Nikon F-301 (N2000) 35mm SLR

What is your experience with the Nikon F-301 (N2000)? This topic will be indexed on our CAMERAS page.

My experiences? Well; I've had four in all. The first two got stolen (each with other photo gear), the third went crashing across a car park and the fourth I still have. I bought the fourth one whilst still owning the third, I soon sold the third though (the fourth one was its replacement as it suffered cosmetic damage from its incident in the car park).

I first saw the F-301 in 1985 when it was released. The nearest competitor was the Canon T70 but (IMO) the F-301 was better in just about every respect. Faster film wind (which was loud enough to wake the dead), better ergonomics (I had a Praktica SLR at the time so I was more used to dials than buttons) & better looks are a few of the plus points compared to the T70. I couldn't afford one at the time and ended up buying a FG-20, 9 months later though I sold that and upgraded to a F-301. The F-301 was entry-level but it wasn't the least featured model in the range at the time of release, the lowest specified model at the time was the FG-20. The last of the FG models were also still available (at least in the UK) in 1986 (a year after the F-301's introduction), this model was also slightly less well specified than the F-301.

This was a reasonably well specified camera in its day (and for the price it was sold at), the shutter speed range was more than adequate for many situations, 2.5fps film wind was also so. The camera continued on from the EM/FG-20/FG in that it has an audible 'beep beep' (with a flashing LED on the top plate) to warn the user that certain conditions are present (film advance, non-DX film present, low shutter speed, etc). Possibly the only real downside to this camera was the lack of DOF preview, but this feature was also missing from many cameras of the era in the same price bracket. Other niggles with the camera are the fact that is needs a MR-3 shutter button adapter in order to be able to utilise a standard cable release (or something like the MC-12 wired remote needs to be used) and that the tripod socket is greatly offset from the centre of the camera (without a AH-3, the camera seems to teeter precariously when on a tripod), these are not big problems but they added extra expense for many users (together, a MR-3 and AH-3 cost about 25% that of the price of the camera itself).

The viewfinder layout is pretty basic; The shutter speed and flash ready indicator is shown using a number of LEDs (each masked so that they display the number/symbol, not just a LED next to inscribed digits/symbols), there is no aperture readout. If the setting is out of range of the metering then warning triangles (masked LEDs again) illuminate to show this, these LEDs are also used to inform the user (each alternately flashing) if the aperture ring hasn't been set to the minimum setting in Program mode.

The only faults I have experienced with the F-301 were the rubber on the hand-grip became stretched on the first one I had, (just after the car park incident) the third one wouldn't read the DX information from the film cassette but this was rectified by wiping the contacts whilst changing the film, and all bodies developed small cracks emanating from the screws near the strap lugs.

Not loved by many (this I gather from other user experiences on the net) but it is my favourite camera out of the 50+ I own (yes, I do own too many). My current F-301 permanently wears a MF-19 databack,  MB-3 AA battery holder, AH-3 tripod adapter and MR-3 shutter release adapter. The databack helps the ergonomics by enlarging the grip (it has a protrusion on the right-hand side where the batteries go). As part of my Nikon collection I also have a F-501 (which is essentially a F-301 with AF) but this is my 'kick about' camera.

I have a N2000 and a couple N2020 AF's. These are great little pocket beat around cameras. The run on AAA cells, or take out the battery tray and the bottom cover and slide in 4 AA's bound with a little gaffers tape and you can get batteries anywhere in the world. The camera is basic, but light and somewhat durable. Nice little camera to through in the backpack and not worry about. I even wrapped one in a ziplock bag and took some pics underwater in a stream in the smokie mountains. I don't think I would have tried that with a pricer camera. One note, the N2020 I read somewhere was the first successful Nikon AF. It must have been OK, both mine still are kick'in.

That was my first SLR, bought sometime in the late eighties with my hard-earned allowance, together with a 1.8/50. Had a lot of fun with it and learned a bit about photography. A few years later I bought, on the spur of the moment, a very used Nikon F; after that the F301 was soon demoted to backup body status -- I just loved the manual-mechanical approach to photography. But I digress. The F301 was great for a beginner, the only thing I missed was the DOF preview button (once I leaned such a thing existed).

Would I recommend it to a beginner today? No. Beginning is so much easier today with a digital camera ...

On the other hand -- if you have access to a dark room, it could be fun experimenting with film and lab techniques.

-- snorri