A Short History of Nikon F Finders
by David Barth and Dick Farrow, June 2003
This article was published in the June 30, 2003, NHS-80, issue of the Journal of the
Nikon Historical Society, pages 9 through 11.
It is presented here by permission of Robert J. Rotoloni, president of the Nikon Historical Society.
This paper has been developed from information collected and graphed by NHS member Dick Farrow. It may not be exact,
but it is a close approximation of the relationship between Nikon F body serial numbers and the various types of
finders that were sold with them. Feedback from the membership is welcome and can be directed to either the authors
or to the Society.
STANDARD EYELEVEL FINDER
This finder was offered with the first Nikon F, serial number 6400001, released in March of 1959, and was produced
throughout the F era up to camera serial number 7451052 (the last Nikon F camera made) in May 1974. Many professionals
preferred the standard finder even after the metered finders were developed. These days, a standard finder is usually
worth more than a metered finder in the same condition. Part of the reason is that most older meters no longer work,
and a sleek, compact standard finder may be more desirable than a metered finder that is inoperative. Some Nikon
enthusiasts prefer the look of an F body with a standard finder than the bulky, metered version.
PHOTOMIC F "FLAG SWITCH" FINDER
This was the first metered finder for the Nikon F. It was introduced in March 1962, with approximate body serial
number 6450001. It is sometimes referred to as a "Type I" Photomic Finder. The light measurement was made at a
window on the front of the finder. This is probably the rarest F finder since fewer than 25,000 were
manufactured.
PHOTOMIC F BUTTON SWITCH FINDER
This was the second metered finder for the Nikon F. It was introduced in October 1963, about six months before the
100,000th Nikon F came off the assembly line. It was offered with approximately body serial number 6470000, and is
sometimes referred to as a "Type II" Photomic F Finder. Like the Type I flag switch finder, light measurement was
made at a window on the front exterior of the unit. The only external difference between the Thype I and II finders
is the battery switch.
PHOTOMIC "T" FINDER
This was the first "through-the-lens" (TTL) metering finder for the Nikon F. It was introduced in September 1965
with approximate body serial number 6580000. The "T" finder did not fit bodies manufactured prior to this time,
and Nikon had to change the body slightly to accommodate it. Bodies that were modified in the factory were so
indicated by a "red dot" placed in front of the serial number on the left top plate. In at least one case, a new
red dot body was sold by an authorized dealer with an earlier Photomic F button switch finder.
With the introduction of this finder, the eyepiece was changed from rectangular to circular. Just prior to the end
of "T" finder production, around body serial number 6780000, the triangular Nippon Kogaku logo on the top plate of
the F bodies was changed to simply "Nikon."
Bodies with red dots continued to be manufactured from at least body serial number 6575857 through the short-lived
6600000 series that used only about 2,500 numbers before the 6700000series was begun due to an overlap with
rangefinder camera serial numbers. This means that at least 22,500 red dot F bodies could be around. It has been
found that non-red dot bodies were produced along with red dot bodies.. The outcome of this situation is that bodies
with red dots have become collectible because of their rarity. More rare are the 2,500 or so F bodies in the 660000
serial number range.
PHOTOMIC "TN" FINDER
This was the second TTL metering finder for the Nikon F, identified by a white "N" next to the battery switch on top.
It has center-weighted metering. The "TN" was introduced in April 1967 along with body serial number 6800000, and it
was supplied with bodies up to about serial number 6900000.
PHOTOMIC "FTn" FINDER
This was the third, and final, TTL metering finder for the F. Introduced in September 1968, along with body serial
number 6900000, it had an improved TTL center-weighted meter and a better method of indexing the lens aperture to
the meter. Instead of setting the disk on top of the shutter speed selector to the largest f-stop of the lens, as
was done with the "T" and "TN" meters, you simply rotate the f-stop ring on the lens from the minimum to the
maximum and back to the minimum (sometimes called the "Nikon Shuffle"). This finder had the highest production
run of any metered finder and was made until the end of F production in May 1974.