Tags
35mm, 35mm Manual Camera, Camera, FILM, film photography, Nikkor, Nikkormat, Nikkormat EL, Nikkormat EL-W, Nikon, Nikon Camera, SLR
Old enough to be cool yet modern enough to be functional is how I would describe this classic Nikon camera. The Nikkormat was Nikon’s first electronic shutter camera designed to make photography easier. Just put it on auto and it will pick the shutter speed based on your aperture. It runs on a 6 volt battery that is still available online (oddly enough, it’s a common battery in shock collars for pets, take that PETA). I think the Canon AE-1 and Mamiya M645 1000 use the same battery. The Nikkormat EL does not offer exposure compensation in Auto so if you want to over or under expose you have to change the ISO of the film speed. It’s an old trick that works great. Or you could just shoot in manual and not fuss with it. It’s easy to do with the match needle display.
This camera uses the pre-AI, that is pre auto indexing lenses, the same ones that the Nikon F’s of the era used (Pre-77 I believe, I’m not a Nikon expert). Of course it also can use any F mount lens with a set of rabbit ears on the aperture ring, so AI and AIS lens are also compatible. To install a lens you set it at F5.6 and mount it. You then clock the aperture ring from minimum to maximum aperture settings to “tell” the camera what the F stop range of the lens is. It takes some getting used to but once you get the hang of it it’s pretty quick. Pre-AI lenses tend to be cheaper then their AI and AIS cousins which is pretty nice.
The EL-W is basically the same camera with a couple of nice features added. It has an on off switch so that you can either cock back the shutter to turn on the camera or flip a switch with your shutter finger. The older EL has to have the shutter lever cocked slightly to turn on the camera. The EL-W also takes an accessory winder (6 AA batteries and good for about 1 FPS). Other then that they’re identical. They both feature mirror lock up (that’s where the battery is located).
These cameras can normally be had on eBay for a bargain, especially in poor cosmetic condition. They’re really well built, Nikon had a lot on the line and this technology was the precursor to many of their later models. However like any vintage electronic camera they may break and probably are cost prohibitive to repair.
Below is a photo taken of the Country Band Gloriana performing on board the USS Harry S. Truman. Shot using the Nikkormat EL with 50mm F1.4 lens.
I heard that the Nikkormat cameras wernt ‘real’ Nikons and made by a different company? Thats why I went for an EM as an introduction to film photography.
Is this true?
Nothing could be further from the truth, James. Nikon introduced the Nikkormat line for the amateur market but they were top quality cameras in every respect and beautifully made. The EM, in comparison, feels like a plastic toy and, I think, was made by Cosina (although I could be wrong about that). It’s still capable of producing very good results as its the lens that does all the work but a Nikkormat it aint.