Canon F1n vs. Nikon F2? Really, is one better than the other?

vlasta · Jan 9, 2014

benjiboy said:
... I can tell you we got a hell of a lot more Nikon F3's to repair than New canon F1's especially under warranty.

Maybe, but F3 was sold a hell of lot more than F-1n

Mainecoonmaniac · Jan 9, 2014

I've handled an F3 with a motor drive vs my F1n with a motor drive. To be honest, the F3 has better balance and feels good in the hand. Nikons still focuses backwards

Jeff Kubach · Jan 9, 2014

I don't care what you say Canon F-1 is still a great camera!

Jeff

Mainecoonmaniac · Jan 9, 2014

I agree with you

Jeff Kubach said:
I don't care what you say Canon F-1 is still a great camera!

Jeff

I own 2. I've used Canon F1n when they first came out during the 80s. I love them.

benjiboy · Jan 9, 2014

When I was working in 1981 I could have bought F3' s New cheaper than Canon New F1' s but I never liked them, I actually bought 2 Canon New F1' s
with A.E. prisms that have been utterly reliable for the last thirty two years , I'm still using them, and bought a third one last year.

Mainecoonmaniac · Jan 9, 2014

Good Ben! I think the Nikon F3 is dead in the water without batteries, while the F1n will still work. That hybrid shutter is genius. I've had mine as long as you and never regretted it.

lxdude · Jan 9, 2014

benjiboy said:
When I was working in 1981 I could have bought F3' s New cheaper than Canon New F1' s but I never liked them, I actually bought 2 Canon New F1' s
with A.E. prisms that have been utterly reliable for the last thirty two years , I'm still using them, and bought a third one last year.

Though I prefer my LX, I do have to say they are damn fine machines.
I have an F3, and it's very good, but I have always felt it needed a little more development before release. They should have figured out how to give it a better meter readout, and the meter light needed a much better switch.

lxdude · Jan 9, 2014

Mainecoonmaniac said:
Good Ben! I think the Nikon F3 is dead in the water without batteries, while the F1n will still work. That hybrid shutter is genius. I've had mine as long as you and never regretted it.

The F3 has one manual speed, 1/60th or 1/80th (I've forgotten), and as I recall, the F-1N will give 1/90th and up if you first take out the battery.

lxdude · Jan 9, 2014

Mainecoonmaniac said:
I've handled an F3 with a motor drive vs my F1n with a motor drive. To be honest, the F3 has better balance and feels good in the hand.

They did a great job on that.

Mainecoonmaniac · Jan 9, 2014

I stand corrected with the F3. Canon still has more shutter speeds batteryless though

Richard S. (rich815) · Jan 9, 2014

Mainecoonmaniac said:
I stand corrected with the F3. Canon still has more shutter speeds batteryless though

I used to think that mattered but in 36 years of photography have always had an extra battery with me when needed!

Les Sarile · Jan 9, 2014

E. von Hoegh said:
And having an odd number of Nikons is bad juju.

Say that isn't so . . . :confused:

That is the one major shortcoming of the F3, no pointy plain prism option . . .

clayne · Jan 9, 2014

The F2 is probably my all-around favorite, but I like the 'sharper' lines of the F much better.

chip j · Jan 10, 2014

lxdude said:
There was no Nikon F1. It was simply the Nikon F.

Yes, let's get that straight. No one ever said "Nikon F1"! It was the God-Almighty F! I've has 5 new FTN's since 1966. Do any of you young whippersnappers know what those were ? Chip {Actually, maybe the first one was a FT}.

lxdude · Jan 10, 2014

chip j said:
Yes, let's get that straight. No one ever said "Nikon F1"! It was the God-Almighty F! I've has 5 new FTN's since 1966. Do any of you young whippersnappers know what those were ? Chip {Actually, maybe the first one was a FT}.

Yes, a point I should have made. Back in the day, it was NEVER called the F1. Even after the F2 came out.

zanxion72 · Jan 10, 2014

lxdude said:
The F3 has one manual speed, 1/60th or 1/80th (I've forgotten), and as I recall, the F-1N will give 1/90th and up if you first take out the battery.

The New F-1 uses the battery only for speeds lower than 1/90. All speeds from 1/90 to 1/2000 plus B are mechanical and do not use the battery no matter battery in or not in place.

lxdude · Jan 10, 2014

Direct quote from the Canon New F-1 manual (paragraph excerpt):

There are several shutter speeds available with the New Canon F-1 even if the battery fails. In this case, remove the battery from the battery chamber.

Then below the paragraph in a highlighted box:

IMPORTANT
The camera will not operate if you leave the exhausted battery in the battery chamber.

--So yes, it doesn't matter if the battery is in or not- IF the battery is not exhausted.

benjiboy · Jan 10, 2014

Les Sarile said:
Say that isn't so . . . :confused:

That is the one major shortcoming of the F3, no pointy plain prism option . . .

One of the reasons I dislike the F3 is was styled by Georgetto Giugiaro an Italian industrial designer and it looks to me more like a fashion item with the flattened prism top shape and the red stripe than a classic camera should, the F and the F2 do look like the classics they definitely are.

vlasta · Jan 10, 2014

O.k. we surrender. Canon F-1 is better.

Jeff Kubach · Jan 10, 2014

vlasta said:
O.k. we surrender. Canon F-1 is better.

I agree!

Jeff

elcabezagrande · Jan 10, 2014

Why not just get both? The one that you reach for more often will be the one that you like more, in the opinion of the only person that really matters. I have an F1 and an A1. The F1 is probably technically the "better" camera, but the A1 gets more use. So, in my experience, better is not always best for me. The F1 is more badass, though, and would win in a cage match.

SchwinnParamount · Jan 10, 2014

elcabezagrande said:
Why not just get both? The one that you reach for more often will be the one that you like more, in the opinion of the only person that really matters. I have an F1 and an A1. The F1 is probably technically the "better" camera, but the A1 gets more use. So, in my experience, better is not always best for me. The F1 is more badass, though, and would win in a cage match.

I actually had both the F1 and A1 (yes, I *know* I is supposed to be F-1 and A-1, but I don't give a...), and I did get them in a cage fight. Now I only have the F1. The A1 was a real lightweight.

Tony-S · Jan 11, 2014

SchwinnParamount said:
I actually had both the F1 and A1 (yes, I *know* I is supposed to be F-1 and A-1, but I don't give a...), and I did get them in a cage fight. Now I only have the F1. The A1 was a real lightweight.

The F-1N and F-1(n) certainly have their advantages, particularly for shooting in manual mode since all the info is in the viewfinder. However, for aperture or shutter priority, the A-1 is a bit better because both aperture and shutter control are in the same location and can rapidly be changed with a single finger. Plus, it is a "lightweight", especially with the motor drive; it's a lot lighter than the F-1s with their respective motor drives. So, it's all a matter of what suits your needs - like always.

SchwinnParamount · Jan 12, 2014

benjiboy said:
One of the reasons I dislike the F3 is was styled by Georgetto Giugiaro an Italian industrial designer and it looks to me more like a fashion item with the flattened prism top shape and the red stripe than a classic camera should, the F and the F2 do look like the classics they definitely are.

Personally, I love the functionality and features of the F3. The looks? Well, let's just say that was the beginning of the end for the F series. When you get to the F5, you're rapidly sliding down the ugly camera slope. Ugly aside, it is my go-to camera for sports. Especially, difficult shooting conditions in the variable atmosphere of a cyclocross race.

Mad4MF · Jan 12, 2014

These days the better one is the one some poor soul gives you along with the rest of the kit "because no one uses these any more, do they…?"

Phillip

Canon F1n vs. Nikon F2? Really, is one better than the other?

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