I just bought (and registered) a new Nikon F6

NortheastPhotographic · Feb 21, 2017

I love the FM3a. I think it was foolish of Nikon to discontinue it in favor of the terrible FM10. Market realities being what they are though, I'll take what I can get with the F6. On the FM3a, I basically can't justify it for myself personally because I have a Leica M4. The two are really similar in operation IMO. Basic, manual focus, no batteries. The FM3a is absolutely technically superior, but I have an easier time manually focusing RFs than I do on screens. Plus I just love the current Voigtlander and Zeiss ZM lenses. I actually sold my FE2 when I got the F6, and my ZF 50mm Planar with it. I just decided that my manual focus 35mm camera is going to be my M4, and my AF camera is the F6. That way, I don't look at the FE2 and M4 and think...which one? I have a real problem with choice paralysis so for me simplification is an important step in my creative process.

NB23 · Feb 21, 2017

Yes, F100 has many shortcomings, and the F5, too. But so does the F6.

What I dislike about the F6 is that it's so damped, so damped(!) that it disconnects me with it as my instrument.
The F5 makes its presence felt. The F100 really connects me with it ( the instrument) and I feel it working in my hand.
Exactly the same difference as driving a roadster versus a luxury car where absolutely EVERYTHING has been done to take away the feeling of the road from the driver. Many times I've driven a luxury car with a flat tire without ever noticing to the slightest degree.

I shoot anywhere from 250 to 500,000 shots per year so I'm very sensitive to how a camera feels. It's all IMO.

Odot · Feb 22, 2017

Sperdynamite said:
View attachment 173183
This is what I happen to have on my phone.

24/1.4 ART - Provia 100F - F6

hey, could you say that the difference in quality between a NIkon 50mm 1.4 G and the 50 Art is big when shooting film? Shooting digital, you defo see the difference but when shooting film?

Tim Stapp · Feb 22, 2017

Sperdynamite said:
View attachment 173178

Good Grief! I'm not sure which I am most envious of, the camera or the glass! Enjoy!!!

Huss · Feb 23, 2017

Odot said:
hey, could you say that the difference in quality between a NIkon 50mm 1.4 G and the 50 Art is big when shooting film? Shooting digital, you defo see the difference but when shooting film?

I'm interested in this too as pretty much all my lenses out resolve 35mm film. So I can't tell the difference between my Zeiss 50mm Makro Planar or the 50mm AF-G. On, ahem, digital, I can.

RattyMouse · Feb 25, 2017

Sperdynamite said:
The F6 is amazing! Do Nikon a favor and get one.

$2500 new at B & H, or $700-$900 (often with a lens) on Ebay.

Very hard to help out Nikon buying a new one when there are plenty of used ones available at such a huge discount.

Chris Livsey · Feb 25, 2017

RattyMouse said:
$2500 new at B & H, or $700-$900 (often with a lens) on Ebay.

Very hard to help out Nikon buying a new one when there are plenty of used ones available at such a huge discount.

Very hard to find any new camera, M10 excepted at the moment, that is not subject to considerable discount on S/H in particular when that model has been on the market for a number of years and there is therfore a lot, relatively, of stock out there.

That new price does look out of line though. USA prices are usually less, when converted, than UK prices and subject to a lot of moaning here. A UK dealer who is a Nikon specialist and has a reputation of not being overly competitive on price lists new at UKpounds 1749 which is around $2,180 and we have lost 20% against the dollar recently.

k.hendrik · Feb 25, 2017

https://www.amazon.de/Nikon-FAA410NA-F-6-Analogkamera-Gehäuse/dp/B0009M1UZ8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1488058677&sr=8-3&keywords=Nikon+F6
These are new! and from Nikon.de.

& read this thread
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Huss · Feb 25, 2017

k.hendrik said:
https://www.amazon.de/Nikon-FAA410NA-F-6-Analogkamera-Gehäuse/dp/B0009M1UZ8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1488058677&sr=8-3&keywords=Nikon+F6
These are new! and from Nikon.de.

& read this thread
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Currently unavailable, does not know when more will be available.

We have a fresh F6 thread here, why point to an old stale one?

MultiFormat Shooter · Feb 27, 2017

Sperdynamite said:
View attachment 173183

24/1.4 ART - Provia 100F - F6

I have always wondered about the 1,005 pixel 3D color matrix metering. Was the the F6's "first guess" or was this a bracketed exposure? If the if meter is dead-on, like this, on the first frame, with transparency film, I'd say the meter is pretty awesome.

GarageBoy · Feb 28, 2017

I keep deciding if I want an F3, F4, or F5 - or all 3, but the F6 keeps calling me - it's so refined; I'll never complain about too little vibration

mweintraub · Feb 28, 2017

I'm sure some of you already saw this review, but worth another look for a good laugh.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-...iewpnt?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B0006GQ6K6#R3TTDN6Q9ARZXT

David Heintz · Feb 28, 2017

I will let you know vis the F6 and the Sigma 50 ART. I am in Washington DC for the next few days (spouse program - great to be retired!) and, if weather permits, will be shooting with the F6, the Sigma 50 1.4 ART, the Sigma 24-35 2 ART, and the Nikon 85 1.4G. BTW, I got the Sigma 24-35 despite the fact that I have many other primes in that focal length, simply because the shots on Flickr and elsewhere look so good with this lens!

Huss · Feb 28, 2017

David Heintz said:
I will let you know vis the F6 and the Sigma 50 ART. I am in Washington DC for the next few days (spouse program - great to be retired!) and, if weather permits, will be shooting with the F6, the Sigma 50 1.4 ART, the Sigma 24-35 2 ART, and the Nikon 85 1.4G. BTW, I got the Sigma 24-35 despite the fact that I have many other primes in that focal length, simply because the shots on Flickr and elsewhere look so good with this lens!

I'd be very interested in seeing how the Sigma 50 ART works on the F6. On digital bodies, when it works correctly it is outstanding, but there also are a lot of reports of focus issues. And you cannot fine tune the focus on the F6.

David Heintz · Feb 28, 2017

The lens seems to work fine on my D810 and DF. If there was a focus problem on the F6, couldn't it be mitigated with the Sigma dock? In any event, either the dock, or in-camera adjustments, if available, would hardly be practical as they require immediate checking and confirmation of adjustments - hardly possible with film.

Also, if one had a lens with auto focus issues, would simply switching to manual focus resolve (pun) the issue? I will add some MF shots during this trip. (Most of my lenses are MF primes - Zeiss and Nikon ais, so not a bother to me.) Too bad the cherry blossoms are out yet!

Huss · Mar 1, 2017

Cool, I'd love to see your F6/Sigma images once you get back.

tom43 · Mar 1, 2017

I´m using the Sigma 50 Art with my F65, F75, F80, F100 and F6. It works perfectly with all these bodies. Together with slide film details and sharpness are superb.

pentaxuser · Mar 1, 2017

mweintraub said:
I'm sure some of you already saw this review, but worth another look for a good laugh.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-...iewpnt?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B0006GQ6K6#R3TTDN6Q9ARZXT

Thanks. I seldom laugh out aloud when reading but did on this occasion.

pentaxuser

Huss · Mar 2, 2017

pentaxuser said:
Thanks. I seldom laugh out aloud when reading but did on this occasion.

pentaxuser

"Camera will not work with CompactFlash or other digital media cards. You must buy a cartridge of tape, which allows for just 24 shots. No LCD screen for image playback. Extremely frustrated and returned item.

UPDATE: After reading some of the comments, I conducted extensive research into "film photography" over the last two days and I now understand a fair amount about the subject. As a result, I have no plans to reorder the F6, but I do have a shipment of film canisters (Kodak) coming so that I can test them in my brand new Digital Nikon SLR. I think it is remarkable how old technology like filmstrips can produce resolution greater than my CompactFlash cards. Seeing will be believing."

blockend · Mar 3, 2017

pentaxuser said:
Thanks. I seldom laugh out aloud when reading but did on this occasion.

pentaxuser

It's obviously a tease, amazed it attracted 66 comments.

Erik D. Herrmann Sr. · Mar 31, 2017

pentaxuser said:
Thanks. I seldom laugh out aloud when reading but did on this occasion.

pentaxuser

That just made my day!

Ces1um · Feb 24, 2018

RattyMouse said:
$2500 new at B & H, or $700-$900 (often with a lens) on Ebay.

Very hard to help out Nikon buying a new one when there are plenty of used ones available at such a huge discount.

Totally understand this logic. I agree with you 100%. However it's one of the reasons why there are so few new film cameras left to be purchased. The used market competes directly with new sales. Frankly I'm shocked Nikon still makes the F6- but I'm happy that they do.

Dennis-B · Feb 24, 2018

Congratulations on your F6. I bought one in Oct 2016; it was mint and got it for only $500. It's become my go to film camera, and I own the F3, F4, FM2, FA, FE2, and FE. I recently added the MB-40 because I like the extra heft, and it feels more like my old F5. Everything about it suits my needs for 35mm film. I use them all, but the F6 is my favorite.

Now, if I had a complaint, it would be that it won't stop down with the newer "E" series lenses with the electromagnetic shutters. However, I have enough lenses and TC's to over come not using my 200-500 f5.6. I've used it wide open, and when its appropriate, I mount it and use it.

Sirius Glass · Feb 24, 2018

Enjoy your F6.

pentaxuser · Feb 24, 2018

NB23 said:
I shoot anywhere from 250 to 500,000 shots per year so I'm very sensitive to how a camera feels. It's all IMO.

That's quite a range or did you mean from 250,000 to 500,000 shots?. Still a lot of film at 36 shots per rolls or are these practice shots on a digital to help with the feel of a camera for film shots?

pentaxuser

I just bought (and registered) a new Nikon F6

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency