Over those twenty-five years of very personal relationship with Nikon products, it remains a lot of strong, odd, good and not so, memories that are still fresh in my mind as the first day I have got my own Nikon. It is true to say that I have started photography in 1973 with others product such as Pentax Spotmatic and Canon AE-1s. But in 1978, the Nikon FM was my real introduction to the wonderful Nikonsian World.

The Nikon F series has inspired a good few generations of photographers especially during the seventies and the eighties despite the official debut of the original Nikon F in 1959. Today it remain a portrait of an era of lightweight universal photography such it has been first display in movie by Michelango Antonioni "Blow Up" with David Hemming character playing freely with a Nikon F.

In this personal Nikon Series F "guide", my only purpose is to transmit past impressions of an enthusiasm.

Nikon F (Official Nikon Release Date:1959; Years of ownership: 1986-1988): A big 35mm reflex body at his best expression. I have the honour to own one with the standard prism without meter and with the odd and bulky not very precise metering version. My best experiences have been using it with the original prism and a Micro-Nikkor AIS 55/2.8 lens. The results with slide film were outstanding at this time. Inserting a new film was also quite a challenge as for the Leica M series.

Nikon F 2a (O.N.R.D.: 1977; YoO: 1988-1993): A workhorse in the same genetic trend as the original F but with basic improvements such as a better metering system and eventually a new maximum aperture lens coupling device that was not using anymore the famous or infamous outside "5.6" fork. Working lenses were Nikkor AI 28/2.8, 50/1.2, 105/2.5   and Micro 55/3.5.

Nikkormat FT 3 (O.N.R.D.: 1977: YoO: 1988): Last version of the so-called amateur Nikkormat FT series. I have got a very rare black body version and this camera along with the 50/2.0 AIS  had recalled me a lot of the past Nikon F joy of improvised photo sessions with the advantage of the inside metering and the presence of the hot shoe.

Nikon FM (O.N.R.D.: 1977; YoO: 1978-1980): My first Nikon bought in 1978. I love and hate it at the same time. It has been a difficult introduction since every aspect of using it was a far departure from all others cameras I have been using before. Even if results were there it took a lot to convince me to stay with the Nikon system. Attached lens was Nikkor AI 50/2.0.

Nikon F 3HP (O.N.R.D.: 1982: YoO: 1987-1998): It began in 1987 when a good friend of mine have found for me a complete professional kit, Nikon F 3HP, Nikon 24/2.8, 35/2.8, Micro 55mm/2.8 and Micro 105/2.8 all AIS in almost new condition from a retiring photographer. For more than a decade, F 3HP's camera body will be my reference as a in-house photographer and as a very active auto sport photo reporter. I loved the HP viewer finder, really appreciated the metering system as for the body ergonomic with or without the MD4 motor system (motorized rewind) attached to it. I have the very rare privilege to own a collector Titanium F 3HP in its first "Champagne" presentation version (that I have stupidly resell some years after...). All those F 3s have been working flawless in many adverse conditions during those intensive professional years. Many lenses served those body as already mentionned. You can add Nikkor 300/4.5 AI, 135/2.8 AIS and 35-105/3.5-4.5 AIS. The possibility to use the camera with or without the motor attachment was allowing you to bring a very compact outfit camera combined with fixed focal lenses AIS as the 24/2.8, the Micro 55/2.8 or the 105/2.5 for reportage and documentary purposes. In Film SLR category, the Nikon F3 represent the quintescence of a versatility tool ever designed and procuced in the manual focal era. In my sense a kind of SLR successor of the Leica M.

Nikon FA (O.N.R.D.: 1983; YoO: 1992-1993): A small strange fully automatic Nikon body with the first exposure metering system using matricial analysis. This body has mainly been used with the MD-15 motor drive and a Nikkor 300/4.5 AI lens in action photography with a certain success. Exposure metering system was a real improvement compare to the previous one. Attached lens was a Nikkor 35-105/3.5-4.5 AIS combined with a Nikon SB-16B Speedlight flash unit.

Nikon F4s (O.N.R.D.1988; YoO: 1993-1994, 1997-1998 ): Nikon go professionally with the auto focus. Big piece of camera. The first one that I have bought in 1994 has stayed less than one year in my photo gear. Later on, I have tried it again for a longer use but I suspect that I have never forgiven Nikon for trying to replace the F 3. Since F 4, Nikon professional body have reach a body dimension and weight that are regarding far less interesting for documentary purposes. Over the years I have used professionally the two versions, F4 and F4s, with good results and great realibity. During that period, I have to reshape totally my optic equipment in adding these fine AF Nikon lenses over the years which are the 20/2.8, 24/2.8, 35/2.0, 85/1.8 and 300/4.0 plus the following zooms 80-200/2.8 and 35-70/2.8. Although the Nikon F 4 is a  real Pro autofocus camera, it happens very often in action photography that it has been use in manual predictive focus preference instead of using the auto option. Flash units: SB-25 and SB-26

Nikon FE-2 (O.N.R.D.: ; YoO:1986):

Nikon FM-2 (O.N.R.D.: 1984; YoO: 1990, 1994-1996, ): I was looking to renew my past experience with my first Nikon model (FM). But by the time, this new version doesn't feel to have the same sturdiest in his construction than his ancestor. At the end, it was not a sensitive move considering the rapid evolution observed with the more recent releases of the Nikon line-up. Attached lens: Nikkor 50/1.4, 24/2.8, Micro 55/2.8, 135/2.8, all AIS. Other accessories: MD-12  Motor drive.

Nikon F 90X (O.N.R.D.: 1994; YoO: 1996-1997, 2003): A "reconciliation" model which was a smaller version of their professional series. Very popular among a certain category of colleagues who were a bit exasperated with the size inflation  trend of the newest pro design. Some electronically jingles experimented time to time have not give a perfect reliability record for this model. Combine with the MB-10 Accessory Grip and the AF 35-70/2.8 & AF 80-200/2.8 lenses, this camera was a terrific photographic tool. Many features on this model were first introduced by the F 801 (N 8008) which was the commun ancestor of many "expert" oriented Nikon auto focus SLR cameras. Flash unit: SB-26 and SB-28 (2003). Other lenses: AF Nikkor 28-70/3.5-4.5, AF 28-200/3.5-5.6D and AF 180/2.8 (first release version).

Nikon F5 (O.N.R.D.: 1996; YoO: 1999): Beautiful piece of design with marvellous functionalities but so big, so heavy... Believe it or not, the first body that I have received was defective right after opening the seal box over the photo shop counter. It has been promtly exchange with a very fine unit. Exposure metering system was simply amazing in accurancy. Auto focus system was also the most efficient at that point of time, may be the first one you can really rely on action photo.. It is only its "bulkiest" that prevent me to keep it for a longer working period. Lenses: AF Nikkor 20/2.8D, 24/2.8, 28-105/3.5-4.5D, 85/1.8D and 300/4.0 ED.

Nikon F80 (O.N.R.D.: 2000; YoO: 2000-2001): My last attempt with the Nikon F series has resulted with mixed impressions. It was a fine small body with a performing auto focus system in action photography but overall construction seem to be fragile since I have got some power failures during intense use of it. Finally I replaced it by an older F90X which has appeared to be more reliable on the run.

And that is the end of that 35mm film era as the digital market has just blowing it at the present moment. We have to reintroduce ourselves to the new ways of doing photography and still have the opportunity to express ourselves in the magic of still picturing.

Thank you, Nikon, for all those pleasant moments.