First and Last

Artist: John Hooton
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Card: US$3.99
Print: from US$17.10

First and Last

My Nikon F bought in 1964 with a 105mm f/2.8 lens. I could only afford one lens and the 105mm was my choice as it was great for beauty head shots. Alongside it is the D3 that I purchased in 2008. It is also sporting a 105mm focal length lens. This time a VR macro. Who would have guessed in 1964 that one day there would be no more film. We would be shooting using a bit of plastic that held hundreds of exposures in it’s own memory on a camera that had it’s own computer built in.. Take that man to the funny farm.

105mm is still my favourite focal length for head shots after 44 years, so at least some things never change.

Technical Details:

Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 85mm f/2.8 PC Nikkor
ISO: 200
Exposure: 1/125 sec at f/32
Flash: Nikon SB800, SB-R200×2
Flash Mode: TTL
Post Processing: Lightroom 2, Photoshop CS3

Main flash through opaque perspex sheet, and the other two either side of a Dome Studio Light Tent.

First and Last belongs to the following groups:

Blast from the Past, Former DPF Members and Nostalgic Art and Photography Available for sale as

Greeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints, Framed Prints and Posters

joanne hope

i have actually just bought a preloved lens off a nikon film camera similar to that, its a 55mm micro macro all adjustments are done on the lens and it fits my d300 amazing is it not
John Hooton replied

Ho Joanne, I also used the 55mm macro which came with an extension tube to give you 1:1 ratio when attached.
Ren Atkins

Nice concept, and both are great looking cameras. Do you still shoot with the Nikon F?
John Hooton replied

Thanks Ren. I ran a roll of B/W through it recently, but I don’t have a darkroom now and balked at the idea of buying a £1000 scanner especially when it still takes over a minute to scan and write an image. I settled for Silver Efex Pro, a Photoshop plug in than does a superb job of simulating many B/W films and darkroom techniques.
Larry Finn

Very ingenious….
John Hooton replied

Thank you Larry, I think it comes under the category of ‘Pin-Ups’. :-))
Tata Tjahjadi

very nice product comparison shot!
John Hooton replied

Thank you Tata, I think it’s interesting to see a span of 44 years!
twmurph

I’m envious of the image and the equipment.
John Hooton replied

Thank you TW. Ah yes, but then I don’t run a car!
Erhan OZBIYIK

AS an amateur photographer, my Nikon d60 taught me a lot about photography…I hope I can purchase one of these legends someday.. D3 is a great DSLR one and the classic Nikon F…These are great technologies… And sacrifices…
Wonderful shot and scene John :)
John Hooton replied

I have used Hasselblad, Bronica, Sinar and Linoff, Rolleiflex and Nikon. To me they were just tools of the trade, but I confess I find Nikon a work of art!
Phillip Weyers

Another true classic… the 105mm for portraiture. Quite right, technology has changed in leaps and bounds since the 60’s. It has opened photography to many including myself who lusted after Nikon gear for wildlife photography but couldn’t afford it.
John Hooton replied

Hi Philip, I had two other lenses (eventually.) A 55mm that I used as a ‘normal’ lens and a 35mmPC that I used as a leg stretcher in fashion, and a DOF grabber in still life.