The Nikon F

For most of its product life cycle, the Nikon F was a work in progress. That is, it never seem completed until, perhaps the "Apollo" edition. The original F was heavily based on the latter part of the "S" series, particularly the SP.

When the "F" was introduced its success was immediate and there is evidence that the managers at Nikon were unprepared for what was happening. Pictured below is the upper left portion of an early body (one that we have come to internally call the "SAKI lunch serial number") where the serial number looks to have been laid down in a near drunken panic not exactly conforming to Nikon's image of maintaining high quality.



Over the course of the full life cycle of the original F body, in addition to internal alterations not visible to casual observation, there were so many externally observable changes and variations:

There were: (in some cases these are lower bound guesses)
5 Film advance lever types (three differentiable hollow handle types)
6 Different self timer lever types
11 Different Camera backs *
4 Frame counter sub assemblies (2 earliest ones had engraved characters)
2 Shutter speed dials (two securing bolts vs. only one in the earliest version)
4 Different rewind knob configurations
5 Mirror box housing assembly variations**
2 Differentiable film guide rail schemes
3 Accessory shoe insulator schemes
9 Basic focusing screen sub assemblies (in addition to different Fresnel screen grades)*
6 Name plate variations (some functionally evolutionary [notches for FTN Finder] others aimed at market restrictions)***
3 Different bezels or aprons
2 Film take up spools
2 Finder release collars
2 PC flash terminal connects
2 Different neck strap eyelets
3 Different design top right body covers (NK, Nikon, Nikkor for German market)
2 Prism frame holder brackets
2 Rewind forks (one actually weapons grade)
2 Different rewind metal bearings
8 Different eye level prism variations in addition to at least 6 variations on the basic Photomic head*

*This part is obviously trivially exchangeable but there is a very high value to having the proper period correct part.
**Often updated or modified (butchered) for 'T" type finders
*** Often updated or modified (butchered) for 'FTN" finders

Obviously, some like the back and pentaprism are trivially changeable by the user; but, it is well worth differentiating and identifying them for authenticity. Others, like the Name plate, film advance lever, rewind knob and self timer lever are exchangeable/replaceable by any decent camera repair shop

In addition, there were such subtle external variation as in the black frame paint finish: Early bodies had hand applied black paint on the frame casting, as was the case with the "S" series bodies, and can look like a sloppy repaint job to the untrained eye. As Nikon matured as a company, finish of its products improved, but the very earliest bodies do look somewhat amateurish in final finish.

We propose a time/vintage ordinal ranking system for the various features of the basic Nikon F body presented in the order of the features as listed in the above list. The earliest version of a feature would have a ranking of "A" while the next would be a "B" and so on. User modified parts would have a ranking of ?Z? for modified or butchered parts. Substituted parts, as would be the case with "T" capable mirror box housings or oem grade notched nameplates, would have a two letter code with the leading character a ?U? for updated and the second letter (optional) signaling apparent vintage of the substituted part.

The scheme would appear as follows:

A/A/A/A/A/A/A/A. with the sequence progressing as far out as the user desires.

For example if one were to represent a very early Nikon F, say with SN 6000301, and a much later vintage mirror box housing, its code sequence would appear something like:

A/A/A/A/UE/A/A etc. (with "E" representing the only one of the five that permit "T" finders)

Were the modification just a filing down of the original part, it would appear:

A/A/A/A/Z/A/A etc. (what a pity in either case !)

If one takes a simple minded approach and calculates all of the possible permutations represented, one gets in excess of a hundred billion different possible Nikon F bodies employing OEM Nikon parts. Of course the actual possible arithmetic for possible real Nikon produced bodies is far more restricted and allowing for permitted overlaps one gets more like at least 70 permuted sequenced real authentic possibilities, which can still present a genuine challenge for the obsessive serious collector.

The reason why the phrase "at least" applies is the sequencing in of later parts was not always well ordered as old parts were used up and sometimes batches of older parts were not entirely exhausted before new ones were substituted.

The LAST F also known as the "APOLLO"

The Apollo never really was known inside Nikon or in any one its publications as the Apollo. The name is probably just an invention of press publication and a product of the fact that the NASA model, which had precious few features (though the film advance lever does look similar), if any, in common, was introduced approximately at the same time and that Nikon did enjoy some prominence in NASA's program approximately at that time.

The "Apollo" model was distinguished by the fact that it, contrary to the rest of Nikon's consistent history of creeping evolutionary changes, introduced a number of cosmetic and minor functional changes all at once and that these were to be last changes to the Nikon F basic body until its intended demise in favor of the F2 several years later.

Perhaps the most unsung but most relevant to some hard users was the engineering change to the strap lugs employing durable stainless steel inserts rather than the less durable steel alloy originally employed.



As an illustration of the need for that change the other side of the older example may well may have suffered a catastrophic failure as the older lug appears to have been replaced by the newer "APOLLO" type at considerable expense (not at all an inexpensive repair).



The simple PC connector on the corner of the camera body was replaced by a proprietary screw-in PC connector:



The film advance lever was redesigned to a plastic tipped ergonomically more friendly one.



The Self Timer Lever received a plastic tip and the timer markings were laid out differently:



Probably the most purely cosmetic, least important change was the change in color of the flash contact surround insulator from white to black:



Some of these had significant utility, some arguably did not; but, all appear to have been aimed at preparing the transition to the F2 standards.

According to Braczko, the terminal serial number was 7451052; but, we have seen higher ones which may well have been from a block set aside for replacement parts: