Catzeye 16 Loc: Frankfurt Mein, Germany. Now in U.S.

I recently bought a Nikon Phototomic F-2 on EBay. Is there a way to set this camera up to transfer the RAW data to my tablet or smartphone? I am a beginner at this and would like to have access to the images from this camera which of course is not digital.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

If you mean how do you get the scanned 35mm negatives from this Nikon F-2 film camera to a digital format? Have them scanned to a high resolution JPEG or TIFF by the same outfit that processes your film. The camera was discontinued in 1980, prior to he widespread use of PCs. The camera does not capture / store exposure data so you are unable to update the scanned images with data from the camera.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

That’s a film camera! So you would have to either scan negatives or transparencies, or copy them with a macro lens, using a digital camera. Either way, they’ll need post-processing on a computer with properly calibrated and custom profiled monitor. Then you can make JPEGs for your phone and tablet.

There is only one ‘to’ in Photomic.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

You can't do this. It does not record digital raw data, it records only analog images.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Maybe his camera came with the optional raw film adapter.

This is only his second post, so he doesn't have much experience here.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

You would have to tell us what you mean by "RAW data." Transferring raw files onto a phone or tablet would eat up memory very fast. You can process the film or raw files and then transfer a small JPEG to a phone or tablet.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I wonder if that was named after one of the engineers on that project: "Photo Mike" or maybe "Photo Tom."

Considering when it was developed, "atomic" may have entered into the name, although I wonder if the Japanese would have wanted to glorify "atomic."

BebuLamar

The F2 has many version and you bought the wrong version so you can't do that. You have to get the version that is not photomic.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

I think this was intended as humor, but forgot the smilies.

What do you mean by RAW data?

Most of the time RAW refers to a digital image, as captured by a digital camera, unprocessed by the camera.... Basically everything it initially captures in the images, plus data about all the camera settings. RAW files (NEF from a Nikon) cannot be directly viewed or used, need to be converted (processed) with software into a usable format such as JPEG or TIFF.

The F2 is a film camera and doesn't capture digital images.

If you want digital copies, you can have those made when you have the film processed. Labs can make low cost, lower resolution JPEGs, if you request them. I don't know if it's the same in Germany, but here in the U.S. some labs are no longer returning film negatives. If it's the same there, INSIST that they return the negatives, too! That way, if you ever want to, you can have a higher quality digital scan made.

You can then transfer all or select scanned files to your phone, if you wish.

The scanned JPEGs will probably be 2 to 5MB in size (ask the lab), which would fill up the memory of most phones pretty rapidly (you may be able to install a larger memory card, but there will still be a limit).

Perhaps you are referring to the EXIF metadata that's embedded in RAW files (or any digital file captured by a camera, for that matter). This is information related to each shot, such as what shutter speed, f-stop, etc. were used. It also may include GPS data, distance to subject, flash or no flash, exposure compensation, etc.

The F2 doesn't record any of this info, either. All you can do is what film photographers did... carry a notepad and make notes yourself (tho I suppose today you could make notes on a smartphone or tablet, instead. And it may be possible for it to include GPS info, as detected by the phone or tablet, instead of the camera.)

The best any film cameras could ever do was "burn" date/time" info onto the image (basically ruining the image in the process). I've got a couple F2 in my collection... a black body F2S Photomic with finder DP-2 and motor MD-3, and a chrome body fitted with a sports finder DA-1 and motor MD-2. There are a lot of different accessories to be able to configure the cameras different ways. An "F2 Data" version was sold and it may be possible to find the back for one of those to install on your camera. But it's function is simple, as described above... and it's built in "calendar" is probably out of date now, if it works at all.

The F2 "Photomic" is simply the basic F2 body fitted with a "head" (finder, pentaprism and viewfinder) that includes a metering system and inter-connects with the shutter speed dial of the camera. There were a series of "DP" heads made with steady improvements in functionality, over the 1971 to 1980 life span of the F2 model. Early ones are "pre AI", while later are AI (auto indexing). Even if you have one of the other F2 setups, it's designed so that all you would need to do to convert it to a Photomic is buy the different finder/prism to replace the one currently mounted on the camera. This doesn't capture any information though... it merely provides metering and a simple readout (in the viewfinder). It's basically "Manual exposure mode" in a modern camera.

Info about F2:
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/nikonf2/htmls/history.htm
https://www.cameraquest.com/ff2finde.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon_F2
https://kenrockwell.com/nikon/f2.htm

You can download user manuals for the cameras and major dedicated accessories here:
http://www.butkus.org/chinon/nikon.htm

Catzeye 16 Loc: Frankfurt Mein, Germany. Now in U.S.

Thank you for the very useful info!

Catzeye 16 Loc: Frankfurt Mein, Germany. Now in U.S.

Wildly funny!

Catzeye 16 Loc: Frankfurt Mein, Germany. Now in U.S.

Thanks for the your reply and usefulness of info!,

Catzeye 16 Loc: Frankfurt Mein, Germany. Now in U.S.

Thanks for the insight about what I was asking and your most helpful answer!