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Nippon Kogaku/Nikon/Nikkor |
F Bodies; Early through Apollo: Nikon |
| Do you have a Nippon Kogaku/Nikon/Nikkor F Bodies; Early through Apollo: Nikon? Repair needed? Or maybe a CLA? |
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| Nikon F, Early, 65XXXXX Black |
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| Pic |
ID |
Grade |
Price |
Description |
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10 Photos
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213 |
EX+ |
$464.64 |
Extremely nice "F" Black. Very smooth operation. Feels as though only lightly used. Would be more highly rated save for damage due to compression dent from a past mounted Photomic head.
Completely CLA'd. |
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| Nikon F, SN's 67XXXXX to 6900000, Nikon trademark Black |
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| Pic |
ID |
Grade |
Price |
Description |
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10 Photos
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223 |
EX |
$328.05 |
Shows use and wear typical of a "Black" that has seen real service. Speeds dead on and works perfectly in all respects. Trailing shutter curtain shows a film leader loading "bump" as illustrated.
CLA'd and has new foam mirror bumper. |
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| Nikon F, Very Earliest, the first 100,000 Chrome 64XXXXX |
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| Pic |
ID |
Grade |
Price |
Description |
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10 Photos
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194 |
EX++ |
$869.00 |
Only the 6415th Nikon F body ever manufactured. Has a great many of the visible (and hidden) components associated only with the earliest most "F"s:
Type 2 Hollow Handle advance lever
Oval hole side mirror box opening
Two tabs securing reflex mirror
Small OD frame counter casing enclosing engraved (not anodized) characters
Slant groove (eleven of them) hollow back self timer lever
Single bolt secured shutter speed dial
Type one accessory shoe adapter accommodation
Solid, none swivel, film rewind knob
As well as others as depicted in photos
Positively beautiful, COLLECTIBLE condition as shown.
Has been only lightly used and works perfectly.
COMPLETELY CLA'd |
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11 Photos
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197 |
EX++ |
$690.00 |
Hollow Handle film advance lever; Correct RED color ASA dial base; Very early "F" one of the first 11,000 manufactured; Slant Groove hollow cast self-timer lever; Engraved (rather than anodized) exposure numbers and marks; "EP" designation; Single bolt securing ASA dial; "OVAL" side opening mirror box housing.
Speeds dead on and mechanical performance very smooth evidencing only light use.
Mirror bumper foam has been replaced since illustrative pictures were taken. Completely CLA'd.
Aesthetics very fine for a collectible camera of this vintage |
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10 Photos
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210 |
EX+ |
$465.85 |
Speeds are dead on. One of the first 80,000 manufactured. Very fine condition for one of this vintage and hence very collectible. Back is correct vintage and has Japan PAT numbers and slant "M" on base. Very fine condition as shown in pictures. Mechanical operation is very smooth and does not exhibit wear. Has a "PAT." back.
Completely CLA'd.
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11 Photos
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195 |
EX+ |
$600.00 |
Only the 7700th Nikon F body ever manufactured. Has a great many of the visible (and hidden) components associated only with the earliest most "F"s:
Type 2 Hollow Handle advance lever
Two tabs securing reflex mirror
Small OD frame counter casing enclosing engraved (not anodized) characters
Slant groove (eleven of them) hollow back self timer lever
Single bolt secured shutter speed dial
Type one accessory shoe adapter accommodation
Solid, non-swivel, film rewind knob
As well as others as depicted in photos
Would be higher rated save for several corrosion sites about the rewind assembly
COMPLETELY CLA'd |
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8 Photos
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196 |
EX+ |
$750.00 |
Collectible SAKI Lunch Tilted SN Issue. Since on Nikon F's the bottom of the serial number marks the lens focus point or film plane (used in measurements and calculations for the film plane to subject distance.) this is a totally none trivial issue.
As Nippon Kogaku geared up some early serial number specimens present evidence of how really hectic things must have gotten in those early factories. This particular body looks as though the worker involved must have had much too much Saki (rice wine) with his lunch.
Camera works perfectly and is in wonderful operating condition. It has recently been completely CLA'd by our shop which has been servicing Nikon equipment for over forty years.
This camera has seen service and is in very nice condition as shown. |
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12 Photos
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368 |
EX+ |
$688.50 |
Only the 32,650th F fabricated. Very nice condition though obviously has seen much use over the decades. Base (period correct and rare as well) is in apparently worse condition than the rest of the body. Trailing shutter curtain has film loading "bumps" as shown. Shutter speeds dead on and body has been completely CLA'd. |
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10 Photos
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198 |
GD |
$375.65 |
One of the first 25,000 "F"s manufactured. Has many of the early artifacts: Hollow Film Advance Handle; Single bolt secured Film speed dial; Cast self timer lever; Oval hole in side of mirror box; Slant side "M" on Made in Japan back; Japan "PATS." on inside of back as shown. Serial number seems to show evidence of what a rush NK's factory was in to get these out as the numerals show peculiarly irregular alignment and orientation never found on much later production items.
Shutter speeds are precise and accurate and mechanics generally perfect. Completely CLA'd. Camera condition does reflect use and its chrome finish has a number of pitted areas.
Trailing shutter shows subtle film loading bumps. |
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All text and image content contained herein © 2008 Camera Repair dot Com
| Description: |
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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.
This section is only partially written and is subject to future expansion and revision.
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:
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| Specifications: |
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| Self Timer |
Yes |
| Hot Shoe |
Takes Adapter |
| Metering Type |
Depends on Which Prism/Meter Head (or Meter Attachment) is Mounted |
| Focusing System/Method (Camera) |
Manual |
| Flash Metering |
None |
| Camera Format Type |
24mm X 36mm |
| Exposure Control Modes |
Fully Manual |
| Shutter Speed Range |
1 to 1/1000 plus B and T |
| ASA Meter Range |
Depends on Meter Head/Attachment Employed, If Any |
| Viewfinder Information |
Depends on Prism/Meter Head Chosen |
| Weight |
1lb 5oz (600gm) |
| Multiple Exposure Capability |
No |
| Color Scheme(s) |
Black Painted
Black and Chrome
Black and Lacquered Chrome
Gray Chrome |
| Dimensions |
6.3in(159mm)W X 3.1in(78mm)H X 2.0in(51mm)D |
| Type of Battery/Cell |
None (Battery is associated with Meter/Prism Head, if any) |
| Shutter Technology |
Mechanical
Horizontal Travel Titanium
Behind The Lens/Focal Plane Shutter |
| Removeable Pentaprism/Viewfinder(s) |
Yes |
| Exchangeable Viewfinder Screens |
Yes |
| Built In Flash |
No |
| Flash Connection |
PC Connector
Via Hot Shoe Attachment |
| Exposure Compensation |
Depends on Mete Head/Attachment Employed, If Any |
| Date/Event of introduction |
June 1959 |
| Serial Number Onset Data |
6400001 |
| Date of Final Production or Date of Withdrawal |
1974 |
| Type of Camera |
SLR |
| FP Shutter Travel Time (X Sync Speed) |
1/60 12ms |
| Motor Drive Capability |
Requires Body Modification for Coupling and Special Motor Back |
| Aperture Mechanism |
Automatic |
| Price on introduction |
71,500 Yen (under $200) with F2.0 lens and Case |
| Depth of Field Preview |
Yes |
| Exposure memory Lock |
No |
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NEW New in box with warranty papers as it came from the dealer
Like NewIndistinguishable from new but no box or no papers or both
Like New MinusVery close to new condition with only subtle signs of use or handling.
Excellent Plus PlusExtremely nice condition but does show some handling and use but no hard use whatsoever.
Excellent PlusExcellent condition but shows some wear and use.
ExcellentPerfectly Excellent operating condition but cosmetics leave something to be desired.
Good ConditionUsable but has mechanical, optical and cosmetic issues as indicated in individual descriptions
Fair ConditionIssues as indicated in individual descriptions
Ugly ConditionVery significant conditions as indicated in individual descriptions. The lower end of this range is basically a paperweight that looks something like it might once have taken some pictures.
Under Evaluation Process; Not Yet Offered For Sale
ID: {inv_id} - Nikon F, Early, 65XXXXX Black: {inv_pic_name}
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