arhphotographic

The Nikomat is a single lens reflex camera with thru the lens metering. It has a metal focal-plane shutter with maximum speed of 1/1000 second to 1 second. Other noteworthy features include a lever to lock the mirror up, self timer and a very helpful window on the top plate showing exposure (no doubt useful when you want to ‘shoot from the hip’). The camera’s CdS meter is turned on by pulling out the film advance lever, something that caught me out on more than one occasion.

The camera is heavy and solid. As can been seen from the photo below, my camera has at one time been dropped and yet it survives intact with a working and reasonably accurate meter. Not bad for a 50 year old camera.

But how did it perform in the real world? A visit to Lewes, Sussex would provide the opportunity to answer the question. I fitted a Tamron Aspherical 28-200mm 3.8- 5.6 do it all lens.

Although heavy I found it sat comfortably in my hand. The shutter speed lever takes a little bit of getting used to, sitting as it does around the base of the lens. Despite this, I had a good time with the Nikomat FT N. Why? Surely using a fully manual camera like the Nikomat is more complicated. Yes that is true to a point. Why do people choose to cook from scratch when they could just buy a take away or ready meal? Perhaps its because they enjoy the process of starting from scratch and producing something they made. Perhaps it makes them feel good. Or it could simply be they prefer to. Using the Nikomat was more of a challenge than say my digital, but the photo was only part of the enjoyable process of creating.