My Nikon Gear

[kamera]

A short time ago, I posted pics of my Minolta gear, all of which I use.

The other brand of which I have the most items, is Nikon and this brand gets a lot of use. In fact, I hear the moans and groans from the storage bags if the particular brand I choose to shoot at any time is left behind.

What meanist thou that I am crazy? Look, we all are addicted here in this group and I am sure some other members hear their cameras talking to them besides me...yes!? ;D ;D

Besides...I have gone to 8 different psychiatrists...one on every day of the week...and they all told me I was (at least relatively) normal...and that as long as I recognized that I was crazy, that alone would keep me from going insane!!!!! ;D

Hmm, Hmm...well on to the subject of this post!!

1. My Nikon EM with E series flash and these E series lenses...
28/2.8, 50/1.8 and 100/2.8. The E series lenses have the
same optics as the more expensive Nikon lenses of the time,
but are more plasticy on the outside. The EM, FG and FE
often get a bum rap from many snickity Nikon owners but
they do have a rightful higher place in the Nikon lineup. In
fact the EM has a metal chassis and a simple push button for
backlit exposure compensation that works great!



2. My Nikon F3HP. Oo, Oo...a fabulous piece of machinery. When
the new FM3A came out, I considered getting it, but then
I had a better camera in my F3HP.



3. Nikon F4s...another sweet and professional camera. Yeah, I
know...others have told me that the AF is slow compared to
the F5...but since I usually do static subjects it is plenty fast
enough for me.



4. My Nikon N80...a more technologically advanced camera than
the others with a number of bells and whistles. The only
custom settings I use are to put the grid screen up all the
time, have bracketing go under, on target and over exposure
in that order. It seemed to fit my hands better than the F100
and I also liked it having the built-in flash. There are times
I want just a simple flash and do not feel like mounting my
SB28.



5. Nikkor lenses...L to R...50/1.4, 105/2.8 and 20-35/2.8!



6. Lenses...L to R...Nikkor 24-120, Nikkor 80-400 and Tamron
28-300.



7. Nikkor 500/5...yes...a f5, not an f8.



8. Nikon accessories...back L to R...waist level finder for the
F3HP, SB28 flash, waist level finder for the F4s...front L to R...
right angle finder and view finder magnifier.



Ron Head
Kalamazoo, MI

[nikonbob]

All good stuff. Glad to see I am not the only Nikon perv here.

Bob

[kamera]

I do not know, Bob! You are the only one who has made any reply to the post so far. But I
do know Wayne has Nikon also...not sure who all else, though.

Ron Head
Kalamazoo, MI

[kiev4a]

Ron:

Nice looking gear. I love my F3 and F4 although the F4 isn't something I would take backpacking --if I ever went backpacking -- which I don't:) Never had an EM of N80. Did have an F100 but sold it to finance the F3 and some lenses. That 500mm is an impressive-looking piece.

I've been fooling around with a couple of Nikon Fs recently and my newer cameras have been doing a lot of complaining about being ignored. So little time, so many cameras.

I'll have to get some pictures rounded up.

Wayne

[jennyandernie]

We have a Nikon F80 and a selection of Nikon lenses that Ernie uses with his Fuji S2 Pro digital SLR.

Jenny

[GeneW]

This is grand Nikon gear, Ron. I'm a newcomer to Nikon SLR's but decided last year to trade off and sell all my Olympus OM-1 gear and lenses and switch over to Nikon just because I'd never used them before. No discredit to Olympus -- that gear was beautiful -- but it was the only SLR gear I'd used in the past 30 years and I felt I needed a change.

The trades and selling went well and I've been able to acquire an F3HP (love it!) and an FM2n that I also find very compelling to use with its smaller, lighter body. And a nice range of AI and AIS primes from 24mm to 200mm.

I'm having a good time with this Nikon phase -- it rekindled my interest in 35mm SLR shooting.

Gene

[byuphoto]

outstanding collection of fine gear. i especially love the 500 f5 to bad I can't get one in FD mount.

[kiev4a]

I'm lazy--put it all in one shot

. Not shown, flash for F3 HP, MD4 motor drive for F3 and numerous filters, adapters and do dads. Cameras include Nikon FM (front center); Nikon F TN, (front left); Nikon FTn (rear left) F4S(right rear) F3HP (right front)

[Microdad]

Some pretty sweet Nikon collections! I'd like to get an F3 sometime when I can afford it.

Steve

[kamera]

Rick,

That Nikkor mirror 500/5 is rather hefty, but not as much so as some of your big guns. I do not use it very often as I still do not really care for so much 'donut' effect. Nice for the collection though.

Wayne,

Your shot of the gear looks a lot better than my lousy pics also. A recent Shutterbug mag article on 'classics' talked about the F's. Do not know if you saw it or not. Praised!

Steve,

You can find some fairly decent prices on an F3HP nowadays. They are a nice size, nice weight, well constructed quality. In fact...not too long ago, I saw an ad(can't remember from whom) but they had a few 'new/old stock' F3HP's...Nikon until a year ago, I believe, actually still showed them in their product catalog.

Ron Head
Kalamazoo, MI

[doubs43]

I, too, plead "guilty" of owning a few Nikons. I have an FTn, Nikkormat FTn, FM, FE & EM plus AI lenes in 24, 28, 35, 50, 85, 105, 135 & 200mm. Add to that a few non-AI lenses and that pretty well defines my Nikon cache. I hope to use them more as the weather cools (hopefully) in the following weeks.

Walker

[jmi]

Heavens above! You folks have a lot of Nikon kit! Just the one for me - an FM2n, 35/2, 50/1.8 and 85/2. Bit deficient in glass here Have my eye on a 20/3.5 AI but those things tend to be expensive...

A question - a "feature" that really irritates me is the "shutter lock" on this particular camera, needing to have the wind lever pulled out to release the shutter means it interferes with my head when using it hand-held. Looking possibly to replace it - any suggestions for a good model? I like the size and weight so it'd be nice to keep them similar, thinking F3... assuming this doesn't have the same problem.

[kiev4a]

The F3 shutter will fire with the wind handle up against the body. There is a switch under the wind lever that must be turn on before anything works. Also, on the F3, when you fire the shutter to advance the film to frame 1, the shutter speed always is 1/80 sec and the meter doesn't work. You have to be on frame 1 before you can select shutter speeds and meter functions. Nikon designed it that way. The F3 has the smoothest manual film advance you will find on any SLR.. I think the F3 was made until 2000. They were still making it when the F5 was in production. The only negatives for me is the non standard flash connection around the rewind knob and 1/80 shutter sync speed. But no Nikon body has a better "feel". The F3 is considered by many the best manual focus camera Nikon ever made.

[nikonbob]

For me the jury is still out on the F3 as I have not had a chance to use it much. Coming from using FM/Fm2n/FE2 and F2s I think I still prefer the FM2n as a daily user followed by the F2. The stand off position of the wind lever does not bother me but having to turn on the F3 with that little switch does. Other than that the F3 is a little biger and heavier but still very nice. It will have a hard time to displace the F2 though. Time will tell.

Bob

[kiev4a]

I think I would be a big fan of the F2 if I had one. A friend has one he bought new that I have played with a couple of times and really liked it. Back when the F3 was introduced I knew a UPI photographer who shot with F2s who bought two brand new bodies and stuck them in his closet so if his cameras ever broke he would have replacements. He didn't have any use for a "batteries required" F3. I lost touch with him and don't know if he ever softened his opinion.