Nikon F4 or F5?

[mweintraub]

Nearing seventy years of age I am astonished to read on this thread that the F5 camera body, which weighs 42.7 ounces (without batteries inserted) is regarded by some as too heavy You younger guys need to start doing arm curls with minimum weight 3lb dumb bells. Thanks for the laughs.

I was doing curls with a RZ67 + Prism + left hand grip. Now that's a workout.

 

[brian steinberger]

Nearing seventy years of age I am astonished to read on this thread that the F5 camera body, which weighs 42.7 ounces (without batteries inserted) is regarded by some as too heavy You younger guys need to start doing arm curls with minimum weight 3lb dumb bells. Thanks for the laughs.

Yea what's also funny is that we (me included) bitch about the weight of these cameras and then I grab my F100 for its light weight and take along an 80-200/2.8 and were right back to being heavy again!!

 

[Xmas]

I use a F2 plain prism and 5cm E series, shutter lock frozen, shutter blind with fabric paInted holes, prism is chipped, less is more.

 

[dorff]

I was doing curls with a RZ67 + Prism + left hand grip. Now that's a workout.

No lens attached? What a cop out!

 

[dorff]

The F90 and its variants, and maybe even the F801, might also be just fine for you, since they will meter with AI/AIS lenses. I am not 100% sure whether it is matrix metering

It isn't Matrix metering. The same goes to all AF bodies apart the F4 and F6.

Thanks for the clarification. For my own purposes, C/W metering is adequate in 90% of cases, and with some understanding of the scene and how the camera meters it, easy adjustment can be made for much of the remaining 10%. I tend to focus, then shift the frame to meter off something that has uniform lighting of the correct intensity, then AE/AF lock, reframe on the subject and fire. If I can't find something to meter off, I will assess the intensity and dial in exposure compensation. That works well for me, but there are probably other elegant ways to do it.

 

[Ricardo Miranda]

You're welcome! Further to add, if you are working with AF lenses and Matrix mode and switch to an AI lens, the Matrix mode symbol will flash and the camera switches to CW automatically on the F801, F601 and F90.

 

[mweintraub]

No lens attached? What a cop out!

When I was doing it, the 110mm was attached. Haven't tried with the 180mm yet. BEEEEFCAKE!

 

[PhotoJim]

I have both and like both. I tend to use the F5 slightly more but there are a few things I like better about the F4:

- you can get an MB-20 battery pack and considerably reduce its size and weight at the expense of film advance rate and battery life. It's nice to have the option.
- matrix metering works with AI lenses. The F5 requires electronic contacts on the lens to support matrix metering. If you use, or aspire to use, a lot of manual lenses and can make sure they are AI or newer (AI'd work but not in matrix mode), you might like the F4 better.
- the user interface is really simple on the F4. It's intuitive and it's easy to run with gloved hands, which is nice in cold weather. The F5 isn't bad, it's just not as convenient.

If you like the MB-20 idea, your best bet is to buy an F4 with MB-20 and get a separate battery pack for the higher film advance rate (MB-23? I'd have to research it again). The F4 with MB-20 is simply the F4; the other two variants with larger battery packs are the F4s (the most common F4 variant) and the F4e (pretty uncommon but out there).

As an alternative to the F5, consider an F4 plus F100. Probably similar money, and then you get a near-F5 plus an actual F4.

 

[Ricardo Miranda]

Jim,
The larger packs are the MB-21 and that forms the F4S, which is the most common configuration in the USA as it was available of the peck in the shops.
The MB-23 is a much larger affair, although it uses the same 6 AA as the MB-21 and forms the F4E. The advantage of the MB-23 is that the 6 batteries are logged in a single tray and you don't need to dismount partly the MB to get them in or out. It can also run a dedicated Ni-cd pack, the MN-20. The MB-23 is similar in function to the MB-10 for the F90X.
There was also the MB-22, an eternal power regulator. It allows the F4 to be powered from a continuous source. It was used mainly in studios.

 

[MattKing]

I just like the fact that someone named Jesus is asking which Nikon to buy.

 

[k.hendrik]

I just like the fact that someone named Jesus is asking which Nikon to buy.

"he shall come like a thief in the night" and in need of a good camera an omen ? hence I would go for a F6.

 

[Joe Jesus]

If I could afford an F6, I would go for the F6 without a second thought. But I'm not made of money, nobody needs carpenters anymore...

 

[Copyhat]

The Nikon F4s is on the heavy side, but not in a bothering way. I carried mine with an AF 35-70mm f/2.8 and an AI-S 50mm f/1.8 in the pocket on a 5 mile walk and wasn't complaining at all. I'm a fit guy in the early 20's but all people should be able to walk around with an F4s without any issues.

The F801 is just like a cheap F4, has many of the same functions and works well with the same lenses (though only newer than AI-spec), it has no mirror lock up and the menu/display navigation is difficult in total darkness where the dials on the F4 are ready at hand. My F4 is loaded with colour neg film and the F801 with B/W film.

 

[frank]

F4 vs F5 is easy. If you are used to digital SLR's with their buttons and wheels, then F5. If you are used to traditional cameras with dials and rings, then F4.

 

[lxdude]

If there were only a way to combine the two, the F4 and F5... an F9!

 

[gone]

Since people have mentioned the F801 a couple of times, I'm going to jump in here one more time. I use an N8008s nearly every day (same as the F801, but 's' means spot meter). Paid $20 for it, shipped, from KEH. It is just a fantastic camera. No, it doesn't feel like a "pro" camera, but it sure works like one. It also doesn't weigh like a pro camera, and the size is pretty small.The viewfinder on mine switches over to illuminated automatically in low light, there is a top shutter speed, 3 types of metering including spot, center and matrix. It takes cheap AA batteries, and you just can't kill the things. They keep going and going like that battery bunny. If you need AF there's the N90s (f90s), which has faster AF. I use my N8008s in manual mode w. manual focus lenses. The viewfinder is excellent for glasses wearers, and big and bright. Replacing a focus screen takes about 20 seconds. Me, I'd rather spend small money on a body, and put the real money into glass.

In the end, there are a lot of Nikon cameras that are fantastic workhorses. Just pick your price range and gear needs, and you will get a good camera.

 

[pentaxuser]

If I could afford an F6, I would go for the F6 without a second thought. But I'm not made of money, nobody needs carpenters anymore...

Well they damn well do in the U.K. You'd make a fortune in London and do nearly as well anywhere in the U.K. We are just not producing this kind of skilled artisan any more in the numbers we need.

pentaxuser

 

[frank]

The 801s are great value.

 

[Shootar401]

A F4s with a 50/1.4 and a SB-24 would be the perfect setup IMO

 

[frank]

A F4s with a 50/1.4 and a SB-24 would be the perfect setup IMO

Back when I still did weddings, this was my setup. With a flash bracket (for verticals).

 

[lxdude]

Since people have mentioned the F801 a couple of times, I'm going to jump in here one more time. I use an N8008s nearly every day (same as the F801, but 's' means spot meter). Paid $20 for it, shipped, from KEH. It is just a fantastic camera.

I have an F801s. It really is a great camera, and they're going for dirt cheap.

 

[analoguey]

I haven't held or used an F4. But have used a friend's F5.

And it is by far the best camera I have used. And by that I mean the ergonomics - the controls are very nicely on hand, the camera grip feels 'Just right' on holding it -with the entire palm holding it, not half the palm dangling free.

The camera gets out of the way and you can just shoot. And the fast AF is just something to actually experience.

And weight - well, if a kilo is too much weight to carry around...

I'd suggest that you actually try out these cameras yourself before deciding.

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