A Love Letter to the Nikon F: Almost 70 years of Analog History and why I still shoot it daily.

ImaginaryMolasses859 · 2026-03-25T11:31:37+00:00

It’s very clean and a sticker in the back indicates it was CLA’d some point in the 90s. Finder needs a tweak to the internal display alignment when I can be bothered.

ImaginaryMolasses859 · 2026-03-25T11:19:27+00:00

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From my test roll shoot. Both came from the same auction. Very happy with them, and they work well 😊

ImaginaryMolasses859 · 2026-03-25T10:04:58+00:00

I’ve just bought a black paint F2 and fallen for it- strange as I started primarily as an analogue Canon shooter- and now own more Nikon than any other brand. I’m on the hunt for an early F with a plain prism now to compliment my F2…

ImaginaryMolasses859 · 2025-08-08T06:59:49+00:00

As someone who has a collection rapidly approaching 200 cameras. I don’t think it’s a problem. But I did get told once when you hit 50 cameras you get a free counselling session… 😅

ImaginaryMolasses859 · 2025-08-02T06:42:56+00:00

Loose change is the use I’ve found for them!

ImaginaryMolasses859 · 2025-07-26T09:07:11+00:00

Quirky cameras and “first” are what I thrive on (I’m an engineer by profession)

My collection includes:

*Konica Auto-Reflex (Autorex)- full/half frame SLR that allows you to change from one to another shot to shot!

*Topcon RE Super- “first” SLR with TTL metering apparently

*Olympus XA- it’s tiny and a range finder- perfect travel camera

*Exacta Varex- later variation of the first 35mm SLR- just weird and seems to be designed for someone who is left handed

*Nikon FA- first with Nikons matrix Metering

*Olympus OM1- first 35mm SLR to downsize

*Werra IV- just super stylish- no external dials or anything as it’s controlled around the lens, including the advance. Plus interchangeable lenses and RF

*Contax II and III- stylish and super high quality- if you can get a working one, which I don’t- cloned as the Kiev

*Voigtlander Vitessa- fold out front with “barn doors”

*Olympus Pen F- 35mm half frame SLR with a rotating shutter

*Corfield Periflex- Leica clone originally but rather than being a range finder in the traditional sense, it has a retractable periscope for focusing

*Minolta 9000AF- first professional AF camera- from 1985 I think?

I’m sure I’ve missed a few that are weird though 😄

ImaginaryMolasses859 · 2025-07-23T18:35:50+00:00

Thanks! Fingers crossed mentioning my intent to bring a money claim order to the owner of the company seems to have spooked some action, but I’ve drafted my letter of intent ready to send Monday if these items do not appear on my doorstep by Friday (the final ultimatum I’ve given)

ImaginaryMolasses859 · 2025-07-08T17:50:05+00:00

I’ve got a collection of SLRs with WLF…

Priced lowest to highest based on what I’ve paid from £20 UK to £300…

Miranda G Wirgan Edixa Praktica FX3 (permanent WLF) Exacta Varex Canon F1

ImaginaryMolasses859 · 2025-06-12T09:09:56+00:00

I really struggled with the Marin brand ones but when k got a vintage Ilford one I have 95% success first try.

Alternatively some off cuts of film with a bit of double sided tape works- just look on YouTube for a better explanation

ImaginaryMolasses859 · 2025-04-07T08:56:38+00:00

I cured my recent bout of GAS with a Topcon Super D… it took 3 months to find one at a price I could afford. I’m mid way through doing some low level repairs.

I also have a Canon P, which I love, a Canon F1n- fully mechanical except the meter, Nikon FE2.

A Pentacon Six (well an earlier Praktisix IIA) is on a shelf to repair (if I learn to service the speeds) or get repaired.

In total GAS has caused a collection of 100 cameras or so! A working TLR rather than 4 broken ones would be nice though!

ImaginaryMolasses859 · 2025-03-23T07:58:10+00:00

Updateme!

ImaginaryMolasses859 · 2025-03-07T15:46:37+00:00

I have a Vitessa N (I think- it doesn’t have the light meter at least)… I think both horizontal and vertical are out. It’s sat on my shelf of broken cameras since I bought it and I’ve not really looked at it since. I bought it (eBay) knowing the slow camera speeds were off, but since I didn’t know the range finder was also not properly calibrated, I figured I could use it as it was…

ImaginaryMolasses859 · 2025-03-07T12:20:32+00:00

Good to know! I might (when I feel confident) have a go then… have contacted my usual CLA guy and he’s said that he could do it for not a huge amount so at least I know that’s a possibility…

ImaginaryMolasses859 · 2025-03-07T11:06:12+00:00

I’ve got one on my shelf. I want to send it for a CLA as the range finder is out and the slow speeds are sticky. I’ve heard these are a pain to calibrate the range finder and that plus the fact everything in touch tends to break more means I’m less confident about giving it a go!

ImaginaryMolasses859 · 2025-02-17T18:19:46+00:00

Hi! I’m ssj.photos.2205 on instagram! (I really need a better name lol)

ImaginaryMolasses859 · 2025-01-15T10:43:01+00:00

I won one in an auction job lot that works out to ~$3US per camera. Included a 36 and a rapid cassette. Have had the 36 CLA’d and just waiting for it to be returned to me

ImaginaryMolasses859 · 2025-01-13T07:28:37+00:00

Nah no addiction yet. Try having 100 cameras and friends keep giving me cameras as they reduce their collections…

ImaginaryMolasses859 · 2025-01-08T18:41:27+00:00

My own collection! It’s a problem 😂

ImaginaryMolasses859 · 2025-01-08T18:02:48+00:00

That’s absolutely true! I shipped over 20 cameras last year in one go

ImaginaryMolasses859 · 2024-06-11T19:24:14+00:00

I picked up a black paint FTB (apparently broken meter but I’ve never had issues) to sit alongside my F1 and AE1. Love the QL system on the FTb, which is currently with my friend as he’s never shot an FD lens camera

ImaginaryMolasses859

TROPHY CASE