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The first 35mm SLR I ever used was the Nikon F2 Photomic.
Made between 1972 and
1977, the F2 Photomic featured all-manual control, a mechanical shutter, a
top shutter speed of 1/2000s and flash sync at 1/90s. It had interchangable
metering heads and came with the distinctive removable Photomic metering head
which housed the pentaprism assembly and metering system. It was a true "system
camera" and allowed users to add and change components easily to meet their
needs.
I used the F2 well into the 90s and it was my mainstay during my early
photography days and college.
Though it was somewhat dated by then, I can honestly say that I was spoiled by
the experience of using one of Nikons top-of-the-line professional F-series
manual film SLRs during my early photography days. The cameras of that era just
have a different feel to them and have a ruggedness and build that you don't see
any more. Dials, rings and levers click solidly into place, parts are metal and
not polycarbonate, and there are needles and analog displays instead of LEDs and
LCDs.
I put many rolls of film through that F2. Many of them were black-and-white
which I developed myself, spending hours in the darkroom. For most of them I
used the only lens I owned at the time, the excellent Nikkor 50mm f/1.4.
Some samples of photographs taken with this combination:
Whats taking them so long?
Reach for the stars
Richard Bona, Monterey Jazz Festival, 2000
I still own this F2, though I have not used it for many years.
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