INTRODUCTION
The Nikon Nikonos V was introduced to the market back in 1984 after the continuous success of the earlier Nikon Nikonos IV.
Nikon have announced the stop production of the Nikon Nikonos V in 2002 to due to lack of demand for this niche camera market segment. It will be a great lost to underwater photographers around the globe.
The Nikon Nikonos V is a SLR Camera designed specifically for underwater usage. It does have the capability to take pictures just like any SLR camera on land, but it is not the main purpose it was designed for.
I own a unit of the Nikon Nikonos V for my private collection, but I have only used it twice, the latest was in Bintan Island of Indonesia 2 months ago with my friends.
BUILD
The Nikon Nikonos V has a very strong build body. The body is made of die-cast silumin oxidised aluminium alloy, which provide the camera with the good strength and robustness.
All joints sealed by O-Ring gaskets to ensure absolute water-tightness, and the Nikon Nikonos V can withstand up to 6 kg/cm2 at a depth of 50 meters.
FOCUSING
The only focusing method for the Nikon Nikonos V is by manual focusing. The Nikon Nikonos V has a high eyepoint, which allows viewing with eye 40mm away from the finder.
EXPOSURE
The exposure metering for the Nikon FM10 is by TTL light intensity feedback metering, which has a metering range of EV 8 to 19 at ISO 100 with f:2.8 lens.
Two exposure control modes are provided by the Nikon Nikonos V, there are
1) Aperture Priority
2) Manual
SPEED
The Nikon Nikonos V provides a Shutter Speed of 1/30s to 1/1000s, Plus Bulb. It also provides a mechanical shutter speed of 1/90s if battery run flat.
LENS The Nikon Nikonos V uses the Nikon Nikons Bayonet Mount. To date, according to my knowledge, there are only 5 lenses available for the Nikon Nikonos V.
The 5 lenses available are
1) Nikon UW Nikkor 15mm f:2.8
2) Nikon UW Nikkor 20mm f:2.8
3) Nikon UW Nikkor 28mm f:3.5
4) Nikon UW Nikkor 35mm f:2.5
5) Nikon UW Nikkor 80mm f:4.0
All lenses provided by the Nikon UW Nikkor lenses are Single Focal Length lenses. There are no zoom lenses available.
There are no known third party lenses makers that can provide lenses for the Nikon Nikonos V.
QUALITY TEST
This quality test is based purely on my 2 time usage of the Nikon Nikonos V over the year.
The first occasion is done at Pulau Tioman of Malaysia in early 2001 and the most recent was in Bintan Island of Indonesia 2 months back, in late December. Both sessions were done during my snorkelling trips on the islands.
I loaded a roll of Kodak Supra 800 for my trip in Bintan Island, as I believe the extra speed provided by the film will be extremely useful when going underwater.
Personally, I have only 2 Nikon UW Nikkor lenses, the 28mm f:3.5 and the 80mm f:4, which I bought for $600 in total. Both lenses were used in my trips, on separate occasions.
Using the Nikon Nikonos V is easy, especially after making one round of reading through of the manual. Unlike Auto Focus SLR camera, which has lots of functions, the Nikon Nikonos V is basically a manual SLR camera. Knobs and buttons are kept to the minimum and easy to understand and use.
The Nikon Nikonos V has a rather heavy and bulky body. The shape of the Nikon Nikonos V is big, and makes it look clumsy. But with the different density when underwater, you will not feel the weight of the body, so it will become an insignificant factors when used in its intended environment.
Focusing with the Nikon Nikonos V is easy on land (above water), and it is as simple and easy as any manual SLR camera. It could be due to my inexperience with underwater photography, I find focusing underwater with the Nikon Nikonos rather difficult, especially when you are wearing goggles, even though the Nikon Nikonos provides a high eyepoint.
The provided shutter speed of 1/30s to 1/1000s, which might not seems like a lot, not fast enough for the fastest of action, nor slow enough to capture motion. But considering the main purpose of the Nikon Nikonos V is underwater photography, it is more than enough for anything underwater. I used the Nikon Nikonos V together with Nikon Nikonos Speedlite SB-104, and I have no problem with the range of speed provided for my use.
The TTL light metering system provided by the Nikon Nikonos V is very good. Beside all the bad focused shots I have make on the trip, all the pictures taken underwater or above are all well exposed. I do not face any problem associated with the metering systems provided by the Nikon Nikonos V.
Using the Nikon Nikonos V above water is as simple and easy as any manual SLR camera you have. But different optical viewfinder is needed for easier usage, as all the Nikon UW Nikkor lenses are water corrected.
SUMMARY
The Nikon Nikonos V is simply the best underwater SLR camera available to the market. With the announcement made recently by Nikon to discontinue the production, it is going to be the greatest lost to the photographers worldwide.