Any hints about the Nikon F6

[roteague]

bad question after reading page 2.. What was the best part of the camera that sold you??

I've been a life long Nikon guy; F2, F3, N70, N80, F5 and now F6. One of the reasons I went for the F6 was the desire to have a modern 35mm camera, as technically advanced as any DSLR, but still be able to use film. Having handled the camera, with the MD-40, I think that my decision was a good one. The camera has a perfect balance, the controls are easy to use by touch, even the materials used to cover the camera have a solid feel - the rubber is the best I've ever felt. I've used the newer auto-focus types in my D200, which are also on the F6. I noticed when loading film how quiet the camera is; I've never seeen such a quiet SLR (or DSLR).

However, I've yet to run any film through it. I'll be taking it out tomorrow after work to shoot some color negative film (I can't get any E6 processed locally, and I don't have enough time left before a major trip to send any out), and get a feel for how the camera reacts in use.

 

[Matt5791]

Robert,

Can't help you out - but do tell us what you think once you start shooting with it.

Not sure how much longer Nikon will be making film gear. They just announced the D3 (virturally a full frame sensor) and D300 (not) - so the F6 is likely to be the last in a long line of great film SLRs.

Just remember everyone thought the F5 was the last. I have a Nikon Compendium from about 2000 where the author (Simon Stafford) states the F5 is likely to be the last.

Still - don't really know what more they could improve on in an F7 having read this thread, and owning an F5 myself - which itself seems pretty amazing.

Matt

 

[PhotoJim]

I'm really glad that the F6 came out. It helped push the prices on the F5s down enough that I could afford to buy a really clean one.

These are fantastic cameras. I love my F5. I'd love an F6 but it would be a bit of an indulgence at the moment.

That little metal bump in the film chamber is, I think, to prevent the cartridge from turning during power rewind. The rewind motor is very powerful. (This is my educated guess.)

Jim

 

[Thanasis]

Congratulations on the purchase. I love my F5 but i'm still a bit jealous.

 

[roteague]

I went out this afternoon and shot a couple of rolls. The camera is very smooth, very quiet, and has excellent balance (I have the MD-40 attached). The controls fall very easily to my hands, although the command dials on the MD-40 are a little harder to use. The auto-rewind is a nice feature to have. I shot two rolls of color negative film that I'll drop off for processing tomorrow, so I can see how the meter reacts under different, changing, lighting conditions.

 

[Daniel-OB]

Why I got my first F6?
1. Many good photgraphers around the world have Nikon. It is used for pj as well as art purpose. So I wished to have it too.

2. I am and mechanical engineer too, so I am inclined on techical side also and nothing strange to me to get the "best" technical device man ever made. Many potatoes went through my stomack to get it, and it cost me actually nearly twice its price (credit card reason).

3. I owned only Leicas R8. For Nikon there are a lot of lenses acceptable price I can get in emmergency, while for Leica not.

4. I like nice things to hold in my hand. F6 is a real work of art. I never want to abandom F6 even for a moment.

5. To shoot some events, I worked for years on, it was difficult to shoot with manual focusing, becase the object is moving, focusing is dificult (very close), and was walking behind the object. So I put in head autofocus will better suit. However it is much slower, I use F6 100% in manual mode, but this never accepted as error in investment.

6. Sometimes I miss the shoot because object moved, someone run into the frame, and than I have to remnove my Leica from my eye, rewind, and copose again. Too long time lost. F6 has boult in extremely reliable (I think) motor so no camera removal from eye in between shuts.

7. I always wished to have a motor drive for my camera.

........

Hope it is clear why I got my F6. The second one got because of my positive experince with the first one, and many other reasons, among other, I never change lenses on my 35 mm photo-cameras.

www.Leica-R.com

 

[Hudobec]

Hello!

I need to ask something:

1. I have noticed that the knob for manual rewinding is freely moveable when film is inserted. You know, i can just look it badly and it moves? Is this moving my film inside the camera also?

2. The DOF preview button has decided not to stay with my Nikon, so he went somewhere and it is not coming back. Is it expensive to change it, to repair this? It is annoying. Also, is it possible to set DOF preview on some other button?

Beside that, i works ok. It has survived months in Sahara desert, severe rain,...bla bla...

It is funny story, when i was i Libya the F6 got so hot because of the sun that i have burned myself when i touched the prism. But it was working,...

My serial is 9999.

 

[gregrudd]

Yeah I have often thought of off loading my pentax 35mm kit (LX/MX with M and A series primes which I might add is an argument against changing systems) for a F6 But I am thinking with the way things are going in 35mm I might be better going on the second hand market for a FM3

 

[roteague]

1. I have noticed that the knob for manual rewinding is freely moveable when film is inserted. You know, i can just look it badly and it moves? Is this moving my film inside the camera also?

No, the film will only move if the film transport mechanism moves it. You are quite safe. I'm sorry, but I don't have an answer for your second question, I think you will need to send the camera to Nikon for repair.

 

[roteague]

Yeah I have often thought of off loading my pentax 35mm kit (LX/MX with M and A series primes which I might add is an argument against changing systems) for a F6 But I am thinking with the way things are going in 35mm I might be better going on the second hand market for a FM3

I understand your feeling. I read somewhere today that Nikon is still making about 60 F6's per month. I don't know how you can sustain a production line with that low volume. However, the F6 is probably the most sophisticated 35mm you can get, so I would - in fact, I did buy one.

 

[copake_ham]

Yeah I have often thought of off loading my pentax 35mm kit (LX/MX with M and A series primes which I might add is an argument against changing systems) for a F6 But I am thinking with the way things are going in 35mm I might be better going on the second hand market for a FM3

Why?

On the theory that you will have spent less for a film 35mm camera that has become obsolete due to the unavailability of film?

If you can afford a F6, why would you get a FM3?

 

[newsphotog]

Does anyone know why it has the plastic bump which makes film loading more tricky than it should be? Bring back the Pentax 'Majic needle' system; so simple, so neat.

That bump in the film chamber was originally there to make one-handed film changing easier. While shooting sports, for instance, a shooter is changing film between plays and usually only has one hand free to load the film- the other hand is supporting the camera on monopod. With the "bump" there, you are able to insert the cartridge and pull the leader across without the cartridge pulling out with it.

 

[johnnywalker]

Why?

If you can afford a F6, why would you get a FM3?

Because there's less to go wrong with it?

 

[copake_ham]

Because there's less to go wrong with it?

That would be a reasonable premise, except the poster said he was wavering because of "the way things are going in 35mm....".

 

[JanaM]

Nikon produces 200 F6 per month

I understand your feeling. I read somewhere today that Nikon is still making about 60 F6's per month. I don't know how you can sustain a production line with that low volume. However, the F6 is probably the most sophisticated 35mm you can get, so I would - in fact, I did buy one.

Dear Robert,

according to the french photo magazine "Chasseur d'Image" (last issue) Nikon is currently producing 200 F6 per month, so about 2400 cameras per year.
I've read a posting on nikonians.org in march this year. There a poster who bought a new F6 in march this year said that his camera has a serial number 27xxx. You said the serial number of your camera is 29xxx. So a production rate of 200 per month seems to be right.

The guys of "Chasseur d'Image" visited the "sendai" plant (its the name of this special Nikon factory) in Japan. There 1100 workers are producing primarily the Nikon D3 and the F6 (and still the last batch of D2x for the NASA).
This factory has very flexible production structures, therefore cost effective production of small quantities is no problem. You can find an article about this factory on the nikon imaging website.

Production rates of 200 pieces per month are not unusual in the photographic industry. The long superteles like 4,0/500 and 4,0/600 from Canon and Nikon have similar production figures (source: interview with a Canon manager).
Another example are the Medium Format camera manufacturers. I've read in a german photo magazine 10 years ago that Rollei made 500 6x6 cameras per year at that moment.
Nowadays they intend to sell 1000-1500 of their newly developed Hy6 per year.

I think if the demand of 2000 - 2400 F6 per year is quite stable, then this camera will be produced by Nikon for further years. It's an image factor, too.
And Nikon wants to gain bigger market share in the professional segment. Many Pros still like film. And now Nikon can offer both 24x36 film and 24x36 (precisely 23x36, Nikons "FX-Format" ).

We will see. I intend to buy a brand new F6 in the next months. Sometimes dreams have to become true .

Best regards,
Jana

 

[roteague]

Jana,

Thanks for your feedback. I could only vaguely remember what I read. It could have been nikonians. I also read the visit to the Sendai Plant, it is translated on another site. Good read, if you are interested in the new D3.

I think you will like the F6, I love mine, it's a fantastic camera.

 

[gregrudd]

I understand your feeling. I read somewhere today that Nikon is still making about 60 F6's per month. I don't know how you can sustain a production line with that low volume. However, the F6 is probably the most sophisticated 35mm you can get, so I would - in fact, I did buy one.

Yeah when you have good quality primes it makes the choice to change rather hard. It was rather interesting that I was talking to a salesman I have known for a number of years (who has now changed companies who I have not seen for a long time)and I started enquiring about an F6 and he asked me are you the guy with the LX and pentax primes. My response was yes and to using his words were "I cant see a real reason for change"

 

[Sirius Glass]

I have a N-75 that I am happy with. Are there any good reasons to buy a F-6?

I understand that there are some advantages using a SB-800 and that there is a wider range of shutter exposures, but is that enough to warrant spending $2,000 after buy the Hasselblad this year? :confused:

Steve

 

[roteague]

I have a N-75 that I am happy with. Are there any good reasons to buy a F-6?

I understand that there are some advantages using a SB-800 and that there is a wider range of shutter exposures, but is that enough to warrant spending $2,000 after buy the Hasselblad this year? :confused:

Steve

I can't answer that question, only you can. For me, it was worth upgrading from an F5.

 

[Shawn Mielke]

I have a N-75 that I am happy with. Are there any good reasons to buy a F-6?

I understand that there are some advantages using a SB-800 and that there is a wider range of shutter exposures, but is that enough to warrant spending $2,000 after buy the Hasselblad this year? :confused:

Steve

It obviously depends on your needs and/or desires.

i-ttl flash
100% VF
manual rewind
between frame data imprint
11 af points
AF accuracy
(self diagnostic) shutter accuracy
full metering with all Nikkors
dampened mirror vibration
ergonomics

 

[copake_ham]

I have a N-75 that I am happy with. Are there any good reasons to buy a F-6?

I understand that there are some advantages using a SB-800 and that there is a wider range of shutter exposures, but is that enough to warrant spending $2,000 after buy the Hasselblad this year? :confused:

Steve

No!

If I were you, I'd shelve the N-75 and get a F100 ($300 or so) or a F5 ($500 to $600).

The F6 is an advancement on the F5's features with the added attraction of being housed in the smaller F100 configuration - that is unless you want to add (as you can do with the F100) the larger battery pack bringing it up to to the larger size and greater weight of the F5.

I have two F5's and I'm thinking of trading up one of them to the F6. That will be, for me, an upgrade. But I don't think you need to go all the way to an F6 at $1500 or so to realize the advantage of a pro Nikon film camera.

Pick up a good quality used F5 (or F100 with the external battery pack option) and you'll be very happy to shelve the N75.

Oh, BTW, I also own a N75 - I bought it on eBay as an inexpensive, lightweight backup camera that my wife wouldn't mind carrying for me. Frankly, it is a plastic POS - but it is a "light tight" housing capable of carrying my Nikkor glass even with its many limitations.

Since you'll get butkus selling the N75 - figure to keep it as a back up if you go as I suggest - or even if you "splurge" for a F6.

(Oh, and welcome to Nikon pro camera world! ).

 

[Sirius Glass]

No!

If I were you, I'd shelve the N-75 and get a F100 ($300 or so) or a F5 ($500 to $600).

The F6 is an advancement on the F5's features with the added attraction of being housed in the smaller F100 configuration - that is unless you want to add (as you can do with the F100) the larger battery pack bringing it up to to the larger size and greater weight of the F5.

I have two F5's and I'm thinking of trading up one of them to the F6. That will be, for me, an upgrade. But I don't think you need to go all the way to an F6 at $1500 or so to realize the advantage of a pro Nikon film camera.

Pick up a good quality used F5 (or F100 with the external battery pack option) and you'll be very happy to shelve the N75.

Oh, BTW, I also own a N75 - I bought it on eBay as an inexpensive, lightweight backup camera that my wife wouldn't mind carrying for me. Frankly, it is a plastic POS - but it is a "light tight" housing capable of carrying my Nikkor glass even with its many limitations.

Since you'll get butkus selling the N75 - figure to keep it as a back up if you go as I suggest - or even if you "splurge" for a F6.

(Oh, and welcome to Nikon pro camera world! ).

Or you could send me one of your F5s. Think about how good you will feel from doing that!

Steve

 

[Hudobec]

I have found myself in a very difficult situation,... im going to Syria for 2months, ..mhm....should i take F6 with good lens and 30 rolls of Sensia or 1Dsmk2? Problem is that im a student and that im going on low budget and that somehow im not willing to pay ~500e just for films and for developing it. And in the end i will have nothing! Shit, father forgive me, i think i will have to sin. :rolleyes: Im calming down myself with promise, that when i will come back i will use my f6 even more,...smrc...

What would you do?

 

[photogolf]

Take the F6...My $.02 cents...

 

[Sirius Glass]

times 2

For all the usual reasons.

Steve