What lenses for Nikon F4 - just street and landscapes

[Minox]

You'll enjoy it.

You still might consider wider lenses later, but you'll ALWAYS have a use for that 50. I have that one to use on my F4, too.

I am almost certain I will (have to) get a wider lens, true. Thank you !

 

[Film-Niko]

I am starting with a Nikon F4, never used the camera before. It came with two lenses, a telephoto and a AF 35-70/1:2.8. Both excellent, but I really want a prime lens for your usual street and landscape photography, nothing fancy, for when I travel and take photographs.

I have heard that the Nikkor AF 50mm/1.8 is something that will fit the bill. Anyone to help a fellow in need, please? Thank you !

With the AF 2.8/35-70 you already have an excellent lens which comes very close to prime lenses in optical performance.
If you need a wider angle you may also have a look at the current Voigtländer 2.8/28 Color-Skopar SL II:

SL- Mount | Voigtländer

www.voigtlaender.de

It has excellent build quality, is very compact, good optical quality and is reasonably priced including 3-year guarantee. And has a built-in CPU for Nikon.
With f.56 or f8 using hyperfocal distance an 28mm wide-angle can be used without focusing in street photography, which enables you to react extremely fast.

Wider than 28mm ist not needed for street in my experience, but your mileage may vary.

 

[Film-Niko]

Smooth, buttery bokeh is not a Nikon thing, apparently.

I think in such a general way that is not correct. From my own experience I can say there are many Nikkor lenses with excellent, smooth and attractive bokeh. Just to name a few:
- AF-S 1.4/58 G
- AF-D 1.4/85 D
- AF-D 1.8/85 D
- AF-S 1.8/85 G
- AF-S 1.4/85 G
- AI-S 1.4/85
- AI-S 2.5/105
- AI-S 1.8/105
- AF-D 2/105 DC
- AF-D 2/135 DC
- AF-S 1.4/105 G
- AF-D 2.8/180
- all 300, 400, 500, 600 and 800mm tele prime lenses.

But of course bokeh is also a very subjective thing. A bokeh character loved by photographer A may look not so nice for photographer B.

 

[Minox]

OK, update on my Nikon F4 start: I have run a film through it, a regular Fomapan 200 (yes, the ubiquitous one these days). The negative came clear, apart from a single frame which is (from what I can see now) fairly well exposed.

I have tried to use the Ph and P settings, but for some reason the shutter freezes for like a 30 secs, no matter what I do. The A (aperture priority) does the same freezing thing. However, the S (shutter priority) and the M (manual) settings seem to work fine. I do have a feeling that the speeds are not exactly what they should be, but I am no specialist.

Does anyone have a clue on why the heck the shutter freezes in those settings, please? Really annoying, to be honest.

I have to mention here that the film was shot mainly on M mode.

Any reply would be greatly appreciated, thank you !!

LE - the negative is clear, frame numbers are showing well, the leader is black. Also, I had the nagging feeling that the the film was not transported, by the sound the camera made (more like a stutter than a film pulled through).

 

[guangong]

The great majority of my street and cafe pictures are taken with lenses in the 45-55mm range. Or 75-100 with MF cameras. The lenses slightly wider that 50mm are on fixed lens folders and Rollei 35. There is a reason for the popularity of the 50.

 

[guangong]

OK, update on my Nikon F4 start: I have run a film through it, a regular Fomapan 200 (yes, the ubiquitous one these days). The negative came clear, apart from a single frame which is (from what I can see now) fairly well exposed.

I have tried to use the Ph and P settings, but for some reason the shutter freezes for like a 30 secs, no matter what I do. The A (aperture priority) does the same freezing thing. However, the S (shutter priority) and the M (manual) settings seem to work fine. I do have a feeling that the speeds are not exactly what they should be, but I am no specialist.

Does anyone have a clue on why the heck the shutter freezes in those settings, please? Really annoying, to be honest.

I have to mention here that the film was shot mainly on M mode.

Any reply would be greatly appreciated, thank you !!

LE - the negative is clear, frame numbers are showing well, the leader is black. Also, I had the nagging feeling that the the film was not transported, by the sound the camera made (more like a stutter than a film pulled through).

Time to have the camera serviced.

 

[Sirius Glass]

OK, update on my Nikon F4 start: I have run a film through it, a regular Fomapan 200 (yes, the ubiquitous one these days). The negative came clear, apart from a single frame which is (from what I can see now) fairly well exposed.

I have tried to use the Ph and P settings, but for some reason the shutter freezes for like a 30 secs, no matter what I do. The A (aperture priority) does the same freezing thing. However, the S (shutter priority) and the M (manual) settings seem to work fine. I do have a feeling that the speeds are not exactly what they should be, but I am no specialist.

Does anyone have a clue on why the heck the shutter freezes in those settings, please? Really annoying, to be honest.

I have to mention here that the film was shot mainly on M mode.

Any reply would be greatly appreciated, thank you !!

LE - the negative is clear, frame numbers are showing well, the leader is black. Also, I had the nagging feeling that the the film was not transported, by the sound the camera made (more like a stutter than a film pulled through).

Time to have the camera serviced.

It seems a lot like CLA time ...

 

[Minox]

That bad, huh? Oh well, it was fun while it lasted, which was about 4 days . I am going to buy a spare body, as I have already placed the order for the glass anyway. Sorry to let this body go, a gift from a dear friend. Having it repaired probably would be rather on the very dear side, and I do not know any camera repair in mainland Europe to deal with this sort of cameras.

Thank you all for your marvellous help and great support on this. All the best, take care !

 

[Craig]

If the film is clear, it wasn't exposed. Did you notice if the rewind knob was going around when you were taking pictures? Occasionally, the film won't catch on the takeup spool.

I'm wondering if you had it on the self timer setting and that why it sounds like the shutter froze? Can you try anpther film and make sure the drive mode is S or Cl?

 

[Minox]

You think so? To be honest, I haven't paid much attention to the rew knob, shame's on me. If the selftimer is the culprit here, how? It's pretty hard to mistake the self timer with S or other drive modes.

I wouldn't have a problem if the camera would work on M, for I am accustomed with manual controls on cameras, but I am not even certain of the shutter times and such.

Anyways, I'll have another film through the darn thing, fingers crossed .

LE- forgot to say that the lower half of the screen is not displaying the F and shutter settings, as it should. Only the upper side of the LCD is showing information. The lower side is not even lighted up.

 

[Huss]

A deal is only a deal if it remains a deal...

I wouldn't get this camera serviced. You can buy a perfectly working one for $200. Even if you got the F4 you already have serviced, it will not fix the broken LCDs, and it may still have problems, and it may cost more to get serviced than to buy one that works perfectly.

You really should have first checked to make sure the rewind knob was rotating to indicate the film was advancing correctly! Every time you use any camera!

Before you put any more film in it, try out all the settings dry firing it. For P, Ph and S the aperture ring needs to be at minimum/smallest setting. For A and M, the aperture ring can be at any setting.

 

[Minox]

I just put another film in the camera, the knob rotates all right. Checked by dry firing for every setting, the smallest aperture (22) is not making any difference to the Ph, P and A, which still freeze. While frozen, I can release the shutter by rotating the ASA knob to the next speed, it unlocks the shutter fast, so I do not have to wait. Strange that.

I will give this a last chance, without much hope. I have already spoke for a spare body, in pristine condition (Japan, of course). The dealer also has a body without the prism and without the MB20, and is only half the cost of a normal body. I could buy that and have the prism and grip transferred to the one purchased. I am in two minds about this.

So, the long and the short of it: the knob rotates, and I shoot in Manual mode only. Not bad, but this is not the way things should be. Thank you for your kind input, appreciated!

 

[Sirius Glass]

You really should have first checked to make sure the rewind knob was rotating to indicate the film was advancing correctly! Every time you use any camera!

Words of wisdom! This goes for all 35m cameras which have rewind knobs.

 

[macfred]

The Nikkor AF 35-70mm f/2.8 was my favorite lens with the F4.

Nikon F4 - Nikkor AF 35-70mm f/2.8 - Kodak 400TX

 

[Craig]

You mentioned the lower LCD screen not working, that is in the prisim. I'd buy a good working complete camera. Definitely sounds like something wrong with your camera.

 

[awty]

Trade all your f4 in on a f100. Its a better more practical camera.

 

[Huss]

I just put another film in the camera, the knob rotates all right. Checked by dry firing for every setting, the smallest aperture (22) is not making any difference to the Ph, P and A, which still freeze. While frozen, I can release the shutter by rotating the ASA knob to the next speed, it unlocks the shutter fast, so I do not have to wait. Strange that.

I will give this a last chance, without much hope. I have already spoke for a spare body, in pristine condition (Japan, of course). The dealer also has a body without the prism and without the MB20, and is only half the cost of a normal body. I could buy that and have the prism and grip transferred to the one purchased. I am in two minds about this.

So, the long and the short of it: the knob rotates, and I shoot in Manual mode only. Not bad, but this is not the way things should be. Thank you for your kind input, appreciated!

The F4 is a fantastic camera. I loved the two I had which worked perfectly.
Do NOT put any money into the one you have. Get rid of it, it will be a lost cause financially. Buy a camera that is working perfectly from the outset - there are many out there.