Nikon F6 updates

[Nodda Duma]

Craig nailed it. If you only use (or think shooters only use) matrix metering on the F6 and then complain it’s not as good at metering, well then I’m not sure if you know your cameras as well as you could.

 

[Helge]

If you want to shoot it manually you can
If you want to shoot it like a 1970s centreweighted camera you can
If you want to shoot it spotmeter you can
If you want to shoot it with the most modern metering system you can

You can put every lens nikon ever made on it (i think this is true of f6 - there are no exceptions like with other nikons)

To me it looks utterly brutal. Use it any way you want with anything you want.

But you have to drag the fucker around anyway. The electronics comes at the price of weight and one more thing that can run out apart from film.
I’m not saying the F6 or any of nikons high end AF cameras are worthless, they certainly have their place.
I just think it’s a matter of people lusting after it for the wrong reasons, and then not wanting to admit they where wrong when they do get it.

A frame shot on the same film in the overwhelming amount of cases will look indistinguishable, whether it was shot on a 1959 F or a 2019 F6.

 

[DeletedAcct1]

All in all, is that F6 still manufactured or not?

 

[ic-racer]

All in all, is that F6 still manufactured or not?

According to Nikon USA website it is discontinued. I don't read Japanese to comment on the other sources, but I believe those sources also show it discontinued.
My summary of the thread to this point is to get a NEW F6 someone in the USA has to either wait until production resumes or purchase a camera NEW OLD STOCK, REFURBISHED "NEW" or GRAY MARKET.

I bought a NEW gray market F6 with a 1 year warranty from the USA seller. It also came with a 3-year "Worldwide" Warranty from the factory.

All my Nikon equipment is "registered" through the NIKON USA website, but that was apparently a waste of time.

 

[ic-racer]

I can't say I ever lusted over the F6. I feel I was somewhat forced to buy it to continue my lifetime work in 35mm photography. Of course now that I have it in my hands it is one of the most amazing electromechanical devices I have ever owned.

 

[Craig]

The electronics comes at the price of weight .

The difference between an F2 and F6 is 95g. If that amount of additional weight will impair you, then an SLR isn't for you.

 

[Sal Santamaura]

Matrix metering is only important for slide and mainly high contrast, low ISO stuff like Kodachrome and Velvia...

Nonsense. Any photographer who understands the characteristic curves of films they use, even black and white negative films, knows how important exposure placement along them is to achieving desired results.

...It homogenizes and trivializes photography...

Nonsense. Performing mechanical tasks so the photographer doesn't need to homogenizes and trivializes nothing.

...Fine if you’re a photojournalist, who is just after basically documenting stuff fast. But it’s not really a photographers tool.

What absolute elitist crap. Sad.

 

[Sal Santamaura]

Enjoy that F6, Sal...

Thank you very much, Michael, I am and will continue to.

...and quit rubbing it in! Grrr....

Not my intention at all. I only posted last evening to counter some of the "F6 negativity" being expressed by other members.

 

[Helge]

Nonsense. Any photographer who understands the characteristic curves of films they use, even black and white negative films, knows how important exposure placement along them is to achieving desired results.Nonsense. Performing mechanical tasks so the photographer doesn't need to homogenizes and trivializes nothing.What absolute elitist crap. Sad.

It’s very few scenes that require or even can use the full dynamic range of any negative film.

When you have no preview. It’s very important to have a clear idea of how you want your image to expose.
That’s part of why so many snapshots of challenging situations turn out boring or bad.
Because the camera just does a “standard” exposure.

Focus and exposure is part of composition.

 

[logan2z]

Probably just repeating what is already well known at this point but...

https://emulsive.org/articles/news/the-nikon-f6-is-dead-long-live-the-nikon-f6#more-79497

 

[ic-racer]

Matrix metering is genius. In my experience it works extremely well for B&W negative exposure. Can't recall reading any complaints about the system.

 

[Arthurwg]

Yikes! I just discovered something on my F6 that I don't like. The CSM autofocus switch on the lower left front of the camera is easily disturbed by accident when shooting, and may go unnoticed unless you are paying close attention.