Nikkormat FTN (original) (raw)

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Mechanical Nikkormat FTN

The Nikkormat FTN has a mechanical Copal shutter camera, with metal shutter blades. Amazingly, compared to autofocus wonders, the shutter works at all shutter speeds WITHOUT batteries. My my my, What will they think of next?

The camera has a kind of Spartan simplicity to it, and a very solid feel, with excellent finish. Unlike some of Nikon later AF cameras, it also has a mirror lock up, a very convenient depth of field lever, and a PC terminal. The FTN was also the first Nikkormat with shutter speeds visible in the finder. Compared to it's outwardly similar predecessor, the FT, the FTN also sported center-weighted metering instead of averaging metering and a faster method to index the camera to the lens.

The FTN was designed to work with Nikon's earlier "prong" type NAI or "Non AI" lenses. However, it will also mount and meter with most AI/AIS lenses, providing they too have the metering prong. It also mounted all the AF Nikkors I tried it with, though there must be some exceptions. With AF Nikkors, you will have to use stop down metering. This means you will have to manually stop the lens down with the depth of field lever and then take the meter reading. You can also have the metering prong added to AF lenses, and thereby meter wide open.

Like all mechanical Nikkormats, the shutter speed dial and the ASA index are mounted around the lens mount rather than atop the camera. To mount a lens, set the lens at f/5.6 and move the prong to the far right as you face the camera. If you have it set right, the lens should mount easily. Then turn the aperture ring to both extremes in order to properly index with the meter. If you forget to, expect incorrect exposures. It actually sounds more complicated than it is in practice. That chrome rectangular shaped button above the lens release is the mirror lockup. The Nikkormat FTN was produced from 1967 to 1975. Earlier FTNs like this one have all metal advance levers and self timers. Later ones are plastic tipped like its big brother contemporary, the F2. Flash sync is 1/125th.

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Revised: November 26, 2003 . Copyright � 1998-2002 Stephen Gandy. All rights reserved. This means you may NOT copy and re-use the text or the pictures in ANY other internet or printed publication of ANY kind. Information in this document is subject to change without notice. Other products and companies referred to herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies or mark holders.