F100 film door

CMoore · Dec 14, 2019

I have just started to look for an F100 for my wife.
There are tons of them on Ebay, but many of them (in all conditions) are advertised as not having the Film Door.
Is there a reason for that....something unique to the F100.?
Thank You

gl_r · Dec 14, 2019

Film door? The 'film door' is pretty much the whole camera back. If they showed images of the camera it would be obvious if it were missing. Can you provide with an example (link) where the seller says there is no film door?

gorbas · Dec 14, 2019

Door latches are part of the whole molded piece and very prone to breaking. Nikon Canada sold its last replacement door to me a few years back. It's time for somebody to 3D print it or to find solution for it.
It is Achilles' heel of that beautiful camera.
Unfortunately plastic does not age well!

Chan Tran · Dec 14, 2019

I heard many said the F100 is a better camera than the F5. I don't really know as I only have the F5.

pentaxuser · Dec 14, 2019

OP, you may know this but just in case not, there was a longish thread on F100 doors in quite recent times which may or may not be useful .

pentaxuser

gl_r · Dec 14, 2019

If a lighter camera is the goal for her then in that aspect the F100 is better.

Sirius Glass · Dec 14, 2019

The F100 has all the great features without the weight of the F5.

CMoore · Dec 14, 2019

gl_r said:
Film door? The 'film door' is pretty much the whole camera back. If they showed images of the camera it would be obvious if it were missing. Can you provide with an example (link) where the seller says there is no film door?

I am not wondering IF the door/back was missing.
I am wondering WHY it was missing From So Many of the F100 that are for sale.

gorbas · Dec 14, 2019

Because 2 plastic teeth that lock the door are broken on may F100's and there's no any replacements (as spare part) left. You have to replace entire door assembly. It's all one piece.
That is reason that people are selling F100 camera body's with our door

jwd722 · Dec 14, 2019

Check ebay under "Nikon F100 door". Cameras minus doors followed below by the missing doors.
Kind of like buying a car and having to buy tires seperately. A shady way to do business IMO, but to each his own I guess.

Sirius Glass · Dec 14, 2019

Stick to KEH and avoid the missing or damaged doors.

Naples · Dec 15, 2019

Buy here with doors: https://www.keh.com/shop/nikon-f100-35mm-slr-camera.html

Austintatious · Dec 15, 2019

Or consider the N80/F80 . Does most of what the F100 does for far less $$$. Very light weight and a quiet shutter if that is important.

CMoore · Dec 15, 2019

Austintatious said:
Or consider the N80/F80 . Does most of what the F100 does for far less $$$. Very light weight and a quiet shutter if that is important.

Thank You....... i was wondering which models might be "Similar" to the F100.
Thanks Again

Austintatious · Dec 15, 2019

You'r most welcome. The N80 is often called "the poor mans' F100". Just one stop less at 1/4000 top shutter speed.
It has most of the features and none of the issues like film door and the rewind fork that fails on many of the F100s.

perkeleellinen · Dec 15, 2019

Happy with my F80 - curious if it also has the door issue...

Austintatious · Dec 15, 2019

I have used mine for nearly 15 years. No problems. Like many Nikons, the outside of the film door became sticky. Cleaned up good as new with rubbing alcohol and a cloth.

gl_r · Dec 15, 2019

I can vouch for the F80 as well. I bought mine new in 2001 and it still works as good as new. No sticky bits either. A good candidate for your short list.

CMoore · Dec 15, 2019

Yeah..... Thanks Again.
My wife just needs a decent camera that takes a picture, if you know what i mean.
I do not own an Auto Focus camera, so the N/F-80 would be great for her.

yeah..... Thanks Again

choiliefan · Dec 16, 2019

The only thing I didn't like about my N80 was the way the focus screen became unusable when the battery was depleted.
Perhaps this had something to do with the multiple lighted AF points on the screen? Anyway, it was annoying that it required fresh batteries just to play around with composition or focal lengths without actually shooting a few frames.

John Earley · Dec 16, 2019

I like the N80 so well that I purchased three of them. All were less than $30 each and all were like new and have worked great. I also have an F100 and F5 and the pictures I've taken with them aren't any better than those I took with the N80.

Naples · Dec 17, 2019

John Earley said:
I like the N80 so well that I purchased three of them. All were less than $30 each and all were like new and have worked great. I also have an F100 and F5 and the pictures I've taken with them aren't any better than those I took with the N80.

I bought an N80 in the early 2000s and still marvel at the photos I took. Eventually it broke, don’t recall what exactly, so I bought a used F100, which I love, however I don’t think my photos are any better.

Ste_S · Dec 17, 2019

CMoore said:
Yeah..... Thanks Again.
My wife just needs a decent camera that takes a picture, if you know what i mean.
I do not own an Auto Focus camera, so the N/F-80 would be great for her.

yeah..... Thanks Again

F65 and F75 are both fine if you want an AF SLR point and shoot and should be cheaper again than the F80

Austintatious · Dec 17, 2019

I used to have an N65 and it was a good little AF camera. In the States, the F75 is an N75 and only ever came in silver...Yuck !!
The F75 can be had only in Europe. Or you can get a U2 (same camera) from Japan. (Ebay) Also a nice little AF camera.(U2)
Ken Rockwell speaks quite highly of the F75/N75.

F100 film door

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