I was recently asked the question, “what camera would you not sell?” As the proud owner of a tiny collection, my response was immediate and succinct. “My Nikon F2 and 50mm f2.”
Thus, my premise for writing this body of thought began. I started wondering about my knee-jerk reaction and began searching in the depths of my inner man… and without a doubt, the Nikon F2 is the one camera I hold on to dearly for all-too-emotional reasons. Yet, the shots that I have gotten out of this combination have turned out to be the most reliable results I could ever want out of a 35mm camera. Having owned a variety of different SLRs, rangefinders, point & shoots; the Nikon has far surpassed them all. And it’s not necessarily about sharpness of the 50mm f2 lens, or the ergonomics of the body. Let’s just get it out of the way, it is literally a brick of a camera. A running joke I have with my fiancee is that whenever I have my F2 on my shoulder, I worry not for my camera but for the arms and sides of those who bump into it.
I predominantly shoot black and white, although I find myself shooting more colour these days (but usually medium format). The 50mm pre-ai lens has superb character. The F2 has given me hundreds of lovely exposures, and with such a reliable combination, I don’t have to worry about what I’m shooting with; only my choice of film, and my composition.
I have found my groove, and the constant that helps me work on my skills as a photographer. Although I shoot more medium format these days, I take the F2 out often, and it has helped me capture some of my favourite day to day moments.
It’s not the best, but the most reliable tool out of my arsenal, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world (well, maybe a Mamiya 7).
Long live the F2.
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Daniel Castelli on 5 Frames with Nikon F2 + 50mm F2 Nikkor H-Auto – By Josh Sitoh
Comment posted: 22/12/2019
The Nikon F2 has been cited as the finest all-mechanical (film) SLR ever produced.
I've kept my non-metering eye-level (silver) F2 and a 55mm micro-Nikkor f/2.8. I dink about with a Leica M2 & M4-P but the F2 remains active in my camera arsenal. There are just some shots a Leica can't make but are perfect for the Nikon.
Wishing you continued good shooting, good brewing and a wonderful wedding!
-Dan (flickr.com/photos/dcastelli9574)
John on 5 Frames with Nikon F2 + 50mm F2 Nikkor H-Auto – By Josh Sitoh
Comment posted: 22/12/2019
So enjoy your F2 and take lots of pictures with it even your girlfriend!
Comment posted: 22/12/2019
Dave N. on 5 Frames with Nikon F2 + 50mm F2 Nikkor H-Auto – By Josh Sitoh
Comment posted: 22/12/2019
Comment posted: 22/12/2019
Ant Lockyer on 5 Frames with Nikon F2 + 50mm F2 Nikkor H-Auto – By Josh Sitoh
Comment posted: 22/12/2019
Comment posted: 22/12/2019
Kevin Oh on 5 Frames with Nikon F2 + 50mm F2 Nikkor H-Auto – By Josh Sitoh
Comment posted: 22/12/2019
It feels awesome to have stumbled upon this post because I share a few things in common with you as I am also a proud owner of an F2 (which my father-in-law bought when he was in his 20s almost 50 years ago), someone who used to live in Auckland and an avid coffee lover (used work in the industry for years). Thanks for this wonderful tribute, Josh!
Comment posted: 22/12/2019
Timothy Gasper on 5 Frames with Nikon F2 + 50mm F2 Nikkor H-Auto – By Josh Sitoh
Comment posted: 23/12/2019
Comment posted: 23/12/2019
eric on 5 Frames with Nikon F2 + 50mm F2 Nikkor H-Auto – By Josh Sitoh
Comment posted: 23/12/2019
Great. Love the composition : fantastic
Thanks
Comment posted: 23/12/2019
Ross on 5 Frames with Nikon F2 + 50mm F2 Nikkor H-Auto – By Josh Sitoh
Comment posted: 26/12/2019
Which focusing screen are you using?
Comment posted: 26/12/2019
John on 5 Frames with Nikon F2 + 50mm F2 Nikkor H-Auto – By Josh Sitoh
Comment posted: 22/08/2022
As a teenager in the late 1970's,
early 1980's, I grew up surrounded by Nikon F(x)'s, Canons, Asahi Pentaxes,OlympusOM's,
even the occasional vintage Leica or Zeiss Ikon Contax rangefinders.
We had "photography" as after-school classes, where we also learned to develop b/w film and make copies.
Everybody was shooting TriX and/or Kodachrome at the time.
Now I find myself buying all these cameras and lenses from my youth at fleamarkets, despite the fact that I haven't shot a roll of real film for 20 years or something, for next to nothing.
So far, the collection consist of:
1953 Zeiss Icon Contax IIa, with a 50 mm Zeiss Opton Sonnar 1:2 and a prewar 5cm Sonnar 1,5.
Canon FT with FL 50mm 1,8 and
135mm FL 3.5
2x Olympus OM 1's,
F Zuiko Auto-S 50mm 1.8
E Zuiko Auto-T 135mm 3.5
Zuiko Auto-Zoom 75-150mm 4.0
A black Nikon F Photomic FTN with no lense
Nikkormat FT2 with Nikkor 50mm 1:2 AI
and
Yashica Mat 124
Asahi Super-Takumar 50mm 1.4
v2 Thorium
Canon FD 100mm 2.8
and a dozen or so Japanese rangefinders, Yashicas, Minoltas, Canons etc..
The plan was to buy a digital full-frame mirror- less body and converters so I could use the old glass,
but now I'm not so sure,
Maybe it's just me, but the fact that it's free to press the shutter on a digital camera seems to have me taking more shots that shouldn't have been taken?