<s>
The	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
F2	I-Algorithm
is	O
a	O
professional-level	O
,	O
interchangeable	O
lens	O
,	O
35	O
mm	O
film	O
,	O
single-lens	B-Algorithm
reflex	I-Algorithm
(	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
)	O
camera	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
manufactured	O
by	O
the	O
Japanese	O
optics	B-Algorithm
company	O
Nippon	O
Kogaku	O
K	O
.	O
K	O
.	O
(	O
Nikon	O
Corporation	O
since	O
1988	O
)	O
in	O
Japan	O
from	O
September	O
1971	O
to	O
1980	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
F2	O
is	O
the	O
second	O
member	O
of	O
the	O
long	O
line	O
of	O
Nikon	O
F-series	O
professional-level	O
35mm	O
SLRs	B-Algorithm
that	O
began	O
with	O
the	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
F	I-Algorithm
(	O
manufactured	O
1959	O
–	O
1974	O
)	O
and	O
followed	O
each	O
other	O
in	O
a	O
sort	O
of	O
dynastic	O
succession	O
as	O
the	O
top-of-the-line	O
Nikon	O
camera	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
other	O
members	O
were	O
the	O
F3	B-Algorithm
(	O
1980	O
–	O
2001	O
)	O
,	O
F4	B-Algorithm
(	O
1988	O
–	O
1996	O
)	O
,	O
F5	B-Algorithm
(	O
1996	O
–	O
2005	O
)	O
and	O
F6	B-Algorithm
(	O
2004	O
–	O
2020	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
F-series	O
do	O
not	O
share	O
any	O
major	O
components	O
except	O
for	O
the	O
all-important	O
bayonet	O
lens	O
mount	O
( 	O
 '	O
F	B-Architecture
mount	I-Architecture
 '	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
All	O
Nikon	O
professional	O
F-series	O
SLRs	B-Algorithm
are	O
full	O
system	B-Algorithm
cameras	I-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
F2	I-Algorithm
is	O
an	O
all-metal	O
,	O
mechanically-controlled	O
(	O
springs	O
,	O
gears	O
,	O
levers	O
)	O
,	O
manual	O
focus	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
with	O
manual	O
exposure	O
control	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
camera	O
itself	O
needed	O
no	O
batteries	O
,	O
though	O
the	O
prism	O
light	O
meter	O
did	O
(	O
and	O
the	O
motor	B-Algorithm
drive	I-Algorithm
if	O
added	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
F2	O
replaced	O
the	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
F	I-Algorithm
,	O
adding	O
many	O
new	O
features	O
(	O
a	O
faster	O
1/2000	O
-second	O
maximum	O
shutter	O
speed	O
,	O
a	O
swing	O
open	O
back	O
for	O
easier	O
film	O
loading	O
,	O
a	O
wider	O
assortment	O
of	O
detachable	O
finders	O
and	O
metering	O
heads	O
,	O
a	O
250	O
exposure	O
film	O
back	O
,	O
a	O
larger	O
reflex	O
mirror	O
to	O
ensure	O
no	O
vignetting	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
shutter	O
release	O
nearer	O
the	O
front	O
of	O
the	O
camera	O
for	O
better	O
ergonomics	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
also	O
offered	O
a	O
detachable	O
motor	B-Algorithm
drive	I-Algorithm
,	O
something	O
the	O
F	O
only	O
had	O
as	O
a	O
custom	O
modification	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
the	O
last	O
all-mechanical	O
professional-level	O
Nikon	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
F2	O
accepts	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
,	O
with	O
certain	O
limitations	O
or	O
exceptions	O
depending	O
on	O
the	O
F2	O
version	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Note	O
that	O
the	O
Nikkor	O
AI-S	O
and	O
Nikkor	O
AI	O
types	O
are	O
AI	O
types	O
plus	O
have	O
rabbit	O
ears	O
and	O
will	O
function	O
properly	O
on	O
all	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
F2	I-Algorithm
variants	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nikon	O
's	O
most	O
recent	O
35mm	O
film	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
lenses	O
,	O
the	O
AF	O
Nikkor	O
G	O
type	O
(	O
2000	O
)	O
lacking	O
an	O
aperture	O
control	O
ring	O
;	O
and	O
the	O
AF	O
Nikkor	O
DX	O
type	O
(	O
2003	O
)	O
with	O
image	O
circles	O
sized	O
for	O
Nikon	O
's	O
DX	O
digital	O
SLRs	B-Algorithm
,	O
will	O
mount	O
but	O
will	O
not	O
function	O
properly	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
IX	O
Nikkor	O
lenses	O
(	O
1996	O
)	O
,	O
for	O
Nikon	O
's	O
Advanced	O
Photo	O
System	O
(	O
APS	O
)	O
film	O
SLRs	B-Algorithm
,	O
must	O
not	O
be	O
mounted	O
on	O
any	O
F2	O
,	O
as	O
their	O
rear	O
elements	O
will	O
intrude	O
far	O
enough	O
into	O
the	O
mirror	O
box	O
to	O
cause	O
damage	O
even	O
with	O
the	O
mirror	O
locked	O
up	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Special	O
purpose	O
lenses	O
included	O
the	O
Micro-Nikkors	O
55	O
mm	O
f/3.5	O
and	O
55	O
mm	O
f/2.8	O
,	O
Micro-Nikkor	O
105	O
mm	O
f/4	O
for	O
close-up	O
"	O
macro	O
"	O
photography	O
,	O
the	O
Noct-Nikkor	O
58	O
mm	O
f/1.2	O
for	O
low	O
light	O
photography	O
,	O
the	O
PC-Nikkor	O
28	O
mm	O
f/3.5	O
shifting	O
perspective	O
control	O
lens	O
,	O
the	O
GN-Nikkor	O
45	O
mm	O
f/2.8	O
for	O
automatically	O
setting	O
the	O
proper	O
aperture	O
for	O
flash	O
exposure	O
based	O
on	O
distance	O
(	O
also	O
useful	O
as	O
a	O
very	O
small/light	O
"	O
pancake	O
"	O
lens	O
)	O
,	O
the	O
Nikkor	B-Algorithm
13mm	I-Algorithm
f/5.6	I-Algorithm
widest	O
angle	O
(	O
118°	O
)	O
rectilinear	O
lens	O
for	O
SLRs	B-Algorithm
ever	O
made	O
,	O
the	O
Nikkor	O
300	O
mm	O
f/2.8	O
ED	O
IF	O
fast	O
telephoto	O
useful	O
for	O
sports	O
and	O
wildlife	O
photography	O
,	O
the	O
versatile	O
,	O
but	O
heavy	O
Zoom-Nikkor	O
50	O
–	O
300	O
mm	O
f/4.5	O
ED	O
and	O
the	O
quick	O
framing	O
,	O
but	O
notoriously	O
middling	O
optical-quality	O
Zoom-Nikkor	O
43	O
–	O
86	O
mm	O
f/3.5	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
were	O
innumerable	O
independent	O
manufacturer	O
lenses	O
available	O
in	O
the	O
Nikon	B-Architecture
F	I-Architecture
mount	I-Architecture
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
the	O
F2	O
's	O
interchangeable	O
viewfinders	O
(	O
also	O
known	O
as	O
"	O
heads	O
"	O
)	O
that	O
marked	O
it	O
as	O
a	O
truly	O
professional-level	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
and	O
was	O
its	O
greatest	O
strength	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
head	O
on	O
the	O
basic	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
F2	I-Algorithm
was	O
called	O
the	O
Nikon	O
DE-1	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
original	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
F2	I-Algorithm
Photomic	O
,	O
packaged	O
with	O
the	O
Nikon	O
DP-1	O
head	O
,	O
was	O
manufactured	O
from	O
1971	O
to	O
1977	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
F2	I-Algorithm
Photomic	O
with	O
Nikkor-S	O
50mm	O
f/1.4	O
lens	O
had	O
a	O
US	O
list	O
price	O
of	O
$660	O
in	O
1972	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Note	O
that	O
SLRs	B-Algorithm
usually	O
sold	O
for	O
30	O
to	O
40	O
percent	O
below	O
list	O
price	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
chrome	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
F2S	I-Algorithm
Photomic	O
with	O
Nikkor	O
50mm	O
f/1.4	O
lens	O
had	O
a	O
US	O
list	O
price	O
of	O
$961	O
in	O
1976	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Note	O
:	O
SLRs	B-Algorithm
were	O
usually	O
discounted	O
30	O
to	O
40	O
percent	O
from	O
list	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
DP-3	O
introduced	O
three	O
innovations	O
:	O
a	O
silicon	O
photodiode	O
light	O
meter	O
(	O
a	O
first	O
for	O
Nikon	O
SLRs	B-Algorithm
)	O
for	O
faster	O
and	O
more	O
accurate	O
light	O
readings	O
,	O
a	O
five-stage	O
center-the-LED	O
exposure	O
control	O
system	O
using	O
+	O
/o/	O
−	O
LEDs	O
,	O
and	O
an	O
eyepiece	O
blind	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
three	O
early	O
Photomic	O
heads	O
required	O
Nikon	B-Architecture
F-mount	I-Architecture
lenses	O
with	O
a	O
meter	O
coupling	O
shoe	O
(	O
"	O
rabbit	O
ears	O
"	O
,	O
see	O
above	O
)	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
second	O
nature	O
to	O
Nikon	O
and	O
Nikkormat	B-Algorithm
camera	O
using	O
photographers	O
of	O
the	O
1960s	O
and	O
1970s	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
AI	O
lenses	O
allowed	O
carefree	O
lens	O
mounting	O
and	O
ended	O
the	O
double	O
twisting	O
that	O
used	O
to	O
allow	O
observers	O
to	O
spot	O
a	O
Nikon/Nikkormat	O
user	O
from	O
a	O
hundred	O
paces	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
(	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
selling	O
prices	O
were	O
typically	O
30	O
to	O
40	O
percent	O
below	O
list	O
.	O
)	O
</s>
<s>
Note	O
that	O
the	O
screens	O
for	O
the	O
F2	O
were	O
interchangeable	O
with	O
the	O
ones	O
for	O
the	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
F	I-Algorithm
,	O
but	O
not	O
with	O
later	O
F-series	O
SLRs	B-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
Major	O
accessories	O
for	O
the	O
F2	O
included	O
the	O
Nikon	O
MD-1	O
(	O
introduced	O
in	O
1971	O
)	O
and	O
MD-2	O
(	O
1973	O
)	O
motor	B-Algorithm
drives	I-Algorithm
,	O
providing	O
automatic	O
film	O
advance	O
up	O
to	O
5	O
frames	O
per	O
second	O
,	O
6	O
if	O
the	O
mirror	O
was	O
locked	O
up	O
,	O
plus	O
power	O
rewind	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
F2	O
also	O
accepted	O
the	O
lighter	O
,	O
cheaper	O
and	O
less	O
capable	O
Nikon	O
MD-3	O
motor	B-Algorithm
drive	I-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
were	O
very	O
useful	O
if	O
a	O
photographer	O
had	O
a	O
motor	B-Algorithm
drive	I-Algorithm
mounted	O
and	O
needed	O
to	O
take	O
more	O
than	O
seven	O
seconds	O
 '	O
worth	O
of	O
photographs	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Note	O
that	O
the	O
receiver	O
needed	O
to	O
be	O
connected	O
to	O
a	O
motor	B-Algorithm
drive	I-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
yet	O
another	O
titanium-armored	O
F2	O
but	O
this	O
time	O
with	O
a	O
fixed	O
(	O
not	O
reflex	O
)	O
,	O
semi-silvered	O
,	O
pellicle	O
mirror	O
,	O
manual	O
lens	O
diaphragm	O
control	O
and	O
a	O
mechanically	O
matched	O
titanium-armored	O
Nikon	O
MD-100	O
high-speed	O
motor	B-Algorithm
drive	I-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Nikon	O
MD-100	O
motor	B-Algorithm
drive	I-Algorithm
was	O
a	O
modified	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
MD-2	O
motor	B-Algorithm
drive	I-Algorithm
and	O
was	O
powered	O
by	O
the	O
Nikon	O
MB-100	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
F2	O
Data	O
also	O
came	O
packaged	O
with	O
an	O
MD-2	O
motor	B-Algorithm
drive	I-Algorithm
and	O
your	O
choice	O
of	O
DE-1	O
,	O
DP-11	O
or	O
DP-12	O
head	O
plus	O
a	O
special	O
Type	O
S	O
focusing	O
screen	O
that	O
marked	O
the	O
left-side	O
data	O
imprint	O
area	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Because	O
of	O
the	O
F2	O
's	O
durability	O
,	O
because	O
there	O
were	O
so	O
many	O
manufactured	O
(	O
816,000	O
units	O
)	O
and	O
because	O
film	O
SLRs	B-Algorithm
have	O
been	O
largely	O
replaced	O
with	O
digital	O
equivalents	O
in	O
many	O
markets	O
,	O
the	O
F2	O
is	O
still	O
relatively	O
common	O
today	O
and	O
is	O
available	O
on	O
the	O
used	O
market	O
for	O
low	O
prices	O
—	O
US$200	O
–	O
400	O
depending	O
on	O
the	O
head	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
F2	I-Algorithm
is	O
also	O
collectable	O
.	O
</s>
