Nikon N8008s (F801s)

ongakublue · Sep 24, 2015

Hi guys,

Any thoughts on the Nikon N8008s? Local store has one for a good price.

frank · Sep 24, 2015

Great bang for the buck! Can be used with manual focus lenses with focus confirmation light. Very well built.

M Carter · Sep 24, 2015

I'd try for an N90s which was the successor to it (I have an 8008, 8008s and N90s).

The N90s is an improved camera, and it has a grip available (the 8008 never did). You can usually find a camera with a grip on eBay or KEH for well under $100, sometimes in the $30 range.

The one thing the 8008 does have over the N90s is built-in multiple exposure shooting - the N90s required the data back.

Also, many N90s bodies had a rubbery sort of coating on the film door to aid grippiness. This is usually deteriorated by now - looks great but very very sticky. It can be removed with alcohol and elbow grease though, and the gloss-black color remains - just the sticky comes off.

Owning both, I always use the N90s when I'm not in a "metal and black leather" body mood. 8008s is a good camera though. Both have the 1/8000th top shutter speed.

f/16 · Sep 24, 2015

I used to have a N8008 in the early 2000s. It's a nice body with many good features. Mine had a very noisy focus motor. I think that was a common problem with that model when they got old. Mine never gave any problems, just noisy.

frank · Sep 24, 2015

Noisy and slow autofocus isn't a problem with manual focus lenses.

darkosaric · Sep 24, 2015

My first nikon. It is a great camera! Go for it.

whlogan · Sep 24, 2015

I agree with all the positive replies here and they are great cameras for the price or any price. I have both and have had several of them down the years and have given many away to starting photographers along the years. I love them all tho the "s" model has the spot meter which is very nice. Get that if you can. I think you will like them.They are tough givers and you will like them and use them for many years with fine, good service like most Nikon models.....

Logan

gone · Sep 24, 2015

One of my favorite Nikon bodies of all time. I prefer the n8008s (f801s) to the N90s because it's cheaper and not as tall. Make sure you get the S version, as the S stands for spot metering capability. These cameras can be had for $20 all day long. They have a user changeable focus screen (takes about 20 seconds to switch screens) and high point viewfinders. Especially good for eye glass wearers. If you need fast AF, then get the N90s.

ongakublue · Sep 24, 2015

frank said:
Great bang for the buck! Can be used with manual focus lenses with focus confirmation light. Very well built.

Hi Frank,

It's a bit novice question, but if I put a Nikon fit Samyang lens on this body, will that confirmation light still work? Or is it something relating to Nikkor lenses only?

frank · Sep 24, 2015

I believe it will.

mweintraub · Sep 24, 2015

ongakublue said:
Hi Frank,

It's a bit novice question, but if I put a Nikon fit Samyang lens on this body, will that confirmation light still work? Or is it something relating to Nikkor lenses only?

It should would. The Samyang/Rokinon lens had confirmation on my D700 and F5.

mgb74 · Sep 24, 2015

ongakublue said:
Hi guys,

Any thoughts on the Nikon N8008s? Local store has one for a good price.

Better than this?: Dead Link Removed

8008s has slower AF than N90s but it's still incredible bang for the buck. The N90s with data back does not have the sticky rubber issue. I have a N90s with data back to sell but, even though it's better than KEH Bgn condition, hard to compete with an 8008s for $11.

technicolor · Sep 25, 2015

bought 1 a month ago on ebay, liked it so much i bought three more.

Rook · Sep 25, 2015

I don't have the N8008s, but I did buy an F90 a year ago. It's a fine camera, with a plethora of features. Despite its many strengths, it has nevertheless become the camera I use least. Probably because it just feels too much like a modern DSLR, minus the LCD screen. Although I can imagine this very character appeals to some photographers. But for me, my Nikon FE remains my #1 favorite camera to use... compared to the F90, less push buttons to get in the way of creativity.

Russ - SVP · Sep 26, 2015

Love shooting with my FM, FE, FE-2 and F100. And I've just rediscovered the joy of shooting with the N90s. A very good, durable and reliable camera.

klownshed · Sep 26, 2015

I have one. I also have an F90x. The F90 is slightly better but the 801 is still a nice camera that let me use some of my Nikon D lenses whilst I still had a Nikon DSLR. The F90 battery grip fits the 801 too.

There is one problem I've encountered with them though. The battery box and cover door are a bit too flimsy. The springs are quite strong, as is the screw that secures the box so it takes quite a bit of pressure to secure it and the plastic just isn't up to it. My first 801 ended up with a disintegrated battery holder.

So make sure you check for cracks in the battery holder as a small crack will become a big crack sooner rather than later! The grip bypasses the issue but makes the camera huge and heavy.

I usually prefer more classic SLRs; I like smaller manual focus cameras without power wind and all the other bells and whistles but the F801 is a really great way into a more modern system for not much money. It's particularly good with Nikon speed lights. Nikon's flash system was already pretty fantastic in the 80s.

I keep my F90x around with 50mm D lens and SB28 as a (huge) P&S camera

bdial · Sep 26, 2015

I have both an 8008 and an 8008s, haven't used them much, but I do like the focus confirmation with my manual lenses.
My total investment for both was $10, as I recall. The s has a lot of brassing, so apparently it saw a lot of use in its past, but it works perfectly. I am not that used to autofocus, and the focus speed seems fine to me, it's much faster than my wife's P&S Nikon digi!

ron917 · Sep 26, 2015

ongakublue said:
It's a bit novice question, but if I put a Nikon fit Samyang lens on this body, will that confirmation light still work? Or is it something relating to Nikkor lenses only?

Other posters have answered this, but just to be clear: The focus confirmation light will work with any lens that will mount on the camera. No "focus confirmation chip" is required.

Don't try to mount a non-AI lens, that will damage the meter coupling tab on the body.

I bought my N8008 new in 1990. It's been through a lot, but it still works perfectly.

dynachrome · Sep 28, 2015

I have one 8008S, two N90s cameras and a F90X (non-US N90S). I agree that the N90S doesn't cost much more and is the one I would choose. I also use it mostly with manual focus lenses. The focus confirmation is handy and the finder is very bright. It also has interchangeable focusing screens. My faovrite is the 'E' (grid) type. In bright light the auto focusing isn't too bad but it's not as fast as more recent models like the F100 or F6. Even the very inexpensive N2020 is a very pleasant camera to use with manual focus lenses.

M Carter · Sep 28, 2015

By the way, as I understood it when I was buying 8008 and N90 bodies brand new- the "s" is for "spot meter", but also for "speed" - slightly faster AF (probably a software tweak vs. a different motor?)

And I still say: look around for an N90 before you commit - unless the 8008 deal is just killer.

nathantw · Sep 30, 2015

ongakublue said:
Hi guys,

Any thoughts on the Nikon N8008s? Local store has one for a good price.

A Nikon N8008s is a nice camera. I used it from July, 1988 (when the camera came out) until October, 2009. Great camera. If you can find a MF-21 back, buy it. It's one of the best additions you can get for it. I was sad when the film flatness plate broke right in the middle of a paying job. I didn't have a backup either! Argh. I had to run home and get the original back that came with the camera. Also, the SB-28 is the flash unit for the camera. The two extra accessories (flash and data back) will make the camera complete. You can basically do anything with it.

Good luck and have fun!

RalphLambrecht · Sep 30, 2015

ongakublue said:
Hi guys,

Any thoughts on the Nikon N8008s? Local store has one for a good price.

I have one but don't ike the fact that it needs an expensive special battery;other than that, a great performer; mine has well over125k shots on it and still works well.

frank · Sep 30, 2015

RalphLambrecht said:
I have one but don't ike the fact that it needs an expensive special battery;other than that, a great performer; mine has well over125k shots on it and still works well.

Ralph, mine uses AA batteries!

OptiKen · Sep 30, 2015

After reading this thread I started looking at them, realizing that auto-focus would become more of a necessity than a luxury in the near future.
I broke open my piggy bank and picked one up from a dealer for $11.95.
Wish I could have seen the post about the one for $11.00...that would have saved me almost 8% (or something close).
Darn!

Nikon N8008s (F801s)

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