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2026-05-31 Nikon N2000 Camera


    Collecting this Nikon N2000 was a bit of a mistake. Until I added it to my list of cameras, I wasn’t aware I already had one. That one was acquired ten years ago, and came with a Tokina 25-50 mm zoom lens, but I might have passed this one by if I knew I had one.
    Of course this one only cost $20, came with a spotless case and the Nikkor 50 mm f/1.8  lens and was a better buy than the other camera I bought the same day. That camera—a Pentax P3—didn’t work, while the Nikon fired right up!
    The Nikon N2000—also known as the Nikon F-301 in other markets—was made around 1986, although other sources say it was made between 1985 and 1990.



 
It was the first camera—
  • made of polycarbonate
  • contained a motor drive
  • with the new “Brite View” screen that didn’t black out the focus aids at smaller apertures
  • and the only manual focus camera with a motor drive built-in. 
    It had manual, two program and aperture priority modes. There was an optional 4-AA battery compartment that extended the bottom's built-in 4-AAA battery compartment.


On the left side of the top deck there is a ISO film speed (12-3200) or DX film speed dial at the base of the film rewind crank. Towards the front there is a chrome button to release the exposure compensation dial (+/- 2 EV).
 
    At the back is a red diode that blinks—
  • when non-DX coded film loaded and the ISO dial set to “DX”
  • when the Dx contacts need cleaning
  • at the end of the film
  • and when the shutter is released    
The accessory shoe has contacts that—
  • switch the shutter speed to the sync speed (125 sec) when the flash is ready
  • allows TTL flash metering with the appropriate flash
  • confirms correct exposure with the appropriate flash
    Moving to the right side of the top deck, the chrome button at the top left is the dial lock for the shutter speed dial (for P-Hi, P and A positions). There are two Programmed shutter speed choices—P-Hi provides higher shutter speeds faster. The A position makes the camera aperture preferred. Manual shutter speeds from 2000 sec to 1 sec can be dialed in. The front right switch has lock, single frame and continuous frame choices. The back switch turns the audible sounds on and off.
There are a lot of audible beeps. Beeps can happen—
  • When using non-DX film while the film scale is set to “DX”
  • When the DX contacts need cleaning
  • For under and over exposure, or motion blur in Auto modes
  • At the end of the film
  • During self-timer operation
The small black button (marked “R”) has to be pressed to allow the slide located below it (on the camera’s back edge)to slide to allow you to rewind the film.

    The right front of the camera (from the photographer’s point-of-view) there is a push-towards -lens toggle to lock the exposure reading. In the center of the lever the push button starts the self-timer and the red diode will start to flash. The camera will also beep if the audible switch is on. The self-timer is 10 seconds. During the last two seconds the light (and beeper) flashes (beeps) faster. Canceling the self-timer just takes pressing the button again.
    The bottom has a tripod screw next to the battery cover coin-slot screw.

There is a large cover on the camera’s front on the other side of the lens. It covers a connector for a remote release cable. There is no cable release socket. Also no mirror lock-up or depth-of-field control switches.
    The general opinion of this camera is pretty high. 
    I know the case has held up really well, considering the camera is 38 years old!
 

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