Value of Nikon F SLR "Red Dot" #6602520

[jzief128]

Hello,
My wife and I were going through some of her father's old things and came across his old Nikon camera. After doing some research, we found it that it is a pretty rare and collectible camera (based on serial number). Neither of us really has use for a vintage camera, so we were looking to see what its value may be and where would be a good place to sell it. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Camera Body:
-Nikon F SLR, chrome top and bottom plates with black everywhere else.
-"Made in Japan" on bottom plate, with "Nippon Kogaku Tokyo" on the top plate.
-Serial #6602520, with a red dot before the numbers (the so called "red dot" cameras)
-Standard Non-Metered Eye Level Finder, with "Nikon F Japan" on the underside.

Lens:
-Nippon Kogaku Japan No. 415325
-NIKKOR-S Auto1:1.4 f=50mm
Accessories
-Original(?) brown leather carrying case.


All in all in is in great condition, with very little wear or scratches. Some dust, but not much. All the levers and dials work, but since I'm not a camera guy, I can't say whether they all work or not.

 

[djacobox372]

Ebay would be the place to sell it, a lot of collectors look there which keeps the prices quite high... you'll likely get more if you separate the lens and camera.

The lens should sell for around $100-150

The typical nikon f body with the standard prism will fetch around $250, but the red-dot versions are rare. It seems like people on ebay are asking between 500 and 1000 for them, but none of them are selling. My guess is $450.

 

[j-dogg]

If that is the case I got a steal on my Nikkormat FT, 100 dollars with lenses, including a Vivitar 55-135mm f3.5

 

[compur]

All in all in is in great condition ... I can't say whether they all work or not.

Condition is everything when it comes to vintage camera values and that
includes working condition of camera body, lenses and other items. People
who buy vintage cameras buy them with the intention of using them, not
to put them on a shelf (though that's where many end up anyway). In
other words, cameras don't have value solely because they are a particular
model.

It's impossible for anyone to give an intelligent appraisal of your camera
on an internet forum. It would have to be personally inspected by a
knowledgeable person. There are many points to inspect, both internal
and external. Outward appearance is important but that is far from all
that counts in determining its value.

Most people put them on eBay in an auction listing and sell them to the
highest bidder. Provide clear close-up photos and honesty describe it as
best you can. But, don't expect to get as much as someone who does
know about cameras and who can give all the pertinent information as to
condition.

Another alternative is to bring it to a camera shop that has someone
who can appraise it for you but there may be risks in doing that as well.
Today's camera shops often have no such person or they may have
more interest in having you trade your camera in for a new one than in
answering your questions honestly.

And, even if you do get a professional appraisal, selling it at that price is
another matter in these tough economic times.

 

[jzief128]

Thanks for your suggestions. I guess part of my question is where (besides eBay) does one sell a vintage/collector camera? The dealers that sell the cameras themselves don't usually give a very good price and the auctions seem to be infrequent, in Europe, and for very high end stuff.

 

[djacobox372]

If that is the case I got a steal on my Nikkormat FT, 100 dollars with lenses, including a Vivitar 55-135mm f3.5

That's a fair deal, but keep in mind that off-brand lenses don't fetch much at all, and nikkormat's are far less valuable then "nikon" branded cameras--although they are just as good IMO.

FYI: the standard prism on a nikon F is typically worth more then the body itself, as most people upgraded these to the metered prisms when they became available--and collectors want the "original" F, not the later metered prism version.

 

[kshapero]

Also all Nikon F's after 1966 incorporate the "red dot" refinements, so it is not that big of a deal. Getting a meterless version of the F is the cat's meow.

 

[BrianV]

The "66" serial number block for Nikon F is "rare" as it overlapped production of the rangefinder line, the half-frame version of the Nikon S3. Nikon jumped the serial number of the F line to the "67" block fairly quickly.

The Red Dot means that the body was modified to take the "T" Photomic finder, the first Nikon with through the lens metering. The finder frame of the original Nikon F bodies was too small to accommodate the TTL finders.