Nikomat/Nikkormat FT2

image by Hans Jan Dürr (Image rights)

image by Hans Jan Dürr (Image rights)

The Nikomat FT2 (in Japan) or Nikkormat FT2 (elsewhere) is the last of the pre-AI mechanical-shutter Nikomat/Nikkormat bodies, sold 1975–1977. Essentially it is an FTN with some added features.

Aperture indexing is semi-automatic on the FT2. When attaching a lens it must be set at F/5.6 so the camera’s meter coupling pin will be aligned with the lens’s meter coupling prong (rabbit ears) above F/5.6 then you must rack the aperture ring all the way back and forth so the camera will know the maximum aperture of the lens.

Some specifications:

• Die-cast aluminum alloy body
• Nikon F-mount
• Focal-plane shutter with vertical travel
• Highest X-sync 1/125 - actually 1/100 when tested on a shutter tester - all earlier Copal Square shutters are this way
• Automatic M-X switching, below 1/250, camera is in X-sync mode, above 1/250, camera is in M-sync mode
• Shutter speeds 1-1/1000 in full stops plus bulb. Set at the base of the lens mount similar to the early Olympus OMs
• Fixed hot shoe and threaded PC terminal on the body
• ASA scale 12-1600, set by pulling lock on shutter speed adjustment tab outward, then sliding index back and forth
• TTL full aperture 60/40% centerweighted center-needle metering in the viewfinder
• Light meter cadmium sulfide powered by a 1.5 Volt Silver Oxide Battery (S76/SR44)
• Nikon Type K focusing screen (split image/micro prism/matte); can be had with Type A screen (split-image/matte)
• Depth-of-field preview
• Mirror lockup
• Self timer
• Weight 880g
• Dimensions 148mm × 95mm × 54mm

Links

• Nikkormat FT2 on www.collection-appareils.fr by Sylvain Halgand

"FT2" -prefixed serial number image by Dirk HR Spennemann (Image rights)

Nikon Cameras