Nikon F 35mm Camera Body, Chrome Nippon Kogaku, Serial# 65XXXXX (Requires Prism) Review

The Nikon F is the camera that established Nikon as a professional standard when it launched in 1959. This particular body is a chrome Nippon Kogaku version from the mid-1960s, sold without a prism (which must be sourced separately to complete the viewfinder system). The F pioneered the modular SLR concept, with interchangeable prisms, focusing screens, and motor drives, all built around a titanium-shuttered focal-plane body that became a workhorse for photojournalists worldwide.

This listing is a bargain-grade used unit sourced from KEH, which typically means visible cosmetic wear, brassing, or functional quirks that don't prevent basic operation. At this price point, it's a project camera or donor body rather than a ready-to-shoot collector piece. Without reviews to guide condition specifics, expect to invest time (and potentially money) in cleaning, repair, or hunting down compatible prisms and accessories. The Nikon F remains iconic, but this is not a turnkey purchase.