me since it’s been in the family for almost 50 years
Enjoyed watching this video of yours a second time around. Agree 100 about your assessment of the F2. It had been my dream camera when I was a kid, and I was fortunate to pick one up last year. There’s really nothing like it. Thanks for the video. Keep it up!
Both me and my sister learned how to shoot on our dads f2. For as much as I love the quickest of digital I miss the the dark room. Literally have the same macro on it right now. The glass is magical.
Dude, I love your channel. I recently discovered my father's F2 and wanted to look up some info on it... through my youtubing I found your channel. Upon the discovery of the F2, I also came across some much older cameras from the 40s and 50s. I'm an amateur photographer with a dslr. Thanks for sharing your experience.
My go-to 35mm camera. Gifted to me by a dear friend and I can't imagine ever letting it go. This was a great reminder and love letter to an outstanding camera. Thanks so much Benj!
I love the F2. I started using it in the 70's at a newspaper where I worked, and I still have one. The best thing about the F2 is that it is a completely mechanical camera except for the meter. The only thing I've ever done to mine in over 40 years of ownership is to replace the light seals at a cost of $12. One thing to keep in mind about the meter in the finder is that CdS cells, on which the meter relies, have a finite life span, and almost all F2 finders are now approaching the end of that life. Therefore, it is very common to see these finders and cameras for sale with a non-functional meter. You can have your camera, or just the finder, rebuilt by Sover Wong (I think he is in the UK). He is great but not cheap, and has about a one-year wait before he can service your camera. Given that, I decided to just use a hand-held meter and keep shooting my F2. It still makes great pictures.
The pics of your son are fantastic. Your dad is correct about Nikkor lenses they are great. I own all of the camera in the F series and the F2 is my favorite (the F5 and F6 are close seconds). But you're correct this is a camera that will last a lifetime while that Canon digital camera will be a brick in 10 years. I would send that camera in for cleaning and oil and maybe foam replacement. I just did that for mine and it should be good for another 40 years.
I found Eric Floberg channel the other day and I love it. Through mutual foto walk I have found yours. Also love the style and the content. Looking forward and subscribed...
Beautifully done video, Benj! That's a great story and it's awesome that you are preserving the family photography legacy. The F2 is such a fantastic camera and definitely agree about the Nikkor glass quality.
The black F2 Photomic was my first camera. I bought it together with a non Ai 50mm 1:1.4 S-Auto Nikkor back in 1998. Still have it, will never sell it. Now I even have three F2s (added a F2A and F2AS, now all of them are equipped with the MD-2 motordrives and the MF-3 backs for better handling, the needle finders have the DL-1 illuminators attached). That camera is way better than a F3 and even F5 (which I also own in digital and analogue).
I have the exact same camera I bought a few months ago, a couple of great points are the double exposure facility and depth of field preview and mirror lock up as well as the different viewfinders and to be able to view the meter on top of the prism is invaluable when your out and about and don't have time to meter especially in those less than esoteric situations. I grew up in the 90s with a 1974 Nikon F Photomic and a 105mm 2.5p lens which was fantastic and was permanently attached to my arm. I upgraded to an F3 but that wasn't an upgrade as it had a lot of electrical faults and relied on batteries and was automatic which appealed to the laziness of life and is probably why it is popular today. I am recently getting back to film but not happy now I have to wear glasses although I have a dioptered eye piece as I couldn't get to grips with wearing glasses. I only have one lens a 20mm f4 which is beautiful in itself. Something funny about the F series is you don't waste film because you are forced to make 100% decisions on exposure and depth of field as well as their interaction with composition.
I love using my F2, feels like a tank and is my favourite camera, also got it from my father that was previously from his dad which is great, i loved so much this camera I even bought one for my sister a few years back when they weren't that expensive.
I have an F2 with a Nikkor 50mm sc 1.4 lens and will keep it as an investment. I have a 55mm f2. 8 Micro nikkor which I use on my Nikon D300s. My favourite camera is a Pentax Spotmatic SP with the 55mm f1.8 super takumar. I used it to photograph my children with it for 20 years. I am 76 now and still love it's wonderful lens. The rendition in colour and black and white is phenomenal.
I never really bonded with my F3hp. Then I bought a F2 and loved it. I quickly sold the F3hp and haven't missed it. Now the F2 and Leica M2 are my main 35mm cameras.
I have a pair of F2AS's coupled to MD-2 that are my primary go to 35mm. I also own a mint straight from the box F2S in black (a surprise gift from my wife). The F2 just sits so right in my gorilla sized hands, and is a joy to shoot. Coupled with some of the worlds best glass its a stunning combination. I also have a F3 Press and F5. I've tried over the years both Cannon & Olympus rivals, but they just don't feel as rugged. None of my F2's have been apart for a service. I've only had to replace light seals over the years.
Hello. Very nice video. Exactly. It's about emotions. I'm new to photography and got hold of an older Fuji X-T3. He fell in love with its colors, but I also wanted to touch how I was young and my father took pictures of the old Russian Zenit. So I got a beautiful Nikon FM2n with 50mm off eBay from Japan and started my first color and then black and white film. I am very much looking forward to the result. I just want to say that it's about the spirit of these beautiful old devices that still manage to surprise. I have a question: Your F2 has a beautiful leather strap. Where did you get it? Thank you very much and greetings from the Czech Republic...(in the middle of Europe)
Loved your video, I was lucky enough to find an F2 Photomic with the Micro 55mm f3.5 for 60 bucks, but I just noticed the meter doesn't work, I hope I can get it fixed and give it a try!
Such a fantastic shooter. It baffles me that, more often than not, photographers kinda seem to skip over it when talking about film camera GOATs. Just picked one up a couple months ago and I've already made the decision I'm never selling it. Solid review!
Yep do it. I’ve had about six and I just keep on re buying them because I miss it and it is that good. Just make sure you get a working meter, the best are the DP3, DP11 and DP12
The F and F2 really came into their own in wars and especially the print news media. The Japanese companies really did a great job of not only copying the German range finders but making vast improvements as they went along. Going with the prism viewfinder and ditching the rangefinder made a huge difference. that being the ability to use any lens, any focal length on the body. Companies like Pentax, Canon, Minolta really paved the way for photography with a machine that was easy for a novice to use. I got my F2 in Japan around 1980, mine being made in 1979. The all back body machine still is with me, works perfectly as the day I bought it. Only needed new batteries for the meter and I was good to go. The lenses are very good considering the time they were made. Images came out crips, both B&W and color looked excellent. Anyone who wants to delve into film photography has to at least look at the vintage Nikons that are still in excellent working conditions.
These cameras will be in museums some day. I used one for years oblivious of what I had, got it stolen,, lost all my pictures, and only now woke up and sent for a replacement.
We didn't have to recharge the batteries every day, just change out about once a year. I still have my all black F2A with a slightly more up to date viewfinder/meter. The F2 is a beast with the motor drive.
PACNOR Cool I am from Forks, Wa. I just got given a beautiful mint F2 with several lenses last night. The batteries are dead so I will pick some up today and hope the meter works. Otherwise this is working great and everything looks almost new. I do have an F3 which I shoot all the time does feel. The F3 is better feeling in hand and you can’t get past the super smooth shutter action on the F3. I do like the idea this F2 not needing a battery and it will definitely see lots of use starting today
I still have and use the F2A that I bought new when I was 19 in 1977. It’s outlived two MD-2 motors, has never needed maintenance and still looks like it’s only a few months old. When comparing to a modern DSLR, it would only be fair to attach either the MD-2 or -3 motors to the F2 which would dwarf most semi-Pro DSLRs. :-) But, if you outfit the F2 with a plain meterless prism, it is roughly the same size as my Leica Ms. a beast of a machine. Glad you kept yours!
I still have my F2A + MD bought new over four decades ago too. The thing about size was that early pro SLR often coupled with hammerhead flash as well. My teenage nephew who got used to shooting with my D3 back then, jumped away when I showed him my F2A + MD + BP + Metz flash + Quantum Turbo battery pack. Luckily for him, I didn't attach the Metz telephoto attachment. 😊
Sam Edwards: yeah, they are totally ridiculous. Though admittedly, I am stalking listings of black Fs with the plain pentaprism, lol. Simply gorgeous beasts.
I got this camera from my uncle. It has a lot of sentimental value to me as well! I haven’t used it yet. Plan to clean it up and start to use it. Thanks for sharing!
I have one F and three F2’s. Great cameras. I’ve gotten 3 of the 4 CLA’s in Tokyo, and I bet that they will last me 40 years or longer into the future. I did choose a FM3a when I spent a month traveling S.E. Asia due to the smaller size, lighter weight, and quieter shutter. The slap of the mirror on the F2 is the biggest limitation. Not a camera to photograph in a church, but the F and F2 have photographed many of the world’s conflicts and wars in the 60s, 70s and 80s.
yeah....watch "Apocalypse Now" at the 2:30 mark where they pull in to shore and Kurtz's photographer meets them at the boat...he practically has the whole Nikon line strapped around his neck...great movie, great cameras. Happy shooting. :)
Yea but remember in what Nikon put out on there ads: "Nikon We take the World's Greatest Photographs" to "No One Cares More About Your Image Than NIKON" to "We Get The World's Worst Assignments when using a NIKON"
Greetings from me, a photographynerd. I much enjoyed seeing you worship this, and see your good snaps. Please, keep on cherishing them. My faves are the one at 2:19, at 2:22 and at 7:30. My topmave is the one at 2:35. I wish I had that as artwall or some such. Have a friendly handshake from me. One new subscriber here.
Totally agree with your assessment of the Nikon F2. I bought mine new in the mid-70's and still use it to this day. It has been humming along for about 45 years and has never failed me! And, it's much easier to lug around than my Nikon F4!
I love your videos, maybe because you dare to use non-native lenses with the GFX, and I'm like you, Nikon F2 owner, but my preferred Nikon is my black pristine F. A whole lot of Nikon Stuff, MF, LF, but my darling is my Olympus OM-3Ti, and the Zuiko lens line up. My next step is to buy a GFX. The 100S would suit my needs, but then I have to sell some of my stuff, or go for a used 50R. But, by seeing your videos, I can be sure I have a lot of my old lenses that will cover the GFX.
This was the camera I couldn't afford in 1972 and ended up buying my Argus STL1000. But I did collect many AI lenses and finally got a Nikon body, F100. Love your videos!
That’s my story as well. As a poor grad student in 1973, all I could afford was a Mamiya Sekor 500. Just got back into film and finally have an F2 as well as a darkroom. The F2 was what you aspired to back then.
Such a great video--I shot my own wedding due to quarantine and believe in the emotional charge of these cameras. What film do you use to shoot indoors? Are you pushing it?
@@gottanikoncamera that is true, though I think unless you're using it with a digital camera you'll be hard-pressed to know the difference (though perhaps my eyes are just awful 😂).
@@BillyHopscotch Me, neither. My eyes aren't what they used to be. I often ask a couple of much younger guys I shoot with to look at footage or a photo and tell me what they think about the detail/sharpness, lol.
Oh yes the Nikon F2, I also love my F2 with the DP1 prism. I also have the incredible big motor, witch I didn’t use, but it looks so amazing. The image quality is not perfect like my M2, but very useful. By the way, I wish I could hold your camera in my hand for cleaning, it looks horrible dusty. The removable prism makes it so easy to clean the camera!
Very nice cam, got the same but then without the light meter. I’m curious what type of film and developer ons filter you use. Really like the rendering of the images of it
Really loved those black and white shots! I am trying to convince myself to start shooting black and white and develop at home. Which film did you use to get really nice contrast?
Sweet! Loved your black and white images so much! I’ve got my first roll of film in my recently acquired F body, and it’s Tri-X at ISO800. First roll through the F and first of Tri-X since the early 80s! I have a mint F2AS in black that has a roll of Kodak Ultramax 400 almost complete in it. I like the F2 a lot, it handles so well, feels so solid and I love its aesthetic. I prefer it over my FE (purchased new in ‘81) and my F100 (purchased new in 2000) and my mint F3HP purchased two years ago. This video has inspired me to go out and shoot! Thanks!
I agree with you about the Pancake 50 mm lens, I have 2 of the the higher end version, not the E series, and love them. light, fast and take wonderfully sharp pics for an older lens. I also have the 55mm micro Nikkkor like yours, and only paid 50$ Australian for it. do you have a 105 2.5 lens? they are another great one to have, along with the 135mm 2.8 or 135 3.5. again, I have both and theyr'e both brilliant, just that the 3.5 version is a little slower...all of those I have are AI or AI-s lenses, with a few Non AI lenses that I use one my older Nikon F.
@@benjhaisch yes, fortunately this cannot happen with a leica M. Just hold your breath and clean it up a little with spray air. it should work wonders. 😄
I owned a canon ae1 since it was cheap and everyone has it... but when I got into Nikon slrs, my god.. the quality of the slrs AND lenses are so much better. I definitely won’t be selling my Nikon gear. I use that macro lens to scan the film I use from the same Nikkor 50 1.8 and a Nikkor 28 3.5
I have my uncles old cameras his Nikon F, Leicaflex SL and his Rollieflex 2.8F all such lovey cameras, Ive been thinking about getting rid of the Leicaflex and nikon lately to buy a leica but now im not so sure. Great video really insightful and has given me something to think about!
My sister gifted me her F2, possibly because the meter doesn't work. So I got a dp-1 off ebay, and that camera is possibly my favorite one of them all!
The FE was my first camera and I’ve had it since 1983-ish. I love it. Over the last several years I picked up an F3, FM2, F2, F and other 35mm and medium format cameras. The FE still holds its own and is a joy to use. Compared to the F2 it’s lighter but still well built, is smaller and that helps if you don’t have larger hands, accepts non-AI lenses (something the FM2 can’t do), has an exposure compensation dial, has a lever to make double exposures easy and last but not least has a great viewfinder display with a match needle metering display. This display might be the best Nikon made because it slows you to instantly know how many stops over or under you are from the suggested setting. None of my other Nikons offer this. The F2 has the benefit of being all mechanical, but the FE does let you shoot at a single mechanical speed if your battery dies. The F2 also has a top shutter speed of 1/2000 and its step less at Speeds 1/125 (I believe) and faster. The F2 is legendary and for good reason, but the FE is a great package of features and reliability in a smaller body. Do you have the FE or is one in your wishlist?
Nikon F cameras and Nikkor glass: The only value left in the market. I learned on my dad's FE2, which I still have and covet as you covet your dad's F2. Probably a good idea to buy as many Nikon F SLRs as possible before Gen Z figures it out. Peace.
You comment a couple of times about being sentimental or sappy as if it is something to apologize for. You can look at it that way or maybe you look at it from the point of view of being the family historian. If family history is important to you what better way to catalog it? My mom used to drive me and my brothers crazy with her Kodak Instamatic always grabbing snapshots. Today I wish I had a lot more of those images to share with my daughter and now granddaughter. While I may be accused of being a traditionalist I still believe that film negatives are more archival than digital files. While I have plenty of digital images of my granddaughter, I am now planning to capture more of her on film for the very reason that I want them to last. The shots you have of your child remind me of images I have captured of both my own daughter and nephew. Sentimentalism aside, preserving a little family history is too important to leave to chance in my opinion. Kudos to you.
I know that I am in the minority, and I love mechanical things, I really like my Nikon F2AS, but it just doesn't speak to me like my Nikon F3HP. The interchangeable focus screen that I have in my F3 is brighter than the one that came with my F2, and I definitely prefer the meter in the F3. 'The longer life goes, the more photos you wish you'd taken.' I LOVE this.
Before I ask this question I'm well aware that you're a skilled photographer and you know what you're doing with mirrors and glass, but how did you get all of that beautiful light in the photos of your baby ? Do you have amazing lighting in your house? I'm jealous. My house does not. They look like spontaneous photos so I just assumed you weren't using off camera lighting or anything. Cheers !
I got one of these classic Nikon F2 Black body camera and It came with the 2 Motor drives (2) Parts and the DS2 meter reader and I need to get a expousre meter HEAD and have the camera Serviced and I paid £10.00 for it from a camera shop in London in 2023
solid as a rock. I'd consider the F2 probably even more durable as it doesn't have a rangefinder to potentially get out of calibration. The mirror could on the F2 as well though, so maybe equal?
I was kind of giggling because you admitted your Dad was “Right”. There is still hope for my 17 year old Son, 😆😆😆 That F2 is nice. Glad you didn’t sell it. I AM considering dumping my gear. 20 cameras is too much !!
That Nikon f2 goes for a pretty penny in 2023 been looking for one at a decent price and from the looks of I may have to bend and pay more than what I thought I would end up spending.
I love my Nikon f2 in black. I’ll never sell it. I use the 50mm 1.4 the most . Fast and sharp lens. It’s actually more efficient than my Leica m3 and m6. It is easier to focus than any Leica, And you can focus very close. Mine is the f2sb and has the best prism and meter with the red led lights.
I have to admit that my M4 together with the 50mm 1:2 Summicron sadly outperforms the F2 with the 50mm 1:1.4 S-Auto Nikkor by miles. Nikkor glass up to 50mm will never compete with Leitz glass.
Too much music going on in the beginning while you're talking. It wasn't comfortable to listen to your voice. A long stretched exponential fade-in would've done it (I think)
I just started film earlier this year, and my dad gave me his dad's Nikon F2. It really gives me a sense of a stronger connection with my late grandfather 😊
Film is way more satisfying than digital once you get good photographs.
Next thing you know, you’ll be scanning your negatives
Then you will want a darkroom because making your own prints is amaZing, like making your own epic drawings without a computer.
I have three F2's. One I used back in the day so to speak. Another brand new never used. And one that I use all the time. This is a solid camera and as you say, completely mechanical which makes it realistically serviceable if by odd chance.....it needed service. I can't understand the logic of folks spending thousands on electronic contax cameras and others......which will eventually be unable to repair. They say it is about compact size and quality, etc. it is really about putting it on auto mode and shooting. Those of us who grew up with film appreciate that benefit but I shoot pretty quick with a fully mechanical film camera. This is a great camera to anyone who is considering buying and F2. Just learn how to use it and you will never go back.
I'm going with this one over the f3 due to being fully mechanical 😊
Im getting ready to buy one. Do you like how the waist level vf works? thats the main reason I want it. I have a weird fascination with wlvf.
@colinfaulkner1951 ~ When my F2 needs service ~ where would you recommend sending for repairs & servicing?
This has made my mind up about fixing my mom's Minolta... I shot it once for my "camera history" video, but I need to get it back to good condition. The thing you said about your kid knowing his life was documented with his grandpa's camera really resonated!
So special! Love the generational mentality and stories you have with your gear.
Great video. My favorite still camera. Still have mine from 1978 when I bought it new as an F2AS. I added the DS-1 EE aperture controller and the motor drive. I love the 55 Micro 2.8 so much I bought another and adapted it to my Canon 5D MkII.
ive often shot leica's and tbh the F and F2 are my all time favorite cameras! just a classic and staple of history and i was always in awe with the beauty and sharpness of their lenses!
I need a film slr for a photography class i’m taking, and I got this camera from my granddad. I’m beyond excited to start shooting with it, and it means so much more to me since it’s been in the family for almost 50 years
Get this or an old canon f1
I just bought a Nikon F2 and I love it now I can grab a different lens than my 50 1.8 Nikkor thanks so much!
Enjoyed watching this video of yours a second time around. Agree 100 about your assessment of the F2. It had been my dream camera when I was a kid, and I was fortunate to pick one up last year. There’s really nothing like it. Thanks for the video. Keep it up!
Both me and my sister learned how to shoot on our dads f2. For as much as I love the quickest of digital I miss the the dark room. Literally have the same macro on it right now. The glass is magical.
Thanks for sharing. Nice backstory. Love it how you talk about the Nikon and Hasselblad.
Dude, I love your channel. I recently discovered my father's F2 and wanted to look up some info on it... through my youtubing I found your channel. Upon the discovery of the F2, I also came across some much older cameras from the 40s and 50s. I'm an amateur photographer with a dslr. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Love it!! I’m in that same boat with my dad’s canon AE-1. This seems like a better camera but the sentimental attachment is similar.
Tony, same here on the AE1. I just found his 50mm the other day. Can’t wait to test it out..
Linus is about to flip when he sees this.
update: linus flipped
My go-to 35mm camera. Gifted to me by a dear friend and I can't imagine ever letting it go. This was a great reminder and love letter to an outstanding camera. Thanks so much Benj!
Literally here because my dad just gave me his Nikon f2 and f3 cameras! Great video man!
That's awesome!
I love the F2. I started using it in the 70's at a newspaper where I worked, and I still have one. The best thing about the F2 is that it is a completely mechanical camera except for the meter. The only thing I've ever done to mine in over 40 years of ownership is to replace the light seals at a cost of $12. One thing to keep in mind about the meter in the finder is that CdS cells, on which the meter relies, have a finite life span, and almost all F2 finders are now approaching the end of that life. Therefore, it is very common to see these finders and cameras for sale with a non-functional meter. You can have your camera, or just the finder, rebuilt by Sover Wong (I think he is in the UK). He is great but not cheap, and has about a one-year wait before he can service your camera. Given that, I decided to just use a hand-held meter and keep shooting my F2. It still makes great pictures.
I love my F2, best camera I own and shoot with it all the time. Sweet video BTW!
The pics of your son are fantastic. Your dad is correct about Nikkor lenses they are great. I own all of the camera in the F series and the F2 is my favorite (the F5 and F6 are close seconds). But you're correct this is a camera that will last a lifetime while that Canon digital camera will be a brick in 10 years. I would send that camera in for cleaning and oil and maybe foam replacement. I just did that for mine and it should be good for another 40 years.
I found Eric Floberg channel the other day and I love it. Through mutual foto walk I have found yours. Also love the style and the content. Looking forward and subscribed...
Beautifully done video, Benj! That's a great story and it's awesome that you are preserving the family photography legacy. The F2 is such a fantastic camera and definitely agree about the Nikkor glass quality.
I also inherited my dads F2 - love it! I’m also originally from the PNW(Portland). Beautiful pictures!
Oh man, using that pancake with the R is genius! Love this review. Inspires me to use my AE-1 program for the arrival of our first!
The black F2 Photomic was my first camera. I bought it together with a non Ai 50mm 1:1.4 S-Auto Nikkor back in 1998. Still have it, will never sell it. Now I even have three F2s (added a F2A and F2AS, now all of them are equipped with the MD-2 motordrives and the MF-3 backs for better handling, the needle finders have the DL-1 illuminators attached). That camera is way better than a F3 and even F5 (which I also own in digital and analogue).
I have the exact same camera I bought a few months ago, a couple of great points are the double exposure facility and depth of field preview and mirror lock up as well as the different viewfinders and to be able to view the meter on top of the prism is invaluable when your out and about and don't have time to meter especially in those less than esoteric situations.
I grew up in the 90s with a 1974 Nikon F Photomic and a 105mm 2.5p lens which was fantastic and was permanently attached to my arm. I upgraded to an F3 but that wasn't an upgrade as it had a lot of electrical faults and relied on batteries and was automatic which appealed to the laziness of life and is probably why it is popular today.
I am recently getting back to film but not happy now I have to wear glasses although I have a dioptered eye piece as I couldn't get to grips with wearing glasses. I only have one lens a 20mm f4 which is beautiful in itself.
Something funny about the F series is you don't waste film because you are forced to make 100% decisions on exposure and depth of field as well as their interaction with composition.
I love using my F2, feels like a tank and is my favourite camera, also got it from my father that was previously from his dad which is great, i loved so much this camera I even bought one for my sister a few years back when they weren't that expensive.
I have an F2 with a Nikkor 50mm sc 1.4 lens and will keep it as an investment.
I have a 55mm f2. 8 Micro nikkor which I use on my Nikon D300s.
My favourite camera is a Pentax Spotmatic SP with the 55mm f1.8 super takumar. I used it to photograph my children with it for 20 years. I am 76 now and still love it's wonderful lens. The rendition in colour and black and white is phenomenal.
I never really bonded with my F3hp. Then I bought a F2 and loved it. I quickly sold the F3hp and haven't missed it. Now the F2 and Leica M2 are my main 35mm cameras.
My first camera and probably my favorite. Great review + story!
Dylan Howell. A photo legend.
I have a pair of F2AS's coupled to MD-2 that are my primary go to 35mm. I also own a mint straight from the box F2S in black (a surprise gift from my wife). The F2 just sits so right in my gorilla sized hands, and is a joy to shoot. Coupled with some of the worlds best glass its a stunning combination. I also have a F3 Press and F5. I've tried over the years both Cannon & Olympus rivals, but they just don't feel as rugged. None of my F2's have been apart for a service. I've only had to replace light seals over the years.
Hello. Very nice video. Exactly. It's about emotions. I'm new to photography and got hold of an older Fuji X-T3. He fell in love with its colors, but I also wanted to touch how I was young and my father took pictures of the old Russian Zenit. So I got a beautiful Nikon FM2n with 50mm off eBay from Japan and started my first color and then black and white film. I am very much looking forward to the result. I just want to say that it's about the spirit of these beautiful old devices that still manage to surprise. I have a question: Your F2 has a beautiful leather strap. Where did you get it? Thank you very much and greetings from the Czech Republic...(in the middle of Europe)
Loved your video, I was lucky enough to find an F2 Photomic with the Micro 55mm f3.5 for 60 bucks, but I just noticed the meter doesn't work, I hope I can get it fixed and give it a try!
I still love my old Nikon film cameras too..
as a diehard Leica M shooter and owner, I have a lot of respect for the Nikon F film cameras of days gone by.
Such a fantastic shooter. It baffles me that, more often than not, photographers kinda seem to skip over it when talking about film camera GOATs. Just picked one up a couple months ago and I've already made the decision I'm never selling it.
Solid review!
I have never shot a nikon and this seems like a camera Id really like to pick up
Do it! My meter is broken and I drop it weekly but it still works!
Yep do it. I’ve had about six and I just keep on re buying them because I miss it and it is that good. Just make sure you get a working meter, the best are the DP3, DP11 and DP12
The F and F2 really came into their own in wars and especially the print news media. The Japanese companies really did a great job of not only copying the German range finders but making vast improvements as they went along. Going with the prism viewfinder and ditching the rangefinder made a huge difference. that being the ability to use any lens, any focal length on the body. Companies like Pentax, Canon, Minolta really paved the way for photography with a machine that was easy for a novice to use. I got my F2 in Japan around 1980, mine being made in 1979. The all back body machine still is with me, works perfectly as the day I bought it. Only needed new batteries for the meter and I was good to go. The lenses are very good considering the time they were made. Images came out crips, both B&W and color looked excellent. Anyone who wants to delve into film photography has to at least look at the vintage Nikons that are still in excellent working conditions.
These cameras will be in museums some day.
I used one for years oblivious of what I had, got it stolen,, lost all my pictures, and only now woke up and sent for a replacement.
Along with the later Nikon FM2, the best 35mm film camera ever made.
We didn't have to recharge the batteries every day, just change out about once a year. I still have my all black F2A with a slightly more up to date viewfinder/meter. The F2 is a beast with the motor drive.
PACNOR Cool I am from Forks, Wa. I just got given a beautiful mint F2 with several lenses last night. The batteries are dead so I will pick some up today and hope the meter works. Otherwise this is working great and everything looks almost new. I do have an F3 which I shoot all the time does feel. The F3 is better feeling in hand and you can’t get past the super smooth shutter action on the F3. I do like the idea this F2 not needing a battery and it will definitely see lots of use starting today
I've had them all ;-) - up to the mirrorless - but F2 will still "stay my love"
I still have and use the F2A that I bought new when I was 19 in 1977. It’s outlived two MD-2 motors, has never needed maintenance and still looks like it’s only a few months old. When comparing to a modern DSLR, it would only be fair to attach either the MD-2 or -3 motors to the F2 which would dwarf most semi-Pro DSLRs. :-)
But, if you outfit the F2 with a plain meterless prism, it is roughly the same size as my Leica Ms. a beast of a machine. Glad you kept yours!
I still have my F2A + MD bought new over four decades ago too. The thing about size was that early pro SLR often coupled with hammerhead flash as well. My teenage nephew who got used to shooting with my D3 back then, jumped away when I showed him my F2A + MD + BP + Metz flash + Quantum Turbo battery pack. Luckily for him, I didn't attach the Metz telephoto attachment. 😊
Problem is those plain prisms are so pricey, even compared to the F2AS
Sam Edwards: yeah, they are totally ridiculous. Though admittedly, I am stalking listings of black Fs with the plain pentaprism, lol. Simply gorgeous beasts.
I got this camera from my uncle. It has a lot of sentimental value to me as well! I haven’t used it yet. Plan to clean it up and start to use it. Thanks for sharing!
That's awesome!
Great kit, I’ll add a SLR to my setup in the near future
I have one F and three F2’s. Great cameras. I’ve gotten 3 of the 4 CLA’s in Tokyo, and I bet that they will last me 40 years or longer into the future. I did choose a FM3a when I spent a month traveling S.E. Asia due to the smaller size, lighter weight, and quieter shutter.
The slap of the mirror on the F2 is the biggest limitation. Not a camera to photograph in a church, but the F and F2 have photographed many of the world’s conflicts and wars in the 60s, 70s and 80s.
yeah....watch "Apocalypse Now" at the 2:30 mark where they pull in to shore and Kurtz's photographer meets them at the boat...he practically has the whole Nikon line strapped around his neck...great movie, great cameras. Happy shooting. :)
Yea but remember in what Nikon put out on there ads: "Nikon We take the World's Greatest Photographs" to "No One Cares More About Your Image Than NIKON" to "We Get The World's Worst Assignments when using a NIKON"
I owned one with an FE. Then came F3, F4, and the F5. But this Camera is simply a legend.
Greetings from me, a photographynerd. I much enjoyed seeing you worship this, and see your good snaps. Please, keep on cherishing them. My faves are the one at 2:19, at 2:22 and at 7:30. My topmave is the one at 2:35. I wish I had that as artwall or some such.
Have a friendly handshake from me.
One new subscriber here.
Great video and insight, thanks for sharing man!
Totally agree with your assessment of the Nikon F2. I bought mine new in the mid-70's and still use it to this day. It has been humming along for about 45 years and has never failed me! And, it's much easier to lug around than my Nikon F4!
Great video. Love the straps you use.
I love your videos, maybe because you dare to use non-native lenses with the GFX, and I'm like you, Nikon F2 owner, but my preferred Nikon is my black pristine F. A whole lot of Nikon Stuff, MF, LF, but my darling is my Olympus OM-3Ti, and the Zuiko lens line up. My next step is to buy a GFX. The 100S would suit my needs, but then I have to sell some of my stuff, or go for a used 50R. But, by seeing your videos, I can be sure I have a lot of my old lenses that will cover the GFX.
This was the camera I couldn't afford in 1972 and ended up buying my Argus STL1000. But I did collect many AI lenses and finally got a Nikon body, F100. Love your videos!
That’s my story as well. As a poor grad student in 1973, all I could afford was a Mamiya Sekor 500. Just got back into film and finally have an F2 as well as a darkroom. The F2 was what you aspired to back then.
This Nikon F2 is on my wishlist! Anyone have recommendations where to buy it online?
modelsversus: I got mine here....they ship to most countries.
wycameras.com/collections/nikon-mf-cameras
Such a great video--I shot my own wedding due to quarantine and believe in the emotional charge of these cameras. What film do you use to shoot indoors? Are you pushing it?
These are almost all on Tri-X 400 pushed 1 or 2 stops
@@benjhaisch thanks for the info!
Very well reviewed. the 55 Micro-Nikkor (all versions) are really superb lenses, i have them "glued" on my F's and F2's.
The Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/3.5 is really an under-rated gem. It's a daily driver for be on my F2 and F3.
I’ve heard it’s actually sharper than its well regarded sibling, the 55/2.8.
@@gottanikoncamera that is true, though I think unless you're using it with a digital camera you'll be hard-pressed to know the difference (though perhaps my eyes are just awful 😂).
@@BillyHopscotch Me, neither. My eyes aren't what they used to be. I often ask a couple of much younger guys I shoot with to look at footage or a photo and tell me what they think about the detail/sharpness, lol.
great camera, the finder needs some cleaning though ! Have fun shooting with this beast
i got two Fs and an F2 just because they're all mechanical. love them to death.
Oh yes the Nikon F2,
I also love my F2 with the DP1 prism. I also have the incredible big motor, witch I didn’t use, but it looks so amazing. The image quality is not perfect like my M2, but very useful.
By the way, I wish I could hold your camera in my hand for cleaning, it looks horrible dusty. The removable prism makes it so easy to clean the camera!
Very nice cam, got the same but then without the light meter. I’m curious what type of film and developer ons filter you use. Really like the rendering of the images of it
Beautiful video and photographs. May I ask which film stock(s) you used to get the images you showed?
a ton of Tri-X 400 pushed a stop and some Kodak P3200 as well
@@benjhaisch Thanks very much for the reply!
Really loved those black and white shots! I am trying to convince myself to start shooting black and white and develop at home. Which film did you use to get really nice contrast?
Kodak Tri-X 400 +1
Sweet! Loved your black and white images so much! I’ve got my first roll of film in my recently acquired F body, and it’s Tri-X at ISO800. First roll through the F and first of Tri-X since the early 80s! I have a mint F2AS in black that has a roll of Kodak Ultramax 400 almost complete in it. I like the F2 a lot, it handles so well, feels so solid and I love its aesthetic. I prefer it over my FE (purchased new in ‘81) and my F100 (purchased new in 2000) and my mint F3HP purchased two years ago. This video has inspired me to go out and shoot! Thanks!
That's cool the F2 was passed down from your Dad, maybe your kiddos will take up with it where you leave off. Most likely it will still be ticking.
I agree with you about the Pancake 50 mm lens, I have 2 of the the higher end version, not the E series, and love them. light, fast and take wonderfully sharp pics for an older lens. I also have the 55mm micro Nikkkor like yours, and only paid 50$ Australian for it. do you have a 105 2.5 lens? they are another great one to have, along with the 135mm 2.8 or 135 3.5. again, I have both and theyr'e both brilliant, just that the 3.5 version is a little slower...all of those I have are AI or AI-s lenses, with a few Non AI lenses that I use one my older Nikon F.
I have all the F bodies and the F2 is my favorite no dead battery to have to worry about
Such a great video. Thank you for sharing.
great video Benj.👍 3:17 I am pretty sure something hairy died in your camera. 😅
Haha! Yeah after I filmed that I was thinking I really should give it a clean after 40 years ;)
@@benjhaisch yes, fortunately this cannot happen with a leica M. Just hold your breath and clean it up a little with spray air. it should work wonders. 😄
A really helpful video. Superb images. Thank you.
I owned a canon ae1 since it was cheap and everyone has it... but when I got into Nikon slrs, my god.. the quality of the slrs AND lenses are so much better. I definitely won’t be selling my Nikon gear. I use that macro lens to scan the film I use from the same Nikkor 50 1.8 and a Nikkor 28 3.5
I have my uncles old cameras his Nikon F, Leicaflex SL and his Rollieflex 2.8F all such lovey cameras, Ive been thinking about getting rid of the Leicaflex and nikon lately to buy a leica but now im not so sure. Great video really insightful and has given me something to think about!
just add a Leica.
My sister gifted me her F2, possibly because the meter doesn't work. So I got a dp-1 off ebay, and that camera is possibly my favorite one of them all!
Love this video! Thanks for sharing. Would love to hear your review on the Nikon FE if you know about that one.
ah I don't have one. I do have a broken Nikon FG though. maybe I'll get it fixed someday ;)
The FE was my first camera and I’ve had it since 1983-ish. I love it. Over the last several years I picked up an F3, FM2, F2, F and other 35mm and medium format cameras. The FE still holds its own and is a joy to use. Compared to the F2 it’s lighter but still well built, is smaller and that helps if you don’t have larger hands, accepts non-AI lenses (something the FM2 can’t do), has an exposure compensation dial, has a lever to make double exposures easy and last but not least has a great viewfinder display with a match needle metering display. This display might be the best Nikon made because it slows you to instantly know how many stops over or under you are from the suggested setting. None of my other Nikons offer this. The F2 has the benefit of being all mechanical, but the FE does let you shoot at a single mechanical speed if your battery dies. The F2 also has a top shutter speed of 1/2000 and its step less at
Speeds 1/125 (I believe) and faster. The F2 is legendary and for good reason, but the FE is a great package of features and reliability in a smaller body. Do you have the FE or is one in your wishlist?
I've always used the Nikon F3, but this is making me want to try the F2...
So you enjoy using vintage lenses on the eos r? In doubting between buying an eos r or Sony a7iii to use vintage lenses
Nikon F cameras and Nikkor glass: The only value left in the market. I learned on my dad's FE2, which I still have and covet as you covet your dad's F2. Probably a good idea to buy as many Nikon F SLRs as possible before Gen Z figures it out. Peace.
You comment a couple of times about being sentimental or sappy as if it is something to apologize for. You can look at it that way or maybe you look at it from the point of view of being the family historian. If family history is important to you what better way to catalog it? My mom used to drive me and my brothers crazy with her Kodak Instamatic always grabbing snapshots. Today I wish I had a lot more of those images to share with my daughter and now granddaughter. While I may be accused of being a traditionalist I still believe that film negatives are more archival than digital files. While I have plenty of digital images of my granddaughter, I am now planning to capture more of her on film for the very reason that I want them to last. The shots you have of your child remind me of images I have captured of both my own daughter and nephew. Sentimentalism aside, preserving a little family history is too important to leave to chance in my opinion. Kudos to you.
I know that I am in the minority, and I love mechanical things, I really like my Nikon F2AS, but it just doesn't speak to me like my Nikon F3HP. The interchangeable focus screen that I have in my F3 is brighter than the one that came with my F2, and I definitely prefer the meter in the F3.
'The longer life goes, the more photos you wish you'd taken.' I LOVE this.
Before I ask this question I'm well aware that you're a skilled photographer and you know what you're doing with mirrors and glass, but how did you get all of that beautiful light in the photos of your baby ? Do you have amazing lighting in your house? I'm jealous. My house does not. They look like spontaneous photos so I just assumed you weren't using off camera lighting or anything. Cheers !
I got one of these classic Nikon F2 Black body camera and It came with the 2 Motor drives (2) Parts and the DS2 meter reader and I need to get a expousre meter HEAD and have the camera Serviced and I paid £10.00 for it from a camera shop in London in 2023
What strap do you have on it?
Benj, how do you find this camera compared to the m6 in terms of durability?
solid as a rock. I'd consider the F2 probably even more durable as it doesn't have a rangefinder to potentially get out of calibration. The mirror could on the F2 as well though, so maybe equal?
I was kind of giggling because you admitted your Dad was “Right”. There is still hope for my 17 year old Son, 😆😆😆
That F2 is nice. Glad you didn’t sell it. I AM considering dumping my gear. 20 cameras is too much !!
Nice legacy camera. I hope your son provides you pictures of your future grandkids with the same camera.
The F2 is the Queen! Yours could meet a brush one day, maybe ? Give it some love, man... that matte screen... :)
Haha yeah it needs a good clean for sure ;) too much use!
Great images!
Nice image(s), music just a tad bit loud..
That Nikon f2 goes for a pretty penny in 2023 been looking for one at a decent price and from the looks of I may have to bend and pay more than what I thought I would end up spending.
Hi ,I have an old Nikon F2 ,that needs a little repairing ,I am looking to sell it ,what is the best price to quote
don't worry about the edges worry about the moment
So much love ❤️❤️❤️
I love my Nikon f2 in black. I’ll never sell it. I use the 50mm 1.4 the most . Fast and sharp lens.
It’s actually more efficient than my Leica m3 and m6. It is easier to focus than any Leica, And you can focus very close.
Mine is the f2sb and has the best prism and meter with the red led lights.
I have to admit that my M4 together with the 50mm 1:2 Summicron sadly outperforms the F2 with the 50mm 1:1.4 S-Auto Nikkor by miles. Nikkor glass up to 50mm will never compete with Leitz glass.
I have all the F bodies and the F2 I like the most no dead batteries to worry about
Where do you buy your cameras online?
Craigslist, KEH, eBay if I have to, other photographers via Facebook groups.
Is the waist level view finder for this camera any good?
Sure it is, the magnifying finder is even better.
Too much music going on in the beginning while you're talking. It wasn't comfortable to listen to your voice. A long stretched exponential fade-in would've done it (I think)
what brown leather strap is that?
benjhais.ch/clever
F2 still a classic camera from Nikon
I like the content of you video but the music is enjoying .
What’s the b&w film you use?
Mostly Tri-X 400 +1
Does this camera take both AI and AIS lenses?