This post introduces my newest acquisition, a Sover Wong-serviced black unmetered F2. I don’t feel the need to do an entirely new writeup for a camera that is essentially the same as this one, but I’ve had Johnny Martyr’s words kicking around in my head and wanted to rearticulate a few things here.
I’ve experimented with a few different cameras this past year (and over the course of this photo project), there’s always something exciting about trying a new camera and it’s undeniable that Nikon made some good ones, but when it’s all said and done there’s one that I can trust without reservations, because I know it so well:
Just like with cameras I’ve tried a few different film stocks this year as well and Tri-X is the one to which I always return. My favorite film with my favorite cameras are an unstoppable combination! And while I had a chrome F2, I didn’t have a black one…and it’s just soooooo pretty. I don’t usually like cameras for their looks, but at the same time I will say that this is almost the prettiest camera ever (…almost…). Do I want to use it more because of that? I dunno, maybe–but looking at it and wanting to use it don’t equate to the same thing in my mind. It does make for a nice picture.
Last year I was shooting C-41 almost exclusively, this year I’ve been shooting traditional black & white almost exclusively. I’ve done a lot of experimenting but really I know what works for me, and the past 6 months it’s been about getting back to what I know best. I’m not saying that I’ll never experiment again, in fact I continue to do so: things change periodically and my methods of working continue to evolve. But not only are these combinations my One True Love, they represent a Bedrock which can be relied upon again and again–it’s a trust that’s been built over time and one that has never failed.
The Resurrected Camera 
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How my cameras look and feel are certainly part of my enjoyment of photography and therefore affect how enthusiastically I shoot. I wouldn’t use a camera due to is cosmetics alone. But if a camera looks great and also serves your needs, this is a win-win. The unmetered F2 is a beauty for sure. Thanks for the shout-out and enjoy your twins!
There are some cameras, particularly from the 90s, that are ugly enough to make me look for something else. But, like you, I like to use a combination that I know will always deliver. In my case it is my Contax 139Q (I have had one since 1984), which with Zeiss glass and either Portra 400 or Ektar 100 just keeps doing what I need it to do!