Nikon F2 + 55mm F2.8 Lens

Nikon F2 with waist level viewfinder

Nikon released their original F camera in 1959. Reliable and rugged with a large assortment of high quality lenses, it became a photojournalist's standard piece of equipment. The F was the world's first truely successful professional 35mm SLR and continued in production through 1974.

Ever aggressive at the time, Nikon paid keen attention to user and repair shop feedback regarding their F camera and the result was the F2. The F2 is a rock. More solid than an F, a little bigger, a swing-open back for easier loading and a more reliable optional motor drive capable of 5 frames per second AND power rewind. The F2 quickly took hold in professional markets.