Nikon Nikkormat FT31977

History

The Nikkormat line began with the Nikkormat FT in 1965, Nikon's response to the market need for a durable, competent 35mm SLR below the professional Nikon F. The FT2 (1975) was a minor update; the FT3 (1977) was a targeted update to incorporate AI coupling — necessary because Nikon's introduction of AI across the F-mount in 1977 created a compatibility break, and older cameras without AI could not fully utilise the new AI lenses.

The FT3 thus served a transitional role: it bridged the old Nikkormat buyer (who expected mechanical simplicity and full battery independence) with the new AI lens ecosystem. In practice, the FT3 was on sale for only two years before the FM superseded it; the FM offered AI coupling, similar mechanical reliability, better ergonomics, and a lighter body at a competitive price.

The Nikkormat FT3 is retrospectively valued as the definitive version of the Nikkormat concept — the final, most capable expression of Nikon's secondary mechanical SLR line — even though it was commercially short-lived.

Why It Matters

The FT3 has two distinct appeals. First, it is a genuinely excellent mechanical camera: the titanium horizontal shutter is durable and accurate, the 0.86× viewfinder magnification is among the best of any 35mm SLR, and the build quality is exceptional. Second, it accepts the entire Nikon AI and pre-AI F-mount lens catalogue — a vast range of superb Nikkors from 13mm fisheye to 2000mm mirror lens, spanning six decades of production.

For photographers who find the FM too thin or the F2 too heavy, the FT3 is a well-proportioned middle ground. The battery-independent shutter makes it a dependable field camera. At typical used prices, it offers extraordinary value for the optical and mechanical quality it enables.

Lenses & Accessories

Full Nikon F-mount AI and pre-AI compatibility. AI lenses: automatic indexing, open-aperture metering. Pre-AI: manual indexing required (lift the meter tab, rotate aperture ring to maximum, re-engage). Key lenses: Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 AI, Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 AI, Nikkor 105mm f/2.5 AI, Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/3.5, Nikkor 35mm f/2 AI. Accessories: Nikon motor drive MD-4 (via adapter); Nikon F photomicro adapter; cable releases; interchangeable focusing screens via Nikon screen system.

Sample Photographers / Notable Use

• The Nikkormat FT3 was used by professional photographers who needed the AI-coupling upgrade without transitioning to the FM's different ergonomics.
• Popular in university and photography-school environments where the Nikkormat line was standard teaching equipment through the late 1970s.
• Photojournalists in extreme conditions (cold weather, wet environments) valued the titanium shutter's battery-independent operation.

References

• Camera-Wiki: Nikkormat FT3
• Wikipedia: Nikkormat