Wannabe Nikon Convert...

[Scott]

Okay, I'll admit it: I bought into Canon initially 'cause it was on sale at Best Buy.  There.  I said it.  For no good reason, I stuck with Canon for years and years, until it became self-perpetuating as the collection of EOS-compatible glass accumulated.  Lots of money, decent results.

Then, a few months ago, Jim sold me a Nikkormat FT2 and a Nikkor-N 24/2.8 S.  I was hooked.  Brilliant results, rivaling my beloved Pentax M42 collection and anything I ever got from my EOS gear.  Enough to make me question keeping my Tak glass (for now, I'm holding onto it, though it sits mothballed).  I picked up a 55 micro from Jim as well, and am finding it a beautiful portrait lens close up.

So, I haven't used the gear nearly enough.  Loaded it up yesterday, just to give it some exercise.  The camera has heft, the lenses are solid.  The gear makes the Spotmatic and Tak lenses seem, well, less substantial.  I'm really enjoying shooting this setup, and am seeking out things to point it at right now, just for the fun of it.  And the preliminary results have been great.

Now, I'd consider myself a true convert if I could only figure out Nikon's naming system...

Just ranting.  Thanks for listening.

[r-brian]

Yeah, I know what you mean.  Canon has some great glass but the old MF won't work on the AF bodies and viseversa.

I presently have 2 FM's, a F2 and a F4 (and a D90).  I've had and sold at least one more FM, 2 FE's, 2  F's, a F3, an EM, a Nikkormat FTn, a Nikkormat EL, 2 8008s and a N90s.

Lenses, I presently have 24mm f2.8 Ai, 35mm f2 Ai, 35mm f2.8 Ais, 50mm f1.4 Ai, 85mm f1.8 Ai'ed, 105mm f2.5 Ais, 200mm f4 Ais, 75-150 f3.5 Series E and then there is the 24-50 AFD, 35-70 f3.3-4.5 AF, 35-135 AF and the 70-300 AFS-VR (originally bought for the D90 but works great on the F4 if needed).  I think I've sold too many Nikon lenses to even list.

I've decided I'm pretty much done wheelin' and dealin'.  Stick with what I've got and just use them.

[LarryD]

Welcome over to the Nikon side of life. But today and yesterday I I have been shooting a Minolta. Ya I know make up your mind Larry but the thing is I have great glass for both systems.

[Jim Evans]

I currently am and probably always will be a Nikon guy.   

The 24mm I sold you in an outstanding lens.  Probably one of Nikons best wides.   I'm guessing that 55 Micro is pretty special as well.

I have tried the Canon FD and Olympus 35mm systems and several medium format systems but have always come back to my Nikon gear.  I have sold off a lot of stuff I never used but still have about 12 or so Nikon lenses.   

I am going to sit tight with what I have now and when Nikon comes out with a small Full Frame EVIL style camera and lens system,  I will sell it all.    Heck, if Canon gets there before Nikon,  I would probably jump ship.   The bottom line is I want a small, light large sensor system with small interchangeable lenses.  Basically a Leica M9 system at a 1/4 the price.

[wlewisiii]

I keep thinking about getting a F2 or F3 & a nice 50 but in the end, I just like my FD cameras too much.  It'll be a very long time, if ever, before I can justify the cost of a DSLR of any kind so it's not something I'll ever need to worry about In the meantime, my IIIf & FTbN can keep me company (you want heft? Find a nice FTbN sometime or an F1. Serious heft LOL )

[Hoosier_Rich]

As far as SLR's I'm all Nikon. I love them, quality results and the interchangability (?)  of the lenses goes far for a guy on a budget like me. Got my first (N75) brand new when I was getting back into photography after a long break, mainly because after looking it had what I needed for what I could afford and a pretty good review. Then came another body and a few more lenses ... and another body and well, you get the idea. Right now I've just got a Photomic F, F100, my N75 and various AF and MF lenses. Looking to get another FM one of these days, I loved that little camera.  My main shooter is the F100 with the vertical grip, it is sweet to use. Just ask Larry, after fondling mine (camera) he had to get him one too. then of course ... what doesn't Larry have? :p

[LarryD]

A job.. and responsibility.

[br1078lum]

It's not a bad thing to fall in love with the Nikon system Scott.  I did back in '73 when I got my first Nikkormat. 

As far as the nomenclature, I would need to know just which part you are having problems with, the lenses, or the camera bodies?  Nikon used a letter code on the lens to designate how many elements it had, so you could tell the difference between two models of the same focal length and maximum aperture.  On the camera bodies, each improvement to an original design, or a design that had certain features used somewhat common code letters, such as the Nikkormat FT was a through-lens metering camera, as was the Nikon F Photomic T.

The F model started out as a meterless interchangable-prism SLR that you could get an external coupled Selenium cell meter for.  Then they came out with the Photomic finder, with an external Selenium meter.  Next, they moved the meter inside the finder for the T model.  After that, the center-weighted metering system was introduced as the TN, followed by the FTN which was an improved model that fit more snuggly on the camera, and had a maximum aperture scale engraved on the front.  Bodies with serial numbers lower than 6900001 had to be modified to take these finders.

After that, it was on to the F2, F3, and so on.  And the beauty of it all, was the mount remained the same.  You can use Nikkor lenses on almost all the cameras in the model range, with very few exceptions.  One being the big fish-eye 8mm, which could not be used on a camera without mirror lock-up.  IIRC, you also cannot use AiS lenses on the older non-Ai bodies, but I could be mistaken.  It's hard to keep track of it all when one hasn't been following the changes closely.

I presently have two Nikkormats, an FT and an FTN, and an N90s.  Also, I just got a Photomic finder in a batch of goodies off eBay, but not sure if I want to get a body for it.  I like the later Nikons with the metal shutters better, and would really like to get another FM as it can be used with the non-Ai lenses.

Welcome to the Nikon side of life!

PF

[LarryD]

LOL Ft Fn FTn  there is where he has problems not to mention in different countries the names of the same camera had different Numbers all the way up until the F100 then they quit making amateur and semi pro cameras and had just the F5 and now F6 last of the line and the F6 has no interchangeable heads so if you use it on a Microscope or even a telescope you have to revert back... Nope the lenses are not even as well built. The glass may be but if you use a plastic mount then it is the same as a triple pane window in a bad mount it leaks it wobbles and does not do what it was designed to do on paper.

[br1078lum]

Just looked up the codes for the lenses.  I got the two volume set of the Nikon/Nikkormat Handbook the other day, and it has refreshed my memory for at least five minutes after I read some of it.

U = 1 Element (Uns)
B = 2 Elements (Bini)
T = 3 Elements (Tres)
Q = 4 Elements (Quatuor)
P = 5 Elements (Pente)
H = 6 Elements (Hex)
S = 7 Elements (Septum)
O = 8 Elements (Octo)
N = 9 Elements (Novem)
D = 10 Elements (Decem)

A Nikkor-P Auto 105mm has 5 elements, while the Nikkor-UD Auto has 11 (U+D=11).

The letter C after any of the code letters above means the lens is multi-coated.


The special purpose lenses had names preceding 'Nikkor':

Fisheye-Nikkor:  Circular image covering 180 or 220 drgree angle of view, equidistant projection

OP-Fisheye-Nikkor:  Orthographic projection

PC-Nikkor:  Perspective Control

GN Nikkor:  Guide Number for use with flash

Micro-Nikkor:  Photomacrography

Medical Nikkor:  Medical and dental photography

Zoom Nikkor:  Zoom optics

Reflex-Nikkor:  Mirror and lens optics

El-Nikkor:  For enlargers

Nikon also made an adpater for using certain rangefinder lenses (Nikon-S) on the SLR bodies, and it was called 'N-F Adapter Tube'.  It was used for the 180mm, 250mm, 350mm, and 500mm lenses.

There is a 'focusing unit' used with the super telephotos 400mm, 600mm, 800mm, and 1200mm.

The 'reflex' Nikkors had fixed apertures of f/5 for the 500mm, and f/6.3 for the 1000mm.  Later reflexes were the f/8 500mm, and the f/11 1000mm and 2000mm.

The Nikkormat line began with the FT in 1965 as a lower cost alternative to those who wanted a Nikon, but could not afford the F model, or needed all of it's features.  This included a non-metered version called the S.  The first improved model was the 1967 FTn which introduced the center-weighted metering system, and automatic indexing on the lens mount.  In 1972 the EL model introduced aperture priority automation plus the option of full manual control, and exposure memory lock.  The FT2 update in 1975 brought a built-in hot-shoe mount while retaining the PC connector for bigger flashes, and auto M/X sync depending on shutter speed selection.

Nikon/Nikkormat Handbook by Joseph D. Cooper
Nikon System Handbook by B. Moose Peterson

Hope that's enough info for now.  Me fingers are getting sore.

PF

[LarryD]

No I want more.

[Scott]

That's great info, PF.  But what's "AI" stand fer?  And "AI-S"?  It's all (mainly) academic right now, 'cause I read that my Nikkormat FT2 will take non-AI lenses, and the AI/S ones as well.

[Justin Smith]

That's great info, PF.  But what's "AI" stand fer?  And "AI-S"?  It's all (mainly) academic right now, 'cause I read that my Nikkormat FT2 will take non-AI lenses, and the AI/S ones as well.

I'm with Scott... thanks to anyone who can explain this nomenclature.  :cool:

[epatsellis]

Pretty simple actually, AI refers to the Aperture Indexing system (has a small ridge around the periphery of the mount).

AI-S is simply the AI with a two refinements:

1.) Aperture is linear with the movement of the stop down lever on the back of the lens

2.) The addition of a focal length coding (>135mm, IIRC) through the use of a milled slot on the mount.



See http://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5366/~/what-is-the-difference-between-an-ai-lens,-an-ai-s-lens,-and-non-ai-lens%3F
for a good explanation

[br1078lum]

Yeah, what Pat said.  Shoot, all this talk about old Nikons made me dig out my Nikkormat FT (Non-Ai) to get it ready for a roll or two.  I'd have done the FTn, but it needs seals and a mirror pad really bad, and should go in for a CLA.  The meter on the FT is problematic, but at least I can compensate for that.

PF