Is there an SLR forum?

[MikeyGaGa]

Greetings,Scholars:

As at least some of you my know from my other posts,I started shooting again after 10 years of not picking up a camera.

Is there a website for SLRs as good as this one is for RFs?

I have a Nikon F2,which was modified by the Oxberry co. to do slide presentation work. It has a a very busy fine grid reticle installed which makes composin in the viewfinder a bit difficult.

I would like to buy another Nikon SLR body;does anyone have any recommendations?

-I dont want an Autofocus body
-I use some old SOLIGOR lenses(135/2.8;35/2;28/2)which are excellent,as well as a 55mm Micro-Nikkor;these are NOT AI/AIS.

Is stop-down metering necessary when using this lens on later model Nikons?

F2 and F3s are beyond what I want to pay;what about FM,FM2,FE,etc?

Mikey GaGa

[ch1]

This film-based site has a SLR forum:

http://www.apug.org/forums/home.php

[principe azul]

The photo.net Nikon forum (http://www.photo.net/bboard/forum?topic_id=1681) has a larger number of digital questions these days, but there's still a hard core of friendly and knowledgeable people who'll answer questions on brass cameras and lense with scalloped focusing collars. A few F2 shooters there, too, and plenty of people with an F3 or FM.

The Nikon forum is much more civilised than the photo.net Leica forum, in case you're worried... ;)

F3s can be got cheap if they're a little roughed up. Yes, you'll need to do stop-down metering on the F3 and later cameras (also the F2AS and the F2A) with any pre-AI lens that hasn't been AI'd.

I've used this chart (http://www.nikonlinks.com/unklbil/bodylens.htm) before to suss out compatible cameras and whenever I've cross-checked it it's been accurate (not all the nikonlinks charts are, I've found).

You'll note from the chart that the FM and FE let you do stop-down metering. The FM2 and FE2 don't. On the FM and FE, and on the F3 and F4 for that matter, there's a little button on the lens mount that disengages aperture indexing for stop-down metering. It's not there on the cameras that can't take pre-AI lenses.

You could always buy a different prism to make your F2 an F2A or F2AS.

Finally, the Malaysian site (http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/htmls/knowledge_main.htm), as everyone seems to call it, is all you really need to check out the bodies you're interested. Masses of detail, instructions, specifications, quirky opinions, helpful illustrations. Easy to lose a couple of hours browsing that site... :)

[jonasv]

I would buy a beat-up F3, but maybe that's just me.

What about a Nikkormat FT2? Kinda bulky though, but otherwise excellent.

The FM and FE are excellent cameras. Later non-professional models will not mount non-AI lenses.

[robert blu]

I have an FM2 (pure manual camera, only electricity is for the light meter) and I'm very happy with it. I recently bought an old 50mm/f1,4 and it is great. I think you could find one at reasonable price, today most of people are looking for digital.
bye, rob

[MikeyGaGa]

dear friends:

Thank you for the replies-YOU GAVE ME GOOD,SOLID ADVICE-which I will follow

I think the FE is probably best.

Yes,I thought about a different prism for for F2;but they seem to be expensive.

As for the Nikkormats,I recall that a major criticism of them was that the image in the viewfinder is around 88% of what actually appears on the neg,and is offset to on side.

One of the vaunted features of the original Nikon F was an accurate 100% viewing area.

I actually enjoy using the Soligor lenses;here's why:

Up until 1995-I was a full time pro;I had a studio (at 348 W.14 St )in NYC;I closed down and decided to return to college to pursue another field.
I had a full range of Nikon gear I wasnt using;I sold most of it aat a camera show,walking away with 4 to 5 times what I paid for it( a Nikkor 58/1.4 I paid $30 for in 1978 at a junk shop on Canal St got $175 ) All of the lenses went,but no one wanted the Nikon F2 because it was highly modified(it had a pin-register back and a reticle focusing screen which darkened the viewfinder)so I keep it. I later found the Soligor lenses in a Mom and Pop camera store which was sadly going at of business;they cost me $15.00 each. At that time I also bought just about every accessory made for a Rollei TLR for about $50.00.

The Soligors,buy the way are Very sharp,even wide open.

Thanks again-Mikey GaGa

Tanti grazie,Italia!-dal Michele Egidio Francese

[ch1]

Not sure what your budget is for a Nikon manual? Prices have plummeted - a real shame that such fine gear is so "out of favor".

A very good condition F3 will go for around $250 - $300 (often with a fast 50mm lens). Someday it will be as much sought after as the Nikon RFs and go for similar prices (at least I hope so since I now have 3 of them!) :D

Never heard such a criticism of Nikkormats for smaller VF? My first camera was a FT-2 and I still have it. Used it for years still have - will never part with it if only for "nostalgia" reasons.

Overall, for Nikon SLRs you cannot beat eBay. There are some very reputable e-taillers there (I bought two of my F3's from Betteroffblu (no conncection etc.)).