The Film Camera to End All Film Cameras: A Long-Term Review of the Nikon F2

The Film Camera to End All Film Cameras: A Long-Term Review of the Nikon F2

Whether you already have a 35mm film camera or are looking to get one, the Nikon F2 is about as good as an SLR camera can possibly be. 

If you’ve ever used a Nikon F2 before, you already know that it is rare to find such quality in a 35mm camera or even a digital camera for that matter. Once you get used to it, most alternatives just seem cheap or flimsy. I don’t mean to knock on other 35mm cameras – I still have a soft spot in my heart for a good copy of a Minolta X-370 (my first camera growing up) or a Pentax Spotmatic (my father’s camera from his time in the service). The Nikon F2, however, is on a level entirely on its own. They were made for nearly 10 years (1971-1980) before it was replaced by the F3; an electronic camera compared with the all mechanical F2.

To start, they’re pretty affordable and can be had for around $125-$150 for the body of the cheapest model. And yes, there is more than one model. There are 5 different “Photomic” models of the F2 which have a metering prism that use the original body: original, S, SB, A, and AS. Other editions were made as well but are far rarer and more expensive. Of the primary 5 models of the F2, the only difference between them is the metering prism. The biggest difference between the A and AS models and their earlier counterparts is that they only work with Ai-S lenses whereas the other lenses can work on all mechanical Nikon F mount lenses so long as they have the meter coupling shoe (a.k.a., “rabbit ears”) to communicate the aperture you’ve got the lens set to with the metering prism. Otherwise, the A model (using the DP-11 prism) and the original model (using the DP-1 prism) are the exact same prism which use a more primitive metering needle which can be a bit difficult see when there isn’t ample light coming through the top of the meter. Similarly, the AS (DP-12 prism) and the SB (DP-3 prism) offer the same performance metering using “+ 0 -” LEDs. The S model using the DP-2 prism is kind of the odd man out still using “+ > < -” LEDs. 

Build Quality

As I mentioned above, the build quality of the F2 is superb. I would best just about anything that if someone was to shoot through a couple rolls using an F2 and then picked up a Pentax, Minolta, or Canon, you’d be disappointed. It’s such a solid, well built machine that feels unstoppable. So much so that a good friend of mine had one survive a house fire and it still works (see below). I kid you not. The only thing that could possibly be conceived as a weakness of the F2 is the mirror dampener. On my first F2, it was pretty brittle from years of not using and me changing out the focusing screen. It looked a little rough after but worked just fine from shutter speeds of 1/60th or faster for a 35mm lens. It used to be 1/30th but I think the loss of some of the dampener made it land a bit too hard at slower speeds. 

Image of Burnt Nikon F2 Courtesy Of Matt Seal

Accessories

This is the part where there is quite honestly more to talk about than I have room for. Just about everything you can think of can be changed out. Want a digital back that can print the time and a note on the film? They have that. Want to change out the focusing screen for something else? There are over a dozen to choose from (I personally prefer the “H” model which is a full screen of micro prisms). Want to add a hot shoe? Easily done. Want to have auto exposure? There’s a tool for that. Want to have an auto winder? You can get it. 
Quite honestly, there are so many bells and whistles available with that camera that I’ve never even considered getting anything else for the camera aside from the focusing screen. The ability to change out the focusing screen is for sure one of my favorite attributes of the F2 – easily the most underrated. At the time when I had two copies of the camera (and original Photomic and the SB Photomic) I would pick up every focusing screen I came across just to see what I liked. If you have an F2 already but haven’t tried out other focusing screens, I highly recommend it.

Lens Offerings

I would think this can go without saying but just in case, Nikon glass is amazing. The most stereotypical lens that comes with an F2 is the 50mm f/1.4. That lens, however, is not particularly amazing. It’s exceptionally soft wide open and I don’t really think it has decent sharpness or micro contrast until f/2.8. As such, the lens that has lived on my F2 for the last several years is a 35mm f/2. Other lenses I have enjoyed using on my F2 include the 35mm f/1.4 Ai-S, 28mm f/2 Ai, 28mm f/2.8 Ai-S, and the Tokina 90mm f/2.5 AT-X Macro. All around, these lenses produce stunning images.

What I Liked

  • Price. It isn’t as cheap as a Pentax K1000, Minolta X-370, Canon AE-1, or whatever other common cameras are readily available but it’s worth the extra cost
  • Lens selection is amazing
  • Shutter speeds range from 10 seconds to 1/2000th of a second
  • Self-timer comes in clutch on vacations
  • Depth of field preview can be really helpful
  • The ability to change the focusing screen is an under rated benefit
  • All manual operation means if you can meter yourself, you don’t need batteries

What I Didn’t Like

  • Depending on whether you have the A or AS model or one of the earlier models, you may not be able to use all manual focus lenses
  • It is considerably heavier than the majority of other common 35mm cameras
  • I have found it to be too easily to accidentally leave the meter on and kill the batteries. It’s only happened twice but was very inconvenient both times

Conclusion

I firmly believe that the F2 is the best all mechanical 35mm you can get. It is so versatile, durable, and consistent that there is no SLR competitor for me. I already had a pretty significant Nikon all manual lens collection from my days of using my Sony a7 exclusively so I was able to have a lens selection ready to go the day I bought the camera but even if I didn’t, the lenses are not unreasonable and the majority of them are really solid glass.

Have you ever shot with a Nikon F2? What were your experiences? For you, how does it measure up to other 35mm SLRs?


 

If you're passionate about taking your photography to the next level but aren't sure where to dive in, check out the Well-Rounded Photographer tutorial where you can learn eight different genres of photography in one place. If you purchase it now, or any of our other tutorials, you can save a 15% by using "ARTICLE" at checkout. 

James Madison's picture

Madison is a mathematician turned statistician based out of Columbus, OH. He fell back in love with film years ago while living in Charleston, SC and hasn't looked back since. In early 2019 he started a website about film photography.

Log in or register to post comments
78 Comments
Previous comments

That's the same F2 I have! I too use it as my low-light camera. I typically keep my 35 f/2 on it although right now my 28mm f/2 is on it. What film are you typically using for your low light work? I've been enjoying the TMax 3200 since it was rereleased.

Well, I haven't shot with it for years, although I still have all my film gear. I typically shot concerts with ISO 400 Ektachrome, sometimes pushed to 800. I typically use 4 lenses then, a 20mm f/4, 50mm f/1.4, 135mm f/2, and 300mm f/4.5. Stage lighting allowed me to capture fairly well. Eventually I got pretty good at low light shooting and started using standard 400 and 100 ISO film. One time I shot Fleetwood Mac at the Garden using Kodachrome 25!

In the 90s I started shooting at night with a compact Ricoh 500G, a Kowa Super 66 2-1/4, and a Fuji GS645. I would use Fuji 1600 and 3200 color negative film, sometimes pushing them a stop. It's unfortunate these color films are no longer available.

If I ever get my hands on a Nikon Coolscan 9000 I may return to shooting film again, and pull my beloved F2SB out of it's storage space.

I have been looking for a DP2 meter so I can interchange it with the DE11 whenever I want. I can't seem to find a working one. Thank you for reminding me to keep looking. That's a good combination.

A great camera, was my starter camera when I decided to become a photographer.

Nice! Do you still have/use it?

I gave it to the Afghans to help them document Soviet actions. Soviet ambassador put a price on the heads of photographers. Some media organizations said they would not send their own photographers into Afghanistan because of a it. I just bought 2 F3's.

I inherited my Dad's F2, sold my Leica (whose lenses I still miss), bought an F5 (still have), then a D4, which is my excellent workhorse. Shoot condos, people, weddings, and sports. Two big things: lenses lenses lenses, and solid solid solid. Leica is expensive jewelry, Pentax is too delicate, Canon changed their mount, the rest are gone. I still use the F2! with a 2.1cm F4 mirror locked up. Amazing look. The best camera SYSTEM ever. Nikon spends time designing their stuff for shooters. Grab and go. I have 4 F2's, including one with the edges of the titanium shinning through. A few years ago, I was assisting at a big shot wedding gig, she gave me an F2 with a 50mm, and the client bought more of my candids than her poses. It's nice to relax into a shoot with a simple rig and concentrate on the picture, and not the gadget.

You have 4 F2s!? My goodness, that's a lot. haha. I had two for a while but couldn't rationalize owning more than one so I gave one to a close friend who wanted to get into film. He now uses his more than I use mine. haha

Am I to understand correctly that you have one of the titanium edition cameras?

I beg to differ. . . the Contax RTS 3 and AX are kings hands down. Yes, they are electronic and not entirely mechanical, but the electronics make this camera a standout. All manual focus except the AX which was absolutely revolutionary in which the the film plane moved to the lens.

The big catch were the Zeiss lenses. Stellar. stunning. gorgeous color, boketh, beautiful results. No, they did not have the huge lineup of Nikkor lenes, maybe a few dozen, but really, how many do you need?

And like the Nikon, interchangeable screens (6 i think), winders, accessories. reliable. I developed my skills on 20,000 Kodachromes with these cameras. And today, i still use them on my Sony A7iii. but somehow, I still miss those great cameras. I still have them waiting for some brilliant mind to change out the pressure plate to a digital back with IBIS!! Wouldn't that be loverly.

Nothing against Nikon, but I think this camera was the pinnacle of camera design, function, handling, just about everything.

BTW, when Contax tried the digital world and bowed out, Zeiss developed the N series of lenses. I have 2 of the zooms adapted to the Sony. Not as functionally as good as a native Sony lens, but the the color, sharpness, resolution, and final result are astounding. Auto focus is just OK, and follow focus - haven't figure it out yet, but the pictures - incredible.

Dave

"The big catch were the Zeiss lenses. Stellar. stunning. gorgeous color, boketh, beautiful results. No, they did not have the huge lineup of Nikkor lenes, maybe a few dozen, but really, how many do you need?"

But you can attach any Zeiss F-mount lens all the way up to modern Milvus and Otus lenses to an F2AS so it's not like there's a shortage of Zeiss glass for the F-mount system. You can also easily switch the mount on Leica R lenses and attach them to Nikon bodies so you get access to that glass, too. My favorite lens to use on my Nikons is actually a Zeiss 28mm ZF.2.

I beg to differ as well I own Zeiss Glass and Nikkor glass they each have a different look but when it comes to sharpness certain old nikkors are sharp as anything I've seen and the focus is silky smooth. I use all my nikkor's on Sony A73R and get stunning results. Although I wish Sony would fix there menu in there camera's. One of the things with the Zeiss glass was all the purple fringing . Drive me nuts. Lets remember one thing though, The image is only as good as the photographer and sharpness is not always the most important thing.

I had an F2 back in college. I was really into shooting with the classic photojournalist cameras like F2 and Leica M3. I traveled quite a bit with the f2 and there is something very comforting about bringing this big brick with it's wonderful shutter sound everywhere you go. However I eventually got tired of the weight and realized that a 35mm camera is just a box with a lens mount and got an F2m - all the mechanical reliability in a much smaller and lighter body. And then I got into the Olympus OMs because they were an even smaller box. And then.. it goes on.

Check out the Pentax LX. All metal body with weather sealing around the buttons and knobs. No one else was doing that at the time.

I think the F2 is a great camera but for sure a lot of what made it famous is that everyone had one. News and press agencies owned them by the dozens and gave them out to their staff photographers on assignments. And yes they were totally modular with every accessory you could imagine (always wanted to try that waist level finder!). They were used extensively in Vietnam. Dennis Hopper in Apocalypse Now has four F2s around his neck. Pictures of Linda McCartney with her F2. The list goes on.. It has such an iconic look with the flat top prism finder and and tall shutter dial. Very cool camera and a lot of fun to use.

I am suggesting to check out also Minolta XE, Minolta XE7. Those cameras have different names depending on the market USA, Europe, Japan. And some legendary lenses everybody wants to have like Rokkor 58 f1.2
Minolta XD is built to a standard worthy of Leitz (Leica) There is also Minolta CLE (Minolta Leitz partnership with lenses of outstanding quality)

More modern but still excellent Dynax 7 and Dynax 9 with even more legends in lenses: 85 1.4, 200 2.8

There is Minolta SRT Super that can be operated without batteries. Build like a tank.
Also Minolta x-700 and Minolta XK

Other manufacturers have also awesome cameras from the same era. Canon, Pentax, Leica!.... and so on.

"I firmly believe that the F2 is the best all mechanical 35mm you can get." - very good but nope, this is not true, no such things like best mechanical camera. You should underline that is only your own point of view not the reality.

Titles like: The Film Camera to End All Film Cameras... are just click bites with no real argument in it only to make misleading affirmations.

Remember: lens quality prevail over the camera body. Brain & eye of the photographer prevail over the camera body and lens. And the old one but good one: the best camera is the one you have no matter if this is so called "mechanically perfect"

What makes you a good photographer is the final result, so do not stress guys if you have something that is not the best in this World. Tech talk are cool, but that depends on how are they turned.

You have understood, I am against such affirmations like "I have the best of all cameras"
Best for your needs, sounds whey cooler.

""I firmly believe that the F2 is the best all mechanical 35mm you can get." - very good but nope, this is not true, no such things like best mechanical camera. You should underline that is only your own point of view not the reality."
He did when he wrote "I firmly believe".

"Remember: lens quality prevail over the camera body. Brain & eye of the photographer prevail over the camera body and lens."
Nobody said that they didn't. That having been said, this is only true to a degree. A nice lens is next to useless if the body is unreliable and constantly failing on you so your camera body needs to be to a certain standard, too.

"And the old one but good one: the best camera is the one you have no matter if this is so called "mechanically perfect""
That's just objectively not true. If you have a Mickey Mouse toy camera in your hand and a Leica MP sitting at home, your Mickey Mouse camera isn't your "best camera". It's simply your only choice in the moment because you didn't go out prepared for a situation where you would want a better camera. That's not a maxim that's meant to suggest than anything available is good so much as it is a reminder to make sure to have something good available at all times.

Also, Minoltas are awesome. I don't really understand why they aren't appreciated more.

The shutter was known to break and many photojournalists who did super high frame counts snapped their shutters. Like my Step mother. It might have been a issue with first runs fo the camera and was addressed quickly but google f2 shutter has know issues if not very well maintained.

Given how old the cameras are and the nature of their use during their heyday, I would be pretty surprised if there were a significant number of copies with that shutter flaw still roaming around out there. One would think that attrition would have gotten rid of that problem by now.

I never used a motor drive on my F2 that I bought in '78, but in the mid-90s it jammed up when i went to cock the shutter. So I got roughly18 years out of it before it jammed. :-) It was fixed by a company that was famous back in the 60s, 70s, and 80s, Marty Forscher's repair shop in NYC, but while they did a great job on the camera because they knew it well, they were probably within a year of going out of business. That's when I knew digital was one big tsunami that changed everything overnight.

"If you’ve ever used a Nikon F2 before, you already know that it is rare to find such quality in a 35mm camera or even a digital camera for that matter. Once you get used to it, most alternatives just seem cheap or flimsy."

Um, no. You just haven't tried enough different 35mm SLRs. :)

My first true love of Nikon. I owned and shot professionally with the F2as back in the 80's.

And I have just purchased a beautiful F2as mb1/md2 to remind me of the experience!

Couple of observations...they were built like tanks but are 45ish years old. I would seriously recommend a CLA to clean out all the accumulated dust and debris. Well maintained, inside and out and they will keep on working. The md1/2 has a nylon gear and its worth checking/lubricating as these have a tendency to break. A brass replacement is avaiavailable from Sover..at a price. But peace of mind?

And those lenses! You can use optics right up to the AF-D series of course, but for manual focus its hard to beat the feel of brass and glass ais optics. As pointed out the 50mm f1.4 makes for a good standard lens. It should be reasonably sharp wide open and I suggest you get it checked!! Mine is sharp on a D700, but the afd is sloppy and rattles like most of the plastic offerings!

The standard lens for the F2 has to be the 50mm F1.2, stellar optic, but not cheap!

A good range of lenses to look out for are the Tokina ATX series, particularly the older ones which were beautifully machined from metal and feel superbly smooth in manual mode. They are no slouch in optical performance either..look out for the 17mm, 20-35mm f2.8, 28-70 or 28-80 f2.8 (Bit soft at 80mm wide open)...100mm macro and I believe their 300mm is worth checking out..

Have fun!!

I started at UPI with the 3 F2 bodies, 3 MD-2 motordrives, a 24mm 2.8, 35mm f2.0, 50mm f1.4, 85mm f1.4, 105mm f2.5, 180mm f2.8 and a 300mm f2.8 lens. Never used a frigging battery, ever. I still have 3 of the same kits today. I also have a dozen f3HP bodies with the MD-4 motors. All look like crap but have been rebuilt with new innards 100%. They still get used. Why so many? I was based in Beirut then and I used to have full kits scattered about the world and a kit at each house and in each vehicle. Absolutely the best PJ gear ever. Back then photographic skill ruled unlike technology rules today.

Love this camera I have the F2/T model and use a Voigtlander 40mm F2 on it. Built exceptionally well.

I have F5-F4s-F3HP Titanium and 3 F2-A. the F3 sits and collects dust as the F4s does as well. If I need to work fast I bring out the F5. For pleasure and real passion I use the F2A. There is just no other Camera like it. Unfortunately being a professional School photographer being self employed I have to use digital which I find very boring. I shoot as much film as I can in my spare time. I'm getting one of my F2's overhaul by a guy in the UK. His name is Sover Wong and it is my understanding he is the absolute best. He specializes in these Camera's.

Hello sir. If you sent your F2a to Mr. Wong then you can't go wrong. It is in the best hands on the planet. I'd consider NOT. shooting with it and just frame it and put it on display. But seriously, by all means keep shooting with it. I have ine also and continue shooting it as often as I can, and I'm retired so.....
Have fun with it. Don't worry about being bored with these digital things. Just relish in the moment of being present with the film cameras.

Thanks good to here from someone I plan to shoot with it as much as possible I'm actually contacted him and going to send a 2nd one to him that I bought of ebay in mint condition. He seems like such a nice person. It's a 12 or 14 month wait right now. Hard to beat the old Nikkors for quality and sharp glass.

Nicely Working F2A.

I have a photomic with DP-1, and a F2a, I like the needle better too, because I can save time, and get exposure close by looking down at needle, save time when I bring it to my eye, and like a further commentor said before it also help to push, or pull the film. Great article, Could you post more F2 sample photo's so folk's can see just how great this camera is?

Great review of a camera I've owned and used daily as a professional for over 40 years. If you truly want to experience the true capabilities of the F2, use it with either and MD-1 or MD-2 motor-drive with an MB-1 battery pack. You will get a max frame rate of 5 fps and it will rewind a roll of 36 exposures in about 7 seconds. Amazing tech for a camera from the early 70's. You can then access all the remote control features and other accessories like the auto exposure module, bulk film backs, the list goes on.
I have owned practically every pro series Nikon from the F to the F5, the F2a with the MD-2 and MB-1 with Nicad packs I own is still the favourite film choice.

I’m looking to get an F2 as my first camera. I’m planning on getting the 35mm f/2 and one other lens. What would you recommend as the second lens?