My family camera inheritance - please help me use it...

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

I must say that I love the old man. After he traveled the world with these cameras & used them to capture our family growing up - he's generously handed them down to me. He is now in his early 80's and neither has the time or intent to carry on with "proper" (film) photography, and has gone to the dark side with a simple digital camera. I've always loved film photography so I'll use these until film can't be bought any more. I intend to use them for some higher-grade wide-field astrophotography. I've promised to name the first comet I discover (and photograph ) after him.

He bought the first one, the 1967-ish Nikon F back in the late 60's, and did some amazing photography with it while he was the president of Sydney's Northern Suburbs Camera Club for many years. The "F" was Nikon's first foray into SLR technology with TTL metering. It literally changed the professional world of photography, and caused companies like Leica to almost go away and die.

We lived in Japan during the early 70's where he picked up the second one - a Nikkormat (Nikon) EL2, which was their first-ever electronically-controlled professional camera.

I've also been given his lens collection:

1) 35-70mm 1:1.45
2) 55mm 1:3.5 Micro
3) 43-86mm 1:3.5
4) 35mm 1:2
5) 50mm 1:1.4 (Standard lens - Nikkormat EL2)
6) 50mm 1:1.4 (Standard lens - Nikon F)
7) 24mm 1:2.8
8) 105mm 1:2.5
9) 105mm 1:1.4
10) 300 1:4.5 ED-IF (AI)

In addition to this came a host of Nikon accessories ranging from lens hoods to bellows to 2x adapters to cables and releases.... and plenty more.

For those that are experienced in wide-field astrophotography, i.e. using the camera's lenses, could someone please advise me on what lenses might be most useful for what? I'm obviously keen to use these wonderful gifts to their best ability. I also plan to put my digital cameras aside for a while and delve back in to to wonderful art of film. I plan to build a dark room so that I can also get back into black & white print.

Thanks everyone

Chris

[h0ughy (David)]

might they fit one of the new digital nikon slr's?

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

LOL! No, as I mentioned, I don't actually want to go digital.

[rogerg (Roger)]

Nice setup, very nice.

I love this old quality gear, but I just can't convince myself to use it over the newer more convenient stuff.

[h0ughy (David)]

Originally Posted by Omaroo

LOL! No, as I mentioned, I don't actually want to go digital.

you know you want tooo

[Ric]

Hi Omaroo, that is a very nice selection of lens and cameras. Some very choice pieces of equipment. they are classic cameras all right and can still produce a quality image as well
The romance of film lives on still.
It's a pity decent slide film is not cheap any more

Cheers

[stephenmcnelley]

Thanks for posting the story and images omaroo. That gear hits a soft spot with me also, having worked for a short while as a commercial film underwater and terrestrial photographer in the mid-late 90's with Nikon F series gear.

Sorry, i can not give you much usueful info regarding WF astro shoots with the Nikon body via lenses, only to just experiment and to pick up good qaulity nikon low focal length mak lenses whenever possible if afocal is your thing.

[astronut (John)]

Very Nice Chris,
Having worked as a photographer all my life it's good to see a collection of Nikon equipment all in one place.
I'll have to come over to your place and help you play with them
Over the last 30 years, people would ask me "Why pay all that money for Nikons, won't the other (cheaper) cameras do as well?
Apart from the optical quality, it's the mechanical quality that sets them apart.
I have two Nikkormat Bodies that would have had appprox 10 million shots each over this time and they have never let me down.
No other camera could hold a candle to them.

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Thanks fellas. I feel really chuffed about these.

John - You are welcome any time at all. I'll bring them to Stargard on Saturday and would love to hear your thoughts about them.

Cheers
Chris

[ving (David)]

hi chris

i cant remember who but someone in MAS uses or has used film in astro photography... might be worth askig around there

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Originally Posted by ving

hi chris

i cant remember who but someone in MAS uses or has used film in astro photography... might be worth askig around there

G'Day David

Yep - that'd be Martin. He runs two Nikons similar to mine.

[DaveR]

I agree with Astronut about the Nikkormats. Mine never missed a beat despite some vigorous treatment and 1000's of rolls of film. I prefered it over the F - easier to load & use and just as good.

I have been thinking about getting a DSLR and may have to go for Canon as they appear to be able to mount, with an adaptor, the early non-AI nikkors whcih the new Nikon DSLRs wont. Funny times

[Jonathan]

That's quite a collection you've got there! If you wanted to use any of the pre 1977/non AI lenses on a modern digital or film camera, they can be converted. Lenses made after 1977 will fit new camera's but won't give metering on all models. The D200 is designed to work with metering on AI lenses and I've done it without a problem.
Here's one place in the US that does the conversions http://www.aiconversions.com/PricesAndShipping.htm I'm not sure if anyone does them in Australia, but it should be easy enough to find out.

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Thanks everyone - I appreciate your kind comments. I would obviously like to use the lens collection on a modern camera one day - but that will be some way off yet. Until I do, I will do my best to work with those in our club experienced in Nikon film a/photography to get some results from both of these film bodies. I can't wait. Now I have to get counterbalance weights organised for the SCT.....

Robert - thanks for the info. I'll look into it. If I have to send a couple of faves o/s I certainly will.

Cheers
Chris