Need your opinions for Nikon

kjsphoto · Nov 28, 2007

Hello Everyone,

I have been selling a lot of gear off these last few days ( ebay ) and now I need to get rid of another camera. I have an F5 like new and a F100 like new, I want to only keep one Which one would you keep if you had to get rid of one?

Thanks,

Kevin

keithwms · Nov 28, 2007

I sold my F5 and kept my F100. I sometimes miss the F5 but I like the option to "go small" with the F100, when I don't need the vertical grip. So it was purely an issue of convenience. I didn't consider either camera to be a particularly good long term investment- I use 'em and abuse 'em and that's that.

I think the only breakdown issue one hears about with regard to either of these cameras is that the F100 has a weak rewind fork, but my understanding is that it is fixable.

If I were to select a Nikon for long term collectibility, I think I'd go with an fm3a.

kjsphoto · Nov 28, 2007

Hello Keith,

Which one do you think you would get more for on the used market today?

Thanks,

Kevin

copake_ham · Nov 28, 2007

Because of multiple locations, I have two F5's and three F100's.

If forced down to one - I'd go with the F100 for all the reasons Keith mentioned - particularly the fact you can "scale down" the F100 by removing the "extra" battery pack.

BTW: the F6 uses the F100 idea of a detachable "super battery pack" with all of the doodads plus more of the F5. I'm thinking of doing some "strategic selling" myself.

Oh, as to your other query - the F5 is still commanding a better resale to orignal price than the F100.

keithwms · Nov 28, 2007

Indeed, the F5 sells for more, and probably always will. It is a sturdier camera with better sealing and is virtually indestructible. The F100 gained fame as the "backup" camera that just happened to be damn good in its own right.

Chan Tran · Nov 28, 2007

I think the F100 has better resale value than the F5. F5 new was near $2000 and are sold for around $500-$600 while F100 new was less than $1000 and are selling used for more than $300.

copake_ham · Nov 28, 2007

keithwms said:
Indeed, the F5 sells for more, and probably always will. It is a sturdier camera with better sealing and is virtually indestructible. The F100 gained fame as the "backup" camera that just happened to be damn good in its own right.

This is an excellent observation.

I sometimes wonder if the F100 was/is the proto-type for the F6?

It's clear that the F5 was an "improvement" on the F4. But the body-style of the F6 suggests it's roots are really in the F100!

I don't see any reason to get to arguing over relative resale value. If you want to maximize cash right now, b/w the two I'd keep the F100 and sell the F5.

PhotoJim · Nov 28, 2007

Tough choice. The F100 by itself is a more flexible camera. If you are seriously downsizing to only one camera, that'd be the one to keep.

If you have an F90x or something kicking around, I'd keep the F5 instead.

Shawn Mielke · Nov 28, 2007

The F6's roots are in the D series of bodies, sans the built-in battery pack.

Sell both and get the F6. Best of all worlds. :-]

kjsphoto · Nov 28, 2007

I have an F3HP I am going to keep as a manual camera and wanted only one auto one. So I guess the F100 is the one to keep.. Next the 105 2.8 and 80-200 2.8 go as well! cleaning house is something I should have done a long time ago...

Thank you again,

Kevin

PhotoJim · Nov 29, 2007

Actually... the F3HP is a reasonably small camera if you don't have the motor drive on it. I'd be inclined to keep the F5 if I had an F3HP as my second camera.

airgunr · Nov 29, 2007

Sell both and get the F6.

My 2 cents worth....

PhotoJim · Nov 29, 2007

The F6 is a great camera but is it really 3 times the camera that the F5 is? By dollars, it is. Functionally, I'd argue it isn't anywhere close.

Pinholemaster · Nov 29, 2007

I sold my two F5s and kept my three F100s.

If I could I'd sell the three F100s and get two F6 bodies.

roteague · Nov 29, 2007

Keep the F5 and sell the F100. The F5 is far superior in terms of metering, AF speed and durability.

film_guy · Nov 29, 2007

Sell the F5, keep the F100. And in the future, buy the F6.

kjsphoto · Nov 29, 2007

Does anyone have an idea of what this may be worth as a set?

Thanks,

Kev

jgjbowen · Nov 29, 2007

I would second the nomination for the FM3A. They currently sell on Ebay for a premium to what they sold for new @ B&H

Sirius Glass · Nov 29, 2007

kjsphoto said:
Does anyone have an idea of what this may be worth as a set?

Thanks,

Kev

Pack it up and send it to me. I will let you know what it is worth just before I move to parts unknown. Or maybe I will trade it in for an F6.

Steve

narsuitus · Dec 1, 2007

Since I need interchangeable viewfinders, 100% viewfinder accuracy, and true mirror lock-up, I would keep the F5. Since the F6 does not have interchangeable viewfinders, I would have no reason the replace the F5 with the F6.

copake_ham · Dec 1, 2007

KJS,

As to your "kit" - I think you will realize more if you sell the items separately. There are some F5 users out there (ahem) who might be interested in the rechargeable batteries etc.

If you package as a "kit" you "lose" those buyers.

roteague · Dec 1, 2007

narsuitus said:
Since I need interchangeable viewfinders, 100% viewfinder accuracy, and true mirror lock-up, I would keep the F5. Since the F6 does not have interchangeable viewfinders, I would have no reason the replace the F5 with the F6.

The F6 does have interchangeable viewfinder screens. I have both an F5 and an F6; the F6 has so many other options over the F5 it was an easy replacement.

brian steinberger · Dec 1, 2007

If this is to be your main camera, I would keep the F5 and sell the F100. 100% viewfinder, mirror lock up, and a solid body are too important to me if it's my main camera.

I have no idea what your personal shooting preference is, but for me, I would keep the F100 "for convenience" and move up to medium format as my main format.

narsuitus · Dec 3, 2007

roteague said:
The F6 does have interchangeable viewfinder screens. I have both an F5 and an F6; the F6 has so many other options over the F5 it was an easy replacement.

Thanks for the information. The F6 may have many options over the F5 but one of the features I need, interchangeable viewfinders, is something it lacks. When I need to remove the standard viewfinder and replace it with a waist-level viewfinder or an action viewfinder, simply changing the screen would not help me.

pentaxuser · Dec 3, 2007

roteague said:
The F6 does have interchangeable viewfinder screens. I have both an F5 and an F6; the F6 has so many other options over the F5 it was an easy replacement.

Robert. When and if you have the time, I'd really like to see an article comparing your experiences of the F5 and F6 and I bet I'm not the only one. Others who have experience of both models might want to chip in.

A few mint condition F6s are now beginning to appear on the secondhand market here in the U.K. but the difference between a mint F5 and mint F6 is still in the order of £350/400 which is quite a lot, depending on what advantages the F6 delivers.

Thanks

pentaxuser

Need your opinions for Nikon

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