Nikon Nikkormat FT1965

History

In 1965 Nikon introduced the Nikkormat line - two bodies simultaneously: the FS (no meter) and the FT (with CdS TTL meter). The FT was the volume product. Through 1965 and 1966 it sold well among advanced amateurs and photography students who wanted access to the F-mount Nikkor ecosystem without the price of the Nikon F system body. The coupling mechanism for the aperture ring on the FT was refined for the 1967 FTn, which added a more positive non-AI prong coupling that became the standard for subsequent Nikkormats. The original FT is consequently a relatively short-run body compared to the FTn (1967-1975) or FT2 (1975-1977). It is not always clearly distinguished from the FTn in secondhand listings, so buyers should verify the body version by the viewfinder style and coupling prong design.

Why It Matters

The original Nikkormat FT is historically significant as the first body to bring F-mount TTL metering to a price tier below the Nikon F. Before 1965, a photographer wanting Nikon F-mount glass and through-the-lens metering had to buy the professional Nikon F with a Photomic finder - a substantially more expensive proposition. The FT democratized the Nikkor lens ecosystem for working photographers and students alike. Its mechanical shutter also meant that a dead battery was never a show-stopper: you lost metering but kept shooting. The match-needle metering system, while simple, proved accurate enough for professional use when the CdS cells were fresh.

Lenses & Accessories

Nikon F mount. Non-AI Nikkor lenses are the native companions; the aperture coupling is designed for them. AI and AI-S lenses mount and can be used in stop-down metering mode. The FT lacks the refined indexing prong of the FTn, so the aperture coupling procedure may differ slightly from the FTn experience - consult the original manual before first use with Non-AI glass. Recommended period lenses: Nikkor-H 50mm f/2, Nikkor-S 50mm f/1.4, Nikkor-P 105mm f/2.5, Nikkor 28mm f/3.5. No motor drive was offered for the Nikkormat line; the body advances manually only.

Sample Photographers / Notable Use

• The original Nikkormat FT was used widely in photography education in Japan and the United States from 1965 onward.
• Working photojournalists adopted Nikkormat bodies as less-costly backup systems to the Nikon F throughout the late 1960s.
• Specific named photographer attribution not verified.

References

• Camera-Wiki: Nikon Nikkormat - covers full FT production history
• Wikipedia: Nikon Nikkormat - model timeline and variant details
• MIR Photography: Nikkormat Series - technical specifications and body comparisons