Need a Manual for that Old Camera? butkus.org is the Answer!

Image Source: http://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/filmcamera/slr/nikomat_ft3/

 

 

This morning, I loaded up my first roll of film in the Nikkormat FT3 I won in the Film Photography Project (FPP) Walking Workshop last weekend. When I went to set the film speed, I realized that the indicator didn't want to move. I couldn't remember how to unlock it, but was at least smart enough to not force it.

 

What to do? Needless to say, it didn't come with a manual. Simple. There's an incredible resource of scanned manuals for cameras and accessories online at butkus.org

 

(Click Here) to go to butkus.org if you need a manual for (nearly) any old camera.

 

I found the complete Nikkormat FT3 manual there, just as I expected.

 

Whenever I find a manual and download it, I donate (~$3-5) to the site. It's easy, with a Paypal button right there. There's also a mailing address, if you want to send a check.

 

By the way, while the FT3 is simply described as "AI version of the Nikkormat FT2 (1975)" on the Nikon website, I've come to realize that it's truly the best Nikkormat (Nikomat) model for me, as it happily accepts AI lenses, and like the new digital Nikon Df, has the option of flipping the AI lever out of the way so that you can mount and use non-AI lenses. When you do this, you have to use stop-down metering, but hey, that's a small compromise. So, the FT3 is a wonderful camera to always have in your bag as a backup when shooting Nikon film SLRs, no matter which model is your primary or which manual focus lenses you're carrying.

 

Now to see if I can make any interesting images with it!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

Final Skeletons From The Closet Camera (for 2014?) - Nikon F2 Photomic

Nikon F2 Photomic

Image Source: http://imaging.nikon.com/history/chronicle/history-f2/index.htm

While Nikon is inviting us to "fall in love again" with the new Nikon Df, I've fallen in love with a much older beast, the F2. It all started so innocently - I used my Nikomat for a month, as my selection for the Skeletons From The Closet (SFTC) series in September. (Click Here) to read about that camera, or search "Nikomat" here on the blog to see some results from that month. Next thing I knew, someone approached me with the fact that they had a nice F2 and 80-200 f4 AIS lens that they'd be willing to sell. Well, of course, I convinced myself that I needed a second Nikon body that could use the non-AI lenses I had for the Nikomat. Then a deal on a 135mm f3.5 lens came along (ok, I came to it, in my local camera store - $50 for a gorgeous example). Then, a 200mm f4 non-AI for $75 on a visit to the camera store in California. Hey, it was vacation - of course I went to the camera store. And finally, not quite satisfied with my first F2 (it's got a few blemishes and probably needs a CLA), I tried an EX condition one from KEH for ~$120. The KEH unit is literally like new. I can find only one tiny scratch, and the film transport is smooth as can be. So, having spent a few hundred dollars, I now have more early Nikon equipment than I could carry. And, I love it.

 

When I bought the KEH camera, I saw an EX condition 43-86mm f3.5 lens for $30. Sure, I'll try that too. More on that later. Just let me say that I'm sitting here looking at an image from that MUCH-maligned lens (known as the "worst lens" Nikon has ever made!), and it looks pretty decent to me. Again, my copy looks and feels like new. I'm not sure it was ever used.

 

I got a little behind in my writing, and didn't take any pictures of my F2 yet. I hope Nikon won't mind me borrowing the image above from their site. That's basically exactly how my camera looks, brand new.

 

So, this is the last SFTC camera selection for 2014 - the venerable Nikon F2 Photomic. I'll be sure to carry it around and shoot some pics this month to share. I have not yet decided whether to continue SFTC into 2015; if so, it will be on a less regular schedule. However, I do really enjoy the concept, and see no reason to kill it as long as I've got other cameras to try, or desire to revisit some of the best of those I used in 2014.

 

And, oh yeah, I'm not ruling out falling in love with that new Df as Nikon suggests!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Skeletons From The Closet - Nikomat at Glen Echo Park

I took my Nikomat to Glen Echo Park, a historic amusement park in Maryland, near DC.

 

I must start taking notes on my film photography. I'm not sure which lens I used in each case below, but will make my best guess.

 

The carousel at Glen Echo is so beautiful. I got this shot before it opened for business. Finishing up an old roll of Walgreens 200 speed film that was in the camera from a long time ago, I'm impressed with the subtle color that came through here.

Carousel, by Reed A. George

Nikomat FTn, Nikkor 28mm f3.5 Non-AI Lens

Walgreens iso 200 Color Print Film

 

There are some old structures around the park, leftover from the years before the entire creek was paved over; the lot subsequently crumbled and fell into the creek. The creek has now been returned as close to its natural state as was feasible.

 

This old bridge made for an interesting composition.

 

Trusses, by Reed A. George

Nikomat FTn, Nikkor45mm f2.8 GN Lens

Kodak TMax 400 Film

It's interesting to me how the older Nikon cameras and lenses, pre-AI, as so inexpensive. Essentially a dead line of equipment after newer bodies stopped having the mechanical f-stop coupling (with the F3 body, I believe), there are some real gems out there. I could use my non-AI kit as a complete solution for film photography if I so chose. Including AIS lenses, which retained the f-stop coupler, I have a full range of focal lengths, from 28mm to 200mm. Image quality is great.

The other interesting thing is that with a Nikon F - Micro 4/3 adapter, all of these old lenses come back to life, albeit at 2X the equivalent field of view. But, that's an opportunity. I have shot my AIS 28mm f2.8 on the Lumix G3, and at 56mm equivalent field of view, it does very nicely.

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

 

 

Nikomat FTn at Irish Dance Exhibition - Skeletons From The Closet, September's Camera

My Nikomat FTn and I recently went to Glen Echo Park in Maryland. They were holding an Irish dance event in what used to be the bumper car ride in the old Glen Echo Amusement Park.

 

Very challenging lighting, indeed, the pavilion was ringed with mid-day sun, while the interior remained quite dark. Having not brought a flash with me, or ever attempted to use one with the FTn, I decided to go with the prevailing conditions. This first shot took advantage of the light around the edges, and allowed me to capture some details of the dancers stretching and warming up.

Warming Up, by Reed A. George

Nikomat FTn, Kodak Tmax 400 Film

To really share what the lighting was like, I decided to shoot a few silhouettes. I really like the lines of the wood planks in the floor, and how they created a pool of reflected light in the relative darkness. The rafters in the roof also add to the structure of the shots. In this first silhouette, I also like how the dancer at right is actually not touching the floor; you can just detect that by the shadows under her foot.

Silhouette #1, by Reed A. George

Nikomat FTn, Kodak Tmax 400 Film

What I like about this final shot is how the dancer's arms frame the spectator in the distance beyond them. I also think the electric fans add an element of interest.

Silhouette #2, by Reed A. George

Nikomat FTn, Kodak Tmax 400 Film

 

Hardly documentation of the event or the people involved, these shots are my personal interpretation of what I saw. I enjoyed shooting the Nikomat here, and feel that it helped me to extract some details from a challenging lighting situation.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Result - September's Skeletons From The Closet Camera, the Nikomat FTn

 

Paths, by Reed A. George

Nikomat FTn, Nikkor 80-200mm f4 AIS Manual Focus Lens

Kodak Tmax 400 Film

 

This month, I've been shooting my gorgeous example of a black Nikomat FTn.

 

(Click Here) to read about the camera.

 

I took the Nikomat, and a recently-acquired 80-200mm f4 AIS lens, out for a walk at my local suburban "nature walk," a boardwalk over some small but nice wetlands in my neighborhood. The water level is very low right now. Home to lots of turtles, including some very large alligator snappers, the pond is the lowest I've ever seen it. In fact, you can see the back and head of a large turtle in the shot above, about in the exact center of the image, where the paths converge.

 

The 80-400 f4 AIS is an interesting lens. I bought it with an F2 body that was my main interest. When I heard about the lens over the phone, I wasn't interested. When I saw and handled it, I decided to give it a try.

 

Interestingly, Nikon has recently come out with a 70-200mm f4 AF-S ED VR lens, for a full $1,000 less than the venerable f2.8 version.

 

(Click Here) to read about the new AF-S 70-200m f4.

 

Of course, my old AIS lens is in a completely different league, but so far I'm pretty impressed. And, it cost me well over 10X less than the AF version would.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Skeletons From The Closet Camera For September - The Nikomat (Nikkormat) FTn

 

September's Camera, the Nikomat FTn

 

I'm excited about this month's SFTC camera. A Nikomat (Japanese market version of the Nikkormat) FTn, made between 1967-1975, this camera was given to me by a dear friend, Dennis Gallus, before he moved off to Arizona. The lens you see above is the classic Nikkor-S 50mm f1.4 that came with it, a sparkling beauty of a lens. The camera and lens are in near mint condition, which I must admit has kept me from taking it out a lot. It's coming out this month; I'll just have to be careful.

 

The Nikomat was offered by Nippon Kogaku (known as Nikon since 1988) as an advanced enthusiast camera to supplement the more expensive F line, which was targeted at professionals.

 

(Click Here) to read more about the Nikomat on wikipedia.

 

The Nikomat will mount any Nikon lens that has the coupling shoe which mounts to a corresponding pin on the camera body to give the body f-stop information. I have a few lenses that will mount to this camera: the 45mm f2.8 pancake lens, 28mm f2.8 AIS, 50mm f1.4 (above), 28mm f3.5, 105mm f2.5 AIS, and 200mm f4 AIS. I plan to use the pancake lens a lot this month, as it's relatively new to me, and I'd like to learn its qualities.

 

I already got it out for a day of shooting, so I'll have results rolling in soon.

 

Thank you, Dennis, for giving me such a lovely piece of Nikon history!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Been Around the Block - Car Photography Is Fun

 

Image Source: http://www.mu-43.com/f88/been-around-block-few-times-27007/

Member littleMT on mu-43.com posted a few pictures of this old beast, taken with an Olympus E-PL1 and Lumix 14mm f2.5 lens.

(Click Here) to see the post.

I am going to a car show this weekend with my friend James McKearney. It's sort of an annual ritual for us, and until two years ago included Dennis Gallus, who has since moved off to Arizona. The old cars don't look like the one above, in general; they're all fixed up and nicer than they were on the showroom in many cases. Again, this is an opportunity for me to combine two interests - cars and photography, with the enjoyment of seeing a friend and fellow photographer.

Dennis - What A Smile, by Reed A. George

Leica M8, Leica 35mm Summilux f1.4, iso 320, 1/60sec (f-stop not recorded)

Last year, I shot exclusively with my Nikomat, given to me by the aforementioned Dennis. I was quite pleased with the results. Here's an example:

Farm Use, by Reed A. George

Nikomat, sepia and additional grain a la Lightroom

I think I'll use something from my camera collection that hasn't been out for a while again this year. I'll have to think about what. I do have a new stock of 120 film that hasn't been touched yet. Maybe the Bronica...

Regardless, I'm looking forward to it.

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 
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