Hi all!
My name is Rob. I am a long time NHS admirer and browser, and now a first time noob poster; so I first want to extend my thanks and admiration for the designers of this online treasure, as well as say hello and thanks to all the posters here, who have expanded my knowledge of, and appreciation for Nikon history! If you want to skip down to my question, please feel free, as it is my reason for posting right now. Otherwise, I guess a brief introduction is in order.
I'm a 39 year old Manhattan native, and a professional photog now living in Los Angeles. I specialize in fashion spread, head shot and portraiture work, and have exclusively used Nikons my whole life and professional career. I guess you could call it a love affair that began with an F3HP gifted to me by my folks when I was 13.
I graduated from Parsons School of Design for photography, followed by a masters from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, for Film and TV production. My photography career started in college, when I began shooting for local New York fashion mags, such as Details, Paper and Project X. I mostly did fasion work, and additionally some runway work as well, when Fashion Week would hit the City. Non-professionally, I enjoy shooting Formula 1 races, landscape, abstract architecture, and street-scene type stuff, and have experimented with color and black-and-white infrared quite a bit. I am also a seasoned darkroom veteran, and still often enjoy developing and printing black-and-white when I have the down time. I now have a business that I own with my wife, who is my lighting assistant and business partner.
Along the years, my Nikon obsession has led me to own and work with 3 F3HPs, 1 F4s, and 4 beloved F5s, which I consider to be the ultimate film SLR ever made (and superior to the F6.) I primarily still shoot film professionally, using my F5s, and only use digital when a client requests it, whereupon I usually just rent a D3.
My obsession with Nikons has also led me to a modest collection of my favorite Nikons, which are all brand new, unused and in MINT CONDITION boxes. They include a Nikon FTN, a black F2AS, an F5, and an F5 Anniversary model. I also have a vast collection of brand new old-stock accessories, motor drives and system components for each.
I AM CURRENTLY TRYING TO FIND THE LAST FEW ITEMS I NEED TO YIELD ME A COMPLETE NIKON F5 SYSTEM. I have a brand new example of every single component and accessory Nikon ever made for the F5; except for the following items, which have proven to be nearly impossible to find new old-stock examples of:
WHICH LEADS ME TO MY QUESTION:
Ebay aside, does anyone here know of a source for any or all of these items, anywhere in the world, that will ship to the USA?
I have tried such resources as Gray's of Westminster, Mr. Cad and Microglobe in the UK, countless stores in the States, as well as online stores all around the globe. Frankly, I have run out of ideas. Funny, when you collect cameras, items that you think are going to be hard to find, such as NOS MN-30 battery packs, or a brand new PF-4 Repro Copy Stand have been relatively easy to find, but a final few banal items such as the ones above, are the ones that end up driving you nuts!
If you have any ideas for me to try, or any tidbit of info to lend to me, I would REALLY, REALLY appreciate it. Any info will be kept confidential, so as not to spoil someone's secret treasure trove. All I want are these four items. If any of you have some or all of the above items in NOS condition, I would be willing to pay cash or perhaps trade for a non-F5 related piece that has evaded you that I might own.
Once again, thank you all. I look forward to being an active member of your community.
Most sincerely,
Robert
My name is Rob. I am a long time NHS admirer and browser, and now a first time noob poster; so I first want to extend my thanks and admiration for the designers of this online treasure, as well as say hello and thanks to all the posters here, who have expanded my knowledge of, and appreciation for Nikon history! If you want to skip down to my question, please feel free, as it is my reason for posting right now. Otherwise, I guess a brief introduction is in order.
I'm a 39 year old Manhattan native, and a professional photog now living in Los Angeles. I specialize in fashion spread, head shot and portraiture work, and have exclusively used Nikons my whole life and professional career. I guess you could call it a love affair that began with an F3HP gifted to me by my folks when I was 13.
I graduated from Parsons School of Design for photography, followed by a masters from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, for Film and TV production. My photography career started in college, when I began shooting for local New York fashion mags, such as Details, Paper and Project X. I mostly did fasion work, and additionally some runway work as well, when Fashion Week would hit the City. Non-professionally, I enjoy shooting Formula 1 races, landscape, abstract architecture, and street-scene type stuff, and have experimented with color and black-and-white infrared quite a bit. I am also a seasoned darkroom veteran, and still often enjoy developing and printing black-and-white when I have the down time. I now have a business that I own with my wife, who is my lighting assistant and business partner.
Along the years, my Nikon obsession has led me to own and work with 3 F3HPs, 1 F4s, and 4 beloved F5s, which I consider to be the ultimate film SLR ever made (and superior to the F6.) I primarily still shoot film professionally, using my F5s, and only use digital when a client requests it, whereupon I usually just rent a D3.
My obsession with Nikons has also led me to a modest collection of my favorite Nikons, which are all brand new, unused and in MINT CONDITION boxes. They include a Nikon FTN, a black F2AS, an F5, and an F5 Anniversary model. I also have a vast collection of brand new old-stock accessories, motor drives and system components for each.
I AM CURRENTLY TRYING TO FIND THE LAST FEW ITEMS I NEED TO YIELD ME A COMPLETE NIKON F5 SYSTEM. I have a brand new example of every single component and accessory Nikon ever made for the F5; except for the following items, which have proven to be nearly impossible to find new old-stock examples of:
Nikon Nikon AP-2 Panorama Head
Nikon No. 5T Close-up Lens
Nikon No. 6T Close-up Lens
Nikon HN-37 Hood
Nikon No. 5T Close-up Lens
Nikon No. 6T Close-up Lens
Nikon HN-37 Hood
WHICH LEADS ME TO MY QUESTION:
Ebay aside, does anyone here know of a source for any or all of these items, anywhere in the world, that will ship to the USA?
I have tried such resources as Gray's of Westminster, Mr. Cad and Microglobe in the UK, countless stores in the States, as well as online stores all around the globe. Frankly, I have run out of ideas. Funny, when you collect cameras, items that you think are going to be hard to find, such as NOS MN-30 battery packs, or a brand new PF-4 Repro Copy Stand have been relatively easy to find, but a final few banal items such as the ones above, are the ones that end up driving you nuts!
If you have any ideas for me to try, or any tidbit of info to lend to me, I would REALLY, REALLY appreciate it. Any info will be kept confidential, so as not to spoil someone's secret treasure trove. All I want are these four items. If any of you have some or all of the above items in NOS condition, I would be willing to pay cash or perhaps trade for a non-F5 related piece that has evaded you that I might own.
Once again, thank you all. I look forward to being an active member of your community.
Most sincerely,
Robert
