First Snow of the Season

First Snow, by Reed A. George

Nikon F

 

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Serious Nikon Film SLR Resource

Image Source: http://www.destoutz.ch/nikon-f.html

 

I've had the opportunity to purchase some lovely Nikon SLRs recently, and taken it. I finally pulled the trigger on a new Nikon Df digital SLR, but that's not what I'm talking about.

 

One of my friends recently sold me a pair of old Nikons: an original F Photomic, which is in about the best cosmetic condition I could ask for, and an F2SB. The F2SB is also in great condition, and fully functional, but not quite as pristine as the F.

 

Anyway, in looking for information on these cameras, I came across this incredible website by Richard de Stoutz. Richard shares images of his extensive, and I mean extensive, Nikon SLR collection.

 

(Click Here) to check out destoutz.com

 

I love seeing people who are as obsessed as I am (or more) with using these great old cameras.

 

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The Old Nikkor 50mm f1.4 Still Shines

 

Irish Dance, by Reed A. George

Nikomat FTN, Nikkor S 50mm f1.4, pre-AI Lens

 

As you may know, I'm continuing to explore shooting Nikon SLR gear that covers a range of more than fifty years. Alongside my new Nikon Df, my original F film body is ready to go, with the Nikkor S 50mm f1.4 lens attached. The lens was a gift from one of my good buddies, Dennis Gallus.

 

I love it when I find someone else using classic old gear. Forum member DNG on Rangefinder Forum has just shared a few images made with his old Nikkor 50.

 

(Click Here) to see DNG's results.

 

I'm not sure what the details are of DNG's statement

"I also used a K25 preset on import from Filmbot. no changes in the color, just Topaz Clarify and Topaz Detail."

but I plan to look up these programs. Always open to new tools that help me continue to enjoy my old film gear and pictures.

 

The coolest thing about carrying my Df and F together is that any lens I can use on the F is just fine and at home on the Df as well. The inverse is true (any lens on the Df can be used on the F), except for "G" lenses, which lack an aperture ring. I may be the only one who feels this way, but that lack of a ring is keeping me from buying some new Nikon (or Sigma with Nikon mount) lenses.

 

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50 Years of Nikon - Slideshow - Historic Corncrib

Here is a brief slideshow of images I took of an old farm building near where I work. I was able to convince my coworker and friend Wendye to let me photograph her there.

 

 

If you have trouble getting it to load, just (Click Here).

 

I shot all of these images with Nikon - the first of my "50 Years of Nikon SLRs" posts. This includes images from my early Nikon F film SLR, and my new Nikon Df DSLR. It's a lot of fun shooting these two cameras, separated by 50 years of Nikon history, going into the 50th year of my own life.

 

The music is from my friends The Woodshedders. Enjoy!

 

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Fifty Years of Nikon

Camera images from nikonusa.com

 

I am turning 50 years old in December, just two months away. I'm not too hung up on age, but 50 is a big one. Half a century.

 

I just pulled the trigger on the purchase of a Nikon DF (sold refurbished direct from Nikon). I thought long and hard about that investment, since I already have attention deficit problems with my existing cameras, and like to focus on particular cameras, at least for some period of time. But, the DF is just too attractive for a photographer like me. Familiar controls, real knobs instead of (or in addition to) menus, married with amazing digital sensor technology, and the ability to use any of my Nikkor lenses to boot.

 

So, I'm thinking that I may pair up my new DF with a camera that was around and in use when I was born, my Nikon F film SLR with plain prism. I don't know exactly what the project will be yet, but it will take advantage of fifty years of Nikon SLR technology, in my 50th year of life.

 

Stay tuned!

 

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Water Lily - Imperfections of Film and Long Telephoto

Water Lily, by Reed A. George

Nikon F Film SLR, Sigma 400mm f5.6 (pre-AI) Telephoto

 

I continue to explore the 400mm Sigma lens that I won in the Film Photography Project Walking Workshop giveaway. As you may have seen, it works pretty well on my Micro 4/3 Lumix DMC-GX7. But, it's not of the same quality as the more modern Micro 4/3 lenses. In fact, I think it's much more at home on the type of camera it was designed for, a film SLR.

 

As you can imagine, the shot above was taken from a long distance. 400mm has a very long reach.

 

I like the combination of the tight perspective of the telephoto, the narrow depth of field, and the significant vignetting in the corners. For all its imperfections, this image says what I want it to.

 

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Film Photography Project (FPP) Giveaway - My Sigma 400mm f5.6

 

 

I attended the FPP Walking Workshop back in May, and won two great pieces of gear in the giveaway - a Nikkormat FT3 and a Sigma pre-AI 400mm f5.6 telephoto lens. Of course I had to try this big old lens, so I mounted it on my plain prism Nikon F body and took it on the FPP walk to a local military commemorative event. Here are two examples of what I got.

 

At first, this young guy wasn't sure about having a 400 mm lens pointed in his direction. Than he settled down and had some fun "shooting" the 50 caliber machine gun on this vehicle.

 

Rat-a-tat-tat!, by Reed A. George

Nikon F Film SLR, Sigma 400mm f5.6 Pre-AI Lens

 

I was pleasantly surprised by the sharpness of this old lens. Shooting iso 400 film, I was able to keep the shutter speed up at 1/1000 of a second, which allowed me to handhold the lens. The lens is a little low in contrast, but I find the result quite nice. Thanks, FPP!

 

(Click Here) to learn more about the FPP.

 

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Goodbye Minerva Lake

Backlit Leaves, Minerva Lake, by Reed A. George

Nikon F, Nikkor 28mm f3.5 Pre-AI Lens

Kodak Tmax 400 Film

 

My aunt and uncle are moving out of the house they've lived in since I was a kid. In Minerva Park in Columbus, Ohio, it's a place I spent a lot of time as a kid, going to the pool in the summer with my cousins. This may be the last time I ever have the occasion to walk around Minerva Lake. This picture will remind me of the place forever.

 

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Dogwood Blossoms in Rain

I have been enjoying shooting my older Nikon SLRs a little more often lately. These shots were all made with my Nikon F (plain prism) and Nikkor pre-AI 135mm f3.5 lens.

 

Taken just after a morning rain, I found the color of the dogwood blossoms and the water drops quite interesting. Moving in close and shooting wide open, I was able to get quite a shallow depth of field.

 

The light was changing quickly as the clouds cleared, as you can see in the second image, where the sunlight's a lot more direct than in the others.

 

I really love shooting these old film cameras.

 

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Preparing to Travel to the Film Photography Project (FPP) Walking Workshop!

Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon_F

 

I've had a crazy busy week, between too many simultaneous efforts at work, and my wife being out of town. I don't know how you single parents do it. Hats off to you.

 

Anyway, my daughter and I are headed out to Columbus, Ohio, tomorrow (5/17/2014, remember my delay in posting). She'll visit with family on Saturday, while I drive up to Findlay to take part in the FPP Walking Workshop. I'm really looking forward to it.

 

Here's what I've packed in camera gear: Nikon F (plain prism and waist level finder), Nikon F2, Nikkor 28mm f3.5, 50mm f1.4, and 135mm f3.5 pre-AI lenses, Agfa Record III 6x9 medium format folding camera, Leica CL and Rokkor 40mm f2 lens. Mini flash (Nikon SB30), light meter. Seems like an awful lot for one day of workshop, but what the heck. It's a film camera workshop, after all.

 

I'll be in Findlay by 10AM on Saturday, and will spend the night, heading back to Columbus very early Sunday morning to spend some time with my Mom, my 94 year old grandfather, and lots of other family. Sunday night, we'll be back on the plane headed to Dulles.

 

I hope to have plenty of nice film images to share in a week or two! I'm carrying my prepaid mailer for The Darkroom, so I can send my film off for processing directly from Ohio, avoiding one trip through airport security.

 

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Simplicity - "The Ultimate Sophistication"

My Nikon F

 

As you know, this blog is loosely focused on the interface of equipment and artistic approaches to photography. I for one don't believe that the "equipment doesn't matter." I do believe the standard adage that equipment should not get in one's way. Therefore, I tend to enjoy using simple cameras more than technologically complex ones.

 

This may seem limiting, and sometimes it can be. When I think of simple cameras that I love to use, most of them are film cameras, which is in itself a limitation. Leica's Barnack cameras, film M cameras, Nikon film SLRs (made before autofocus), folding medium format cameras, twin lens reflexes (e.g. Rolleiflexes or the lovely Minolta Autocord) all come to mind. In the digital realm, there are much fewer choices. My Leica M9 reigns supreme here. I think maybe a Nikon Df would suit me similarly.

 

Other times, I simply need to compromise and use a more complicated camera to help ensure that I get the shot, and that the results are technically superior. This is where the awesome, but awesomely complicated Nikon D700 DSLR comes in. I still use it a lot, and love the results.

 

I read a post on the blog Leicaphilia about the Leica IIIG. I think the author and I share a lot in how we think about cameras.

 

(Click Here) to read why the author chooses the IIIG more often than any other camera.

 

All that said, I'm packed for a quick trip to New Mexico for business. I've decided to carry only Micro 4/3 gear, in an effort to re-engage myself with that modern, more complicated gear. We'll see how it goes.

 

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A Nice Shot From My Nikon F and Non-AI 135mm f3.5 Nikkor Lens

I recently bought a Nikon F with plain prism from KEH. It is in "BGN" condition, which as far as I can tell means the body is in truly excellent condition, but the prism (the most valuable component) has a ding at the apex of the pentraprism. The ding has absolutely no effect on functionality, and is not all that noticeable. So, I'm quite pleased with the purchase.

 

I put a roll of color print film (Kodak 400) through it, just to test the light seals, etc. Here's one shot I happen to like.

 

Paintball Champion, by Reed A. George

Nikon F, Plain Prism, Nikkor non-AI 135mm f3.5 Lens

Kodak 400 Color Print Film

 

I picked up the non-AI 135mm f3.5 lens at a local camera store for $50, also in great condition. It's not fast, with the maximum aperture of 3.5, but it is quite sharp. It's also really compact and light.

 

I thoroughly enjoy using all of this old gear that can now be had for so little money.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Most Beautiful SLR Ever? Nikon F, Plain Prism

Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nikon_F_SLR_camera_with_NIKKOR-S_Auto_1,4_f%3D5,8cm.JPG

Author: Dnalor 01

I started getting serious about photography in sixth grade, back in about 1977. My camera at that time was a Pentax K1000. I still have that camera, and it's close to my heart.

Lately, I've continued to explore Nikon SLRs, which were simply outside my financial reach back in the day. I've had several Nikon film SLRs, including an N2000, which is a manual focus SLR with built-in motor drive, an FM2N, and a few others. My most recent additions have been a pair of F2s, which a just plain lovely cameras. Both of mine have the DP-1 Photomic finder.

I've always wanted to try a regular Nikon F with plain prism. I recently bought one, an early example, from KEH. The price of the BGN condition F with prism was about $15 more than a BGN prism ONLY! Well, that $15 bought me a lot. The camera body is in excellent condition. The only thing that makes the overall condition BGN (by KEH's rating) is a dent at the apex of the prism, which has absolutely no effect on the function. I fell in love immediately with this beast from 1962. I've read it being described as the SLR equivalent of a Leica M3. I think that's appropriate. The layout of the original F was borrowed from the Nikon S series rangefinders. No electronics whatsoever. 100% viewfinder coverage. It's really very nice to carry and use.

My first roll of film from the new F is on its way to The Darkroom as I write. Hopefully I'll have some results to share with you in a few days.

 

Is the F "better" than the F2? Almost certainly not. But, it sure is a beauty, and quite fun to use. At $144 from KEH, I decided I couldn't really go wrong. This is one of those cameras I always told myself I'd own someday.

 

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