Nikon F4 appreciation

Photoguy365 · Jun 3, 2018

I see lots of love for the F, F2, F3HP and the F5. The F4 seems to always come up as the dog of the F line. I picked up my first F4s in the spring of 1996. Worked a hold year as a photojournalist with my FE2 saving up for the camera. I picked up a copy for $1100 in excellent condition and used it until the end of my journalism career. I honestly never considered the F5 while working, because the F4s did everything that I needed a camera to do. Shot countless photo assignments and two super bowls with it. By far my favorite camera that I have ever owned. Anyway... just wanted to see if anyone else loved the F4 as well.

_DSC1750.jpg by Joel Ducote, on Flickr

Sirius Glass · Jun 3, 2018

I never considered the F4, F5 nor F6 due to weight. I prefer the F100 for 35mm film.

Alan9940 · Jun 4, 2018

Bought my F4 brand new and use it to this day. It's a little on the heavy side for 35mm, but not surprising given that you could drive posts in the ground with it! I doubt I'll ever sell it.

chriscrawfordphoto · Jun 4, 2018

I loved my F4, too. I loved the traditional control layout in a camera with modern technology.

chip j · Jun 4, 2018

Sirius Glass said:
I never considered the F4, F5 nor F6 due to weight. I prefer the F100 for 35mm film.

+1. Except that I like the N80.

narsuitus · Jun 4, 2018

Photoguy365 said:
Anyway... just wanted to see if anyone else loved the F4 as well.

I have owned the F, F2, F3, and F4. Loved them all.

I still own and use the F2 and F4. If it were not for the F2, the F4 would be my favorite.

Nikon F4 and Nikon F4s by Narsuitus, on Flickr

BMbikerider · Jun 4, 2018

I will go along with the weight of the F4, even the plain F4 never mind the F4s is very heavy, but an absolutely superb camera. I use an F100 and an F6 and even with a 35/70 F2.8 or the 20/35 constant aperture lenses there are only a little heavier than the F4 on it's own. If you think the F4 is heavy, then you won't want to think about a F5!

blockend · Jun 4, 2018

Often thought of picking up an F4, I like the traditional controls and don't expect too much of autofocus. However I know the weight would restrict its use for me, and would end up taking something lighter.

Theo Sulphate · Jun 4, 2018

For the longest time I avoided the F4, but Ken Rockwell's article convinced me of its importance. Also, I like the fact the F4 body is the photographic "Rosetta Stone" (Rockwell's words) of Nikon lens compatibility: it is the only Nikon film camera that can accept and use lenses from the 1959 pre-AI to the G. Only the digital Df does better.

https://kenrockwell.com/nikon/compatibility-lens.htm

In 2013 I bought my first F4s; now I have two.

macfred · Jun 4, 2018

I had one - unfortunately it had -repetitive- problems with the focus mode selector - got it repaired two times, then I gave the F4 away and bought my second F2.

sepiareverb · Jun 4, 2018

Best SLR for macro work, or any tripod work hands down. The ability to see all adjustments clearly without having to “wake-up” the LCD is magnificent. Heavy it is. Didn’t stop me from lugging two or three of them around all over the backcountry for years.

Stephen Weston · Jun 4, 2018

I had an F4s many years ago and loved it. I liked the fact that everything is at your finger tips, no searching through menus or having to operate multiple buttons to get somewhere. The weight was the downsize. Unfortunately I sold it when I went digital but I returned to film a couple of years ago. My D3 sits silently under my desk and my twin lens Rollie has become my go to. I do keep looking at the F4 and may eventually get another one though.

abruzzi · Jun 4, 2018

My F4 is positively a featherweight compared to my Pentax 67! Compared to just about any other 35 it is pretty heavy. Mine has the smallest battery grip, which is fine for my purposes. I find the AF works great for me--but I don't do moving subjects very often. It also works great as focus confirmation on manual focus lenses.

I love the viewfinder. It just seems larger and clearer than my SuperProgram.

While it works with pre AI lenses, then finger contortions required for stop down metering are less than ideal, so I'd stick with AI or later (though when I first got it the only lens I had was a pre-AI Nikkor 50/1.8, and I did shoot several rolls with it.)

Chan Tran · Jun 4, 2018

I don't like the F4. For manual focus I like my F3HP much better. I don't care for S or P mode nor that matrix metering with color negative film. If I want AF I would use my F5. Besides the F4 always try to slip off my hand. It's so slippery.

Sirius Glass · Jun 4, 2018

BMbikerider said:
I will go along with the weight of the F4, even the plain F4 never mind the F4s is very heavy, but an absolutely superb camera. I use an F100 and an F6 and even with a 35/70 F2.8 or the 20/35 constant aperture lenses there are only a little heavier than the F4 on it's own. If you think the F4 is heavy, then you won't want to think about a F5!

blockend said:
Often thought of picking up an F4, I like the traditional controls and don't expect too much of autofocus. However I know the weight would restrict its use for me, and would end up taking something lighter.

If I want to pick up a camera the weight of the F4, F5 or F6 I would pick up the Hasselblad without all those menus, completely mechanical and manual focus.

Alan9940 · Jun 4, 2018

blockend said:
Often thought of picking up an F4, I like the traditional controls and don't expect too much of autofocus. However I know the weight would restrict its use for me, and would end up taking something lighter.

The autofocus system on the F4 certainly wouldn't be good for tracking things that move--birds in flight, race cars, etc--but I've always found that it quickly locks focus on any of the typical subject matter that I normally shoot.

Alan9940 · Jun 4, 2018

Sirius Glass said:
If I want to pick up a camera the weight of the F4, F5 or F6 I would pick up the Hasselblad without all those menus, completely mechanical and manual focus.

The F4 has no menus. The F4 provides a much wider range of lens selection. Yep, the weight is comparable to a Hasselblad and the negative is certainly much smaller, but if you need access to all those focal lengths available to the F4, than that's the right tool for the job. Oh, btw, I own a 500C/M and four lenses for it.

Sirius Glass · Jun 4, 2018

Alan9940 said:
The F4 has no menus. The F4 provides a much wider range of lens selection. Yep, the weight is comparable to a Hasselblad and the negative is certainly much smaller, but if you need access to all those focal lengths available to the F4, than that's the right tool for the job. Oh, btw, I own a 500C/M and four lenses for it.

The focal lengths I have available on the Nikon are 20mm to 35mm and 28mm to 300mm, while on the Hasselblad I have 38mm, 50mm, 80mm, 100mm, 150mm, 250mm, 500mm and 1,000mm which translates to 23.75mm, 31.25mm, 50mm, 62.5mm, 93.75mm, 156.25mm, 312.50mm and 625mm. So I think that I have enough choices without buying the 40,,m 60mm, 180mm or 350mm.

Alan9940 · Jun 4, 2018

Sirius Glass said:
The focal lengths I have available on the Nikon are 20mm to 35mm and 28mm to 300mm, while on the Hasselblad I have 38mm, 50mm, 80mm, 100mm, 150mm, 250mm, 500mm and 1,000mm which translates to 23.75mm, 31.25mm, 50mm, 62.5mm, 93.75mm, 156.25mm, 312.50mm and 625mm. So I think that I have enough choices without buying the 40,,m 60mm, 180mm or 350mm.

Wow, that's a LOT of Zeiss glass! Certainly sounds like you have it all covered.

Photoguy365 · Jun 4, 2018

I often see people sight the weight of the F4 and F5, and complain about it. I've never had any issues with the weight of either camera. If anything, the weight comforts me. It provides a stable platform when using longer lenses. And I have always preferred the more solid feel over having a separate motor drive attached. In regards to the AF speed, I have never felt lacking when using the F4. Yes, the AF on the F5 and some of the more modern digital cameras is faster, but the F4 has always done a fine job for me. With the bottom dropping out on film cameras over the past few years, I have been fortunate enough to have picked up an F3HP and an F5. All three cameras are superb in their design and function. I guess I will always have a soft spot for the F4- as it was my first professional camera. I wish Nikon would do a digital body based off the function and features of the F4. I know the Df is kinda that, but I don't think they quite nailed the concept just yet.

Sirius Glass · Jun 4, 2018

Sirius Glass said:
The focal lengths I have available on the Nikon are 20mm to 35mm and 28mm to 300mm, while on the Hasselblad I have 38mm, 50mm, 80mm, 100mm, 150mm, 250mm, 500mm and 1,000mm which translates to 23.75mm, 31.25mm, 50mm, 62.5mm, 93.75mm, 156.25mm, 312.50mm and 625mm. So I think that I have enough choices without buying the 40,,m 60mm, 180mm or 350mm.

Alan9940 said:
Wow, that's a LOT of Zeiss glass! Certainly sounds like you have it all covered.

And now you know why I go buy my name of Sirius Glass!

Dennis-B · Jun 4, 2018

I've owned most everything around the F4 (F, F2, F3, F5, F6), but never bought one until I saw it recently on a local eBay dealer's site. The one I found is in excellent condition, but is very heavy. That cuts both ways. The AF is a bit primitive, but works nicely. It handles all the non-gelded Nikkors very nicely, and It's become a favorite especially with longer lenses. I also use my AI and AI-s lenses on it.

If I had a complaint, it would be the LCD bleed in the prism. As of late, I've only seen one or two that didn't have the LCD bleed. It's a bit of a niggler but I can live with it.

My favorite of the non-digital pro models, however, is the F3.

narsuitus · Jun 4, 2018

Photoguy365 said:
I wish Nikon would do a digital body based off the function and features of the F4. I know the Df is kinda that, but I don't think they quite nailed the concept just yet.

I agree !

CMoore · Jun 4, 2018

I thought with its advanced metering... or the option of that ... the F4 was one of "The Best" manual focus cameras available. I am fine with the cameras i have but for some the F4 might be THE manual camera to own.?

ic-racer · Jun 4, 2018

I have had my eye on an F4. Any buying tips.

Nikon F4 appreciation

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency