<s>
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
(	O
Nikomat	B-Algorithm
in	O
Japan	O
)	O
was	O
a	O
brand	O
of	O
cameras	O
produced	O
by	O
the	O
Japanese	O
optics	O
company	O
Nippon	O
Kogaku	O
K	O
.	O
K.	O
,	O
as	O
a	O
consumer	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
professional	O
Nikon	O
brand	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
cameras	O
,	O
produced	O
from	O
1965	O
until	O
1978	O
,	O
were	O
simpler	O
and	O
more	O
affordable	O
than	O
Nikon-branded	O
cameras	O
,	O
but	O
accepted	O
the	O
same	O
lenses	O
as	O
the	O
Nikon	B-Architecture
F	I-Architecture
series	I-Architecture
cameras	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
there	O
is	O
only	O
a	O
single	O
resistor	O
and	O
a	O
single	O
moving	O
contact	O
:	O
the	O
resistor	O
is	O
on	O
one	O
ring	O
and	O
the	O
contact	O
on	O
another	O
of	O
the	O
concentric	O
rings	O
around	O
the	O
lens	O
mount	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
FT	O
was	O
an	O
all-metal	O
,	O
mechanically	O
(	O
springs	O
,	O
gears	O
,	O
levers	O
)	O
controlled	O
,	O
manual	O
focus	O
SLR	O
with	O
match-needle	O
exposure	O
control	O
,	O
manufactured	O
in	O
Japan	O
from	O
1965	O
to	O
1967	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
unmetered	O
version	O
was	O
designated	O
"	O
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
FS.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
was	O
larger	O
and	O
heavier	O
than	O
most	O
competing	O
amateur	O
level	O
SLRs	O
of	O
the	O
mid-1960s	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
Asahi	O
(	O
Honeywell	O
in	O
the	O
USA	O
)	O
Pentax	B-Algorithm
Spotmatic	I-Algorithm
of	O
1964	O
,	O
but	O
the	O
quality	O
of	O
the	O
internal	O
components	O
gave	O
the	O
FT	O
strength	O
and	O
durability	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
F-series	O
had	O
a	O
shutter	O
speed	O
ring	O
concentric	O
with	O
the	O
lens	O
mount	O
,	O
unlike	O
Nippon	O
Kogaku	O
's	O
other	O
manual	O
focus	O
SLRs	O
with	O
a	O
top	O
mounted	O
shutter	O
speed	O
dial	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nippon	O
Kogaku	O
used	O
it	O
for	O
all	O
versions	O
of	O
the	O
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
FT	O
with	O
incremental	O
improvements	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
FM	I-Algorithm
,	O
FM2	B-Algorithm
and	O
FM2N	B-Algorithm
of	O
the	O
succeeding	O
Nikon	O
compact	O
F-series	O
SLRs	O
used	O
an	O
improved	O
viewfinder	O
only	O
,	O
center-the-LED	O
system	O
until	O
2001	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
FT	O
accepted	O
all	O
lenses	O
with	O
the	O
Nikon	B-Architecture
F	I-Architecture
bayonet	I-Architecture
mount	I-Architecture
(	O
introduced	O
in	O
1959	O
on	O
the	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
F	I-Algorithm
camera	O
)	O
and	O
a	O
"	O
meter	O
coupling	O
shoe	O
"	O
(	O
or	O
prong	O
,	O
informally	O
called	O
"	O
rabbit	O
ears	O
"	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Note	O
that	O
modern	O
AF	O
Nikkor	O
autofocusing	O
lenses	O
(	O
introduced	O
1986	O
)	O
do	O
not	O
have	O
a	O
meter	O
coupling	O
shoe	O
,	O
but	O
all	O
non-G	O
AF	O
lenses	O
have	O
two	O
pilot	O
holes	O
to	O
retrofit	O
the	O
coupling	O
shoe	O
,	O
making	O
them	O
100%	O
compatible	O
with	O
all	O
Nikon	B-Architecture
F-mount	I-Architecture
cameras	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
"	O
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
accessory	O
shoe	O
"	O
must	O
be	O
screwed	O
to	O
the	O
top	O
of	O
the	O
pentaprism	O
cover	O
via	O
the	O
eyepiece	O
first	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
FS	O
,	O
manufactured	O
from	O
1965	O
to	O
1971	O
,	O
was	O
an	O
FT	O
stripped	O
of	O
the	O
built-in	O
light	O
meter	O
with	O
its	O
exposure	O
information	O
system	O
and	O
the	O
mirror	O
lockup	O
feature	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
FTN	O
was	O
manufactured	O
from	O
1967	O
to	O
1975	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
system	O
seems	O
unwieldy	O
to	O
today	O
's	O
photographers	O
,	O
but	O
it	O
was	O
more	O
efficient	O
and	O
easier	O
than	O
before	O
,	O
and	O
became	O
second	O
nature	O
to	O
Nikon	O
and	O
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
photographers	O
of	O
the	O
1960s	O
and	O
1970s	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
FT2	O
,	O
manufactured	O
from	O
1975	O
to	O
1977	O
,	O
added	O
a	O
permanently	O
affixed	O
hot	O
shoe	O
to	O
the	O
top	O
of	O
the	O
pentaprism	O
cover	O
,	O
combined	O
the	O
two	O
PC	O
terminals	O
into	O
one	O
and	O
switched	O
the	O
light	O
meter	O
battery	O
to	O
a	O
non-toxic	O
silver	O
cell	O
,	O
one	O
1.5	O
V	O
S76	O
or	O
SR44	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
FT3	O
,	O
manufactured	O
for	O
only	O
several	O
months	O
in	O
1977	O
(	O
but	O
still	O
available	O
new	O
from	O
dealer	O
stock	O
in	O
1978	O
)	O
,	O
had	O
the	O
shortest	O
production	O
run	O
of	O
any	O
Nippon	O
Kogaku	O
SLR	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
FT3	O
was	O
little	O
more	O
than	O
a	O
stopgap	O
placeholder	O
,	O
awaiting	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
the	O
first	O
of	O
the	O
completely	O
redesigned	O
Nikon	O
compact	O
F-series	O
SLRs	O
,	O
the	O
all-new	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
FM	I-Algorithm
,	O
with	O
a	O
more	O
compact	O
chassis	O
,	O
in	O
late	O
1977	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
metering	O
system	O
was	O
considered	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best	O
on	O
the	O
market	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
,	O
as	O
the	O
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
FT3	O
remained	O
a	O
very	O
popular	O
camera	O
with	O
professionals	O
and	O
amateurs	O
alike	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
EL	O
was	O
an	O
all-metal	O
,	O
electromechanically	O
(	O
some	O
solid-state	O
electronics	O
,	O
but	O
mostly	O
springs	O
,	O
gears	O
and	O
levers	O
)	O
controlled	O
,	O
manual-focus	O
SLR	O
with	O
manual	O
exposure	O
control	O
or	O
aperture-priority	O
autoexposure	O
,	O
manufactured	O
in	O
Japan	O
from	O
1972	O
to	O
1976	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Autoexposure	O
systems	O
that	O
greatly	O
simplified	O
the	O
process	O
were	O
a	O
boon	O
when	O
first	O
introduced	O
in	O
the	O
Konica	B-Algorithm
AutoReflex	I-Algorithm
(	O
Autorex	O
in	O
Japan	O
)	O
in	O
1965	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nippon	O
Kogaku/Nikon	O
continued	O
to	O
use	O
aperture-priority	O
autoexposure	O
,	O
with	O
considerable	O
development	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
FE	I-Algorithm
,	O
FE2	B-Algorithm
and	O
FM3A	B-Algorithm
of	O
the	O
succeeding	O
Nikon	O
compact	O
F-series	O
SLRs	O
until	O
2006	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Like	O
the	O
contemporary	O
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
FTN	O
(	O
see	O
above	O
)	O
,	O
the	O
EL	O
accepted	O
all	O
'	O
rabbit-ear	O
'	O
Nikkor	O
lenses	O
(	O
requiring	O
a	O
double-twist	O
of	O
the	O
lens	O
aperture	O
ring	O
on	O
mounting	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
its	O
viewfinder	O
had	O
a	O
choice	O
of	O
Type	O
J	O
or	O
Type	O
A	O
fixed	O
focusing-screens	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
ELW	O
,	O
manufactured	O
from	O
1976	O
to	O
1977	O
,	O
was	O
an	O
EL	O
modified	O
to	O
accept	O
the	O
Nikon	O
AW-1	O
autowinder	O
,	O
providing	O
motorized	O
film	O
advance	O
at	O
up	O
to	O
two	O
frames	O
per	O
second	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
ELW	O
also	O
expanded	O
the	O
automatic	O
shutter	O
speed	O
range	O
to	O
eight	O
seconds	O
,	O
and	O
its	O
viewfinder	O
was	O
fitted	O
with	O
a	O
new	O
standard	O
focusing	O
screen	O
,	O
the	O
Type	O
K	O
(	O
see	O
the	O
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
FT2	O
above	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Nikon	O
EL2	O
was	O
manufactured	O
from	O
1977	O
to	O
1978	O
and	O
was	O
essentially	O
identical	O
to	O
the	O
ELW	O
,	O
but	O
with	O
the	O
addition	O
of	O
instant	O
response	O
silicon	O
photodiode	O
light	O
meter	O
sensors	O
and	O
support	O
for	O
Nikkor	O
lenses	O
with	O
the	O
new	O
Automatic	O
Indexing	O
(	O
AI	O
)	O
feature	O
(	O
see	O
the	O
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
FT3	O
above	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
EL2	O
also	O
abandoned	O
the	O
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
name	O
(	O
the	O
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
FT3	O
being	O
the	O
last	O
of	O
the	O
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
line	O
)	O
which	O
had	O
distinguished	O
these	O
cameras	O
from	O
the	O
better	O
known	O
Nikon-badged	O
models	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Nikon	O
EL2	O
was	O
replaced	O
after	O
a	O
year	O
of	O
production	O
by	O
the	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
FE	I-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1959	O
,	O
Nippon	O
Kogaku	O
released	O
its	O
first	O
35mm	O
SLR	O
,	O
the	O
professional	O
level	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
F	I-Algorithm
.	O
The	O
F	O
combined	O
every	O
SLR	O
technological	O
advance	O
available	O
in	O
1959	O
(	O
automatic	O
diaphragm	O
lenses	O
,	O
instant	O
return	O
mirror	O
and	O
eye-level	O
pentaprism	O
viewfinder	O
)	O
into	O
an	O
integrated	O
package	O
with	O
mechanical	O
durability	O
and	O
reliability	O
,	O
plus	O
optical	O
quality	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
F	I-Algorithm
with	O
Nikkor	O
50mm	O
f/2	O
lens	O
had	O
a	O
list	O
price	O
of	O
US	O
$359.50	O
in	O
1959	O
when	O
new	O
cars	O
sold	O
in	O
the	O
US$2500	O
range	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Initially	O
these	O
cameras	O
had	O
fixed	O
lenses	O
and	O
built-in	O
metering	O
,	O
but	O
in	O
1963	O
the	O
Nikkorex	O
F	O
(	O
made	O
by	O
Mamiya	O
)	O
was	O
introduced	O
;	O
this	O
was	O
fully	O
compatible	O
with	O
Nikkor	O
F-mount	O
lenses	O
and	O
had	O
a	O
look	O
similar	O
to	O
the	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
F	I-Algorithm
style	O
,	O
though	O
it	O
was	O
a	O
larger	O
camera	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
FS	O
and	O
FT	O
of	O
1965	O
were	O
similar	O
in	O
size	O
and	O
weight	O
to	O
the	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
F	I-Algorithm
,	O
had	O
a	O
pentaprism	O
viewfinders	O
,	O
and	O
were	O
fully	O
compatible	O
with	O
the	O
F-mount	B-Architecture
lenses	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
more	O
expensive	O
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
FT	O
offered	O
through-the-lens	O
exposure-metering	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
these	O
had	O
fewer	O
professional-level	O
features	O
compared	O
to	O
the	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
F	I-Algorithm
,	O
these	O
had	O
a	O
fixed	O
viewfinders	O
and	O
did	O
not	O
accept	O
motor	O
drives	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nippon	O
Kogaku	O
achieved	O
some	O
success	O
with	O
amateurs	O
,	O
but	O
by	O
the	O
mid-1970s	O
the	O
remaining	O
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
models	O
were	O
rebadged	O
as	O
Nikons	O
and	O
the	O
line	O
ended	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
F-series	O
are	O
today	O
considered	O
classic	O
designs	O
and	O
are	O
still	O
favorites	O
among	O
film	O
photographers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Assuming	O
that	O
they	O
are	O
not	O
abused	O
,	O
Nikkormats	B-Algorithm
suffer	O
very	O
few	O
mechanical	O
failures	O
for	O
an	O
amateur	O
level	O
SLR	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
generally	O
need	O
only	O
the	O
occasional	O
cleaning	O
,	O
lubrication	O
and	O
adjustment	O
(	O
CLA	O
)	O
to	O
continue	O
normal	O
operations	O
even	O
today	O
,	O
thirty	O
to	O
forty	O
years	O
after	O
production	O
,	O
similar	O
to	O
other	O
mechanical	O
Japanese	O
SLRs	O
of	O
the	O
era	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
Canon	B-Algorithm
FTb	I-Algorithm
,	O
Pentax	B-Algorithm
Spotmatic	I-Algorithm
,	O
and	O
Minolta	B-Algorithm
SR-T	I-Algorithm
101	I-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
EL-series	O
were	O
also	O
tough	O
and	O
reliable	O
,	O
but	O
as	O
with	O
all	O
first	O
generation	O
autoexposure	O
SLRs	O
,	O
they	O
are	O
not	O
considered	O
as	O
handy	O
as	O
later	O
generations	O
with	O
better	O
electronics	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
the	O
size	O
and	O
weight	O
of	O
older	O
mechanical	O
SLRs	O
,	O
but	O
with	O
fewer	O
features	O
than	O
succeeding	O
autoexposure	O
SLRs	O
,	O
the	O
ELs	O
are	O
not	O
as	O
popular	O
today	O
as	O
the	O
newer	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
FE	I-Algorithm
and	O
FE2	B-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nikkormats	B-Algorithm
are	O
still	O
readily	O
available	O
on	O
the	O
second	O
hand	O
market	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nikkormats	B-Algorithm
are	O
collected	O
and	O
pristine	O
examples	O
are	O
difficult	O
to	O
come	O
by	O
.	O
</s>
