Happy Birthday!

My Nikon F2 with its un-metered DE-1 prism finder is 50 years old. Based on its serial number, it officially turned 50 earlier this year, but who’s counting. Being a simple mechanical camera with no on-board electronics, there’s not a whole lot to fail. The F2 was the last hand-assembled Nikon and their top professional camera in its day, so it was built to very high standards.

I did send it out for a CLA earlier this year for its birthday. On the bench, the shutter was accurate and all the camera really needed was new seals, lubrication and minor adjustment.

It always amazes me that with proper care, these old mechanical cameras just last and last. I took the picture above as a test before the camera went out for service. With that pre-AI 50mm f/1.4 Nikkor-S Auto lens, it really makes Kodak Tri-X sing.

I don’t know many things like this, built 50 years ago, still work so well today. Happy Birthday, Nikon F2!