Nikon F6 updates

Arthurwg · Oct 14, 2020

pentaxuser said:
Thanks, so was the recall Nikon's decision due to its mistake in the value of DBP in a specific range. Presumably this means that because the DBP exceeds the regulated EU permitted quantity it has to alter this for all its F6s as it would not make sense or would it, to have a production process that tailored this quantity of DBP differently for different markets?

It may have been a simple mistake on Nikon's part of course in that there was more DBP in all of its F6s than it intended

The key question is: Has Nikon actually recalled the cameras from Europe and agreed to meet the EU regulation so that F6s will continue to be sold in the EU ?

pentaxuser

This is exactly what's wrong with the EU. Over regulation, dictatorial edicts, too much nanny state control. Meanwhile, those bureaucrats are eating at the best restaurants in Brussels. Try leaving EU waters in a sailboat. You'll probably be arrested and your boat impounded.

Chan Tran · Oct 14, 2020

George Mann said:
I prefer cameras with a stepless electronically controlled shutter do to being a slide film shooter.

Some cameras have stepless shutter speed in manual mode but it's hard to tell which speed you set it at (i.e. Nikon F2). All older cameras in A mode would have stepless shutter speed (I am not sure about the F6) but I prefer it's stepped in A mode too.

Billy Axeman · Oct 14, 2020

pentaxuser said:
Thanks, so was the recall Nikon's decision due to its mistake in the value of DBP in a specific range. Presumably this means that because the DBP exceeds the regulated EU permitted quantity it has to alter this for all its F6s as it would not make sense or would it, to have a production process that tailored this quantity of DBP differently for different markets?

It may have been a simple mistake on Nikon's part of course in that there was more DBP in all of its F6s than it intended

The key question is: Has Nikon actually recalled the cameras from Europe and agreed to meet the EU regulation so that F6s will continue to be sold in the EU ?

pentaxuser

It is up to the customer to let it service.

The link I gave says:

"... Since there are no problems with quality, function, and performance, and there is no health effect on normal use, it can be used continuously, but we will replace parts according to your request. In response to this situation, we will strive to prevent recurrence by re-educating the Nikon Group to comply with the European RoHS Directive, strengthening the inspection process, and thoroughly guiding and managing the European RoHS Directive to suppliers." (Bing translator).

Edit: I guess there are not many owners who are sending their camera in, because potentially transporting the camera in a truck on a bumpy road and opening it up can do more harm than a component hidden inside that has a raised level of DBP.

pentaxuser · Oct 14, 2020

Thanks Billy I'd conclude that sales of the F6 will continue as before in the EU. Good news

pentaxuser

Huss · Oct 14, 2020

iakustov said:
I bought a brand new F6 about three months ago and I can only second what real owners said above, it's a magnificent tool. I had to sell Contax G2 kit and Rolleiflex 2.8D to get F6 plus few Nikkor lenses. But looking at the projected slides, I can only say that I will never regret that move. All that 'F6 is not analog enough' is a complete nonsense and envy. I hope those will remain just rumours about F6 discontinuation.
35mm film is pure fun for me, for serious things I use slow medium and large format (which is a different fun).

I get selling the G2 kit (especially since those are ticking time b0mbs right now as with all electronic Contax products), but the Rolleiflex? For shame!
And yes, I also have an F6. But I'd unload that before any of my Rolleiflexes!

iakustov · Oct 14, 2020

Huss said:
I get selling the G2 kit (especially since those are ticking time b0mbs right now as with all electronic Contax products), but the Rolleiflex? For shame!
And yes, I also have an F6. But I'd unload that before any of my Rolleiflexes!

It was a tough decision. Rolleiflex was my main travel camera, really beautiful tool, but desire to own a brand new camera was too strong..

f8&bthere · Oct 15, 2020

Billy Axeman said:
This is all in the rumors and clickbait category and it has no value. It is not interesting what Tom Hogan says, and definitely not what retailers say, and it does not become more truthful by repeating it. Same for the suggestion that the F6 was discontinued because of safety issues, which is a fairy tale (hence my comment). The F6 is only discontinued when Nikon Japan says it is discontinued and when that is published on their web site, and until now that is not the case.

Most of that post falls into the "no $#!t Sherlock" category. Though for whatever reason you have added your own speculative and unsupported noise to the convo by referring to "safety issues".

But you have it backwards. The original post on Nikon Rumors reporting that the F6 has been discontinued, based on a single German source, was in fact the "rumors and clickbait", not Hogan's response.

Hogan's point was to suggest that the "rumor" that the F6 has been discontinued was likely wrong and that any supply/distribution issues of the F6 were limited to Europe and/or the EU.

I have nothing invested in Hogan one way or another such that I need for him to be right or wrong about anything. But as with any and all things Nikon, I'll take his supposition that any issue with the F6 is Europe-specific over anything you have to say on the matter six days a week and twice on Sunday,

Billy Axeman · Oct 15, 2020

f8&bthere said:
Most of that post falls into the "no $#!t Sherlock" category. ...

How could I be so wrong on this whole subject. It is inexcusable I have not seen anything from Tom Hogan in my whole life.

pentaxuser · Oct 15, 2020

Billy Axeman said:
How could I be so wrong on this whole subject. It is inexcusable I have not seen anything from Tom Hogan in my whole life.

Billy, good job this wasn't Tom Hagen from the film "The Godfather". Now he wasn't a person to be ignored. If you ignore him then make sure you have Van Der Valk's phone number, just in case you need him

pentaxuser

Billy Axeman · Oct 15, 2020

pentaxuser said:
Billy, good job this wasn't Tom Hagen from the film "The Godfather". Now he wasn't a person to be ignored. If you ignore him then make sure you have Van Der Valk's phone number, just in case you need him

pentaxuser

Nina Hagen about Tom Hogan:

BobD · Oct 16, 2020

I went to the F6 page on the Nikon USA website and clicked on "Buy Now" and was taken to a page that said it was "Out of Stock"

B&Wpositive · Oct 16, 2020

The F6 has come in and out of stock in stores many times over the past 10+ years.

What I want to know is, where are Thom Hogan's original comments? I did a web search and it did not find them.

We will see. The F6 is either not going to be made anymore, or not going to be sold in several countries but happens to be out of stock as well.

It would also be good if Henning finds out any new info.

Henning Serger · Oct 17, 2020

B&Wpositive said:
It would also be good if Henning finds out any new info.

I am already working on it. I am contacting as many really reliable sources as possible, in Japan and Europe. But that will take some time. Please be a bit patient.

Best regards,
Henning

ic-racer · Oct 17, 2020

I'm glad I bought my Bessa R4M before they went out of production. Watching this thread.

Arthurwg · Oct 17, 2020

I bought my used F6 earlier this year from JCH, CLA'd w/ 3 mo warranty. Even if they do go out there seems to be no shortage of used F6 cameras on the market. Suggest you get yours ASAP.

f8&bthere · Oct 19, 2020

B&Wpositive said:
What I want to know is, where are Thom Hogan's original comments? I did a web search and it did not find them.

Did you try looking on his website?

"What about the F6, which some sites are claiming is discontinued? I believe this is actually a Europe thing for the moment. The way the F6 is built and the parts in it are no longer kosher with EU law. Thus, I suspect that the F6 just simply isn't being distributed to Europe any more. Now, volume on the F6 isn't particularly high to start with, so losing a major geographic region for potential sales may push it to be discontinued everywhere, but I don't get a sense that this is imminent."

Click to expand...

BobD · Oct 19, 2020

It's not discontinued until Nikon says it is and they haven't said so. The F6 is still listed as a current product on the Nikon USA website (though also noted as "Out of Stock").

This rumor has probably sparkled an uptick in F6 sales. Hopefully that will prompt Nikon to run another batch soon.

grat · Oct 21, 2020

Billy Axeman said:
It is a specific range of cameras and the issue is resolved by a recall. It has nothing to do with any possible discontinuation at all.

That's naive. They've already stated they've halted shipments. They can either scrap the un-shipped product, or replace the offending component(s). The fact that they're offering a replacement component that meets the regulations is promising, but this could be the straw that kills production. Products have been discontinued for less intelligent reasons.

Nikon will decide, assuming they're sane, whether it's worth the cost of retooling their production line to replace the offending component-- if they're making a profit off of F6 sales, then probably. If they think it's a "halo" product (a product that makes them look good, even though it loses money), they'll probably keep going. If the retooling cost exceeds any potential profits, then there will be one less film SLR on the market. It's also possible that all they have to do is replace one manufactured part in the assembly line with a corresponding part-- in which case, the F6 should be back, it's only a matter of time.

What wouldn't make sense is to manufacture an item in violation of EU regulations and sell it "everywhere else". EU is too large a market to ignore, especially for an item like this.

miha · Oct 26, 2020

It pays to ask the manufacturer directly. I've sent an email directly to Nikon Japan last Friday, Today I got a reply saying the F6 has been discontinued.

Ernst-Jan · Oct 26, 2020

miha said:
It pays to ask the manufacturer directly. I've sent an email directly to Nikon Japan last Friday, Today I got a reply saying the F6 has been discontinued.

Sad to hear so

Kino · Oct 26, 2020

miha said:
It pays to ask the manufacturer directly. I've sent an email directly to Nikon Japan last Friday, Today I got a reply saying the F6 has been discontinued.

That is very short sighted of Nikon, seeing as how DSLR sales are plummeting...

Auer · Oct 26, 2020

Kino said:
That is very short sighted of Nikon, seeing as how DSLR sales are plummeting...

Which is why they are going mirrorless.

George Mann · Oct 26, 2020

I believe that it would currently serve Nikon well to provide a new, affordable film camera.

Arthurwg · Oct 26, 2020

Kino said:
That is very short sighted of Nikon, seeing as how DSLR sales are plummeting...

It would be interesting to know why the F6 has been discontinued. I would doubt that the costs of continued production would make the camera uneconomic for Nikon. True, dozens of these cameras are for sale sale used, but a slow trickle of new cameras would continue to serve those who want to buy new. Indeed, Nikon's digital strategy seems flawed as well, with the release of a Z6 II and Z7 II closely following the original cameras. Difficult to believe all these new digital cameras make business sense.

Huss · Oct 26, 2020

George Mann said:
I believe that it would currently serve Nikon well to provide a new, affordable film camera.

When they were selling the FM-10 for $400 new, what is affordable?
I briefly used an FM-10, and it is a super budget camera with a very cheap feeling. To think that pretty much for the same money you could get an FM3A is crazy. Or 2 F4s etc.
I know the argument 'but it is a new camera', but in this case it is a new very cheap camera that is priced as a premium camera.

Anyway, if they were charging $400 for an FM10, which is now discontinued, they obviously have no intention of being in the film camera business. Not even mentioning that it was made by Cosina.

Nikon F6 updates

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