High Dollar Nikon

Perhaps the rarest of all Nikon Collectibles and most significant Nikon Camera ever produced. The camera was designed and used for NASA Space Shuttle Challenger and Columbia Missions. The Camera has much improved and oversized buttons, levers and windows to accomodate the usage of gloves.

This auction is for the Nikon F3HP Nasa Camera and The Rarest Nikkor 55mm F2 UV Nikkor for usage in space. This includes two battery packs. A protective cap for the spare battery pack. The Rare Focus Pins (Still in the Bag) With The Rare Tall Shutter release for Gloves.

The 55mm UV Nikkor is amongst the rarest of lenses and was specifically designed to be used with this camera while photographing in space. This lens also designed to use gloves. Featured a large aperature ring with a f=Stop Range from F2-F16Has a coal black finish and Unique focus free operation with a very unique rear element as seen in photos. Has unique metal caps that are also unique only to this excessivly rare lens. Few in existance. This is Number 19. Many have been lost and this one has been sitting on a NASA Shelf a long long time. Few People have ever seen and very little is known about this lens, Perhaps the rarest Nikkor.

Price: US $69,000.00

But hey...... Free shipping!

The Yashica Electro 35 GT

The classic black Yashica Electro 35 GT rangefinder camera was introduced in 1970. It was available both as the chrome satin Electro 35 GS and the black enamel finish Electro 35 GT. Yashica marketed this camera as the “Gold Mecanica”. All the electrical contact points were gold plated to increase the efficiency of the electrical current flow, and to prevent oxidation from forming which could possibly impede that flow over the course of time.

The Yashica Electro 35 GT came with a relatively fast 45mm ƒ1.7 Yashinon DX lens. The lens sported six elements in four groups, and had "COLOR" embossed in the rim to assure customers the glass was corrected for color film which was just coming into vogue. The GT also heralded the switch over to a simulated leather grain skin.The combination film door release / rewind handle on the GS and GT rangefinders mimics the release found on SLR cameras. The flash shoe is non functional. A socket is on the side of the camera for a flash synch cable. The ASA scale was extended to range from 25 to 1000.

Yashica called it " A Revolutionary Concept in Exposure Control;" a solid- state "electronic brain" measures light and automatically sets the Electronic Stepless Shutter to the exact speed the CdS sensor calls for, be it 1/184 sec., or 26 seconds. It has no moving parts, ensures perfect accuracy in any position and will change the speed even during exposure, should the light vary. The electric contact points of this automatic electronic exposure control system are finished in gold for maximum conductivity and precision."

I found this example at an estate sale today. For five dollars, I took it home. I'm not sure what I will do with it. They call it GAS.......Gear Acquisition Syndrome. I'm a junkie, I guess... More information on Yashica rangefinder cameras can be found here.

The Nikon Coolpix S52

Several people have asked me (as if I would know) what point & shoot digital camera they should get. Really, it's kind of like asking what gun to get. It all depends on the person and the job they want the camera to do. I just upgraded my Canon point & shoot digital camera to a Nikon. I had purchased the Canon Powershot A520 in a pawn shop for around $89, and it has been a good camera. It is, however, a 4 megapixel camera and I was wanting more performance and portability.

I wanted to be able to shoot large, sharp images that could be printed if desired, or cropped down if needed. I wanted a point & shoot camera that could take discreet candids. I did not want a telescoping lens that would give away the fact I took a photo. I wanted a camera that would allow me to turn off the beeps and clicks, and possibly the LCD screen. I wanted at least eight plus megapixels so I could crop as needed, and I wanted it all to be pocketable with no fuss.

I found all this in the Nikon Coolpix S52. It comes with Nikon's vibration reduction system, a 9.3 megapixel CCD digital sensor, and an aluminum body. The light hits the sensor through a 6.3-18.9mm f/3.3-4.2 lens, equivalent to a 35mm film format of 38-114mm. The Nikon S52 has multiple modes and programs, and can be set to run however the photographer desires. The image size selection ranges from 3456 x 2592 to 640 X 480. The ISO range is from 100 to 3200. The images are stored on a SDHC card. The Nikon S52 allows the photographer to select their own white balance. It will shoot continiously at 0.9 fps, record WAV movies, and it has a timer function. Prices for a new one seem to fall between $280 and $400 for this little powerhouse camera.

However, the best thing is Adorama.com has Nikon factory refurbished S52 cameras for a hundred bucks each. $100. One Franklin. Free shipping. Refurbished? Damned right. That just means it got past the Nikon quality inspection process twice. To make my new candid snapper even more discreet, I blacked out all the chrome with electrical tape and black paint. I put black tape over the flash just in case. I have considered a sticker, or maybe a label of some sort to disquise it even further. Perhaps a MP3 player type control on the front along with a set of headphones, or maybe a Blackberry looking cover. We shall see........

Frankenstien Cameras

Holga

The Opteka Wireless Remote

Late last week I received my Opteka radio controlled shutter release in the mail. I actually purchased mine off ebay for $49.95 including shipping. Over the past week, I have been trying it out.

The Opteka release uses a CR2 lithium battery in the receiver. A watch type battery powers the transmitter. It has 16 different channels that can be utilized. The unit uses dip switches to change channels if needed.

The Opteka remote both focuses the lens with the camera's auto-focus system, and then releases the shutter. If the camera is set to take multiple exposures, simply hold down the remote button as you would the shutter release on the camera.

I have not tested the long range ability of the Opteka remote. The manufacturer claims a 100 meter range, but frankly, 10 meter range is all I need. One interesting bit of information is that the remote will fire the shutter through glass, through cardboard, and also from within your pants pocket with the camera slung over your shoulder.

Construction of the Opteka remote is generally OK. The housing is polystyrene plastic, with a matte finish. The cord is reasonably heavy, and the plug fits the camera well. There is no need to screw the plug into the camera, but a threaded coupler is on the cord if desired. I placed a bit of velcro on my camera, tripod and the receiver to hold it in place.

When I first bought the radio controlled remote, I almost choked on the fifty bucks it cost. I can say I am pleased with the purchase though. It works well for portraiture, candids, street photography, macro photography, and of course, it saves beaucoup time on self portraits. Like the S&W Model 17, it's a purchase I do not regret.

Digital Pinhole

No..... I'm not the mad photographer who converted his Nikon digital SLR to a pinhole camera. That would be Curtis. The thing is, it works like a charm.

Curtis has upgraded his cardboard tube to a gutted out Sigma zoom lens that fits his bayonet mount, but the thing is, it works. Here is one of his images made over the winter.



Pretty darned neat.

Now if you were to get a body cap, cut a hole in it, and glue on a piece of PVC pipe........ Hmmmmmmmmmmm.........

Wireless Remote Release

I am strongly considering purchasing a remote shutter release for my Nikon D200. The particular device pictured here seems to be the most applicable to my needs. The distance I will be using it at will be only ten to thirty feet, so the exceptional range that is advertised is a simple bonus. At Amazon.com, these sell for $59.99. I can order another battery to round out the battery rotation in the same shipment.

*Range up to 100 m (320 ft) without obstacles
*Can activate auto focus, release shutter, activate continuous drive mode or keep the shutter open for bulb photography as well
*The shutter button can be pressed halfway or all the way.
*Number of control output channels: 16 channels available.

Years ago I had a point and shoot Canon that had an infrared remote release. It was nice. My old Nikon film cameras accept cable releases, but of course, the new breed of cameras do not. The D200 takes an electronic remote release whether it is hooked to the camera or whether it sends a signal through radio waves. So, when I remember the flexibility of the little Canon's infrared remote, a wireless remote seems the way to go. If anyone has any experience, good or bad with Opteka products, please advise.

Article for future reference

Tactical Assault Long Range Camera Stock

Very Cool.

Maintaining stability while allowing flexibility has been a long time problem for photographers who use telephoto lenses for moving subjects.


Specs:
Modular hard wood and aluminum construction
Retractable and adjustable bipod
2 Picatinny Rails
2 Sling swivels
1 Hook and loop accessory mount
Nikon compatible shutter release connector
Two stage trigger for auto focus and shutter release
Optional left hand panning attachment
Optional tactical auto focus assist light

I think I would want mine to be a laminated Barracuda stock.

Read more about the TALCS here.

Katz Eye Installation

I came home from work today to find my Katz Eye focusing screen in the mail. It was packaged very securely, as a fine piece of optical equipment should be. It came in a plastic case, padded by foam, and sealed inside a heavy plastic sheath. Along with the focusing screen, I received a tool to assist with the installation. I took a few photos.

Although I was exhausted from work, I decided to set about installing it. I cleared off a wide area on my work bench, and I stapled down some fresh cardboard to try to control the dust. Initially I tried to lay a lens cloth across the mirror as the instructions advised, but I quickly found that doing so gave me little working room. It took me about two minutes to release the retaining wire and the plain screen and shim fell down onto the mirror. I snapped another picture with my point and shoot camera.

I lifted out the plain screen with some a fine needle holder that I had borrowed from work. The shim came out with it, as the instructions said it might. Not to worry, I gingerly placed it back against the prism. Then the base of the retaining wire popped out of socket. Damn. Now I had to determine how that fit into place and I couldn't see the holes.

I gripped a flashlight between my teeth and over the course of thirty minutes or so, I struggled and cursed the wire and the lighting in the hole I was working in. I forgot about the point and shoot camera and taking photos for the blog.

Finally I held my tongue just right, and the retaining wire slipped into place. I picked up the Katz Eye screen with the needle holders and placed it against the metal shim. I pivoted the damned retaining wire upwards and locked it into place. Easy enough, I thought.

I put on my 50mm AF lens and peered through the viewfinder. There was a speck of dust on the right of the screen. I took off the lens and brushed the screen with a soft blower brush. Looking through the lens again, the speck was still there. The good thing though is that the metering indicators lined up precisely.

I thought about removing the focusing screen to get the speck of dust off the top of it, but I opted not to. My old manual cameras all suffer from dust on the focusing screens. Of course, it's much easier to brush off a Nikon F or F2 screen.

I decided to take a few photos and see how well the screen functioned. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the screen provided positive confirmation that the auto focus had chosen what I wanted. I put a 50mm ƒ1.4 Ai-S lens on the D-200. I focused it quickly and efficiently, just as I had on the Nikon F. In fact, the Katz Eye screen is superior to the Nikon F screen. It is brighter and has more snap across the matte portion to indicate focus.

A generous reader sold me a good bit of his old Nikon equipment over the past week, from a 500mm reflex lens to a Vivitar bellows attachment for macro work. With the Katz Eye screen in the D-200, I can effectively focus all of the new equipment, not to mention my old Nikkor lenses. Is the Katz Eye worth it? Yes. If you own a digital camera and an array of manual lenses that fit it, the Katz Eye focusing screen may be the single most important upgrade you can give your digital camera. I look forward to putting my old lenses, as well as the new to me equipment, to good use on the D-200.

Split Prisms

I decided to order a Katz Eye split prism focusing screen for my Nikon D-200. I opted to get the OptiBrite treatment, since I tend to use a wide variety of lenses.

All the reviews of the product that I have read have been positive. The only installation problems I located in my research was with Canon cameras. I figure if I can put in Zimmer knee replacements, I can put in a focusing screen. The most difficult aspect will likely be finding a dust free environment for the installation process. I may perform the camera surgery at the hospital to be certain no dust gets inside. A full review will be done once the manual focus screen is in my digital camera.

Katz Eye

One of the limitations I find with the Nikon D-200 is when it comes to using my manual focus Ai-S lenses. I'm pretty handy with a ground glass Fresnel focus screen, but the smaller viewfinder of the DX camera does not make it easy. I found myself longing for a classic split prism screen with the surrounding microprism. I had resigned myself to slightly out of focus manual shots when I learned of the Katz Eye focusing screens on Ken Rockwell's excellent website.

The Katz Eye is an independently manufactured manual focus replacement screen for many different makes and models of auto focus cameras, including the Nikon D-200. From several independent testimonials, it seems as though it does not affect auto focusing of the camera with AF lenses, nor does it affect metering. From Fox O'Rian on flickr:

"I'm impressed with how well centered the prism is relative to the AF points (though it took some careful placement to get it that way.) The AF and metering aren't affected at all by this screen, and I dare say the center AF point is performing better than usual.

Most importantly, the prism and microcollar actually works correctly. When shooting with AF, I can now easily tell if the AF is focusing correctly and if I need to quickly make any minor adjustments in case it was off. This should really help me get more sharp shots more often. It's invaluable with lenses like my 85mm prime."

Copied from the Katz Eye website:

"The Katz Eye™ focusing screen for the Nikon D200 has NO effect on existing viewfinder information. All viewfinder markings, including focusing points and on-demand gridlines will still function normally. The Katz Eye™ focusing screen for the Nikon D200 shows only a very minimal effect on light metering. In our testing, the Katz Eye™ screen tested within factory tolerance in nearly all situations. The only exception is when using spot metering mode with lenses having a maximum aperture slower than f3.5 (higher numerical f-stop). With lenses slower than f3.5, it is advisable to use either centerweighted average metering or matrix metering to preserve accurate meter response. In the event that spot metering mode must be used with a slow lens, it is advisable to set an appropriate exposure compensation by reading the histogram of a test shot.

For many photographers who grew up using manual focus cameras and who still possess a collection of very nice and familiar manual focus glass, a split prism surrounded by a microprism in the viewfinder has an importance that is not entirely related to familiarity. Much of my past photography relied on a shallow depth of field with fast prime lenses.

A few days ago I received an auto focus 50mm ƒ1.8 lens that I won on ebay. My 85mm ƒ1.8 lens is also a fast prime. Essentially, all my manual focus lenses except for the 300mm ƒ4.5 light pipe have been replaced by an equivalent either in a prime lens or through a zoom lens. At 300mm (actually 450mm on a DX camera) the focus assist of the Katz Eye would almost certainly black out. I would gain an extra f-stop by using my manual 50mm ƒ1.4 and 35mm ƒ2.8 Ai-S lenses, but the ISO capability of the D-200 compensates admirably for the loss of one f-stop.

The Katz Eye manual focus screen is $105 without the OptiBrite treatment, $160 with it. There is presently a 10% off Spring special happening. The Katz Eye would have been good to know about when I first purchased the D-200. I had a collection of Ai-S lenses at hand, but I am not sure whether or not I would benefit from such an addition to my camera now. I suspect I would, as I find myself shooting in low light with fast primes frequently. The real question though, is how fast and how accurately the auto focus system works in such an environment. Only time can tell me that.

Independent review of the Katz Eye split prism screen on a Nikon D-200

Katz Eye Installation instructions for the Nikon D-200 (pdf file)

The Nikon F

As I began to delve into photography again over the past few weeks, I have unpacked and unwrapped my collection of old film cameras. At one time, I accumulated and used most of the equipment. My preferred brand of camera was obviously Nikon, and my preferred make was obviously the original Nikon SLR, the Nikon F.

I like the Nikon F because it is a brute of a camera. When the user picks up the conglomeration of leather, brass and glass that make up the Nikon F, there is little doubt that this is a piece of equipment built for serious use. It is a strictly manual camera, yet in today's fast paced course towards becoming obsolete within six months of a camera's introduction, the Nikon F remains one of the toughest, most durable, and versatile cameras ever built.

I like the chunky clunky look of the Photomic viewfinder on top of the Nikon F camera body. It is antithetical to the organic lines of modern camera equipment. Even though the light meter in my Photomicws are long worn out, I never really used them anyway. The viewfinders of the Nikon F are able to be removed and exchanged for different styles, from waist level finders to huge "action" finders for diving and sports, to a simple pentaprism, or even the poor man's waist level finder, no viewfinder at all.

Although the Nikon F appears to be a brick, it feels positively a part of your hand, an extension of yourself, while holding it. The unique feel and handling characteristics of the Nikon line of cameras is is one of the oft stated reasons many people prefer them. That, and the ability to continue to use lenses the photographer already owns. My old pre-AI lenses of the Nikon F era are some of the most precisely made equipment I own.

I don't know why I accumulated the collection of 35mm cameras I did, but I certainly had an affinity for the Nikon F and Nikon F2. I have used some of them, but others have not created a single image in my hands. A few were simply purchased to get the attached lens in a package deal. Although some are battered, all still function in the manual mode, without batteries. Imagine that.

Most of my old Nikon cameras were saved from a trip to the dumpster as people felt the need to upgrade their equipment. I suppose I don't need a logical reason for accumulating them. I just like them. They are reminders of a time that the photographer had to wait until he was in the darkroom to know for certain if his work was good. Reminders of a time when a camera was little more than a tool for the photographer, a time that the photographer's gray matter was also the brain for the camera.

Since I began shooting images again, I have gone digital. Auto focus. The new technology is great. It allows the photographer to concentrate more on the image. The ability to collect hundreds of shots, immediately viewable for disposal or preservation has transformed photography. I have heard several people say that 35mm film will eventually go the way of the dinosaur. In today's consumer driven camera market, I suppose it will. At some point, my old 35mm cameras will be as obsolete as a Polaroid One Step or a Kodak Disc. But even then, they will be a solid reminder that the photographer is the master of the camera, and the beauty of photography cannot be purchased with the next generation of electronics. That is a good enough reason to keep the old leather, brass and glass on my shelf.

Question

I am needing to obtain a few of the triangular split rings for a couple of cameras I am tinkering with. Does anyone know what they are actually called so I can Google them, or does anyone know of a source for them?

On the schedule today:
Shooting with Frieda
Wedding

When 85mm is Really 129mm

I make no bones about liking to isolate my subject in a photograph among an indistinct background of relative subdued colors. In the past, with film, that desire led to an appreciation for the 50mm prime lens. To gain the indistinct background, the depth of field must be narrowed by cranking open the aperture.

The 50mm prime lens not only frequently gave the sharpest details and less distortion of the form, but the larger f stops allowed me to isolate my subject as I desired. The ability to shoot in low light with a larger aperture was a bonus. As a result, I ended up with a small collection of 50mm lenses in the ƒ1.4 to ƒ1.2 range. I learned to fill the frame of my photos by shooting close, and moving.

When I purchased my Nikon D-200 complete with an 85mm ƒ1.8 prime lens, I was relieved to get some space between myself and my subject. I did not realize just how much space I was using until I took photos of people at the Tea Party.

I had an immediate advantage in that people thought I was photographing them with their sign when I was actually taking a portrait. When I wanted to get the entire person in the frame though, I had to back up to a distance that confused my subject. Even my fast fifties seemed to need more distance to frame the same subject on the D-200.

After a bit of research at Ken Rockwell's website, I found that what I was sensing was reality. The Nikon D-200 is a DX camera. That means that its sensor is 1.5 times smaller than 35mm film. That is not necessarily a bad thing. What it means is that a lens with a 50mm focal length actually reads as a 75mm lens. My 85mm prime was reading as a 129mm telephoto on the digital camera. My 70-210mm zoom lens reads as a 105-315mm lens! Ken has a page at his website explaining the crop factor when SLR lenses intended for film are used on a digital SLR, as well as a chart to convert the focal lengths.

While I will likely continue to enjoy the 85mm lens for portraiture, I am considering purchasing a 50mm ƒ1.8 prime lens for when I am taking photos of people in tighter quarters. I already have a 18-70mm auto focus zoom lens that fills that focal length, but its aperture is a variable ƒ3.5-4.5. For the isolation of my subject, I want that big hole in the back.

Metal Lens Mounts

As my old Nikkormat FTn shows, I can be rather rough to brutal on camera gear over time. It's not that I don't care, I do take care of my equipment. I don't pamper it though. When I am traveling, a camera is on a strap around my neck and shoulder. It is frequently uncased in the car. It dangles when boarding boats. Things get tossed on it, it gets bumped into things. I demand equipment that will stand up to that kind of use. To me, a camera with brassing is the same as an old distinguished Smith & Wesson that has muzzle and cylinder wear. It simply shows that a great piece of kit has been performing the job it was designed to do.

Unless it is marketed as such, a camera should not be disposable. For a photographer to fully realize a camera's potential and to use it as an extension of his eye, a period of getting to know (and then forget about) the equipment must take place. After that happens, the shots become automatic. Lenses are a part of that equation and should not be disposable either. Nikon lenses are quality optics, and that quality should not be limited to the glass. If I can't get a metal barrel and rings, I at least want a metal mount. When I discussed my preferences for a 70-210 zoom, some readers wondered why I needed a metal lens mount. Here is a photo lifted from an ebay auction that speaks a thousand words.

Nikon Photomic Tn Batteries

The batteries intended for the Nikon Photomic Tn were PX625 mercury cells. They now no longer available because of the hazardous materials they contain. The best current substitute power cell is a 625A alkaline.

The 625A alkaline cells are available at Wal Mart and other discount stores. You may find that your meter readings are not spot on with the alkaline batteries, but it will be close enough to make sure your meter is working and to shoot some photos on print film. Of course, you can always ignore the meter and use the Sunny 16 Rule.

Shopping for a Telephoto Zoom

I am currently shopping for an auto focus telephoto zoom lens in the 50-250mm range. A 70-210mm would do, as would an 80-200mm. I am not interested in a 50-300mm because of the long range distortion and fall off. I want the lens to have a speed of at least 4.5. I want a durable lens with a metal mount.

Although it is available new for a little over $200 at amazon.com, the Nikon 55-200mm ƒ/4-5.6G VR is out because of the plastic mount. I don't like the thin manual focus ring, plus the lens is made in China. VR would be nice to have, but I don't think I need it that badly. It would likely be just another thing to go wrong. I want an aperture ring anyway, and G lenses don't have one.

The Nikkor 70-210mm ƒ/4 is a constant aperture zoom lens that is the fastest lens in my price range. It's rather difficult to find, but I located one used for $285. However, it has a skinny manual focus ring as well, and Ken Rockwell tells about some auto focusing errors.

The Nikkor 70-210 ƒ/4-5.6 D is a distinct possibility. It supposedly focuses twice as fast as comparable lenses due to it's gearing, a major plus for me. Its a push-pull zoom. I like that. It seems to be unusually well made for an auto focus zoom lens in its price range. According to Ken Rockwell:

"It is extremely well made. It's from the same family as the 35-70/2.8 zoom. It has a great solid metal filter thread, metal jacket over one half of the lens barrel, and assembled with screws, not mushed together plastic."

I found a used one from a reputable dealer for $199.

My Cameras, a Journey

I rediscovered photography with the purchase of a digital SLR at one of the local pawn shops. My blog has become a combination gun, bicycle, and photo blog it seems. Over the past few days I brought some out of the closet, and I opened up a few cardboard boxes containing the cameras I used throughout my life.

When I was a boy, my mother owned this Kodak Baby Brownie. Some of my first pictures were taken with it, both snapped of me and by me. It's certainly beat now, with the lip broken off the front, but I still keep it. I decided to take it, and a few others out to document my journey to where I am now in photography.

My next camera was a Kodak Instamatic. I no longer have it, but the memories of flash cubes are still bright. As I became a little older, I inherited my father's Yashica twin lens reflex.

The Yashica was my secret passion. It was hopelessly outdated by the time I received it, and I used the Instamatic for Cub Scout trips and such, and learned how to operate the big complicated green camera alone. The Yashica A-44 was a manual camera that taught me how to manipulate light, shutter speeds and apertures. The Yashica became an old friend, and I made a few good photographs with it. Developing the film was a problem, but I would collect Coke bottles, and trade them in at the local drug store for processing. I became a common sight riding my bike into town with a load of Coke bottles in the basket, a knapsack full of more bottles on my back, and a roll of film in my pocket.

When I reached High School, I purchased my first 35mm SLR camera, a Minolta SRT102. Now that I was taking taking photos in public with increasing frequency, I wanted a camera that I could control, and one that did not look thirty years old. Most high school kids are like that, I suppose. I saved up a lot of lawn mowing money, and a lot of gas pumping money to purchase my first Minolta. It came with a 50mm lens, and I quickly learned to enjoy the benefit of interchangeable lenses.

When I went to college, I had the opportunity to upgrade my Minolta camera when a friend decided he needed a Nikon. He sold me his Minolta XG1 for chickenfeed and a six pack. While I was happy with the deal, I found that I liked the familiarity of the SRT 102 better. When a photographer is unable to evaluate the results of his labor for several days, familiarity is a good thing. Although I purchased it as an upgrade, the XG-1 received comparitively little use, and remained my back-up camera for years.

When I left for the Navy, I was unable to take along my camera. All of my belongings were stored in a mini warehouse, and I did not want to unpack anything when I came back home for a three day liberty after boot camp. I was making money, and when I decided to purchase a new camera from the base exchange, the choice was easy.

I had Minolta lenses already, so I chose a Minolta X-700. My X-700 became my constant companion on liberty all over the far east and Australia. I carried it with a 50mm f1.2, a 24mm f2.8, and a 50-135 zoom, all Minolta lenses. I learned from the mistakes of other sailors who cheaped out on aftermarket lenses. Twenty five years later, after being slung over my shoulder on four continents, my Minolta lenses are as solid and clear as they ever were.

I purchased another camera in Yokosuka Japan. It, too, was a Minolta. Not wanting to ruin my X-700 taking photos in the salt spray off the ship, a Minolta Weathermatic was the natural choice. This point and shoot was a 35mm camera as well, making processing a snap. I frequently took it diving, and learned that photographing fish is not as easy as it may seem. I got some great shots of me and my friends though. Eventually, the salt environment got to it. Although I religiously rinsed the Weathermatic in fresh water after diving, the on/off switch finally broke off from the salt environment. After four years of hard use, it was retired.

In Hong Kong, on Cat Street, used cameras were every where. I purchased a couple of junk Olympus Pens and a Mamiya as curios, but never used them. They remain my souvenirs of Cat Street.




My Canon Cannonet was given to me by a Japanese friend.


My Nikkormat FTn was also purchased on Cat Street in Hong Kong. It followed me around the far east beside the Minolta X700. The Nikkormat already had significant brassing and a few bumps and bruises when I purchased it. It gained a few more as I transferred to liberty boats and to piers. It was and is a tough camera. It is solid enough to drive tent stakes, knock out a mugger, or chip ice if the need arises. Its still clicking away with a manual focus 50mm lens, although the meter had given up the ghost long before I purchased it. Thankfully the Nikkormat camera led me to Nikkor glass while I was still in the Orient.

When I left the Navy, I learned that a photography professor at a local college had passed on and I went to the resulting estate sale. I found his Nikon F2A with a motor drive up for grabs, along with several lenses. I grabbed quickly.

I had learned that this Nikon was the workhorse of photojournalists. Photographers were still shooting slides and saving negatives. Auto focus was in it's infancy, and digital photography for the masses was still just a dream. I just wanted a motor drive and seized the opportunity to obtain an entire professional quality Nikon set-up for a little more than a motor drive for my X-700 would cost.

At the same time, I was learning how to create websites on the internet. Publishing photography online was a chore. I would shoot, develop and scan each image. It was time consuming. My first digital camera was a Sony Mavica FD.

I was looking for ease of use, not megapixels. Popping a floppy disk out of the camera and into my floppy drive was as simple as it could get. I actually went through three Sony Mavicas. They all worked fine. I used them for wound documentation as well as internet publishing. I could snap them up cheaply in pawn shops, and having a spare always seemed like a good idea.

Finally, the day came when my old computer monitor requred replacement. I opted for a slick new fangled flat screen, so I could gain some extra room on my desk. Suddenly, the resolution of the Mavica was noticeably lacking compared to the photographs of others. I began to look more into the megapixel thing. I researched online, and I went back to the pawn shop. I came home with a Canon Power Shot A520.

The four megapixels of the Canon is puny by today's standards, but I was mainly interested in the glass, the method of file storage and transfer, and of course, availability at a cheap price. The point and shoot Canon fit the bill. Indeed, most of my photos on this blog were taken with the Canon.

I was learning to love the spontenaity of digital photography, and the freedom from film. Still, I wanted to be able to fully control my images, and I wanted interchangeable lenses. Finally, the day arrived when I spotted a Nikon D-200 in a pawn shop. After a bit of negotiation, the black beauty was mine. It carried more megapixels than I dreamed of, and best yet, I could swap Nikon glass, including making use of the lenses I had. Digital photography has effectively replaced film for me now. The ability to shot without hesitation, to simply delete inferior images at no cost, is a freedom that I have longed for. A digital camera such as this may not necessarily make better photographs, but I believe it will make me a better photographer.

Lens Inventory:

Minolta SR mount
50mm ƒ1.4
135mm ƒ2.8

Minolta MD mount
24mm ƒ2.8
50mm ƒ1.4
50-135mm zoom ƒ3.5
Tonika 70-210mm ƒ4-4.5

Nikon F mount
24mm ƒ2.8 (AI conversion)
35mm ƒ2.8
50mm ƒ1.4
45mm GN ƒ2.8
50mm ƒ1.4 Series E
50mm AF ƒ1.8
85mm AF ƒ1.8
Vivitar Series 1 90mm ƒ2.8
300mm ƒ4.5
500mm ƒ8 reflex
24-50 AF zoom ƒ3.3-4.5
18-70mm AF zoom ƒ3.5-4.5
35-70mm AF zoom ƒ3.3-4.5
70-210mm AF zoom ƒ4-5.6

Nikon F mount non-AI
50mm ƒ1.4
50mm ƒ1.4
50mm ƒ1.4
50mm ƒ2

Manual Focus

I cut my teeth on manual focus cameras. Turning a focus ring to get a shot does not bother me a bit. In fact, I like it. I usually shoot in aperture priority mode, so as long as a lens allows that, I am happy. One of the great benefits of Nikon cameras is the interchangeability of the lenses. A thirty year old lens can often be used on a new Nikon camera, and vice versa. Even though they weigh more, I actually prefer the older, metal lenses.

As I go shopping for bargains in Nikon lenses, I have gathered some information from Ken Rockwell's Nikon lens compatibility charts. I am putting the information here, so I can access it, and use it easier. This lens compatibility information is specific to my Nikon D-200. Many older Nikon lenses can be used on the digital SLR bodies, although a 50mm lens presents itself as an 85mm. To get the same results that a 50mm normal lens gives with film, a 35mm lens is used on a digital SLR camera. These are my own notes for my convenience.

The oldest Nikon lens that will mate up to a Nikon D-200 is an AI (automatic indexing) lens. These lenses were introduced in 1977, and are recognized by a smaller set of aperture numbers that could be viewed through the viewfinder of the camera. These lenses also have two extra holes in the coupling prong that allow light to strike f/8 and f/4 so they can be seen in the viewfinder.

Nikon Series E lenses were sent to market in 1979. These were budget lenses, but they still contained superior optics. The Series E lenses gained a poor reputation among camera geeks because Nikon was honest enough to admit they contained plastic at a time when plastic in a camera lens smacked of cheapness. Today, plastic lens casings are commonplace, even among high priced gear. The Series E lenses represent some of the best values in prime lenses that will work on a D-200.

In 1981, the AI became the AI-S lens. The AI-S lens is easily recognized because the smallest aperture marking is in orange. These are still the same manual Nikon lenses made today.