Nikon's Best Bargain Classic SLR Camera

The mighty Nikkormat FT Series
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[@johnearley9924]

I bought my first Nikkormat FTn in 1967 and used it for many years along with a Nikon F. The Nikkormat was as bullet proof as the F and never failed me. I have since owned 5 of them and still have 3 of the FTn's. If I only had one camera it would be a Nikkormat FTn.

[@pancakelens75]

I have my late dad’s Ft2 and what an awesome, durable camera packed with features and it uses all the same lenses my Nikon F2 does!🙏🏼

[@Ray-cp8pe]

I have an Nikonmat El, Nikonmat was a very important in Nikon history

[@TheWriterforhire]

Love this camera. My Dad bought his Nikkormat FTN in 1969 at the PX on base, used it then, shot most of our family photos with it till retiring it in the late 90s for early digital. When my Spotmatics weren't working well for me at Brooks Institute of Photography, Dad loaned me this camera and wow was it better for me due to the mount and the awesome, well-thought-out user interface.

[@tpdorsey]

I have two FTNs and an EL. Great cameras. Love these videos! Thank you

[@monochromebluess]

Excellent review of this lesser known model. You mention it doesn’t say Nikon on the camera other than on the filter but it is marked Nikon Japan on the back of the camera body just below the film winding lever

[@khairulhelmihashim2510]

Solidly built. A Nikon F feel of assurance on a budget. Simplicity in design with rugged but precise construction means many of these cameras still function reliably despite being 50 years old.

[@mattdyer9544]

A Nikomat FTN was my first film camera (we’re only talking about 5 years ago) and I absolutely love them. I'm on the fun for a tidy meterless FS. Some useful notes- The FTN has a later ‘apollo version’ with the rubberised advance lever some of which has a split prism focusing screen. A black ‘apollo’ ftn still has chrome advance lever and self timer whereas an FT2 has black. The pentaprism inside earlier Nikkormats is interchangeable with some Nikon F prisms. A busted Nikkormat can be an affordable way to replace an F prism. The cold shoe flash accepts both standard flash and the propriety nikon flashes. Most FTN models accept both the standard and larger (Leica/Nikon size) cable releases. These are very few failure points, however there can be issues with a slow mirror raising/aperture lever mechanism due to gummy old grease. This is solved either by setting the lens to a small aperture of by lightly tapping the DoF preview.

[@vincecarnevale4406]

Bought one in 1975, great Nikon product,camera was indestructible with controls that felt natural to the hands.

[@michaelschnittker7388]

I bought my first real camera in June 1976 at a camera shop on the Ginzain Tokyo. Got a Nikomat FT2 with f/1.4 lens, the Nikon flash, a camera bag and some film for three $100 Amex travelers checks, lot of money then! The service guy took two hours to teach me how to use it, first photo was he and I in front of the store. Carried it to Hong Kong and then a month in Thailand where I met up with a sister of a friend whom I married in 1979 and we are now a week short of 44 years married! Still have the camera, still works fine, heavy as heck, dented top when I dropped it in Bangkok airport about 1990, viewfinder eyepiece is out but otherwise fine. I have a couple of Nikkormats too.

[@randallstewart1224]

Although I used it for only a few years, I have always liked the Nikomat FT2 I bought in Japan in 1976. It is heavier than later cameras like the FM/FE, but it has a feel of being solid and reliable. The FT2 was the first in this series to stop using the mercury batteries. The briefly lived FT3 switched to the AI metering connection.

[@Msaxplayer1]

It’s an excellent camera! It was my first film slr. I bought it about 20 years ago and it’s still going strong, it feels like it will outlast any other camera that I own. Nice review sir!

[@bradl2636]

Built like a tank too… and the best part… great lenses for a song.

[@geraldfawley5557]

Wonderful camera. I prefer useing mine over my Nikon F or F2.

[@chronicfish]

In times of need, a pretty handy weapon. And it takes some pretty awesome photos, too!

[@dalliswillard1843]

Was gifted a like new Nikomat a couple years ago. Very fun to shoot w and looks great.

[@kencarnley7101]

I purchased a Nikkormat in the early 70s. It has been used a lot and has traveled. Was still using it until the D70 Digital came out. It is still being used some by my Grandson after I purchased a F2. Only thing done to it was new camera seals.

[@pwood5733]

I have the black Nikkormat FT2 with the NIKKOR - H Auto 1:2 50mm and love it in every way. Style weight and feel in the hand. Mine says Nikon on the back just below the thumb wind on

[@---us7qf]

Damn it! I was just researching this camera for purchase, this weekend. I wanted 1 for next month.

[@pwood5733]

I cant belive how cheap these wonderful work horses are esp with the current revived passion for film photography

[@T1AN1L1U]

The Nikkormat FTN is a beautiful camera, the price is fairly low even with a 50mm f2.0 Auto H or HC lens. And with this combination you can have extremely good image quality and overall reliability even comparing with old leicas.

[@davidkarapetian6061]

Hello, I absolutely love your videos. I recently bought a toyocaflex tlr and was just wondering if you have ever come across it and what you think of it ?

[@anta40]

Unlike most SLRS on which you have the shutter speed next to the shutter, the Nikkormat doesn't. It's located on top of lens mount, instead. Wonder if Olympus OM1 copied this...

[@ericnadaoka9038]

My Nikomat is in good shape except the shutter mechanism needs a CLA. When set for a one second exposure, the shutter keeps the aperture open for about eight seconds.

[@rvanstar]

I own a Nikomat in black. Still works except for battery for metering

[@filipinobackpacker6040]

I use a L44 battery with an adaptor.

[@walterarroyo5220]

One thing you failed to mention is that this camera uses 1.3 volt batteries so a regular PX 625 will not give you the correct exposure unless the camera is modified to use 1.5 volt batteries. I have an FTN I would love to get that done too plus get CLA it would probably outlast me. 😂

[@krishnansrinivasan830]

Awesome & Thanks :)

[@donsemo4804]

Now you're a weather man.

[@japanvintagecamera8869]

Every time I call or talk to someone overseas, one of the first things they usually as is "How is the weather there"? So, I usually start off on that topic.

[@GetOffMyyLawn]

I have an FT-N i purchased at a garage sale fo $40. It came with the original leather case, and still has the oval quality control sticker on the back. What are the best options for testing the meter without modding the camera?

[@haruamaya4476]

I just got a Ricoh Diacord, its for a friend but I got it at a second hand store for $111, im looking around and I think it might be broken, is there a way it can be fixed? Or know if it's broken? I don't want to give my friend a broken camera 😅

[@filipinobackpacker6040]

Anyone knows where i can get that cold shoe adaptor? My nikomat is missing that. Would love to find one.

[@AndersBjornTH]

How does this version differ from a Nikormat EM?

[@jinxinjing4823]

fully mechanism, no battery needed like the EMs

[@mattdyer9544]

I assume you mean the Nikkormat EL, the Nikon EM is a cheaper Aperture Priority camera from the late 70s. The EL cameras different quite a lot from the FT series. They are electronic and only have one manual speed. Their viewfinder is arguable better as it shows the shutter speed you have selected. However nowadays they frequently have electronic problems including draining batteries.

[@AndersBjornTH]

@@mattdyer9544 Thanks Matt. I meant to write EL.

[@Wiencourager]

The Earlier Nikkorex F also had the same basic shutter, but was actually manufactured by Mamiya.

[@petersmitham8273]

I think you may need a hearing check?…the Nikkormat was, and still is, one of the noisiest cameras for shutter noise ever because of its metal shutter blades…🎉❤

[@tompaste387]

It's NOT 'N-Y-KOMAT' in Japan It is 'N-I-KOMAT' or 'N-I-KKORMAT', you live in Japan you know the Japanese vowel pronunciation.

[@tompaste387]

@@linjicakonikon7666 WRONG

[@tompaste387]

Pronunciation of Japanese vowels is so different to American pronunciation as is American pronunciation of English in general