Nikon F6 - what is the going price?

[BMbikerider]

I just cannot see the F6 being better than the F5 other than size and weight. Neither of those two bother me about the F5 so we'll just see if I can wear one out. I have little desire for the newer magnetically operated lenses so it's no problem for me. I'm sure they're nice but not nice that much better for me to purchase a camera for them.

The weight of the F5 over the F6 was the deciding factor for me, even so it is still among the top heavyweights of 35mm cameras. The F6 is just a superb instrument I am glad I chose it.

 

[BMbikerider]

Not hardly, just wanted to try an F6. So now the F5 is a backup. I think I actually like the F5 better. But neither will work with the newer electronic lens.

I am a bit confused over what 'newer' lens will not work with the F6. Which one(s) in particular? I have a couple of the later 'S 'type lenses and they function perfectly.

 

[MartinCrabtree]

The Nikon AF-S "E" lenses electronically communicate aperture information instead of mechanically. Older cameras do not have that capability.

 

[GWalls]

None of the new Nikon lens, 24-70 e, 70-200 e, 105 e, or the new 28mm e. Sigma since the new 85 art. The older ART lens will work. Nor the new Tamron 24-70 or the 70-200 G2s. Just have to check, if it has a electronic shutter it won't work with any of the Nikon film cameras which is the reason I bought the Zeiss lens. Great glass but not AF.

 

[Christiaan Phleger]

I brought this up to the NPS rep at the last NPS event I attended was this annoying point of Nikon's refusal to either adapt the F6 software to handle the E lenses or offer an upgrade for a F6s model OR just give us the F7 with the D5's AF system and 10 fps full af motor built in. Not every pro wants/needs to either shoot digital or use many generation old AF and *Not the best portrait optics Nikon ever made (58 and 105 1.4's). I believe the NPS rep's ears went fuzzy after the sound of the letter F as in Film and I'm certain this pro's opinion/desires/needs were not brought to company attention. I am no longer an active NPS member...

 

[dmtnkl]

I brought this up to the NPS rep at the last NPS event I attended was this annoying point of Nikon's refusal to either adapt the F6 software to handle the E lenses or offer an upgrade for a F6s model OR just give us the F7 with the D5's AF system and 10 fps full af motor built in. Not every pro wants/needs to either shoot digital or use many generation old AF and *Not the best portrait optics Nikon ever made (58 and 105 1.4's). I believe the NPS rep's ears went fuzzy after the sound of the letter F as in Film and I'm certain this pro's opinion/desires/needs were not brought to company attention. I am no longer an active NPS member...

I am with you on this one, F6 certainly needs some updates, E lens compatibility being one of them. Before their introduction, F6 enjoyed the widest F mount compatibility.

However i think it is not very probable they will dedicate any resources on this now. The company has problems, is in a restructuring phase, closed a major China plant and the new mirrorless system is on the horizon.

Personally i would like to see an F7 with a wide range of focusing screens, interchangeable viewfinders (one of them could feature a sensor and be electronic with focus peaking plus a tilt-screen so we can shoot street/macro at waist level/difficult angles etc).... Features that would genuinely rejuvenate he 35mm format... but, i do not see any of this happening really...

 

[Christiaan Phleger]

Which is really a shame since its becoming more and more that clear many new photographers are starting to use film in their workflow. The use of the D5's AF into the new D850 shows that Nikon is using its limited R&D funds wisely. How many D800, D810 and D850's will be built? That body shell, shutter, AF and all electronics R&D and cost of production would make a direct sensorless F7 a fairly easy mechanical exercise. Yes, I know I've heard ALL the reasons it can't and won't happen but if 5 years ago I had said ( I might have!) that Kodak would re-introduce Ektachrome I'd be laughed off APUG (I often am but that doesn't concern me lol). I did my part at that NPS event after shooting 10 hours using 100% film cameras (F5, F4 and F3) injecting myself into multiple conversations with other professionals I knew at the event and with many NPS reps. Glassy eyed silence....

 

[Huss]

In the last couple o years I bought two F6s. One for $700 - pretty low serial # but excellent condition. I sold that one as it came from a smoky home and I could not stand the smell. The other one - near mint and high serial # - for $800.
The $700 was from ebay, the $800 one from fredmiranda.com. That one also had the gold Nikon USA sticker under the back flap which identified it was an official USA camera. Which is really important if you want it serviced. Nikon does not like to touch grey market cameras.
Anyway, I wouldn't pay more than $800 for an excellent F6. I didn't..

 

[k.hendrik]

How about buying a new F6 ? In Germany they are sold by Amazon for E1691,79 but is this the lowest price? When bought in Japan for instance ? Anybody knows the cheapest around the globe ?

 

[rrusso]

How about buying a new F6 ? In Germany they are sold by Amazon for E1691,79 but is this the lowest price? When bought in Japan for instance ? Anybody knows the cheapest around the globe ?

Well, Eric was looking to help sell, not buy, but new in the U.S. you're looking at something around $2,400 - $2,500 for just the body. Yikes.

Interestingly, B & H has import models in stock, but no USA models...and the price is the same for either, $2,499.00.

But the F6 loses value so badly that, unless you've got money to burn, it just doesn't make sense to buy new.

 

[etn]

How about buying a new F6 ? In Germany they are sold by Amazon for E1691,79 but is this the lowest price? When bought in Japan for instance ? Anybody knows the cheapest around the globe ?

I think the German price you mention is among the "cheapest" worldwide. I haven't seen any new ones in stores like Yodobashi etc. during my recent trip to Tokyo. Looks like many stores (in Tokyo or in Germany, for that matter) do not carry the item, special order only, if the store even wants to order one for you.
As a side note, I have been watching the F6 on that amazon.de page, a couple month ago 10 were available, yesterday 3, now 2. Looks like the word spreads

 

[etn]

But the F6 loses value so badly that, unless you've got money to burn, it just doesn't make sense to buy new.

Unless you want to maximize the chance of longevity. In that case buy a new one now and use it for the next 20-30 years. Not sure a $600 early serial # (which is already >10 years old) will last as long. But then, if it dies in say, 10 years, you can probably find another used one for a similar price. If the second-hand market value is the same as today you'd be quids in. Difficult to predict given the rapid changes of the electronics industry. For all we know, the F6 can be discontinued tomorrow, which will surely drive the used price up, at least temporarily.

 

[Minoltafan2904]

I used to want an F6 but i have decided the F5 is a better choice.
While the F6 does have some technical advantages over the F5, the price difference is very big, you can get a perfectly good fully working F5 that might have a few scratches and maybe a little dent here and there for 300-400 ( without a lens ), for a used F6 in similar condition you're talking 900+ , and most times over 1000 USD ( without a lens ), in my opinion the certain advantages of the F6 over the F5 are not relevant enough to justify paying double the money, the F5 is already a better camera than i am a photographer, it will take me quite a while to get used to all the custom functions and so on.

One of the main arguments is that the F5 is heavy, i personally like cameras with a bit of heft to them, for example the Minolta Motor Drive 1 when coupled to my Minolta X-700 doubles it's weight from 505g to just over 1Kg, and i much prefer it with the Motor Drive on ( it lso adds a nice grip and a vertical shutter release ), so i'd rather have the F5 with the integrated battery grip than the F6 that i would have to buy a grip for ( about 400 USD more! ).