How To Load and Unload Film in the Nikonos II 

Dear Hai Tan, your visual training and the detailed explanations of each detail make this a masterful tutorial. A beloved friend just gifted to me his Nikonos II. We "grew-up" in photography when he was starting college and I was already a university assoc. prof. Our hikes and excursions into prairies, forests and lakes proved his Nikonos II a worthy image-maker. With my dear friend's gift and your tutoring, I will maintain to o-rings and load a test roll with neighbor kids so they begin to imagine how photography might be a part of their lives. Cheers!

Thank you! Found one in an antique shop loaded with film!

Great tutorial on loading and unloading film with the Nikonos II. By the way, if the model II floods, it's not the end of the world. A great thing about the first three Nikonos models is that can be saved after flooding due to their manual, mechanical nature. I was chatting with a lecturer of Maritime Archaeology at University and it sounded like he's had extensive experience with Nikonos cameras. On more than one occasion, he's saved an old Nikonos model from flooding and it worked as good as new afterwards. The model V may be a lot more user friendly due to it's improved body design and electronics / automatic features. Though those electronics can also be a disadvantage if it's flooded. The chances of survival are stacked against it in such a situation. By the way, my brother got himself a Nikonos V a number of years ago, As for me, I'm interested in picking up one of the older models.

Thanks! Needed a refresher on this camera. I’ll add that you really need to pull up on the rewind lever for it to catch. I thought I pulled it up enough, but immediately didn’t feel any tension on a roll I was trying to rewind. I had to manually rewind the film.

Ha I, I just bought a Nikonos 2, with three lenses for $50 dollars and appreciated your easy to follow video; thank you.

Awesome tutorial thanks for sharing

Thank you , it was a big Help..

Awesome! Thanks for the help!! I had no idea how to open this thing lol

Great video thanks a lot :)

Nice.

Nice video. I'm interested in getting a Nikonos and I have 2 options; a II and a IV, which one should I buy? Thanks.

I have couple Nikonses and shoot often with each (one Nikonos III and two model Vs) never have had a problem with either that wasn't me. The only issue I have had is 0-rings. While they can be found on e-bay and occasionally Amazon but they can be expensive approaching half or more the cost of second hand Nikonos. Nikonos V rings are more common than o-rings for the model 1 through 3 Nikonos. As far as I am concerned the Nikonos is the best dive camera there is or has been. It is a shame to obsolete these cameras for want of a 50 cent part. I'll get to my point. Do you know what the specs are for the o-rings of your Nikonos II. The specification ought to be the same for all the first three Nikonoses. The original ring kit had three rings: body, flash port, and the lens plus a tube of grease. I think older rings will oxidize over time leaving particles in the camera. If I keep the o-rings lightly greased they seem to last longer and make getting the camera apart for loading and cleaning a lot easier. I use the lug levers to loosen the body then push up on the screw inside the body just below the top finder assembly; I've seen a few damaged just using the lug levers.

Got one at a thrift for 20 bucks. But it doesn’t come with the side levers to pop the top. I’m trying my hardest to pry it open but it’s such a pain. Any tips?