Nikkormat: overview of the various models
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ค. 2024
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My EL2 has worked flawlessly since I purchased it used in 1983. If you store the camera with the shutter set to B, the batteries last a very long time.
Good to know! I have an EL coming in the post !
Changing the battery on a Nikkormat EL is absolutely no problem at all. A lot of people say that, but never tried it them selfs.
Thanks for this video. I have Nikomat EL and FTN. Awesome!
Great video! Thanks! 😊 The Pentax K2 had the same ISO setting system as the Nikkormats. Not one of the favourite features. Keep it up! 👍🏻
Good video, I managed to get a pair of Nikkormat EL's a decent price and (touch wood) have been great performers. I agree the battery placement blows big time, Nikon had their reasons, not necessarily the right ones in hindsight. As an owner of three FTn's, an FT2 and an FT3, you're spot on with everything else.
I mentioned to my repair tech that I was thinking of picking up an electronic Nikkormat just out of curiosity. You should have seen the look on his face. Suffice to say he talked me out of it.
I have several of these, they got and still get a bad wrap because they don’t say Nikon on the front. I also own an FM and a FM2, IMO as a mechanical cameras these are far superior, very solid build and also substantially larger, if you have large hands I’d suggest the Nikkormats over the FM series without a doubt. These are a bargain at current prices. Thanks for turning me on to them Brian!
Glad to be helpful!
I do not agree, ove inherited my father's EL. Since I was born in '89 he changed the battery twice. I have used it since 2011 when he passed away and changed it once. The camera has never ever failed me, the shutter speeds are always as accurate as they were when my father got it in the seventies since they are electronically timed. It is essentially a nikon fe without the ai ridge, the functions are exactly the same, but it is a little heavier and bigger but as other nikkormats it has hardly any plastic. I respect your view on mechanical cameras, but they have their own problems too. While it is true that electronic cameras are almost useless w/o batteries and if they break their are not repairable, mechanical ones can get inaccurate shutter speeds over time and if they break they can be repaired (if luck is on your side) but good luck finding somebody to do the job. I think either is great and should they break, they are equally inexpensive to replace, however if immune has great care of them, it is hard to break a nikon of that great manufacturing era.
Agreed. I had 2 nikkormats, both battery-holding. Never a problem.
Thanks
Hi Brian, thank you very much for this overview. Recently I purchased a Nikkormat FT-2 according to your recommendation, in my opinion one of the best manual cameras available. The Nikkormat EL series is oftentimes listed as “For parts or not working”. As you mentioned this is due to faulty electronics. Bad, if you cannot use this cameras anymore at all shutter speeds. My FT-2 is running like a mechanical clockwork. Have a nice day! Ralf
Thank you for your kind words. It really makes my day knowing I helped someone out!
Brian's Photo Show You‘re welcome. Having some joy with such a hobby is important in these trying times.
I inherited my grandfathers Nikkormat EL, it's a wonderful camera. Excellent build quality, I use it almost daily & the battery is still going after 2 years without being removed & I have no idea how old for battery was to start with. 50 years old roughly & still in perfect condition!
Thanks for this great survey. Imagine! what a horrible place to put a battery!! I had an FTn for years, then got an FT2. Don't have them any more. My boss had a Photomic FTn which I LOVED...
I bought a Nikkormat EL brand new in 1975. . .I agree about the battery placement, BUT that camera performed very well for me for years. I put it in my "collection" of vintage cameras when I went to a DSLR, but it really was a solid camera for a guy like me just starting out in photography all those years ago.
Same here. I never looked at any other brand or type. I stuck to the EL , becomes sort of an extension if you use them for years
I have a Nikkormat with two KK and its an FTN. My battery is under the camera outside. I also have the ASA on the barrel.
The px 625 mercury batter was also sold under the px-13 battery name.
I agree with your comment about the battery compartment on the EL series, but otherwise my experience with them has been very difference with the reliability of the various Nikkormat models has been very different to yours. I have handled six FTn cameras and none of them functioned correctly. Metering problems are the most common, not only the meter itself but also the semi-automatic indexing system, which often doesn't detect the maxium aperture correctly and sometimes takes two or three attempts to do so. I have a FT2, which does not seem to have this problem. The original FT whilr fiddly to set seems to be more reliable. However, the position of the ASA and aperture scales, with one on the front of the lens mount and the other on the edge makes it more difficult to set. I agree that the full frame metering on this model is a disadvantage.
I own all three EL models, and all have been totally reliable. The aperture indexing system while it looks like the one on the FTn does not seem to have the same problems. Whether I have just been unlucky with FTn models, or whether these models are just older, or whether slight changes to the mechanism in the FT2, EL and ELW, I don't know. As for the battery drain, I bought my EL a few years ago but did not use it until just before the pandemic started and fitted a battery at that time. I shot two rolls and then put it away. I got it out and shot a third roll last week, and the battery, which remained in the camera, was still good after about two years. If the electronics in these cameras should fail they would probably be more difficult to repair, but they seem to be much more reliable than some other electronic cameras, both contemporary models, and more modern ones.
You say your FM is gathering dust, why is this? Is it because it cannot use full aperture metering with the pre-ai lenses? Most of my lenses are converted, but I do not find that having to stop down with those that are not to be a major problem. I wish Nikon had kept the fold back coupling tab on later bodies. It's good that they brought it back on the Df, and on that camera can do full aperture metering, and even aperture priority automatic exposure, with pre-ai lenses, but you have to tell the camera what aperture you are using.
The difference between the mercury 1.35V battery and a 1.5V battery, is that you will most likely get a underexposed picture. The reason for this, is the extra voltage, 0.15V will push the needle up higher and cause you to adjust either shutter or F stop to compensate. On camera's without an +/- compensation button, use the ASA button as a +/- adjustment. This is trial and error, but I would think half to a full stop would be about right for most situations, depending on the camera.
Or... have a repair shop solder in a resistor to make another battery give the meter the correct voltage... OR buy the MR-9 from C.R.I.S. camera services that Allows the use of 1 silver oxide 386 battery and gives the proper voltage to the camera. When I bought mine years ago they were $35. A lot cheaper than the camera tech route, and still maintains the steady and stable power curve of silver oxide batteries. I have several because I have 5 FTn 's, and don't want to swap batteries between them when I carry more than one at a time.
I found a Nikomat with 3 prime lenses for $100 on Craigslist. I snatched that set (along with a full macro kit and other tibits in a shoe box). I use the f1.4 50mm mostly on my Nikon D3200 in which the ability to mount a pre AI lens is it's sole saving grace :)
Sound like you got a darn good deal on Craigslist. Well done!
the mod needed to run pre ai lenses on any nikon f mount dslr is really easy to do just file a tiny slot where the f 5.6 is located, as see carefully how it fits, the notch on the body has to move freely ant not be pressed in and ur good ;)
Say Brian, As the Nikkormat for the European Market that it was Called: "The Nikkor" On the Nikkormat ELW, and then they change it in 1980 as when they had connected the AW1 Winder as Did you know that if you press the shutter release, and the Depth of Field button that you will get 2 frames continuous shooting. I know I have 2 of these babies in which I have to fix the battery door on the winder. Who told me this a Nikon Rep back in 1979 at a trade show in San Francisco, Thank You Laura.... In which that I already told another photographer on another video
I have two Nikons EL2 and they never disappointed me, always working and you get used to the place of the battery. However there are far better places to put a battery in a camera.
Hey Brian, once again a great video! I've been using my FTN for a while and it has been such a joy to shoot. They really are built to a different standard when compared to the later FE and FMs. I've noticed the light meter, while relatively accurate, isn't very responsive. It tends to lag when I switch from a bright scene to a dark scene and vice versa. Is that normal or should I get that checked out?
Also! I thought I'd share this, my Nikomat FTN does not have a shutter button that's threaded around it so I'm unable to use the original Nikon AR-2 cable release with it. I'm not sure if it's an odd one out or just a early/ late serial number thing, since both yours and my friend's FTN have the threading to screw on the AR-2 cable release. Cheers!
No clue about the cable release issue, but CdS meters in general lag a bit when going from very bright to very dark areas. Gallium and silicon photo diodes are more responsive.
The earlier Nikkormat/Nikomat FTN didn't have the external thread around the shutter button. As such the button was lower compared with later FTNs.
I have such early Nikomat FTN and it is the only camera I have with a soft shutter release as it improves somewhat the handling.
To note that there are 3 versions of the FTN: earlier ones had a different leatherette, screws and shutter button. A second version changed flat screws for crossed JIS ones, a taller shutter button with thread for the Leica bell release while still having an all metal film advance leaver. The last version had a different leatherette, added plastic tip to film advance leaver and self timer.
Internally there might have been also a few changes.
I have a Nikon FE and a Nikkormat ft2. I also have a Nikon N75 af which is light and has all the functions using flash. The FE takes pre Ai lenses, not the FE2.
My favourite cameras are the Nikon ft2 and my beautiful Yashica fx-d quartz with a 50mm f2 lens.
If had to keep only one it would be the Nikon ft2. Black, big and beautiful.
I don't have a passed sticker on mine and it has a black battery door not chrome.
The nikkormat ftn had a 12 m.m. focus screen, called the B screen. The ft2 used ( like pentax ) a DONUT type split range focus screen. It was called the K2. The nikkormat ft2 had the black plastic thumb advance arm, where the basic nikkormat, did not. The ft2 also was designed for double exposure, the basic nikkormat did not. You could take your nikkormat ft2 to have 2 other type s of focusing screen put in, only at the service time. Those nikkormat focus screens were NOT the same as an f or f2.
Hey Brian! I just bought a Nikkormat FTn based on your advice!
I was wondering, does the 'Nikkormat Shuffle' only apply if I plan to use the light meter?
A bit of context: I have a M42-Nikon F Mount adapter for some old M42 lenses, and was thinking, since the camera does take f-mounted lenses, and all M42 lenses have separate aperture rings, then theoretically it should be okay, granted that the 'pin' on the nikkormat is only necessary for adjusting the metering.
I look forward to your feedback! Keep up the good informative work, and Thank You!
The awkward pre-AI mounting procedure is only necessary to properly set the light meter. If you are not going to use the light meter, then this entire procedure may be ignored. I would, however, recommend mating the metering prong and pin so they don't interfere with one another.
@@BriansPhotoShow Thanks for the help! So you're saying I should still do the shuffle over, just to make functioning easier?
@@haygohay Not exactly. The "shuffle" part is turning the aperture ring to minimum and maximum and checking indexing. That is not necessary. However, if the lens in use has an indexing prong, I see no reason not to mate it to the pin.
@@BriansPhotoShow I see! But if there is no indexing prong, will I have any issues if I mount without "shuffling"?
*I appreciate all the help!*
BRIAN! As the resident Nikkormat historian on YT, I am really hoping you can answer a quick question. Do you happen to know if the FT2 uses the same battery cover as previous generations? I know the battery type was changed but cant find out if the cover changed as well. I need to find a battery cover for a FT2, so would love to know what my options are!! Please if you see this, I could use some guidance in the right direction.
Enjoy your videos but afraid I'm going to have to disagree in regards to the electronic models, EL, ELW, EL2. Mine work flawlessly. Great cameras to shoot. Don't mind changing the batteries on the electronic models or indexing the lenses on the older models. Have a couple of each FT, FTN, FT2, FT3 and also an FS, EL, ELW and EL2. Love Nikomat/Nikkormats.
I can't speak to all the Nikkormat models, I only own a Nikomat FTN and a Nikomat FT2, and there is a difference in size. The Nikomat FT2 is slightly larger in all respects, height, width depth, everything, and it is slightly heavier as well. You happen to have the same two models in this video and you can see the difference in size of the pentaprism housing.
Can you help me? I just bought a near mint F2 Nikon from Japan and the light meter won't power on. I went to check the batteries on my Nikon F3 and now IT isn't working. I've tried 3 different brands, all unused, LR44s and SR44s. Any ideas?
I wish I could help, but I've never owned an F2.
@@BriansPhotoShow thanks anyways. I love your videos and I've learned a ton. Thanks for sharing your knowledge
Clean the battery contacts in the camera with a glass fibre pen .
my FTN says NIKKORMAT same f2.5 105mm Q
At time frame...6:50. I have to inform you, that the (very ) first/pro consumer camera, was NOT the nikkormat. It was the NIKKOREX. The Nikkorex was sold in 2 body. 1 with a 50m.m. f2.0lens, and the 2nd was with the very first NIKON zoom of 43mm=86mm f 3.5. Both camera s used the very crude Copal ( blue ) sq shutters, with just 3 blades. This shutter was not SELF OILING and did dried up. Many of them had to go in for oiling service. Now you know why the ASAHI PENTAX M series camera ( but not the MX) used the sekio ( watch company ) 7 blade self oiling shutter. Ya.....i m a big fan on shutters.
The Nikkorex suffered serious reliability problems and was not used by professionals as a backup body. It cannot be considered "prosumer". Moreover, the Nikkorex wasn't made by Nikon but rather sourced from a third party. Nikon didn't make that mistake again until the FM10.
I once bet my friend $5 that he couldn't find the battery compartment on my Nikkormat EL within 5 minutes. Easiest five bucks I ever made.
Bwha hahaha! That's awesome!
Did you know that.....RICOH....made an S.L.R. called the RICOH F . Yes......you guest it......it used a NIKON " F " mount, and you could use NIKON lens on it.
I had no idea about the battery...
In that case, I hope the video was helpful.
Sorry, but you are not quite well informed about the stuff you want to explain: There isn't any Nikomat/Nikkormat FT/FTN/FT2/FT3 with the battery at the place you fancy - you only get that at the Nik(k)o(r)mat EL/ELW and EL2. And - with respect - it's not a 'foolish' place behind&under the mirror because with the EL the mirror-up function is much more easy to handle than with any other Nikon. And moreover: parallel to the Nikomat FT, in 1965-67 a Nikomat FS was made without exposure measurement. I've been the owner of all Nikkormat FT... and EL versions and even today still like a Nikkormat EL/W from 1975. These are the facts:-))
My Last comment.............The family.......NIKKOREX (S) NIKKORMAT Fs NIKKORMAT Ft NIKKORMAT TFn NIKKORMAT FT2 NIKKORMAT FT3 NIKKORMAT EL NIKKORMAT EL2. And by the way.....in my 37 years of retail camera sales..........i used, and so millions of the se.......MEAN MACHINES. Geeeeeee i almost forgot......a NIKKORMAT FTn with a 1 frame per second auto wider, built in, and custom made in NEW YORK by MARTY FOBISHER.....i m done.