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Author Topic: NIKON F3, modified for the U.S. NAVY  (Read 8863 times)

RonVol

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NIKON F3, modified for the U.S. NAVY
« on: April 18, 2016, 10:10:12 »
One of the rarest F3/MD-4 combinations.
Modified for use by the US Navy on their Los Angeles-Class nuclear-attack submarines during the 1990s.
A special Action Finder was developed by Nikon for this purpose.
Also a special adaptor was made so that the F3 could be mounted directly to a periscope column.
Several other minor modifications were made to the body of the camera as well as the MD-4.
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RonVol

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Re: NIKON F3, modified for the U.S. NAVY
« Reply #1 on: April 18, 2016, 10:13:56 »
..............a few more shots.
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RonVol

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Re: NIKON F3, modified for the U.S. NAVY
« Reply #2 on: April 18, 2016, 10:16:47 »
......................and a few more  :)
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Erik Lund

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Re: NIKON F3, modified for the U.S. NAVY
« Reply #3 on: April 18, 2016, 10:17:11 »
That is a nice adapter considering it's mad in very limited numbers,,, Thanks for posting!
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Erik Lund

RonVol

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Re: NIKON F3, modified for the U.S. NAVY
« Reply #4 on: April 18, 2016, 10:24:34 »
Quote from: Erik Lund on April 18, 2016, 10:17:11
That is a nice adapter considering it's mad in very limited numbers,,, Thanks for posting!

You're welcome Erik.
The quick-mount adaptors are by far the hardest item to find for these sets.
I've only ever seen 2 of them, the one shown in the above shots and one I sold to a collector in France.

Trying to work out the purpose of the yellow filter, which slides in & out of view.
If anyone has any ideas?
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richardHaw

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Re: NIKON F3, modified for the U.S. NAVY
« Reply #5 on: April 18, 2016, 10:36:37 »
i have seen a couple that were made for the navy but were intended for pilots to use ::)

but this is the first time that i have seen anything of this kind (persicope) :o :o :o

Nikon has a lot of collaboration with the US defense department.
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Erik Lund

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Re: NIKON F3, modified for the U.S. NAVY
« Reply #6 on: April 18, 2016, 10:38:27 »
Yellow is believed to enhance contrast,,,

I have read that there has been done scientific surveys as to test/prove this. Air pilots and sea captains,,,

I have used yellow/light brown shades/glasses for cycling, driving and skiing for many years, sometimes it works extremly well in hazy conditions.
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Erik Lund

RonVol

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Re: NIKON F3, modified for the U.S. NAVY
« Reply #7 on: April 18, 2016, 10:43:46 »
Quote from: richardHaw on April 18, 2016, 10:36:37
i have seen a couple that were made for the navy but were intended for pilots to use

I've not seen an F3 in the configuration that you describe Richard.
Are you sure you're not thinking of the Nikon F?
There was a special version of that camera developed for the US Air Force/Navy.
Camera, motor winder, battery pack and a 43-86mm Nikkor were all specially adapted for the application.
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RonVol

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Re: NIKON F3, modified for the U.S. NAVY
« Reply #8 on: April 18, 2016, 10:45:47 »
Quote from: Erik Lund on April 18, 2016, 10:38:27
Yellow is believed to enhance contrast,,,

Yes, I agree Erik............particularly with B&W film.
I might look into some of the studies you mention.
Thanks.
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richardHaw

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Re: NIKON F3, modified for the U.S. NAVY
« Reply #9 on: April 18, 2016, 10:48:30 »
Quote from: RonVol on April 18, 2016, 10:43:46
I've not seen an F3 in the configuration that you describe Richard.
Are you sure you're not thinking of the Nikon F?
There was a special version of that camera developed for the US Air Force/Navy.
Camera, motor winder, battery pack and a 43-86mm Nikkor were all specially adapted for the application.
F3. the camera itself was not but there were stickers stating that they were for US navy use. i am not an F3 expert so i do not know if they were modified or not. :o :o :o the only thing i recall were the stickers (propert of the US navy, blah blah blah)
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richardHaw

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Re: NIKON F3, modified for the U.S. NAVY
« Reply #10 on: April 18, 2016, 10:50:06 »
that is the reason why foglamps are yellow. they illuminate the asphalt better than those annoying white LED's :o :o :o
and as was stated, they are better when used on fogs...
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RonVol

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Re: NIKON F3, modified for the U.S. NAVY
« Reply #11 on: April 18, 2016, 11:38:47 »
Quote from: richardHaw on April 18, 2016, 10:48:30
F3. the camera itself was not but there were stickers stating that they were for US navy use. i am not an F3 expert so i do not know if they were modified or not. :o :o :o the only thing i recall were the stickers (propert of the US navy, blah blah blah)

Ah, sorry about that. I thought we were talking about specially modified cameras.
Yes, I've seen plenty of the bodies you're talking about...............the ones with the added stickers, as in the example below.
Apparently used by NASA & the USAF for ground related operations.

I've also seen an F3 body with 'US NAVY' engraved on the top left plate, see image below.
That one sold at WestLicht for an incredible EU2,640 a year or so ago.
The only thing that differentiated that body from a standard body was that engraving.
Seems like a good way to make some extra cash  :P
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richardHaw

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Re: NIKON F3, modified for the U.S. NAVY
« Reply #12 on: April 18, 2016, 11:57:19 »
yes, something like that :o :o :o
they are uncommon but you see them appear once in a while. ::)
what is the difference? the accessories that come with them looks like they were not made by nikon.
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RonVol

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Re: NIKON F3, modified for the U.S. NAVY
« Reply #13 on: April 18, 2016, 12:00:26 »
Quote from: richardHaw on April 18, 2016, 11:57:19
what is the difference? the accessories that come with them looks like they were not made by nikon.

As far as I know; they are all just stock-standard bodies.
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RonVol

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Re: NIKON F3, modified for the U.S. NAVY
« Reply #14 on: November 19, 2016, 23:52:08 »
FINALLY I've been able to source an image showing one of these cameras mounted to a periscope.
It's a very early example of an F3, #1242233. Approximate manufacturing date for the F3 would be around Aug 1980.
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