Nikomat FTn

I found this Nikomat FTn at a local thrift store in October. After purchasing the camera, I searched through the bag it came in, and found that it was purchased in the Tokyo Airport in 1971 by a Mormon (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint) missionary returning home to Utah. The camera and lens are in excellent condition, and based on the film that was also in the bag, it likely hasn’t been used since the late 1980’s.

The Nikomat FTn was manufactured and sold by Nikon from 1967 to 1975 in Japan. The FTn was part of the Nikon F and F2 family and was based on the original Nikkomat FT that was commonly used by professional photographers. Nikon marketed the FTn to the consumer and prosumer markets as a cost-effective alternative. The camera came with a card that reads: On the “Nikomat” camera name… The brand name of this camera “NIKOMAT” Is used for the cameras being sold in Japan, while “NIKKORMAT” for the export model only. There is, however, no difference at all between the two in specifications, functions and performance.”

It’s a fantastic camera with all the features and specs you might expect: ISO 12 – 1600, metal focal plane shutter with speeds from 1 sec to 1/1000th, bulb, TTL metering center-weighted average with a CdS cell powered by a 1.3v battery, visible meter in the viewfinder and the top of the camera body. The camera came with a Nikkor SC Auto f/1.4 50mm lens. While the FTn is built like a tank, it’s not as heavy as the Nikon F with FTn Viewfinder.

This is probably the first film camera I’ve reviewed on UTFP that I will be sharing almost the entire test roll. I’m not a “car guy,” but I do enjoy photographing car shows to mainly shoot the details. These images are from the annual Kulture Krash Car Show in Clearfield, Utah. I was accompanied by my friend, Baily, who was shooting film for the very first time. I’ll save that story for another day. For a review of the exported Nikkormat FTn, head over to Jim Grey’s site.

Camera: Nikon Nikomat FTn (1967 – 1975)
Film: Ilford HP5 Plus 400
Process: Kodak D-76 (Stock) 7:30 @ 20c
Scanner: Epson Perfection V600 Photo