I have heard conflicting reports pertaining to the significance of the serial numbers on Nikon F2 camera bodies. One source claims that the first two digits represent the year of manufacture. Another source reports that the second digit indicates if the body is chrome or black. What is the REAL story here?

-- mark spencer (markphoto@xoommail.com), March 13, 1999

Answers

No one except those in Nikon knows the REAL story, but I posted a quote from McBroom's book concerning the issue in photo.net. Look in the Nikon archives in photo.net and there will be a thread called "F5 serial number"...

-- james (albanyjim1@aol.com), March 13, 1999.

I own an F2, serial no. 71XXXXX and it is a "chrome" body. This would disprove the "even-odd" theory. The story I got was that the even 2nd digit means chrome and the odd indicats a black body. Can anyone else share weather the 2nd digit indicates black/chrome ?

-- mark spencer (markphoto@xoommail.com), March 13, 1999.

I've never heard this even/odd chrome/black story. It sounds like another myth in the making. Anyhow, I have two F2 bodies, both black, numbered 71.. and 72..

-- Alan Gibson (Alan.Gibson@technologist.com), March 15, 1999.

I've heard that the odd/even works only for serial numbers starting with 75 and up.

The only official word that I've ever heard about Nikon serial numbers and dates is that the Nikon ranger finders started at 609 because the first prototype Nikon I was made in 1946 during the month of September (month 09). I have seen pictures of what left of the prototype and it is number 6091. BTW, the Nikon I wasn't released until 1948, and it wasn't until partway into the Nikon S that the 609xxxx block ended.

I heard that titanium F2s (F2T, F2 Titan, and F2H) all start with a 9 instead of a 7, but I can't confirm that).

-- Geoffrey S. Kane (grendel@pgh.nauticom.net), March 15, 1999.

For those interested, Mike Liu's web site (www.mir.com) is where I first heard about the even/odd theory. He has a lot of good info on old Nikons; however, he discounts the two-digit year theory and promotes the even/odd theory! We have proven that to be wrong here already. We have seen that black and chrome F2 bodies can be either "even" or "odd".

-- mark spencer (markphoto@xoommail.com), March 15, 1999.

I have two chrome FM2n's purchased a year apart with one SN beginning with 86XXXXX and another 85XXXXX.

-- Alf (alf@hotmail.com), July 27, 1999.

I have just purchased a used Nikon FM2n... and I would like to know what the serial number on it means. Does anyone know where I can find out?

-- Tom Vong (tomhv@hotmail.com), July 11, 2001.