Nikon's pro F2 with DP-2 metered prism — centre-weighted TTL, mechanical, Nikon F, 1973.
The Nikon F2 Photomic S, introduced in 1973, paired the professional F2 body with the DP-2 metered prism. It belonged to Nikon's flagship F2 line of the 1970s, the successor to the F, and served press, sports and documentary photographers. The F2 continued the Nikon F bayonet mount, a lens system whose long life spans decades of Nikon bodies.
This is a mechanical 35mm SLR on the Nikon F mount, with a horizontal-travel titanium-foil focal-plane shutter offering timed speeds to 1/2000 second plus B and T. The DP-2 prism provides centre-weighted TTL metering with a CdS cell and an LED-like exposure indicator in the finder. Exposure is manual; the shutter is mechanically timed and fires without a battery, the meter head being the only battery-powered component. The prism finder is interchangeable.
The F2 Photomic S suits photographers who want a mechanical professional body with in-finder metering and the F2's improved handling over the F. It is heavy and modular, built for hard use, with interchangeable finders and screens and support for motor drives. If the meter head fails, a plain prism keeps the body fully working.
When buying, check the DP-2 meter, which was designed for 1.35V mercury cells no longer sold; plan for an adapter or a known offset. Test shutter speeds up to 1/2000 and look for capping, inspect the prism for desilvering and foam haze, and try film advance and rewind. Foam seals are minimal. Pre-AI F-mount lenses fit; later AI and AI-S optics may need care.