I would like to get some feedback from Nikon F2s uers as how is this body with the motor drive works on general photography. I am planning to get one and need some information plus and minuses and critiques as much possible. I am planning to use manual and AF lenses. Since this cameras are pretty old, their built in meter system may reach to an end of its life. Althogh the one that I am looking on still works. Is it really a good investment etc...

appreciate all your inputs..

thanks

-- Jin Kim (jkim693433@yahoo.com), August 31, 2000

Answers

I have been using the Nikon F2 for many years. It is generally considered to be one of the best manual mechanical SLR's ever built. It is very dated in today's world where a new camera is introduced every 6 months... usually rendering obsolete the existing accessories, but to those who chose to really learn photography and not just computer button pushing... it is a great camera.

The motordrive is one item I never purchased for my F2's due to its complicated nature and dated technology. I did look at it, but it is a monster of an item, too many parts. I also went through several meter prisms, and stopped at the DE 1 meterless prism. If you want a metering finder go for the DP11 or DP12. Your indication of desiring to use autofocus lenses would mean that to use the DP 1 or DP2, (non- AI) meters, you would have to have the meter coupling prong added... you can see two marks at the f5.6 position to indicate the alignment.

The operation of the camera is very straight forward and the reliability is legendary. I've used mine in Alaska in the winter as well as Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War. Extreme temperatures are no problem. It has mirror lock-up, timed self timer, and a long time shutter for the "B" setting, (using the self timer lever). The removable prism allows waist level viewing, (great for candids).

Go for it... after you use the camera to take a picture, use it to hammer a nail in the wall to hang it... Just don't hit the wall or you will put a hole in it.

-- Al Smith (smith58@msn.com), August 31, 2000.

The drive is way to huge and heavy compared to anything from the last 20 years. I used to own a F2 with the drive back in the late 1970's. Goes through cases of AA batteries and sounds like a machine gun. Well made camera, but getting old now. Most are in need of new light seals and some fresh lubrication by now. Don't forget to get the cable release and flash adapters. I had the best success of any camera with long lenses. Lock up mirror and use matte screen. The matte screen is great for macro work as well. Enjoy the camera, but my advise is to pass on the drive.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), August 31, 2000.

I have posted wrong motor drive, I meant to be MD3 not MD2 motor drive. I don't know if they are very much different. It seems like the MD2 motor drive is not a good choice. JK

-- Jin Kim (jkim693433@yahoo.com), September 01, 2000.

I have two F2s, both of which I bought second-hand. The older one has a SN starting 72xxxx, so must be one of the earliest made.
The body is still working absolutely perfectly, but when I got it there was a slight fault with the DP1 finder (Prong coupled Photomic head). This exhibited itself as an erratic needle indication at certain ASA/aperture/speed sttings. It turned out to be just a dirty potentiometer track, but I've heard reports that the track can wear out completely, and there are no spares to be had.
Anyway, after cleaning, mine has given me no trouble whatsoever in the 15 (or more?) years that it's been in my ownership.

My other F2a is one of the last ones made, and came with a DP2 finder (AI coupling). You should go for this version, or the DP3 LED readout head for best compatibility with modern Nikkors.

I owned an MD2+MB1 for a few weeks (it came with the second body - the seller didn't want to split the sale). It jammed on me a couple of times, and I promptly sold it. The MD3 is supposed to be much better in this respect, and faster.

I think if you can find a late model F2a or as or s, that's had amateur use only, you won't go far wrong. Treat it right and it'll probably last you a life-time. I can't speak for the MD3 though.
BTW I'd take the MD3 off the body when you don't really need it. The extra weight's a killer, and it'll save the camera mechanism an unnecessary hammering. (Also, I think fitting the MD3 requires the 'key' to be removed from the camera base - don't lose it!)

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), September 01, 2000.

I think I might have made a mistake in the numbering of the prism finders in that last post. Sorry!
The earliest Ai coupling finder is probably a DP12, not DP2. (You take the thing off to clean it once every six months - who looks at the model number?) Just get one that doesn't have the prong coupling gizmo hanging underneath it.

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), September 01, 2000.

The people who say that metered finders for the F2 (DP-1, -2, -3, -11 and -12) cannot be repaired are wrong. Several shops can still work on them. E mail me if you need their addresses. If you buy a motor drive, avoid the MD-3, the cheaper, lighter model that is bound to malfunction. I own a broken one myself. Either the MD-1 or MD-2 would be much better as they were built for professional use; the main difference is that the MD-2 has power rewind. Any F2 is a great camera, but the most desirable F2 outfit would be one with a DP-12 finder (model F2AS), an MD-2 motor and an MB-1 battery pack. If you buy an F2 in good condition, it will likely outlast any autofocus camera & lens sold new this year. Have fun!

-- Lan Manh Tu (lantu@email.msn.com), September 06, 2000.

The F2 and MD-2 motordrive combination is a real winner. It's a classic camera in everyway possible and the best manual slr ever made by Nikon. They are heavy and a bit noisy, but it's a dream to use and very reliable. Mine has kept working for 25 years! I use modern autofocus cameras for pro work but keep going back to my old F2 for fun pictures and to go back to basics and enjoy photography having to think more! This camera will probably out live me....would love tp shake the hand of the man who inventored and designed this camera.

-- Alex Yeung (ayeung@yahoo.com), March 22, 2001.

F2 user since the early '80s. The F2 body is most reliable and still repairable although parts may be a problem. Most Nikon devotees know that the '77 and later models are the best. Metering is most reliable and durable with the DP12 although most repair shops do not want to tinker around with its circuitry, that is, if it ever fails.

The MD2/MD3 is another story. With its taunted robustness and built, most repair shops lament over the plastic gears inside the drive. When worn out, finding a replacement gear may post a problem.

-- August Agoncillo (finefotos44@hotmail.com), December 27, 2001.

I've had a '75 F2S with an MD-1/MB-1 for 25 years and it hasn't failed me yet. The MD-1 and MD-2 are almost identical. If you use an MF-3 back with an MD-1 it will not leave the film-leader out of the can as with an MD-2. The MD-1 has power rewind as does the MD-2, but the MD-1 does not have a lock-switch on the rewind lever, so it is possible to put the rewind lever in the rewind position by accident. It will not put the camera in rewind mode unless the push-switch is moved also, but the motor switches will not fire until you put the rewind lever back in the correct position. The MD-2 lockout button solved that problem. The firing button on the top of the motor for your right-hand index finger is a broad-flat switch on the MD-1 while on the MD-2 it is just a small button with the surrounding plastic non-moving. Again this is a better design as I had the MD-1 button disintegrate on me in the middle of a Formula 1 Grand Prix race that I was shooting for Road & Track, although I was still able to use the normal release and the MR-2 plugged into the motor. Don't worry about losing the back opening key as it fits in the handle of both MDs and can't get lost.

I feel the pre A/AS F2 meters to be superior as you have no problem using the old lenses or the new ones up to AIS with full metering. Now if you are too lazy to rotate the aperture ring when you put a lens on, to index the meter, you shouldn't be using a manual camera.

-- Jay J. Hector (70243.3034@compuserve.com), January 05, 2002.