Nikon N90S vs F100

[ksa66]

I had an F90X for a while. Loud camera and fast af. Nice camera but prefer F4 and the more silent F5. F90 is for free. Almost 10st F90x for one F5.

 

[ajuk]

I have the N90s and they are beans to buy, I think the F100 has kept much more of its value, it much more like the modern DSLRs than the N90s is. I don't have the F100 but I do have the F80 and I can imagine the F100 would have much better ergonomics, and I assume it's quieter, the F80 is really quiet.

Their was a rumour at one point that as film camera declined Nikon were going to replace the F100 and F80 with a camera priced between them, I don't know if that was true.

 

[xtolsniffer]

I got an F90 basically free with a lens. I wanted an 28-70 f3.5 AF-D from the auction site, but they always went for more than I wanted. Then I noticed this F90 for sale with what looked like a 28-70 on it from a very blurry photo, so I bid for it and got the camera and lens for less than the lenses were going for. It turned out to be the right lens, but then I had this spare F90, which I didn't actually need. I thought about re-selling it so I cleaned it up (the usual rubber coating was coming off the film back), and ran a roll through it. I have an F100, so I thought there was no way I needed it, but found I actually really liked it! So I'm going to keep it for black and white HP5 shooting. This is a really nice camera, and they are going for virtually nothing at the moment, much less than an F100. The only extra that seems to be useful for me for the F100 is using the thumbwheel to set aperture on CPU lenses, which is no big deal for me as most of mine are manual focus non-cpu anyway.

 

[rhmimac]

I started my Nikon addiction on a brand new 1992 F601 AF. I call it my screaming pig. It made all the nicest pictures on E6 and C41 of my growing up kids, but oh man this thing screams! I'm waking up all neighbours when using it. No street machine you can see. Therefor I started buying around (and GASing a little bit) some 10 yrs ago ( and that has stopped now). A lot of Nikons came and went: F401 came and went, another F601 came and went,F65 came and went too, the F100 came and stayed, some cheapo Canon(!)rangfinders came and went, but it was never "in love" with them... then I made a mistake then and bought a beaten up F4S. Only troubles with it so far. I like the beast for it's knobs and handling but it's weighing in a ton, a pro machine indeed but end of life full of defects it's worth zero. Then I stood back and decided to try out the F90X. And there it was: love... Is it because I started on plastic 1992 camera's that I want it to be plastic,... and therefor light(er)? Is it because the damned things are so cheap(50€/F90X)? Is it because they are no bother to me and don't stand in between the subject and the mind? It's that too. So my conclusion: search until you find "your machine" and stick with it, learn the tricks and the quircks of it. There's probably nothing better for you out there...
PS off topic: I wondered through all olympus Mju models too because it's such a nice and everyday usable type of (pocketable)camera. Got myself the Mju zoom 38-70 (made in japan) and the MjuII classic f2.8 to get along for the rest of my life. Full stop here too. they will do the job, everywhere... weathersealed... what'd you want more?

 

[John_Nikon_F]

My advice: Don't buy toys with money you do not have, or should have really used for other priorities. And don't go looking for trouble - once you are in the midst of a GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) attack, it will be hard to get out of without damage done. Once your hobby becomes gear acquisition, it is a different hobby than photography. It is sometimes hard to distinguish between the two, but having tried both, I think photography is more fun and better for your overall well-being.

Well put. I know I've gone down the GAS trail too much in the past 8 years... Was it worth it? Nope. The tons of cash that I dumped into gear could've gone toward a LOT of film and processing. I probably would've been very happy if I'd continued shooting with my original FM2n and never laid hands on the F3P that replaced it.

-J

 

[analoguey]

+1 this one. I am still shaving down thousands of dollars of debt from 10 years of GAS for gear I "needed", esp. after reading various camera forums, reviews, etc.

If the desire is burning inside, put $10 in a "F100 Jar" every month for a year. In one year you'll have cash to pay for a clean used body, if you still have that burning desire.

If you can't pay cash, you can't afford it!

Eric

Very very sane advice!
Ill try that next time GAS intervenes!

 

[MartinCrabtree]

Life interfered and stopped my GAS episode. So now I just take photos with the gear I did acquire.

 

[John_Nikon_F]

Life interfered and stopped my GAS episode. So now I just take photos with the gear I did acquire.

Congrats...

-J

 

[MartinCrabtree]

Oh I still look wistfully at the cool stuff. Just don't have the money.

 

[John_Nikon_F]

Oh I still look wistfully at the cool stuff. Just don't have the money.

Agreed. It's a choice between, say, a nice chrome FM2n, or new license tabs for the car...

-J