Nikon F6 - old vs new
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Sorry if I misled. I always switch to spot metering if heavily backlit. All the same, if I were to pick up a camera and assume the meter in it would 'get it right' with no thought from me, I still would say the F6 and its matrix meter would succeed more often than any of the other cameras I have used.
My point is that Nikon is now only releasing lenses with the E designation so they will not work with the full range of f-stops with even the F6 body and the new 105mm f/1.4 AF E lens looks extremely appealing to me to use with Ilford FP-4 film loaded.
Even though all of Nikon's lenses -- from the pre-AI types of 1959 all the way up until the new E's -- have been mechanically activated with a body-to-lens linkage, clearly there have been no accuracy problems in selecting the aperture in this manner.
Nikon's decision to remove the aperture ring (originally with G lenses) and now use in-the-lens electronics to set the aperture (E lenses) is a cost-cutting decision (a decision Canon made in 1987). It's less expensive when the mechanical linkage is gone. Yes, the selected aperture may very well be more precise, but you'd not notice.
What I'm trying to say is that there's no reason to buy an E lens unless the optical design is better or you just can't get that lens as an AF-D or manual AIS lens. The only reason I bought a 60mm G AF Micro-Nikkor was because its new optical design made it one of Nikon's sharpest. Many of the AF-D lenses that have reappeared as G lenses have been optically improved.
Still, I'm tending towards having fewer or no electronic components in my lenses and bodies. Manual focus lenses with a real aperture ring rarely fail.
Nikon today, as well as Canon and others, is seeing sales of DSLRs plummet. Mirrorless cameras are capturing some of those sales and many people are satisfied that the DSLR they have is good enough. What this means is that Nikon is looking to cut costs. The E lenses do that. It also means the "F7" is extremely unlikely.
Nikon's decision to remove the aperture ring (originally with G lenses) and now use in-the-lens electronics to set the aperture (E lenses) is a cost-cutting decision (a decision Canon made in 1987). It's less expensive when the mechanical linkage is gone. Yes, the selected aperture may very well be more precise, but you'd not notice.
What I'm trying to say is that there's no reason to buy an E lens unless the optical design is better or you just can't get that lens as an AF-D or manual AIS lens. The only reason I bought a 60mm G AF Micro-Nikkor was because its new optical design made it one of Nikon's sharpest. Many of the AF-D lenses that have reappeared as G lenses have been optically improved.
Still, I'm tending towards having fewer or no electronic components in my lenses and bodies. Manual focus lenses with a real aperture ring rarely fail.
Nikon today, as well as Canon and others, is seeing sales of DSLRs plummet. Mirrorless cameras are capturing some of those sales and many people are satisfied that the DSLR they have is good enough. What this means is that Nikon is looking to cut costs. The E lenses do that. It also means the "F7" is extremely unlikely.
Sorry if I came over a bit strong DrMoss! And agreed.
This year I decided to get into film, and have progressed up the Nikon chain (FE2, F3HP, F4s, F5, F100, F6). The F6 is (by far) the best film camera I have. Wait: it is the best camera I have, which includes the DF and D810. The way I have it set up is similar to my digital cameras. I shoot primarily in aperture priority, which I have set to the rear dial, with exposure adjustment set to the front. Back button AF. Great, great viewfinder, with exposure settings in a separate location, and highlighted exposure boxes. Most important for me, great focus confirmation for manual focus lenses. The camera feels solid. The shutter sound is sophisticated and sexy. (Although I do love the animal sound/feel of the F5 shutter!)
I am going to get a new one later this year. Mine has had 5 rolls of film run through it, but I like the idea of a new film camera in 2016!
I am going to get a new one later this year. Mine has had 5 rolls of film run through it, but I like the idea of a new film camera in 2016!
Same with me but I went one step further and have an F, F2, F3, and stopped at F4. The F4 is actually quite good with manual focus lenses, and its controls are still knobs and dials rather than menu buttons.
Not to drift off-topic, but I've been curious about this for some time. When the F5 first came out, I was simply blown away by its capabilities. I mean its AF abilities alone are capable of tracking just about anything you can imagine. And the metering system was just mind-boggling. So, what I'm wondering is, what could Nikon have possibly done with the F6 to improve on the F5? And are these improvements significant?
Because F5 prices have dropped so far, I've been kicking around the idea of buying one, but if the F6 is so vastly superior, then maybe I should wait until I can afford one.
Because F5 prices have dropped so far, I've been kicking around the idea of buying one, but if the F6 is so vastly superior, then maybe I should wait until I can afford one.
Just get both. A decent F5 is about $200-$250. Yes, the F6 has quite a few improvements over the F5. At the same time, it doesn't have interchangeable viewfinders, which the F5 does have.
-J
-J
I shot my first film with my Nikon F6 (2nd hand, $550, like new) and it handles beautifully!
I used my Nikon 24-85mm f/2.8-4 AF-D NIKKOR lens.
I used my Nikon 24-85mm f/2.8-4 AF-D NIKKOR lens.
From what I've read, the batteries are much lighter.
Why buy an F6 someone asked. Well because I can and did. I actually wanted an F4 but getting a very good used one at a sensible price is well neigh impossible. The F5 is far too heavy for general work and too bulky with the fixed battery comartment and motordrive, so that left the F6. I was lucky enough to find one which had very little use at quite a reasonable price of £599. Although it appears to be an early one according to the serial number, had only 86 films through before I bought it.. Now that number has gone up to nearly 210 in just over a year of ownership. It has far more facilities than I will ever use but it does the job efficiently and quietly with a degree of panache. I have yet to get a poor exposure with whatever mode I use, be it spot, multi or centre weighted.
It is being used more and more and my D700 is getting used less and less.
It is being used more and more and my D700 is getting used less and less.
I don't think an early serial F6 is anything to be concerned about. It's too new of a camera to worry about that, IMO.
I mean seriously, when it launched, digital was already in full swing, or nearly so.
Sure, there were probably some pros still holding out at that time and shooting film (not that there aren't still some).
But even if it saw heavy use....it's a Nikon F series. Look at all the F3's (and older F's) still banging it out, even after being put through the ringer. And that was pretty much the working pro's 35 for many years.
Yeah, I bet there are some copies out there that should be avoided, for various reasons, but I'd think those are the exception rather than the rule.
I mean seriously, when it launched, digital was already in full swing, or nearly so.
Sure, there were probably some pros still holding out at that time and shooting film (not that there aren't still some).
But even if it saw heavy use....it's a Nikon F series. Look at all the F3's (and older F's) still banging it out, even after being put through the ringer. And that was pretty much the working pro's 35 for many years.
Yeah, I bet there are some copies out there that should be avoided, for various reasons, but I'd think those are the exception rather than the rule.
Things have improved for me and I am getting to the point I can afford a used F6. Or another F5 and some glass. I've a feeling the F5 and glass will win.
I have 2 F5s they are so huge. I'm a big guy with big hands I love these beasts. When I bought my D800, I couldn't get used to it till I got the gee whiz battery grip. I'm sure I will end up with a F6. These new Nikon lenses have so much to go wrong I've been burnt twice on silent wave motors. I tend to gravitate to the late 90's metal body AF-D lenses. They're still made in Japan by people with health insurance, have an aperture ring so it will couple to a F2A and they look great. I love 35mm for shooting slides. Definitely need to keep on the lookout for an F6 
Best Regards Mike
Best Regards Mike
So, just to follow up, because I've never held either an F5 or F6 -- the F5 is bigger than an F4S? That seems to be an almost impossible task, to me. My F4s is a beast, but the ergonomics are so nice that, despite its size and weight, it is very comfortable to hold. So then, the F6 is more compact than the F5? More like an F4S in size, or maybe an EOS-1/1n/1v?
The F5 is like the new D# bodies. I'm not sure how to compare it to the F4. The form is a different and without a removable battery pack.
I have 2 F5s they are so huge. I'm a big guy with big hands I love these beasts. When I bought my D800, I couldn't get used to it till I got the gee whiz battery grip. I'm sure I will end up with a F6. These new Nikon lenses have so much to go wrong I've been burnt twice on silent wave motors. I tend to gravitate to the late 90's metal body AF-D lenses. They're still made in Japan by people with health insurance, have an aperture ring so it will couple to a F2A and they look great. I love 35mm for shooting slides. Definitely need to keep on the lookout for an F6
Best Regards Mike
Same here except for the two F5s part
( one is enough - no need for more cameras, I mean, I only have two hands! ). I find it fine shooting with one hand , but some smaller friends comment it is unwieldy even with both hands,and that it weights "about a metric ton" hehe. I only got mine because I got it for $180, it's a very late serial (about last month or so of production), and is in great shape. And, of course, AF. The AF tracking is amazingly accurate.But, for 98% of the time, My FE-2 is just as capable. Only complain is that it feels too small in my hands
According to the manual(s), the F4s is (W x H x D): 6.7in x 5.5in x 3.0in and weighs 1280g. The F5 is: 6.2in x 5.9in x 3.1in, 1210g (without batteries).
I own an F4 and nearly always use it as an "s". It's very comfortable in either config, but I keep the battery pack on because the batteries seem to be more efficient that way.
I briefly owned (for a couple of days) an F5, and it did seem bigger and heavier. If it hadn't been such a POS, condition-wise, I would have kept it (bought it in bargain condition from KEH...it wasn't quite up to their normal standards). The ergonomics seemed like they were an improvement over the F4, but I didn't really use it long enough to say for sure.
I think, with the battery pack, the F6 is actually very slightly bigger/heavier than the F5. But I did read that it doesn't feel like it because of the much improved ergonomics.
My FE2 or FM2n with the MD12 winder + batteries is bigger and heavier than my F6. The F6 shoots at 6+ fps (which I have never done!) and can power rewind, while the FE2/MD12 outfit I think can do 3fps and you have to manually rewind. The F6 is whisper quiet vs the cool but very very loud high pitch whine of the MD12. This of course is ignoring all the other features of the F6.
So from that viewpoint, considering the motor drive is built in, the F6 really is not that big.
So from that viewpoint, considering the motor drive is built in, the F6 really is not that big.
I have used the F5 at wide open speed. Once just to see what it was like. It ate a big portion of a roll faster than I could comprehend what was going on. Made a good sequence of motocross racing.
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I am "following" the F6 since its introduction 2004. And I am using two F6 (both bought brand new). There are only two small problems I have ever heard of:
1. Some first units have had a small problem with the battery indicator. This problem can be solved by the Nikon service with a software update (at no costs). Nikon also solved the problem in the design / software so that this small problem have not occured anymore after that.
2. Extremely seldom have been reports about dead internal system batteries. Looks like this happened only when cameras have been stored without the normal batteries or complete empty batteries for months.
Over the years I've shot hundreds of rolls with my F6s: I've had not a single problem. Best cameras I own. I can highly recommend the F6. From my experience with lots of different cameras it is the best designed 35mm camera ever.
Best regards,
Henning
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It is the AF of the D2x / D2h series. An excellent system with an almost perfect AF-point layout.
Best regards,
Henning
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That information is fortunately not correct. The F6 is still in current production. It is made on order. You order it via your distributor, the order then goes to the Nikon subsidiary in your country and then to Nikon Japan. And there it is built for you and then shipped.
Only some very large distributors like B&H order by themselves to have some in stock for their customers.
I made the experience with both of my brand new F6 (last order was about 12 months ago): I ordered it and then waited a month to 6 weeks until it was shipped to me.
Best regards,
Henning
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