Nikon F & Nikkor-S Auto 50mm F1.4 - 14th Nov 1998
These photos were taken with Nikon F that I inherited as a keepsake from my grandfather. Even today, I treasure it dearly. With its solid, all-metal construction and timeless presence, it feels more like a finely crafted piece of history than simply a camera.
My grandfather passed away nearly fifty years ago at the young age of 67. At the time, I was only an elementary school student and knew nothing about photography. Although he often talked to me about ISO, aperture settings, and shutter speeds, I was too young to fully understand what he was trying to teach me.
Now, I am approaching sixty years of age myself and have come to appreciate both the technical and artistic aspects of photography. I know that what I wish for can never come true, but if it were possible, I would love nothing more than to spend one more day taking photographs with my grandfather in heaven. I often find myself wishing that he could see the photographs I have taken as an adult.
These photographs were taken in November 1998 at Mitarai Gorge in Nara prefecture with this very camera, the Nikon F & Nikkor-S Auto 50mm F1.4. I still vividly remember showing these images to my grandmother and saying, “These were taken with Grandpa’s camera.” The joyful expression on her face is something I will never forget.
My grandmother later joined my grandfather twelve years ago.
Even now, whenever I take photographs, I find myself speaking to my grandfather in my heart as I press the shutter. This feeling becomes even stronger whenever I am using the camera that he left behind.
To me, the Nikon F is far more than a camera. It is a priceless treasure that continues to connect my grandfather and me across the passage of time.
Camera: Nikon F Photomic FTn at Ken Rockwell
Lens: Nikkor-S Auto 50mm F1.4 at Ken Rockwell
Film: Kodak Gold 100
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Nikon F & Nikkor-S Auto 50mm F1.4 おおお！。
ReplyDelete私が最初に買った Nikon も FTn と 同じレンズ です。
F2 が出ていたのですが、敢えて、中古の F を求めました。
カラーは 中判 120 でしたので、専ら、白黒用で、偶に Kodak PKR-135 でした。
購入理由は、父が一眼レフを求めた時、既に F は 定価＋α で、
懇意の写真屋さんの勧めで、Auto 撮影が可能な Konica Autorex にした (1966年頃) のですが、
やはり、F が欲しかったと聞いていたからです。
帰郷した折に、実機を触らせてあげると、感慨深そうに弄っていたのを覚えています。
因みに、こんな投稿も書いています。
https://shiroyuki-mot-graphics-trial.blogspot.com/search?q=Nikon+F
Nikon F & Nikkor-S Auto 50mm f/1.4—wow!
The first Nikon I bought was also the FTn with that same lens.
Even though the F2 was already out, I deliberately chose to buy a used F.
Since I was shooting medium format (120 film) for color, I used this camera exclusively for black-and-white, though occasionally I’d use Kodak PKR-135.
The reason was that when my father had looked for an SLR, the F was already selling at a premium above list price;
on the recommendation of a friendly camera shop owner, he had opted for the Konica Autorex—which allowed for automatic exposure—(around 1966),
but I knew he had really wanted the F all along.
I remember that when I returned home and let him handle the actual camera, he played with it looking deeply moved.
By the way, I’ve also written a post about Nikon F here:
https://shiroyuki-mot-graphics-trial.blogspot.com/search?q=Nikon+F
そうなんですね。お父様の嬉しそうな顔が目に浮かびました。Fは無骨でメカ感がものすごくありますよね。FTnのガチャガチャの儀式とか機械式の極みだと思います。FもF2もファインダーの進化でカメラを進化させていったことろが凄いと思います。
ReplyDeleteThat's so nice to hear. I can just picture your father's delighted smile. The Nikon F has such a rugged, beautifully mechanical feel. The 'indexing ritual' with the FTn finder is truly the pinnacle of mechanical design. It’s amazing how both the F and F2 kept evolving as cameras through the evolution of their viewfinders.