In 1965, Nikon introduced the first TTL metering finder, Photomic T, for Nikon F system. Although it was a significiant improvement to its predecessor Photomic, it did have a slightly larger base that required the mirror housing to be modified. A red dot in front of the serial numbers was added to designate those body modified to accept Photomic T and later finders. The red dot can only be found between the body serial numbers 657xxxx to 66xxxxx. It should be noted that all the bodies from 67xxxxx number block onwards were modified but without the red dot. Within the range of 658000-659999, I would say only about 3/4 of them are modified and red-dotted. As the serial numbers get closer to 659999, the more likely you will see a red dot. 65 block Red Dot F is not as rare as some dealers would like you to believe.

66 block red dot
According to the note that came with a photomic T finder box set I acquired, the highest serial number in 66 block is 6602847. This note is the only direct evident of the 66 block production number I have seen to date. There is an error in the note though. It should read " If the camera is below this number, AND (not or) does not have the red dot... " ALL of the 66 block are chrome and red-dotted (watch out for the fake black 66 bodies. They do exist!). Why Nikon suddenly jumped the serial numbers from 6602847 to 67 block is still an unsolved mistery. I think they probably realized all the new bodies were going to be made to accept the new finders anyway, they might as well stop stamping the red dot at some stage. It would be less confusing to start off with a new block of serial number rather than half way through 66 block.

 

Red dot before 658 block
The Red dot list consists of numbers before 658 block. Even the Photomic T project was probably known within the company months before it was announced in Aug 1965, the authenticity of some early 657xxxx red dot (manufactured in 1964) is still questionable. It is possible Nikon might have modified some of the unsold old stock after the Photomic T was introduced before shipping them to the dealers.

Unmodified mirror house     A Red Dot version with modified mirror house that can accept Photomic T finder.

Three different versions of Red Dot F

             

Even rarer than 66 block Red Dots are black bodies with a red dot. According to Uli Koch's fabulous reference book for Nikon F, they only exist in the 6597xxx number block. i.e. much less than 1000 black bodies can be found with a red dot! (I have seen chrome Red dot body repainted in black though) The only red dot bodies that can beat this, in terms of rarity, are those "Nikkor" marked bodies with a red dot. Nikkor bodies were only made for German market for a short period of time.

             

 

How many Red Dot Fs are there?

Of all the Nikon Fs between 6580000 and 6599999 I have come across, around 75% are Red-dotted. Assuming all those samples were randomly picked, we can then base our estimate of the total number of Red Dots on the 75% figure. Since there are 20,000 Fs between 658000 and 6599999, we should expect to see rougly 15,000 of them with a Red Dot. On top of that, there are 2848 Red Dots on the 66 block, plus a few before 658 block. That gives a ballpark figure of just under 18,000!

 

 

THE RED DOT NIKON F LIST (updated on 12 Mar 2024)

Bold numbers with a letter B after the serial numbers --- Black bodies

Numbers with FB after the serial numbers --- Original chrome bodies repainted in black

Numbers with NP after the serial numbers --- Serial number plate removed from original body

Numbers with NK after the serial numbers --- Nikkor bodies for German market

Numbers with GD after the serial numbers --- Gold plated bodies

( 6591280 was previously registered as a black body and is now confirmed to be a repainted chrome body )

 
6570022 6587601 6590590 6593145 6595295 6597183 6598431 6600004 6601339 6602497
6573678 6587637 6590595 6593158 6595317 6597186 6598445 6600006 6601346 6602520
6575738B 6587673 6590624 6593195 6595320 6597196 6598456 6600012 6601351 6602550
6575857B 6587681 6590676 6593198 6595348 6597199 6598457 6600021 6601355 6602576
6575859B 6587721 6590677 6593213NP 6595387 6597208 6598467 6600057 6601362 6602580
6576610 6587733 6590704 6593214 6595389 6597225 6598524 6600087 6601395 6602609
6578939 6587791 6590753 6593224 6595403 6597262B 6598574 6600112 6601398 6602620
6579009 6587804 6590776 6593232 6595421 6597267B 6598579 6600118 6601406 6602675
6579184 6587811 6590780 6593268 6595426 6597295B 6598591 6600142 6601424 6602680
6579343 6587832 6590794 6593288 6595444 6597308B 6598610 6600144 6601425 6602729
6579590 6587863 6590881 6593297 6595481 6597337B 6598661 6600150 6601450 6602736
6579650 6587957 6590895 6593306 6595493 6597340B 6598718 6600166 6601487 6602757
6581277 6588023 6590898 6593359 6595527 6597351B 6598730 6600169 6601489 6602768
6581357 6588242 6590937 6593369 6595565 6597392B 6598731 6600186 6601490 6602786
6581416 6588327 6590965 6593380 6595570 6597395B 6598772 6600187 6601502 6602819
6582181 6588473 6590966 6593445 6595574 6597396B 6598774 6600197 6601503 6602847
6582334 6588664 6590982 6593459 6595603 6597409B 6598779 6600200 6601506
6582415 6588745 6590995 6593478 6595605 6597421B 6598788 6600208 6601559
6582900 6588766 6591009 6593499 6595640 6597425B 6598789 6600225FB 6601585
6583061 6588824 6591014 6593509 6595678 6597436B 6598813 6600254 6601586
6583069 6588859 6591025 6593512 6595685 6597448B 6598822 6600255 6601596
6583239 6588996 6591109 6593647 6595690 6597475B 6598837 6600283 6601611
6583265 6589023 6591110 6593698 6595716 6597476B 6598853 6600287 6601685
6583470 6589030 6591113 6593706 6595721 6597503B 6598884 6600295 6601687
6583486 6589039 6591152 6593766 6595730 6597524B 6598921 6600305 6601688
6583571 6589068 6591201 6593777 6595755 6597526B 6598953 6600327 6601693
6583572 6589104 6591228 6593782 6595805 6597528B 6598962 6600341 6601696
6583622 6589116 6591237 6593852 6595815 6597536B 6598988 6600348 6601724
6583682 6589257 6591267 6593922 6595821 6597537B 6598990 6600417 6601728
6583748 6589334 6591270 6593963 6595869 6597544B 6599007 6600429 6601740
6584000FB 6589360 6591280FB 6594045 6595886 6597548B 6599015 6600455 6601753
6584220 6589384 6591308 6594126 6595917 6597558B 6599026 6600466 6601770
6584584 6589404 6591309 6594137 6595931 6597559B 6599029 6600484 6601772
6584698 6589419 6591323 6594161 6595967 6597580B 6599056 6600516 6601776
6584756 6589424 6591327 6594225 6595970 6597595B 6599082 6600523 6601778
6585000 6589428 6591338 6594226 6595980 6597600B 6599093 6600556 6601784
6585030 6589465 6591359 6594291 6596001 6597602B 6599142 6600562 6601793
6585032 6589466 6591364 6594294 6596004 6597612B 6599145 6600590 6601795
6585323 6589469 6591376 6594303 6596027 6597618B 6599173 6600595 6601833
6585349 6589471 6591406 6594306 6596045 6597624B 6599185 6600641 6601841
6585370 6589495 6591439 6594327 6596090 6597628B 6599222 6600645 6601857
6585392 6589529 6591460 6594347 6596147 6597633B 6599248 6600650 6601861
6585401 6589534 6591464 6594382 6596226 6597651B 6599264 6600664 6601883
6585408 6589536 6591472 6594387 6596229 6597653B 6599276 6600724 6601885
6585480 6589556 6591504 6594406 6596252 6597660B 6599292 6600738 6601901
6585494 6589559 6591512 6594446 6596283 6597676B 6599318 6600763 6601928
6585499 6589560 6591537 6594566 6596301 6597684B 6599407 6600765 6601932
6585512 6589597 6591572 6594572 6596362 6597694B 6599414 6600867 6601953
6585519 6589606 6591583 6594594 6596373 6597696B 6599443 6600879 6601955
6585566 6589614 6591587 6594631 6596377 6597702B 6599452 6600892 6602011
6585593 6589644 6591592 6594632 6596460 6597718B 6599463 6600900 6602013
6585632 6589647NP 6591605 6594633 6596481 6597728B 6599473 6600903 6602022
6585640 6589651 6591614 6594665 6596559 6597733B 6599489 6600907 6602035
6585717 6589657 6591629 6594672 6596568 6597810BNP 6599492 6600914 6602039
6585743 6589658 6591635 6594687 6596569 6597812B 6599501 6600934 6602061
6585813 6589673 6591680 6594701 6596578 6597816B 6599502 6600939 6602065
6585831 6589695 6591681 6594749 6596588 6597818B 6599581 6600962 6602082
6585834 6589705 6591687 6594764 6596623 6597845 6599673 6600975 6602090
6585875 6589742 6591688 6594766 6596630 6597886 6599712 6600988 6602118
6585890 6589752 6591695 6594773 6596663 6597918 6599759 6601003 6602132
6585920 6589753 6591767 6594777 6596682 6597920 6599760 6601023 6602142
6585943 6589758 6592025B 6594781 6596726 6597930 6599784 6601027 6602155
6585952 6589822 6592249 6594812 6596757 6597931 6599826 6601030 6602162
6585980 6589842 6592426 6594832 6596771 6597952 6599836 6601050 6602193
6586013 6589897 6592444 6594834 6596775 6597969 6599838 6601057 6602206
6586014 6589915 6592448 6594861 6596776 6598020 6599858 6601062 6602240
6586051 6589951 6592481 6594871 6596782 6598051 6599914 6601071 6602260
6586080 6589979 6592527 6594888 6596796 6598114 6599927 6601094 6602268
6586084 6590025 6592530 6594897 6596814 6598119 6599945 6601100 6602271
6586148 6590122 6592558 6594905 6596840 6598121 6599901 6601125 6602288
6586163 6590127 6592625 6594930 6596853 6598136 6599906 6601138 6602290
6586535 6590135 6592656 6594937 6596859 6598137 6599951 6601150 6602292
6586641 6590163 6592673 6594969 6596877 6598141 6599960 6601152 6602304
6586749 6590212 6592702 6594974 6596885 6598142 6599961 6601153 6602322
6586764 6590238 6592779 6595012NK 6596918 6598146 6599968 6601168 6602334
6586827 6590247 6592823 6595024 6596941 6598170 6599970 6601181 6602344
6586943 6590261 6592879 6595054 6596949 6598183 6599985 6601199 6602356
6586948 6590280 6592939 6595074 6596953 6598207 6601201 6602362
6587043 6590319 6592961 6595116 6596967 6598208 6601219 6602374
6587135 6590383 6592982 6595118 6596995 6598210 6601233 6602376
6587137 6590404 6592995 6595149 6597011 6598218 6601234 6602385
6587145 6590410 6593008 6595165 6597026 6598243 6601241 6602394GD
6587163 6590424 6593026 6595170 6597042 6598264 6601244 6602397
6587192 6590431 6593070 6595175 6597045 6598364 6601246 6602417
6587195 6590442 6593071 6595206 6597100 6598372 6601256 6602428
6587335 6590472 6593072 6595235 6597102 6598379 6601281 6602433
6587395 6509500 6593073 6595263 6597148 6598380 6601284 6602455
6587415 6590526 6593090 6595272 6597159 6598392 6601289 6602460
6587541 6590557 6593124 6595284 6597170 6598397 6601301 6602472
6587590 6590568 6593125 6595290 6597172 6598414 6601326 6602486
                       

The red dot serial numbers listed below are either not in the normal range or simply do not look like factory made. It is doubtful that they were originally red dot bodies.

 
6400484
6402845
6409628
6426599B
6427110
6440237
6450566
6465567 Red dot position not aligned with serial number
6470110
6491001B
6499558 Red dot position not aligned with serial number (Questar modified F)
6518885 Red dot after the serial numbers 
6532092B
6537198
6537431 Red dot position not aligned with serial number
6544209B
6557765
6560442
6570022
6575367B signs of non-factory modification
6575859B signs of non-factory modification
6579353 signs of non-factory modification
6583024 signs of non-factory modification
6586061 signs of non-factory modification
6589091 Red dot  too large
6590135
6592097B signs of non-factory modification
6593780 signs of non-factory modification
6595367
6602810FB Black body
6609327GD
       

The serial numbers listed below are confirmed NOT to have a red dot. If you see one with a red dot later on, you know they are not original!

Italic numbers with FK after the serial numbers --- Fake Red dot

( 6582886 was previously registered as a chrome body but it is now repainted to be a black body )

6570244 6576871 6580961 6583002 6584747 6587633 6593450
6570453 6576996 6580984 6583104 6584782 6587712 6593559
6570483 6577019 6581112 6583122 6584944 6588008 6593574
6570858 6577032 6581183 6583129 6585001 6588010 6594078
6570933 6577085 6581263 6583191 6585065 6588050 6594085
6571756 6577282 6581388NP 6583192 6585127 6588126 6593785
6571816 6577379 6581394 6583251 6585179 6588204 6593818
6572071 6577496 6581398 6583260 6585201 6588352 6593922
6572128 6577845 6581424 6583295 6585244 6588404
6572570 6578016 6581539 6583384 6585263 6588454
6572806 6578084 6581713 6583436 6585280 6588480
6573042 6578217 6581773 6583446 6585462 6588489
6573461 6578288 6581845 6583453 6585686 6588493
6573275 6578613 6581884 6583478 6585817 6588575
6573517 6578774 6581898 6583486 6585964 6588625
6573734 6578821 6581943 6583503 6585987 6588814
6574396 6579254 6582003 6583564 6585998 6588825
6574601 6579303 6582010 6583592 6586128 6588901
6574990 6579448 6582065 6583596 6586156 6588905
6575145B 6579495 6582099 6583634 6586175 6589136
6575379B 6579568 6582170 6583635 6586188 6589148
6575435B 6579787 6582255 6583670 6586287 6589205
6575502B 6579923 6582263 6583706 6586308FK 6591898B
6575529B 6580206 6582308 6583723 6586313 6591914B
6575552B 6580169 6582331 6583741 6586480 6591915B
6575559B 6580298 6582338 6583873 6586491 6592014B
6575581B 6580340 6582343 6583926 6586504 6592034B
6575734B 6580354 6582679 6584022 6586596 6592119B
6575819B 6580387 6582442 6584113 6586612 6592136B
6575832B 6580442 6582454 6584115 6586666 6592175B
6575842B 6580510 6582590 6584254 6586738 6592193B
6575918B 6580518 6582606 6584478 6586872 6592290
6575954B 6580554 6582703 6584484 6587076 6592335
6576006B 6580590 6582718 6584529 6587317 6592341
6576121B 6580609 6582723 6584565 6587330 6592425
6576155B 6580657 6582773 6584569 6587340 6592530
6576190B 6580658 6582795 6584588 6587371 6592915
6576199B 6580691 6582886FB 6584595FB 6587440 6593075
6576378 6580826 6582961 6584623 6587521 6593337
6576589 6580860 6582963 6584688 6587630 6593368

A few words about those Black Red Dot bodies

You may notice that there are a few black Red dots outside the 6597 series in the list. Their authenticity cannot be verified by the author, but they are included in the list for your reference anyway. It should be noted that Nikon produced black bodies in blocks of consecutive serial numbers, rather than randomly picking one here and one there. If you see a black Red dot body whose adjacent serial numbers are all chrome, then there is a good chance that this black one was also originally chrome. Apart from painting a chrome Red dot body black, one can also fake a black Red dot by modifying an authentic black (but Non-Red dot) body to Red dot version. All you have to do is to remove the raised lips behind the mirror hosuing and drill a Red dot in front of the serial numbers! (see this poorly done fake red dot !!)

If you combine the Red-dot and the non-Red-dot lists together, at least 3 black number blocks will start to emerge. They are 6575-6576, 6591-6592 and the well known 6597. According to Uli's book, black Red dots only exist in 6597 block. The safest way to get an authentic black Red dot body is to look for those in 6597 series.

     
   
 
       

Updated on 12 Mar 2024