Nikon Nikkormat EL 35mm Film SLR

[@steviejd5803]

Back in 1987-88 I motorcycled across Australia over a few months. My Nikkormat EL fell off the back of my bike at considerable speed, bounced many times and yet was completely unharmed except for a dent in the front lens rings. I remain seriously impressed with its build quality....I used Kodachrome 64 and still have some utterly light soaked vibrant photos of my trip across the land down under...

[@monstersdoexist]

I just bought a tool online to fix those dented lens fronts and boy does it work nicely!

[@profdrenz]

I have the EL2. The battery is in the same odd place. To open the lid of the battery compartment you have to push it slightly to the the left, i.e. in the direction of the self-timer, and only then can you pull the lid upward.

[@randyb5579]

Thank you. I'd owned several auto focus ones, and this was my first manual camera, purchased maybe three years ago. It came with an unmodified Nikkor-Q auto 135mm f2.8, 25-50 f4, and a Braun Ultrablitz 38M flash. I did a pretty good makeshift CLA, and they've worked beautifully ever since. So easy to use, and the meter does wonderfully, even after being stored away in a retiree's cabinet for over two decades.

[@beforedigital]

Thanks for the comment, they are great cameras!

[@lgude]

Yes I used the earlier Nikkormats as a spare body to back up my 1965 F1. Both are long gone. I'd prefer a completely manual camera and an FE Nikkormat FE came my way for free in exchange for photographing a craftsman's work. Somehow I have acquired 2 43-86 zooms both sharper than the one I had back in the day, and a 28mm which is my favorite focal length. You do have to rack the the aperture ring between widest and smallest until the lens is indexed to the max aperture on the body of the camera. 3.5 in the case of your 20mm and my 28mm. It is worth checking to see that the maximum aperture of the lens is opposite the indicator mark to ensure accurate meter calibration. It came back to me as I was having a bit of play with the FE last week.

[@teknotech]

A beautiful camera, I thank you for reminding me of it. I never had one, but I did handle one. I also really enjoyed the Nikon FE and FM and FM2. All borrowed. Then I bought a Nikon N70 - should have kept my Olympus OM2. The older ones rocked!!

[@hertsman5]

I am glad to hear that yours also has a pronounced "ping" echoing after the shutter is pressed..

[@jeremyrichards8327]

I don't think Nikon intended to remove the battery with a screwdriver as I found on mine it came out easily. Good solid camera but I got an F3 which moved things on.I have kept my original FTn though.

[@justnoted2995]

Thanks, I have an all black one I bought used in 1978; still have it. I do think it is better that you leave your spectacles off because you pear over them 3/4 of the time

[@goranristic1986]

Sir you’re awesome ! 👏🏼

[@BillSmith1]

Nice video, I love my pair of Nikkormat EL's, you could see design decisions Nikon made in this camera that carried forward into the FE(2). I am glad they dropped the the 6V 4SR44 battery at the bottom of the mirror box.

[@beforedigital]

Thank you for the comment.

[@alexcarrillo5510]

I have two of these Nikon EL with the AW1 winders, and when the winder is connected, and Nikon said that it is a 1 frame - that is right BUT if you press the shutter, and then the Depth of preview button at the same time that the camera will fire continuous to Two Frames.... The battery takes is a One 6volt SILVER battery - No Alkaline Please!!!

[@mamiyapress]

Just bought one as my 1st black one developed a very rough wind on.

[@beforedigital]

Nikons of this vintage can have rough wind ons.

[@sevenantony7376]

Just bought another one from Ffordes Beauly Scotland

[@brianorakpohit]

Nice video thanks. Mine has just had the seals redone. I'm going to use it this Easter and look forward that. I got it on eBay for I think, 36 quid, body only of course. A joke of a price. They're more now. This was 3 years ago maybe. I went for this one as it looked like it hadn't been used much at all. When it arrived I saw more clearly the extent of seal deterioration, but that's ok. I think it's good for another forty odd years. At least.

[@beforedigital]

Good luck with your Nikkormat.

[@freddieroux4384]

Do you have any confirmation as to what battery it uses? Thanks

[@beforedigital]

Its a 4LR44 6v battery which goes in a rather odd place, take off the lens, lift mirror and you will see the battery, some latter EL's I think have a different battery. Regards Andy

[@freddieroux4384]

@@beforedigital great thanks for your help. Can see as per your video! very helpful.

[@JTFilmsYT]

Very interesting video keep it up 👍

[@beforedigital]

Many thanks.

[@PaulMoorhousehankooks]

I have a nikkormat el with a non ai 50 mm f2 lens

[@JohnMarston1876]

I’m left eye too, this is annoying

[@beforedigital]

Completely agree, just about to do a Nikkormat FT2 which while still sticking out, seems a bit better. If only the designers had thought about left eyed people - I have read up to 42% of people are left eyed! Thanks for watching!