Talk me out of an F4

[shutterfinger]

I bought my F4s new in March 1991 and don't regret it.
Its big.
Its heavy.
It has lockouts on controls so you cannot accidentally switch to a setting you don't want.
Its battery check lies.
It fits my hands nicely.
It works well with extension tubes.
It has interchangeable finders and screens.
Can be used to fend off would be theifs if needed without fear of damaging it.
You want something newer.

 

[SchwinnParamount]

What gave the F5 the edge for you?

Nikon F5 is probably the winner, but I personally prefer the F4s. (anatomyfilms.com)

 

[awty]

F4 is not a camera for fast action + portable rig.
It will develop a leaky viewfinder LCD issue, if does not already have one yet.

But if the model you get has 25xxx serial number and below 200$, and you are using it for still or slow motion picture taking --- it is probably a good buy, because it is a timeless masterpiece of looks (due to Italian designer Guigario), and Nikon's engineering of the shutter mechanism, brush-less motors and mechanical linkages to set electronic parameters.

They certainly got there moneys worth out of Guigario, still essential using his design.

They are big and heavy and the meter/focus lock button is a pain to use.

 

[narsuitus]

Heavier than a Holga by Narsuitus, on Flickr

 

[vlasta]

Do it and you will be happy with it !

 

[Chan Tran]

The price of the F4 kept me from owning one back then. I bought the F2AS for $550, The F3HP for $460 but the F4S was selling for $1700. A big jump in price
But to be fair I didn't know what really happened to the economy but cameras prices were going down from the mid 70's to early 80's. But after the mid 80's cameras prices went up a lot.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Do not do it. The F100 is more advanced and lighter. Just do not use the F100 to play rugby. GAS is good.

Skip the F4 and go straight to the F5. I did and never regretted it. I sold my F100 which was better than an F4 anyway.

There it is. Buy the F100. In face with the money you would save, buy two: One for black & white and one for color.

 

[Huss]

There it is. Buy the F100. In face with the money you would save, buy two: One for black & white and one for color.

I am just glad no-one mentioned the paper mache camera backs on the F100.

 

[Huss]

I like the F4 so much I have two. I have seen ones with leaky LCDs, as well as F3s with leaky LCDs, but neither my F4s nor my F3s have leaky LCDs.
So I wonder why that is, how it happens etc?

 

[ChristopherCoy]

Probably not, but it looks really cool, especially compared to the F5.

The F4 is like the 1989 mustang. It bore the mustang name but it was the ugliest mustang of all the mustangs before, or after it.

 

[mshchem]

The F4 is like the 1989 mustang. It bore the mustang name but it was the ugliest mustang of all the mustangs before, or after it.

Truth!

 

[mshchem]

Well I need to be talked down too. I bought a nice Nikon flash last night that I don't need

 

[ChristopherCoy]

I would skip the F4 and the F100 and get an F5. I have an F100 and an F5 and I recently learned that I cannot use my Helios 44-2 on the F100 as it will not meter. I can however still use the F5 with the Helios and have full meter operability.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I am just glad no-one mentioned the paper mache camera backs on the F100.

They are so cheap that you can buy spare ones.

 

[Horatio]

The F4 is like the 1989 mustang. It bore the mustang name but it was the ugliest mustang of all the mustangs before, or after it.

Maybe. But a film camera should have knobs and levers. Mode buttons are of the devil.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Do it!

 

[Chan Tran]

Of all the Nikon F's series camera the I like the F4 the least but... I can't talk the OP out of it. He wanted it he had to have it. Trying to talk him out of it would only make him buys it.

 

[Horatio]

Of all the Nikon F's series camera the I like the F4 the least but... I can't talk the OP out of it. He wanted it he had to have it. Trying to talk him out of it would only make him buys it.

Actually, I haven't bought one. Yet.

 

[Chan Tran]

Actually, I haven't bought one. Yet.

A
Yeah but if I try to tell you how bad I think the F4 is, it would make you to buy one immediately.
Any way my 2 cents. Being able to have matrix metering with AI lenses because the matrix metering system on the F4 is a lot primitive compared to that of the F5. Also I think the F4 is the one Nikon that let the Canon took the lead.

 

[SchwinnParamount]

A
Yeah but if I try to tell you how bad I think the F4 is, it would make you to buy one immediately.
Any way my 2 cents. Being able to have matrix metering with AI lenses because the matrix metering system on the F4 is a lot primitive compared to that of the F5. Also I think the F4 is the one Nikon that let the Canon took the lead.

Yep. Totally agree. One of the things I like about my f5 is the matrix metering. Another is the brighter viewfinder. Skip F4 and go straight to F5 if you can live with the mode button and the lcd control display. Personally, I don't have a problem with it. I set a mode and leave it that way for pretty much ... ever. I shoot either manual or shutter priority.

 

[George Mann]

I sold my F100 which was better than an F4 anyway.

Sacrilege!

 

[George Mann]

I am just glad no-one mentioned the paper mache camera backs on the F100.

I think of it whenever someone mentions how great they are.

 

[Huss]

I think of it whenever someone mentions how great they are.

It's the camera that Elijah Price aka Mr. Glass most associates with.

 

[focus_on_infinity]

Go ahead and get it. You know you want it. So do it.

 

[md_photo]

Get the F4E if you want a real beast.