Nikon F

Camera: Nikon F circa 1959 - 1974







Lens mount: eponymous!
Shutter: 1 - 1/1000 seconds plus time and bulb
Depth-of-Field Preview: Yes, plunger on front of camera
Mirror lock-up: yes, but wastes a frame.
Metering: center-weighed with the Photomic meters.
ISO: 6 - 6400
Prisms/focusing aids: split image rangefinder (interchangeable)
Self-timer: Yes, to use, cock shutter, push self-timer lever appropriate amount, then push the little button on the front of the body to start the self-timer (not the shutter release button!)
Flash: P.C. socket, no built-in shoe, but one could slip over the rewind knob.
Film plane indicator: no?

Comments: "built like a hockey puck", my F makes all my other old cameras look bad since its shutter speeds are spot on and the self-timer still works properly! The non-standard shutter release cable (shared with Leica), lack of a built in hot shoe, and the removable back are a little irksome. Finally, the Photomic meters are heavy and ugly, and the pretty non-metered prisms are sadly expensive. The meters are supposed to clip onto the Nikon name plate on the front of the camera which disappeared from my copy.

Common problems with these: missing name plate makes camera less attractive and finder wobbly, wobbly advance lever. I think all my samples suffer from this. It is not uncommon for the 1 second speed and self timer to stick as well (but who cares).

Manual: Butkus
More info: MIR
Nikon Thousand and One Nights

Issues: Meter probably doesn't work, but I've never tried putting batteries in it.