The Nikon F!!!

[MEPER]

And the Photomic I have is the same as on your 6466xxx body.....so probably time typical for my body also.

[mxbianco]

I have heavily modified my previous message, adding a few photos and serial # considerations. Your model is a borderline model (on the advance lever point of view), that is there are perfectly period correct samples with type 3 lever (hollow, your sample), coexisting with other perfectly period correct samples with type 4 lever (the one in the photo only 16 numbers away from yours!).
I corrected my previous message so there's no ambiguity.

So far the overlap occurs between 6466982 and 6474793 (about 8000 samples), where there is evidence of both types of advance lever. As they were running out of spare parts from type 3, in some assembly lines they must have been given already the type 4 advance lever.

The attachment that was put on the selenium cell was in fact a mini tele extension, allowing for a more "spot" measuring of exposure when using telephoto lenses. Many Photomics come without that part, it unscrewed and got lost quite easily! That tele extender was present in the first two Photomics: Flag type (yours), and Button type. See page https://www.destoutz.ch/typ_photomic_switch.html.

The flag type is correct up to the end of 1962 Probably the button type is the more period correct type for 1963-onwards. You have overlaps there too. See the De Stoutz collection for complete cameras. The first one he has with a button type Photomic is #6501758.

Ciao from Massimo

[MEPER]

Interesting that they are so close. Your 6471xxx has some black parts!     ….a kind of "panda" model?     ….special order like black paint S2 and S3?

I looked at my flag type photomic and it is not that "damaged". In fact no real "dings" but some paint damage and a loose "cover". I guess I could peel it off and clean it and then glue it using contact glue (maybe diluted?) or a shellac type glue which was used in the really old days for gluing leather. But this is not leather so probably contact glue is best.

I have learned from collectors that I should never try to paint it but let it stay with patina..... :-)
It can also look quite good if it is brass below and it is worn by use and not with abuse. So if it get a black paint S2 I will not paint it! 

[MEPER]

I looked at my F-body serial numbers to see if there was a low number in a serie. The 70xxxxx was quite low.
Historical this F-body is interesting as the label below tells it is from a hospital here in DK. It would have been "fun" to look at the images this body has shot when it was in service.....or maybe not depending what it was used for.

[mxbianco]

Interesting that they are so close. Your 6471xxx has some black parts!     ….a kind of "panda" model?     ….special order like black paint S2 and S3?

Actually specimen #6471xxx is not mine, it is only in my Nikon F photo database. You spotted correctly a Frankenstein piece from a black body transplanted onto a chrome body! Some people would do any kind of bad things! If it were of any interest to restore it, maybe because one has a twin sister camera with an adjacent serial # (or a camera differing only by one digit, say 6471xxx and 6571xxx), a donor for the correct piece has to be found... Such couples are of greater interest to collectors, better than a single anonymous camera.

I have several low numbered cameras:
Two 640xxxx
Five 641xxxx
Three 642xxxx
NO 643xxxx
One 644xxxx
Two 645xxxx
Two 646xxxx
Two 647xxxx
and then several from 653, 654, 656, 658, 659, 660, and so on. 6 Red Dots so far.

It's still a long way to collect one sample for each group of 10000 cameras. I would have to have more than 120 cameras, but then there is not much difference between a 708xxx a 709xxx and a 710xxx, so I went another direction, searching for models with unique features (such as the lowest existing Apollo, or Questar converted cameras, or T models, or EP models, ...)

Ciao from Massimo

[richardHaw]

i have a few red dots...all of them from the junk box

[MEPER]

Did they put a red dot on existing top cover after the modification or is it a new top cover?

[mxbianco]

i have a few red dots...all of them from the junk box

I see that serial # is in Matthew Lin's list already (from the end of 2018-beginning 2019). Did you report him, or was it already in list when you found it in the trash?

BTW, I bought three of my red dots on eBay from unknowing sellers...

For MEPER: In factory modifications they created a red enamel filled dot following strict specifications of size, distance from the serial number, and alignment with the serial #. Knowing the rules, it is easy to spot fakes or suspects. Also the quality of the red dot conversion can be another hint to a fake (poor quality=fake almost certainly). I have a borderline sample, one with a professional-grade red dot conversion, and its red dot with the right size and colour, but it isn't aligned with the base of the serial #, and a little too close to the serial. See attached photo. It is also outside the usual range of RedDot conversions (657xxxx-660xxxx), Maybe the Nikon guy punched the dot in the wrong spot and then realized it was too late to punch in the correct spot?

For more info on RedDot, see http://www.matthewlin.com/MyNikon/RedDot/RedDot.htm

Ciao from Massimo

[richardHaw]

Mathew follows my fb page so i suppose he sees my red dot postings 

[richardHaw]

https://richardhaw.com/2020/05/24/repair-nikon-f-part-3/

part 3

[MEPER]

I watched the video of lubricating the slow speed mechanism.
Have you tried if some kind of dry lubricant would work?

[mxbianco]

I watched the video of lubricating the slow speed mechanism.
Have you tried if some kind of dry lubricant would work?

I'm afraid that dry lubricants, such as graphite, will diffuse into the mirror box and contaminate all surfaces, including the film.

Ciao from Massimo