What to do with 10 old Nikkormat bodies?

[Matthew Currie]

The right angle attachment fits all the threaded low eyepoint finders, F Photomics, F2, and the F3 without the high eyepoint, and will go in threaded adapters for later ones.  You can even get a thread to slip-on adapter to put this or the magnifying finder on lower end finders, but none that I know of for the early F plain prism.

The slip on adapters are made of plastic and they break very easily. The little plastic latches break off and they then become loose and easily lost.

The right angle finder is also pretty dim, so it doesn't work terribly well with dim fixed-aperture macro lenses, microscope objectives and the like.

[MEPER]

I also doubt I will ever use the right angle attachment but it is very well made. On digital cameras you just use the flip out screen so no need for an angle attachment.
Can see I also have a Nikkormat Microscope adapter Kit model 2. So why they are called "Nikkormat" when they can be used with all other F-mount cameras I don't know. This kit is also just some "collectors item" I guess. I have no microscope to use it on. But again a very nice and well made adapter. 

[MILLIREHM]

If you dont want to sell them one by one, try to sell them as a package (ie at Ebay for 1 Euro and shipping cost) or donate them. I am sure there will be someone who wants to have them and its a better solution than considering trashing them.
My first camera was a Nikkormat FTN btw (still sitting around there with some other currently unused film cameras waiting for their time to come again - and I probably will get in the right mood when I have more time again).

I'd like to adress one advantage the Nikkormat Series have (at least the FT series- dont know about the EL right now), their mirror can be flipped up and fixed. Therefore they can take the old (non retrofocus design) fisheyes and wide angles even including the old 21 mm f/4  which is incompatible with modern bodies. (yes the older parts of the NIkon F series can do the same). The Nikkormats dont have a flash shoe but as an accessory a eyepiece screw in holder that can take a flash unit (without contacts of course) and the finders that came with the old fisheyes.

[MILLIREHM]

Can see I also have a Nikkormat Microscope adapter Kit model 2. So why they are called "Nikkormat" when they can be used with all other F-mount cameras I don't know. This kit is also just some "collectors item" I guess. I have no microscope to use it on. But again a very nice and well made adapter.

Nice, did not know that a Kit like that existed

[David H. Hartman]

The right angle viewing attachment show above will fit the Nikon F, F2 and F3 (DE-2) as well as the Nikkormat FTn through Nikon EL2 and I'm quite certain back to the Nikkormat FT. As I recall the image size was reduced in magnification. If the camera had a light meter its operation was not affected. It will also fit the Nikon FM and FE family of cameras including the FM2n, FE2 and FM3a. A camera repairman friend opened an FM3a and confirmed that it was NOT and FM series camera but rather an FE2 with a hybrid shutter and a few extra buttons for back light compensation, etc. Anyway the right angle finder is close to universal among better Nikon cameras over a span of years.

The Nikon F may have had a 6x waist level finder but my guess is it was only seen in prototype. The Nikon F2, DW-2 finder fit the Nikon F perfectly if the name plate was removed from either the DW-2 finder or Nikon F body. The Nikon F family of 6x waist level finders are the DW-2, DW-4, DW-21, DW-31 suitable for the F2 through F5. I still own the DW-2 though DW-31.

Anyway the right angle finder show above was near universal for better Nikon cameras. It will not fit the high eyepoint cameras such as the F3HP, F4/F4s and F5. There may have been a threaded adapter ring to allow its use on the high eyepoint Nikon F cameras noted.

I owned one of the right angle accessory attachment but never liked it probably due to the reduced viewfinder image magnification. I probably went out and bought a DW-2, 6x finder for my F2 the same day I learned of its existence. The DW-2 and DW-4 showed significant barrel distortion. The DW-21 and DW-31 were much improved regarding distortion.

Dave

Do I get a prize for Nikon Trivia? 

[Matthew Currie]

The angle finder does present a very small image, as well as dropping some light.  It's better than nothing at all if you have no tilt screen, but not a whole lot better.

WRT the microscope adapter, there may be various other little macro lenses that can be adapted to fit in it, so even if you don't have a microscope it might be useful to keep around.  I have a Konica one with a Nikon flange bodged on, which I use regularly with a batch of Compugraphic typesetting lenses I picked up long ago from a forgotten source, some of which are nice and sharp and fairly easy to use freehand.

[David H. Hartman]

Here is the DW-2, 6x waist level viewfinder for the Nikon F and F2. The DW-2 and later Nikon 6x waist level finders give a beautiful finder image that is bright and appears like a 5x7 in. (12.7x17.8cm) focus screen...


Nikon DW-2, 6x finder

The DW-4, 6x finder for the F3 is similar to the DW-2. The Nikon F3 retains all of its metering functions when the DW-4 is in use as the F3's metering is inside the body.  The DW-21 and DW-31 for the F4/F4s/F4e and F5 are much improved with reduced barrel distortion. Matrix and center weighted metering is lost for all but the F3 as its meter is in the body, not the prism.

Thank you! MILLIREHM for information regarding the F4/F4s/F4e. I've tapped Photography in Malaysia for information about the F5. The F4 series and the F5 have spot metering in the body but they loose Matrix and Center Weighted metering when the DW-21 or DW-31 are installed as those meter features are built in the prism.

Dave, AKA Sgt. Ektol

I rewrote this post as it was quite the mess.

[MILLIREHM]

F4/F4S/F4E has Matrix and center weighted meeting in the "photomic" and Spot metering in the body, so spot metering still works with the DW21

[David H. Hartman]

F4/F4S/F4E has Matrix and center weighted meeting in the "photomic" and Spot metering in the body, so spot metering still works with the DW21

Thank you for the correction!

I have not owned an F4/F4s for perhaps two decades and I don't think I've shot film since buying a D2H on close out.

So the F4/F4s/F4e retains spot metering when the DW-21 is installed as spot metering is in the body, not the prism.

The F5 also retains Spot metering when the DW-31 is used as the spot meter is in the body.

Dave

[MEPER]

Regarding the Nikkormat microscope adapter Model 2 kit I have I think I know why a speciel Nikkormat kit existed along with a F-kit. The F-kit has a focus screen included and that would make no sense for a Nikkormat. The adapter in Nikkormat kit is just Nikon branded while the other seems to have the nice F-logo also :-)    .....I have the "cheap" version......

[David H. Hartman]

Here is a lot of information on Nikon Microscope Adapters and accessories at Photography in Malaysia...

https://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/nikonf2/macro/index4.htm

Is this the focus screen not included in the Nikkormat kit: Nikon F/F2 Type-C fine ground matte screen with clear center spot and cross hair? The clear spot and cross hair is for parallax focusing in photomicrography and astrophotography. About $16.00 at KEH.com as I type.

[Matthew Currie]

Just for reference, here is the Konica version:  http://www.buhla.de/Foto/Konica/Zubehoer/eMikroskopadapter.html

It's pretty simple, and it's very easy to replace the Konica bayonet with one from some junk bit of F-mount gear.   It works OK in a microscope, though not with full sensor coverage, and splendidly as a macro mount for lenses that fit in it.

[David H. Hartman]

If I should shoot film again I would use a FE2, FM2, F2, F3, F4  .....but not a Nikkormat.

For manual focus the FE2, FM2n and similar have a 0.86x finder magnification with a 50mm lens at infinity. The FM3a has a touch relaxed eyepoint and a finder magnification of 0.83x. The F3 (DE-2 Prism) is the most comfortable for me. I can see the complete focus screen with my glasses on. The F3 has a finder magnification of 0.80x.

Your top picks might be the F3 (DE-2) or FM3a if you like to focus on a matte focus screen like a Type-B or E. If flash sync speed matters the FM3a has an X-Sync of 1/250 (Probably 1/230 in reality). I'm trying to remember the F3, was it 1/80th? I'm pretty sure it's 1/80th.

Dave

[MEPER]

My first Nikon camera was a FE2 and I used it for many years. I got a MD12 for it also. I remember I found the F3 as a step-back from the FE2 because of the low flash sync and 1/2000 compared to 1/4000 sec. But the F3 of course has some advantages like probably better mirror flip-up damping and the trigger is also very nice on a F3. Then the F4 came and I just looked at it from outside the window at a camera shop. It had everything I had hoped for but the price level was for me at that time "out of reach". Some years later I got a nice used F4s and that was my "dream camera". Never got a F5. The F, F2, F3 I got later was "just for fun". I do remember the trigger on the F3 so be very nice and special. HP viewfinder also nice. FE2 very compact and for tripod use with mirror lock-up I just used the "self timer" and pulled it a bit out to a few seconds. Then when trigger was released the mirror flipped up and 2-3 sec. later film was exposed. Some blamed the camera that you could not "break" the self-timer after it was activated but I used this "flaw" as a very nice feature. Much easier than a real "mirror lockup" mechanism. Also the camera made its exposure calculation during activation of the trigger and used that a few sec. later. Light could change a bit but I never found that as a problem.

[David H. Hartman]

A counter indication for the Nikon FM2n and FE2 is the sound level, sharp, loud. The F3, F4 and F5 are all much easier on the ears. I don't remember the Nikkormat FTn, FT2 and FT3 nor the Nikon F. I'm sure the F2 was on the harsh side compared to the F3 and later.