Nikon F2 Photomic1971

History

Nikon introduced the F2 in October 1971 as the successor to the Nikon F, which had dominated professional 35mm photography since 1959. The F2 Photomic - the body with the DP-1 metering prism - was the initial production configuration, available from launch in both chrome and black finishes. The black body was positioned as the professional option; Nikon's historical advertising of this era consistently showed photojournalists working with black-bodied cameras. The DP-1's CdS metering was superseded by the silicon-photodiode DP-2 (F2S) finder in 1973, making the F2 Photomic feel dated within two years of launch. However, the mechanical chassis beneath the prism - the F2 body itself - continued in production through 1980 in later variants. The black F2 Photomic remained associated with the early 1970s press photography era before the F2A and F2AS introduced AI coupling.

Why It Matters

The black F2 Photomic is one of the most recognizable professional cameras of the 1970s. Its visual presence - heavy black-painted brass body, the rectangular DP-1 prism housing, the characteristic shape of the F2 chassis - appears across press photography from the Nixon administration through the Vietnam War era. The all-mechanical shutter was a defining professional virtue: a camera that fires at every speed regardless of battery state was essential for assignment photographers who could not risk a dead camera at a critical moment. The black finish reduced lens flare in tight spaces and avoided the chrome glint that could compromise candid work. Collectively, the black F2 Photomic represents the apex of the pre-AI professional Nikon system.

Lenses & Accessories

Nikon F mount, pre-AI. All pre-AI Nikkors couple to the DP-1 meter at full aperture. AI and AI-S lenses mount mechanically and can be used with stop-down metering or manual exposure, but the DP-1 prism lacks AI coupling; for AI metering the DP-11 or DP-12 finder is required. Classic pairings from the era: Nikkor-S 50mm f/1.4 Auto, Nikkor-H 28mm f/3.5, and the Nikkor-P 105mm f/2.5. Motor drives: MD-1 with MB-1 battery pack (~4 fps); MD-2 for higher frame rates. Interchangeable finders include the DE-1 (bare eye-level, no meter), DW-1 (waist-level), DW-2 (6x magnifier for macro work). Standard focusing screen: B-type matte; K-type (split-prism + microprism collar) is most useful for general work.

Sample Photographers / Notable Use

• Standard professional issue at AP, UPI, and AFP wire services from 1971 through the late 1970s.
• Don McCullin - carried F2-series bodies through his Beirut and Southeast Asia conflict coverage.
• James Nachtwey - early career documentary work before the motor-drive era.
• Nikon promotional photography - the black F2 Photomic is the camera shown in Nikon's own historical documentation of the F2 program.
• Present on virtually every major press assignment from 1971-1977 before the F2A/F2AS superseded it in working kits.

References

• Camera-Wiki: Nikon F2 - comprehensive finder variant and finish breakdown
• Nikon Imaging History: F2
• Wikipedia: Nikon F2 - table of F2 variants and finder designations