|
The Nikonos Camera started life as the Calypsophot, designed
for Jacques Cousteau, in 1956, by the Belgian engineer Jean De
Wouters. The original lens was a Som Berthiot 35mm f/3.5, with
a flat glass front port, mounted on the special waterproof bayonet. |
|
The design was subsequently offered to Nikon, who had the technical
and marketing infrastructure to make it into a commercial product,
and the first 'Calypso-Nikkor' camera appeared in 1963.
The design evolved from 1963 to 1979, with the major revisions
being known as the Nikonos, the Nikonos II (1968), and the Nikonos
III (1975). The important change, from a compatibility point
of view, was that the III came with a new type of flash connector.
This change was necessary because the original connector was
unreliable. The Nikonos connectors which came later are compatible
with the Nik III, but not with the earlier cameras. |
Nikonos III
Nikonos III exploded view
Photomontage: D. W. Knight ©
Cameras Underwater. |
Nikonos IVa
|
In 1979, Nikon decided that it was time for a radical redesign;
to simplify production by having more parts in common with other
Nikon cameras, and to improve exposure accuracy by using a Seiko
electro-mechanical shutter. Thus was born the Nikonos IVa (the
'a' stands for 'automatic exposure', there was no IV on its own);
which was unpopular because of its lack of manually controllable
shutter speeds, and the fact that any leak could stop it from
working (the original cameras would often work again after being
rinsed out and dried). The Nik IVa system also included an automatic
Speedlight, the SB101, and a feature whereby the camera would
be automatically switched to the 1/90 s flash sync speed whenever
the flash was ready to fire. The IVa used the same 3-pin sync
connector as the III, but with the old 'bulb' flash contact now
used for the 'flash ready' signal. |
|
The Nikonos V ("Nik five") appeared in 1984. This gave
the user the option of manual shutter speeds, a half-decent built-in
lightmeter, and introduced TTL automatic flash. The TTL feature
required a new 5-pin flash connector, and compatibility was maintained
by the clever wheeze of making the the two extra pins in the
camera socket spring-loaded, so that they would be pushed back
out of the way when a Nikonos III plug was inserted. The companion
plug has two flat contacts, which mate with the sprung pins of
the V, but are simply ignored by the III and IVa. This feature
gives at least manual flash compatibility across the whole Nikonos
range from III onwards, but it meant that you had to make sure
that the flat contacts were clean before inserting the plug.
The Nikonos V connector is still used on modern underwater housings. |
 |
|
The Nikonos V flash connector. |
|
Some facts about the Nikonos V:
 The Nikonos V
is not an SLR camera.
The Nikonos V
does not have a rangefinder.
All Nikonos (pre RS-AF) lenses were designed for focusing by
estimation. This would appear to require either skill or measurement
on the part of the user, except that the camera was not normally
used in that way. For underwater use, the camera was normally
fitted either with a wide-angle lens, or with a macro attachment.
Wide-angle lenses do not require focusing in the normal sense
- for most purposes they are best set to the hyperfocal distance,
i.e., the upper depth of field mark is placed at ¥.
Macro attachments are provided with distance prongs and framers,
and so do not require focusing except for adjustment to the recommended
setting.
 The principal
advantage of the Nikonos was the ability to use fully water-corrected
lenses in wide-angle photography.
 The Nikonos V
was for many years the industry standard professional underwater
camera, and only became obsolete with the advent of high-resolution
digital photography. Nikon attempted to replace it in the early
1990s with the Nikonos RS-AF (Reflex System - Auto Focus), essentially
an underwater F4, but the new camera was fabulously expensive
and few could justify the cost. The RS-AF was soon discontinued
except for fulfilment of existing government contracts, and Nikon
instead continued to manufacture the Nikonos V until 2001.
Nikon has no plans
to introduce a successor to the Nikonos V. |
Nikonos V Camera Features.
Made in two colours; orange and camouflage green (intended for
press photographers operating in jungle war zones, the Nikonos
II and III models having been used extensively during the Vietnam
War).
 Nikonos cameras
and system components designed for use underwater are conservatively
rated to a depth of 50m.
 35mm film, 36
x 24mm format.
Modes: Manual, Aperture Priority
Auto, TTL Flash, & B.
Shutter speeds: Man 1/30
to 1/1000s, Auto 30s to 1/1000s, special M 1/90s mode works without
battery.
 X-sync @ 1/90,
1/60, & 1/30s.
Film speeds: ISO 25-1600
(25-400 for TTL flash). External ISO selector allows exposure
bracketing.
Viewfinder built in for 35mm
lens (full field corresponds to 28mm view). Viewfinder LED display
gives metered speed and flash status. A standard accessory shoe
on the top of the camera allows viewfinders for other lenses
to be mounted. |
Speed Control
 |
The speed control gives manual (electronic) shutter speeds from
1/30 to 1/1000s. The A (auto) position gives aperture-priority
auto-exposure with speeds from 30s to 1/1000s. In A mode,
the camera is set to the X-sync speed of 1/90s when a Nikonos
V (TTL) compatible flash unit is connected and ready to fire.
In manual-electronic modes (1/30 - 1/1000s) the flash ready signal
sets the camera to 1/90s only if a higher speed is selected,
ie., flash sync is possible at 1/30, 1/60, and 1/90s. |
The battery is disconnected in M90, B and R
modes, and battery drain is minimised if the camera is left in
one of these modes when not in use. M90 (mechanical 1/90s)
is a special mode which allows the camera to be used when the
battery is dead. B mode is used for time exposures - the
shutter remains open for as long as the shutter button is pressed.
Since the camera is not powered in M90 and B modes,
there is no TTL flash control when using these settings, but
manual flash working is possible. R (rewind) position
disengages the film-advance mechanism to allow the film to be
rewound into its cassette.
Frame Counter
The frame counter (next to the speed control) is reset to 'S'
(start) when the camera back is opened. A switch in the frame-counter
mechanism disconnects the battery until frame '1' is reached.
If an electronic mode is selected, the shutter will fire at approx.
1/1500s until the counter indicates '1'. |
 |
Film Speed (ISO / ASA) Control.
The external ISO control, normally set to the film-manufacturer's
recommendation, can be used for exposure bracketing when using
electronic modes. The available ISO range is 25 to 1600 when
using ambient light, and 25 to 400 when using TTL flash. True
Nikonos-V compatible strobes (Nikon and Ikelite) give an error
signal if an ISO value of greater than 400 is selected. |
 |
Shutter release and Lock.
Protruding shutter button allows the camera to be used while
wearing gloves. The Lock-lever (L) prevents accidental
firing. Lightly pressing the shutter button activates the viewfinder
display. The display remains on for 16sec if the battery is in
good condition, but goes out immediately on releasing the shutter
button if the battery is low. |
Viewfinder
 |
The frame markings within the viewfinder area are for the 35mm
lens, and correspond to 85% coverage at ¥.
Parallax compensation mark indicates the shift required when
working at 0.8m
The LED display at the bottom of the viewfinder indicates selected
shutter speed, over exposure warning, under exposure or camera
shake warning, and flash ready. In manual-electronic modes, the
camera-metered speed flashes if different from the selected speed. |
Nikonos
Maintenance
|
If you obtain a secondhand Nikonos camera from
a private seller, or have a Nikonos camera which has not been
submerged for some time, taking it underwater without getting
it serviced is asking for trouble. The most heavily stressed
O-ring seal in the Nikonos V camera (and in the IVa) is that
around the film advance lever shaft. It tends to dry out and
become abraded, giving rise to a slow but insidious leak into
a delicate part of the camera mechanism known as the 'winding
stack'.
A full service for a Nikonos V involves complete replacement
of non-static O-rings, housing only pressure test, full function
test, recalibration of the light metering system, and final pressure
test, with fixing of trivial faults and adjustments along the
way. The procedure requires camera calibration equipment, a pressure
tank, special tools, hole plugs and electrical adapters, and
access to the service manual. Individuals who do not possess
advanced technical skills and a well-equipped workshop are advised
not to attempt it. |
What should I do if I flood a Nikonos V?
Do the following within the hour:
 Switch off (set
to M90).
Remove the lens,
the film, and the battery.
Remove the plate
covering the electronics section (4 small screws).
Set the ISO/ASA
knob to 100. Use a fingernail to pull out the clip which holds
the ISO knob (use of pliers carries the risk that you will scratch
the back-door O-ring seat). Pull out the control assembly by
the outer knob.
Prize off the
plastic cap which covers the film advance lever (if fitted) and
throw it away (it serves no useful purpose). Unscrew the film
advance / speed shaft from the top. Pull out the control assembly
by the speed knob.
Remove the 3 Philips
screws which retain the inner body (1 in the film-cassette well,
2 in the take-up spool well).
If you have a
soldering iron, unsolder the 5 flash connector wires (blue, yellow,
violet, green, black) next to the ISO control.
Pull out the inner
body (thumb in the film-cassette well, forefinger between the
film-advance sprocket and the take-up spool). 
Don't put your fingers anywhere near the shutter.
Flip the inner
body over. DO
NOT tug on the flexible printed circuit which connects to the
viewfinder LED assembly.
Release the LED
display from the viewfinder by undoing 2 screws which secure
the LED mounting plate to the housing. 
Use the correct size of watchmaker's screwdriver and take care
not to shear the screws or damage the screw-heads. If you cannot
remove these screws without causing damage, you can undo the
clamp which joins the two flexible printed circuits; but re-connection
is a tricky operation.
If you were able
to unsolder the wires leading to the flash connector, the camera
mechanism is now free in your hand. Repeatedly wash the affected
parts with distilled water. Washing works by serial dilution,
ie., the 1st rinse removes about 95% of the salt, the next rinse
removes 95% of the remaining 5%, and so on. Try not to get unaffected
parts wet, but for a serious flood, was everything over and over
again with fresh distilled water.
DO NOT wash the
mechanism with industrial alcohol. Alcohol will dissolve all
of the lubricants and adhesives used in production, and will
cause the mechanism to become an economic write-off.
Allow the camera
to dry naturally in a warm place, or warm it gently with
a hair-drier to speed things up.
If you have identified
and corrected the cause of the flood, fit the speed control and
film advance lever to the camera mechanism and check that it
functions mechanically. If there is any water in the shutter
assembly, the shutter will stick and further drying time is needed.
When mechanical functionality is restored, install the battery
and check electronic functionality. If all is well, the camera
mechanism can be re-installed into the body. Clean out all of
the O-ring grooves with paper towels, re-grease the O-rings,
re-assemble the camera, and check all functions. Don't forget
to clean and re-grease the O-rings of the controls which have
been disturbed (ie., ISO Knob, and 3 rings on the speed/advance
control shaft).
Do not remove
O-rings from their grooves using screwdrivers or other sharp
tools. Handle O-rings only with the soft parts of your fingers.
O-rings which cannot be removed by hand can be removed by carving
a tool out of soft plastic.
Get the camera
serviced and professionally reassembled as soon as you get back
to civilisation. |
Nikonos Lenses
|
The Nikonos camera system has a very large range of lenses associated
with it; primary optics having been manufactured by Nikon and
Sea & Sea, and other lens accessories having been made by
various manufacturers. All can be used with any manual focus
Nikonos (or Calypsofot) model (not the RS-AF), with the exception
that early versions of the Nikonos 15mm f/2.8 are incompatible
with the TTL metering system of the Nikonos IVa and V. Nikon
used the terminology 'W-Nikkor' for a waterproof lens corrected
for use in air (recognisable by the flat front glass), and 'UW-Nikkor'
for a lens corrected for use underwater (and having a convex
or concave front glass). Nikon also made an LW-Nikkor 28mm f/2.8
lens, for use in tropical conditions (air corrected, not submersible).
All of the W-Nikkor lenses focus in water, but of the UW-Nikkor
lenses, only the 28mm f/3.5 will focus in air. One of the principal
advantages of the Nikonos system was the availability of water-corrected
lenses, which (before the advent of software
radial correction) always gave a higher resolution than an
equivalent air-corrected lens mounted behind a port. |
|
Underwater resolving power of Nikonos lenses: |
|
UW Nikkor 15mm f/2.8: |
73 lines/mm centre @ f/8. |
|
UW-Nikkor 28mm f/3.5: |
72 lines/mm centre @ f/8 |
|
W-Nikkor 35mm f/2.5: |
62 lines/mm centre @ f/8 |
|
|
Source: 'Diver-operated cameras and their marine
biological uses', A. Svoboda, in 'Underwater Photography and
Television for Scientists', J.D.George, G.I. Lythgoe, and J.N.
Lythgoe, 1985, ISBN 0-19-854141-4 (OUP). |
|
An air-corrected wide-angle lens behind
a dome port, no matter how expensive, will always give lower
edge resolution than a properly water-corrected lens. This is
due to the introduction of chromatic aberration at the air-water
boundary. If the camera is a digital camera however, or if the
film is to be scanned, it is possible to correct for chromatic
aberration using software (see the software
lens correction article). If software correction is applied,
a good air-corrected lens can be turned into a good water-corrected
lens, and results similar to those obtained with UW-Nikkor lenses
can be achieved. |
Nikonos Air /
Water Lenses and Viewfinders.
 |
Action finder 35/80mm
Rapid underwater framing for the 35/2.5 and 80/4 lenses. |
 |
Action finder 28mm
Rapid underwater framing for the UW-Nikkor 28mm lens. |
 |
DF10 80mm Optical Viewfinder
Optical finder for the W-Nikkor 80mm f/4, with parallax adjustment.
Not
Submersible! |
Lens Accessories
 |
Rubber Lens Hood
Rubber lens hood for the 35mm/2.5. Provides complete knock protection
in rough working conditions. |
 |
Lens Protector Ring
Lens protector ring 58mm. Fits 80, 35, & 28mm lenses. Prevents
damage to filter thread in rough conditions. Can be removed in
water to allow fitting of optical accessories. |
 |
Spare Front Lens Cap
Spare 60mm slip-on lens cap, for 80, 35 & 28mm lenses. |
 |
Spare Rear Lens Cap
for all manual focus Nikonos Lenses (not RS). |
 |
Lens Case CL50A (35&28mm)
Lens Case CL51 (80mm)
Hard lens carrying case, black leatherette. |
Nikonos
Wide-angle Lenses & Accessories.
The focal
length of a lens in water is not directly comparable to the focal
length of a lens working in air. The parameter of interest is
the Angle of Coverage. E.g., the 15mm UW Nikkor
has the same coverage (94°) as the 20mm Nikkor f/2.8
lens used on Nikon F series SLRs.
The Sea &
Sea 15 and 20mm Nikonos mount lenses were a low cost alternative
to the UW-Nikkor counterpart. They gave good results, but used
a simplified version of the Nikonos bayonet, which did not preserve
the back-focal distance exactly, taking its reference from the
front of the camera housing rather than from the inner body.
Hence image sharpness could vary slightly depending on the camera
tolerances and whether or not the lens was pushed firmly into
the camera.
Nikonos underwater
wide-angle lenses do not focus in air! |
Sea & Sea SWL-Fisheye
12mm f/3.5
|
Angle of Coverage: 167°.
Full frame fisheye.
Min focus distance: 0.3m.
Minimum aperture: f/22.
Depth of field at f/22 is 0.13m - ¥
(the near subject just touching the front lens element).
Supplied with Neoprene dome protector and bag. |
 |
|
Fisheye lenses impart outward curvature (pincushion distortion)
to any straight lines which do not pass through the centre of
the field, but eliminate much of the perspective distortion associated
with rectilinear wide-angle lenses. Fisheye distortion may be
used as a creative effect, or may be minimised in pictures without
dominant geometric elements by making any horizon line pass through
the centre of the field. |
Sea & Sea Fisheye Viewfinder VF12
Coverage: 150.3°
(90% of the 12mm fisheye frame).
Oversize eyepiece allows full frame viewing with diving mask. |
 |
|
|
UW-Nikkor 20mm f/2.8
Water corrected, rectilinear high-resolution lens.
Angle of coverage 78°.
Min focus distance 0.4m.
Smallest aperture f/22.
Filter thread 67mm. |
 |
 |
DF12 20/28mm Optical Viewfinder
Nikon optical viewfinder for the UW-Nikkor 20mm lens. Magnification
0.35x. Coverage 85%.
Supplied with detachable mask to modify coverage for use with
the 28mm lens. With internal parallax markings. |
|
|
UW-Nikkor 15mm f/2.8 |
|
Depth of field scale, in side window, mechanically linked to
the focus and aperture controls, makes this lens extremely easy
to use. Normal practice is to choose the working aperture and
set the focus so that the upper depth of field marker is on infinity
(hyperfocal mode). The lower depth of field marker then gives
the minimum working distance, as follows: |
|
Aperture |
Depth of field
(relative to film plane) |
|
f/2.8 |
1m - ¥ |
|
f/4 |
0.7m - ¥ |
|
f/5.6 |
0.5m - ¥ |
|
f/8 |
0.4m - ¥ |
|
f/11 |
0.31m - ¥ |
|
f/16 |
0.26m - ¥ |
|
f/22 |
0.21m - ¥ |
|
To get the minimum distance relative to the lens front element,
subtract 11cm; eg., at f/22, everything more than 10cm from the
front element will be sharp.
A typical flash / ISO 100 film combination gives a working aperture
of f5.6 - f/8. With more attention to focusing, the lens can
easily be used with ISO 25 film. |
 |
DF11 15mm Optical Viewfinder
Nikon companion optical finder for the UW-Nikkor 15mm. Magnification
0.24x. Coverage 90%. Built-in parallax compensation marks for
0.6m and 0.3m |
|
Nikonos:
Close-up and Macro accessories.
|
The most popular macro accessory for the Nikonos was a set of
extension tubes for the 35mm f/2.5 W-Nikkor. Nikon however, did
not make extension tubes (although it allowed some to be badged
as Nikon products), because the extension tube forces the 35mm
lens to work well outside of its design focusing range and results
in rather poor resolution. The table below gives the maximum
achievable centre resolution (in lines/mm) for various common
macro lens configurations; from which it can be seen that an
SLR macro lens with a flat port, in addition to its freedom from
prongs and framers, gives considerably better results than the
Nikonos 35mm f/2.5 (other SLR macro lenses are likely to give
similar results to those in the table, because the port is the
major resolution limiting factor). The 28mm f/3.5, on the other
hand, gave better performance than an SLR either with the Nikonos
close-up outfit, or with an extension tube. Note that the Nikonos
Close-up lens is an achromatic doublet, and cheaper single-element
close-up lenses give inferior results. |
|
Lens Configuration. |
1:6 |
1:4 |
1:3 |
1:2 |
1:1 |
|
55mm Micro-Nikkor + flat port. |
65 |
53 |
52 |
47 |
|
|
UW-Nikkor 28mm + Nikonos Close-up lens |
82 |
|
|
|
|
|
UW-Nikkor 28mm + Extension tube |
|
|
60 |
55 |
40 |
|
W-Nikkor 35mm + Nikonos Close-up lens |
|
48 |
|
|
|
|
W-Nikkor 35mm + Extension tube |
|
50 |
37 |
36 |
36 |
|
|
Source: 'Diver-operated cameras
and their marine biological uses', A. Svoboda, in 'Underwater
Photography and Television for Scientists', J.D.George, G.I.
Lythgoe, and J.N. Lythgoe, 1985, ISBN 0-19-854141-4 (OUP). |
 |
Nikonos Close-Up Outfit.
2 element Achromatic Close-up lens, for use with
Nik3/4/5 & 28, 35, or 80mm main lens; with distance piece,
subject frames, and stabilising bar which attaches to the accessory
shoe.
Reproduction ratio depends on main lens as follows:
80mm Lens: 1:2.2 (UW), 1:3 (air).
35mm Lens: 1:4.5 (UW), 1:6.5 (air).
28mm Lens: 1:6 (UW). |
|
|
 |
Case for Nikonos CU outfit.
Carrying case for Nikonos close-up outfit, with
cutouts for major components and zip pocket for framers. Spare
recess can be used for films, tools, etc. |
 |
Ikelite Extension tubes and framers for 35mm lens.
Lightweight corrosion proof moulded extension tube, with
removable black stainless steel framer, for the W-Nikkor 35mm
f/2.5. Tube fits between the main lens and the Nikonos camera
body, and cannot be changed underwater. 1:1 tube gives life-size
image on the film. 1:2 gives 1/2 life-size. 1:3 gives 1/3 life
size.
#4090.11, 1:1 extension tube and framer.
#4090.12, 1:2 extension tube and framer.
#4090.13, 1:3 extension tube and framer. |
 |
Sea & Sea Extension Tubes for 35mm lens.
Extension tubes with distance piece and removable framer prongs.
Framer prongs can be unscrewed and clipped underneath to avoid
shadow when using side-lighting. Tube fits between the main lens
and the Nikonos camera body, and cannot be changed underwater.1:1
tube gives life-size image on the film. 1:2 tube gives 1/2 life-size.
1:3 tube gives 1/3 life size.
SS35m3, 1:3 tube for 35mm lens.
SS35m2, 1:2 tube for 35mm lens.
SS35m1, 1:1 tube for 35mm lens. |
|
Sea & Sea SS28m2 1:2 tube for 28mm lens
Sea & Sea 1:2
extension tube for the UW-Nikkor 28mm f/3.5 lens. Gives half
life-size image on the film. The 28mm lens with an extension
tube achieves considerably greater resolution than can be obtained
with the equivalent 35mm lens setup. |
Nikonos Flash Systems
Flash systems for the Nikonos were made by numerous manufacturers;
and many modern underwater strobes still support the Nikonos
TTL flash protocol. Note that the Nikonos TTL flash interface
is electrically compatible with pre-digital Nikon TTL cameras
(except the F3); which meant that photographers could use a Nikonos
for some shots (ie., wide-angle) and a housed Nikon 35mm SLR
for others (eg., macro), and share the same flash unit between
the two systems.
The Nikon electronic flash systems for the Nikonos were, in historical
order, the SB-101, SB-102, SB-103, SB-104, and SB-105. The SB-101
(pre-dating the Nikonos V) was a manual flash unit with an optional
SU-101 auto-sensor. The battery compartment for the SB-101 was
separate from the flash head, inside the handle, and the use
of anodised aluminium with brass screws (a strong corrosion cell)
made the battery compartment impossible to dismantle after a
year or so of underwater use. Hence, flooding the SB-101 battery
compartment tended to make it a write-off. The SB-102 was the
first TTL flash unit for the Nik V, but could also use the SU-101
auto sensor for compatibility with the Nik IVa. The SB-103 was
a smaller flash unit, physically similar to the later SB-105,
which replaced it. Neither the SB-102 or the SB-103 had sealed
battery compartments, and the SB-103 was subsequently recalled
because it represented an explosion hazard in the event of a
battery compartment leak. The SB-103 had the interesting feature
that the high-voltage circuit-board tracks ran perilously close
to the connections of the integrated circuit which managed the
TTL flash signals - hence one drop of water through the battery
cover seal and the whole thing could die. This unfortunate heritage
led Nikon to go for a completely over-the-top solution with the
SB-104, the electronics compartment being completely sealed,
fitted with oxygen absorbers, and filled with dry nitrogen. Servicing
the SB-104 was thus a highly specialised job, but the strobe
was reliable. The last in the line was the SB-105, which had
a sealed battery compartment and was well designed and straightforward
to repair. The SB-104 and SB-105 can still be used with some
non-preflash digital cameras (the flash control circuitry is
too sluggish to handle pre-flashes).
Notice that Nikon never got away from the lamentable 'standard
lighting' configuration, with the strobe on the left side of
the camera. The best place to put a single strobe is directly
above the camera in normal circumstances, and having to detach
the strobe from the tray so that it can be hand-held in the correct
position is somewhat unergonomic. Hence, many users preferred
to replace the Nikon bracket with a fully articulated lighting
arm (Ikelite, TLC, Ultralight, etc.). |
|
Nikon TTL flash for Nikonos |
SB-104 |
SB-105 |
|
Operating modes: |
TTL auto, Manual full, 1/4. 1/16, Slave. |
|
Guide No (Full, ISO 100, UW): |
16 |
10 |
|
Angle of coverage: |
100° |
100° w diffuser SW-103 |
|
Colour temp: |
4700K |
|
|
Power source: |
Ni-CD pack SN-104 |
4 x AA, NiCd or Alkaline |
|
Flashes per charge (approx): |
120 |
45 (Ni-Cd), 120 (Alkaline) |
|
Recycle time (approx): |
3 sec. |
4s (Ni-Cd), 6s (Alkaline) |
|
Dimensions (head only)/mm: |
124 dia, 222 L. |
99W,, 130H, 181D |
|
Weight (w/o battery) |
1.99 Kg |
0.78 Kg |
|
Depth rating: |
100m |
100m |
Non-underwater Flash accessories
Secondhand Nikonos Equipment
|
If buying secondhand Nikonos equipment,
you need some kind of guarantee from the seller. A considerable
proportion of the equipment offered for sale by private individuals
turns out to be faulty, often in some subtle but insidious way,
and spare parts can be hard to obtain. The classic problem of
the Nikonos III was that of a cracked top-plate, which was caused
by lending the camera to someone who didn't know that you have
to remove the lens before you can get the camera open. You'd
think that this problem would have been rare, but it was our
most common reason for declaring a Nikonos III to be a write-off.
The Nikonos II had a cast aluminium top plate, but the author
has even seen one of those broken in two by someone who tried
to remove it with a hammer and chisel (which goes to prove that
there really are people from other planets walking amongst us).
Nikonos IVa and V cameras tend to leak into the winding stack,
so take off the electronics cover plate and have a good look
for corrosion. The TTL flash system of the Nikonos V will cease
to work if the sync socket has been flooded (the springs in the
TTL contact pins corrode and cease to conduct electricity). It
follows that signs of tender loving care are good, but signs
of abuse are very bad. The important issue to understand however,
is that Nikonos camera systems are like cars; in that they consume
parts as a proportion of the operating cost, and occasionally
need expensive repairs. Before committing money to a system which
is no longer in production, address the problem of how it will
be maintained.
Here is the maintenance status of some common
and less common items of Nikonos equipment:
Calypsophot (1958-1963):- Collectable.
Calypso-Nikkor / Nikonos (1963 - 1968):- arguably
collectable.
Nikonos II (1968-1975):- No spares (o-rings available).
Nikonos III (1975-1979):- No spares (o-rings available).
Worth maintaining with reclaimed and substitute parts. Write-off
if camera top is cracked.
Nikonos IVa (1979-1984):- No spares except o-rings and
parts common to Nik V. Write-off if film-advance return spring
is corroded.
Nikonos V (1984 - 2001):- Spares still available in 2006,
but at 5 years since discontinuation, this situation may not
last much longer.
W-Nikkor 35mm f/2.5 & UW-Nikkor 28mm f/3.5
- last production versions are black anodised. Old versions are
plain aluminium and are less valuable. Look out for dented filter
rings, scratched optics, stiff controls, and internal flood residues
- all of which are very bad news.
UW Nikkor 15mm f/2.8 - there are two versions of this
lens. The old version with the back element projecting into the
camera throat has no spares, and does not work with the Nikonos
IV and V auto exposure systems. The focus scale window is acrylic,
and will crack if the lens is cleaned with alcohol.
LW-Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 - This is a 'land waterproof' lens
for use in rainforest environments (Vietnam war press photography).
It cannot be used underwater, but few were produced and the item
is collectable.
SB101:- No spares. Unrepairable if battery compartment
is flooded. Housing cracks possible. Best avoided.
SB102:- Spares available. Very badly designed from a service
point of view, can be very difficult to repair at the electronic
component level. High voltage and low voltage circuit tracks
are too close, so tends to die expensively from minor water ingress.
SB103:- Factory
recall. Collector's item only. Due to a potential explosion hazard,
Nikon recalled all SB103s and replaced them with the SB105. Replaced
SB103s were rendered useless by drilling a hole in the case.
Some of the drilled SB103s found their way back onto the secondhand
market - caveat emptor!
SB104:- Discontinued 2002. Over-complicated design (Nitrogen
filled housing, microcontroller-managed circuitry), weird battery
pack. Reliable, but probably un-maintainable when Nikon support
ceases.
SB105:- Replacement for the SB-103. Discontinued 2002.
Well-designed small underwater flash. TTL reset too slow for
digital cameras which use pre-flash.
Nikonos RS-AF:- Discontinued. Spares still available in
2003. Ludicrously expensive to refurbish if flooded. |
D.W.K. Last Updated May 2006. |
