Nikon's legendary original SLR — the F that defined professional 35mm photography for decades.
The Nikon F is the original Nikon professional 35mm SLR, introduced 1959 — widely regarded as the most historically important SLR camera ever made. It introduced the Nikon F bayonet mount, defined the professional SLR camera, and established Nikon in press and sports photography. Nikon F mount.
35mm film SLR. Nikon F-mount bayonet (44mm diameter — the same standard used today). All-mechanical shutter (1/1000s standard, 1/2000s with Ftn prism). Modular: interchangeable finders and motor drives. No built-in meter (optional metered prisms available). At approximately 680g body only. Nikon F mount.
In production from 1959 to 1974 (15 years), the Nikon F was the camera of choice for virtually every major press and sports photographer. It established the Nikon F mount — a standard that continues to this day with modern Nikon DSLR and Z-mount cameras maintaining physical compatibility going back to 1959 (with appropriate coupling checks).
On the used market the Nikon F is a historic professional film camera and collector piece. Condition checks: shutter at all speeds including 1/1000s, all modular components (viewfinder prism, motor drive) if present, mirror operation. Nikon F mount — the original 1959 mount.