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Spudpotatohead
Tinkerer
Username: Spudpotatohead
Post Number: 1
Registered: 02-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 12, 2010 - 10:23 am: | 
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Unbelievably, I came across a Nikon SS-F2 body the other day. I couldn't believe my eyes to finally see one of these rare creatures. I had only heard about these guys and never knew anyone that had ever physically seen one before.
Apparently these were custom modified bodies used for photographing animation cells. They have a custom gridded focussing screen that is precisely positioned and immovable for exact line up of the images.
The only photo I ever saw of one was on MIR's site and it was a DE-1 finder. This one utilizes a DP-1 finder.
Its in decent shape, but far from mint. The seals all need replacing, 1 sec doesn't retract the mirror (but all other speeds sound to be in the ballpark). There is some gunk on the 2 leading corners of the mirror (not visible thru viewfinder). The meter is jumpy. As pictured cosmetics.
I'll be posting it on the bay this weekend and we'll see what the market thinks it is worth. Should be interesting to watch!
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Tom_cheshire
Tinkerer
Username: Tom_cheshire
Post Number: 262
Registered: 04-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 12, 2010 - 10:38 am: |
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And here I was thinking this posting was going to be someone saying they had a genuine F2 as used by the Nazi SS. Not any more outlandish than some of things I've seen some eBay sellers claim.
Let us know how well your F2 sells. I have the last F ever made and was considering selling it too. |
Spudpotatohead
Tinkerer
Username: Spudpotatohead
Post Number: 2
Registered: 02-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 12, 2010 - 11:05 am: |
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Nazis? Yikes! |
David_nebenzahl
Tinkerer
Username: David_nebenzahl
Post Number: 144
Registered: 12-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 12, 2010 - 11:59 am: |
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Why does it look as if there's scotch tape on the front of the finder? (Hard to tell with the skimpy little pictures we're limited to here.) |
Spudpotatohead
Tinkerer
Username: Spudpotatohead
Post Number: 3
Registered: 02-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 12, 2010 - 12:33 pm: |
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It looks like there was some kind of laminant placed over the SS-F2 label, and it seems to have gotten some staining under it at some point. Perhaps it was not a tight seal. its very tightly affixed though
I'm attaching another shot of a film registration target that goes into the index holder on the camera door. Its a piece of ilm mounted to paper (so you can read it). The target is of the focussing screen and includes the serial number of the body and the DP1 finder is also indicated. Perhaps this target was used for aligning the image being photographed?
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David_nebenzahl
Tinkerer
Username: David_nebenzahl
Post Number: 146
Registered: 12-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 12, 2010 - 04:23 pm: |
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Interesting. So I take it that this camera was used for still photos of cels (note spelling, from "celluloid"), not for actual animated film production. Like for creating posters and whatnot for film promotion.
That gridded reticle would be very useful for such work.
If you do manage to sell it, be sure to report how much back here so we can say "you suck!". |
Tom_cheshire
Tinkerer
Username: Tom_cheshire
Post Number: 265
Registered: 04-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 12, 2010 - 04:54 pm: |
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Are you sure these are not used for frame by frame animation like I saw them using a specialized Nikon with precise registration in a behind-the-scenes look at the filming of "Indiana Jones Temple of Doom"? They had the Nikon on the tiny model rails of the model coal car and were shooting one shot at a time of a micro Indy and (what was the kid's name?). |
David_nebenzahl
Tinkerer
Username: David_nebenzahl
Post Number: 148
Registered: 12-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 12, 2010 - 05:02 pm: |
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I doubt that an animator would ever use a Nikon to shoot animation. The cine cameras they use are built for that purpose and have a lot more control and capability for doing frame-by-frame animation.
For shooting live action like the Indiana Jones model you saw, then I suppose a small still camera could be used, except that I couldn't imagine doing so without a large-capacity film holder (consider that a 36-exposure roll contains about 1.5 seconds worth of frames). |
Spudpotatohead
Tinkerer
Username: Spudpotatohead
Post Number: 4
Registered: 02-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 13, 2010 - 09:55 am: |
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I checked out the manufacturer's patent and saw that the complexity of the grid design was aimed not only for animation cells for traditional cartoons and the like, but also used for sophisticated slide show presentations for Corporations. Think of it as a precursor to Powerpoint.
Two slide projectors were set up. Slide #1 in machine #1 shows a single bullet point. Slide #1 in machine #2 shows that single bullet point and a second one. Slide #2 in machine #1 shows a those two bullet points and a third. The images were all created using this camera to keep them in perfect alignment. Then when the slides are synced, they would seamlessly animate and the bullet points would build on the screen as the speaker was presenting, without the white screen transition between them. Extremely effective in the days before Powerpoint! |
Sevo
Tinkerer
Username: Sevo
Post Number: 58
Registered: 09-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 14, 2010 - 02:38 am: |
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Being a animator by trade, yep, these things were used for animated slide shows, but not for cinematic animation.
Still photo cameras were commonly used to shoot static backgrounds for cel animations or background projection. For stop framing, the wrong frame size and low frame count would make them a nuisance (requiring optical copies and reload and recalibration every 36 shots) - if any, they may have been employed by some studios to shoot model check frames where the intermediates would have been filled with painted or digital animation. |
Spudpotatohead
Tinkerer
Username: Spudpotatohead
Post Number: 5
Registered: 02-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 14, 2010 - 11:57 pm: |
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Well, I decided to put it up for grabs with no reserve:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290402228593&ssPageName=STRK: MESELX:IT
Lets see what the market thinks its worth |
David_nebenzahl
Tinkerer
Username: David_nebenzahl
Post Number: 155
Registered: 12-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 15, 2010 - 12:37 am: |
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Hey, I like your approach to setting the starting bid on eBay auctions ($0.99 in this case). Too many sellers are paranoid about this, and start their items at $99.99 or some such (why the hell don't they just set it at $100?).
I do the same thing. (I have a camera on eBay currently starting at 23 cents.) Most items will rise to their true value. Good luck with the auction. |
Spudpotatohead
Tinkerer
Username: Spudpotatohead
Post Number: 6
Registered: 02-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 15, 2010 - 09:20 am: |
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I'm sure it would sell for more than a buck, plus I know there are enough saavy collectors out there that will give a fair price for it. A lot of folks from all over the world like and collect Nikon, so I'm not too worried.
I'm even selling an AF-S 17-35mm this week again, no reserve and start under a buck. Sure, I could take a major bath, but that hasn't happened very often. |
David_nebenzahl
Tinkerer
Username: David_nebenzahl
Post Number: 156
Registered: 12-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 15, 2010 - 11:33 am: |
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Well, it also helps (a lot) that you have many good pictures and, even more important, a thorough, honest description of the camera. |
Spudpotatohead
Tinkerer
Username: Spudpotatohead
Post Number: 7
Registered: 02-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 22, 2010 - 12:00 pm: |
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Sold for $224.50 and on its way to Australia |
David_nebenzahl
Tinkerer
Username: David_nebenzahl
Post Number: 178
Registered: 12-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 22, 2010 - 12:05 pm: |
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I was going to comment, since I was watching your auction (noticed it stayed at $49 for a long time). Are you happy with what you got? |
Spudpotatohead
Tinkerer
Username: Spudpotatohead
Post Number: 8
Registered: 02-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 25, 2010 - 11:41 am: |
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Considering that it wasn't in primo condition and what I got it for, I'm happy. I had no real clue what its true value is as I have never seen one go up for bids. I knew the market would bring a fair market value to it though. |
