So how good is the Nikon F4 ?

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percymon

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Having played with a few charity shop cameras over the last few weeks and taken my Canon EOS30 out at the weekend (gets about 15-20 rolls a year through it), i'm debating the merits of the Nikon F4 or F4s.

I've read some reviews and of course it all comes back saying its fantastic, bar a few issues with the AF struggling whenthere is little contrast between subject and background (resolved in the F5 apparently).

The question is, given that i've been a Canon man for the 15 years of my on and off amateur photgraphy (currently EOS500N, EOS30 and EOS5D DSLR), is there really any significant benefit image wise, or any additional satisfaction user wise from experiencing the Nikon F system ?. I'm not ditching the Canon stuff, or my Bronica ETRSi MF, this would just be a dabble with the Nikon F4S and a 35mm or 50mm lens for general photography.

From looking around the prices seem to be around £200 for a warranted but used and marked body, through £250 for decent warranted one, right up to minters for £350-500 but thats out of my territory.

I realise i'm not exactly going to lose an awful lot of money if i buy one at the right price and then sell it on in six months or so - but is it really worth it, or should i be happy with my lot and forget the idea, or even buy something better than the ESO30 in the Canon range, or indeed another L lens ?
 
Hi there,

I have very limited experience of an F4s. I've 'borrowed' one from a friend recently who isn't using it. Clicky

I've only run one roll of film through it. I took it to the rugby on Saturday and was relatively impressed with it. I did think the Autofocus was slow compared to my 70-200 f/2.8L but guess I'm comparing probably 10-20 year advance in technology. The matrix metering seems very good. I've enjoyed playing with it and was pleased with the results. It feels really nice in hand but the AF does seem very clunky. Love noise when rattling 5 frames a second!

Would I buy one? Not sure. I am lucky I borrowed a body, 28mm, 50mm and 70-210mm lenses (and a 35-70 kit lens also) with it so have a range of focal lengths. I am really enjoying my film but all my gear is Canon so I think if I was spending money I would get a better EOS film body (currently I have a knackered old EOS100) so I can swap most of my lenses from Digi to Film and vice versa. Going down the F4 route if you like it you will have to spend money on more lenses...

Just my 2pth.
 
Thanks Freester - saw your post last week, you lucky thing !

There is a Peli case full of old Nikon gear in my office - i think its a Nikon FE or FM, with 2 or 3 lenses and the biggest Metz flash they did at the time. I'm thinking i might put a silly offer in to buy this lot off the company (its been in the cupboard for at least 15 years, and i reckon its not seen more than 20 rolls of film in total) and as far as they are concerned is worthless. I could then sell this on the bay and part fund the F4 (or even F5).

I'm not intending going down the full Nikon experience - i have too much Canon gear to contemplate that move, but would buy the F4 or F5 as my near enough ultimate film SLR
 
I paid £1900 for a Nikon F4 body in 1996!

It's a superb camera and you're a lucky git to have been effectively given this kit. The AF is a little slow by modern standard, but more than adequate unless you're shooting high speed stuff. The F4 was my prime body for weddings for 8 years backed up by an F90 which had faster AF but I'd use the F4 in preference every time.

In common with a lot of AF cameras of that era, the F4 had problems focusing when the AF spot only contained horizontal lines, in which case, you just rotate the camera to portrait mode to get focus and press the AF lock button, rotate back to landscape mode and take the shot.

The F4 has a silent mode which really works. I did hear it was the only camera they'd allow on the centre court at Wimbledon at one time - whether it's true I don't know.

Truthfully, if I was buying a Nikon film camera from scratch I'd go for the F5 which is arguably the best 35mm film camera ever made, and takes the F flagship camera to a whole new level, but the F4 remains a superb bit of kit.

There is an F6 model which is likely to be the last of the line from Nikon given the drop in demand for film.
 
If you decide to go the route of a Canon body, and I can see that makes sense, then just get an EOS3 - wonderfully spec'd camera - I'll never part with mine. 200 quid will get you a mint one. Ffordes usually have a few in stock.
 
I bought a second hand F4s for just under £900 over twelve years ago (I did work in a shop though) and it's been a real pleasure to use. It's heavy but I like the solid feel it has. I have a smaller battery pack I use for travelling.

I've shot many weddings mainly candid stuff along with my medium format camera and I've had some great consistent results with it, I normally use centre weighted metering bit it also offers matrix or spot metering too and a built in dioptre in the prism head. Batteries seem to last ages in it too.

The depth of field preview and other features are so easy to use when your handling it too though i'm not sure if that's cos I'm really used to it after all this time
 
percymon said:
The question is, given that i've been a Canon man for the 15 years of my on and off amateur photgraphy (currently EOS500N, EOS30 and EOS5D DSLR), is there really any significant benefit image wise, or any additional satisfaction user wise from experiencing the Nikon F system ?.
Click to expand...

To be totally honest No.

I have a F4s (paid £1100 for the body only in 1996 second hand) and still use it regularly. The great thing about it is everything is on the out side. So if you are coming from the F2, F3 linage it is so simple to use. Unlike the Canon’s (T90 and EOS1 which I have) where it is all driven via LCD and command wheels, leaving there top plates very clean.

It does have only one AF point, so if you are used to multiple point systems then that takes a bit of getting used to. However with a bit of thought there is nothing you can’t do with an F4 that you can with any other machine.

I do think that the F4 has to be the best handleing and ergonomic design camera of the last 20 years.

I would yes have a go with one I think you will like it but no it will not have a major improvement on the image quaility.
 
The other thing is the F4 is the last of the line to have a shutter speed dial which they dropped with the F5 in favour of the push button data entry system which we've now all got used to, but the F4 in many respects is a lovely blend of old and new ideas.

Slightly irksome is the smooth exterior finish which gets polished by your hands with regular use, so cameras soon look well used however careful you are. A minor detail but annoying.
 
Knikki said:
I do think that the F4 has to be the best handleing and ergonomic design camera of the last 20 years.
Click to expand...

That was pretty much just how I felt about it.
 
CT said:
If you decide to go the route of a Canon body, and I can see that makes sense, then just get an EOS3 - wonderfully spec'd camera - I'll never part with mine. 200 quid will get you a mint one. Ffordes usually have a few in stock.
Click to expand...

Thanks CT for your honesty - i probably should have bought the EOS3 last year, but i was impatient and in the end found the EOS30 and the gip for £50 so i went for it. At the time i was more interested in trying the eye control feature which i find works very well, but possibly now miss the multi AF points selection of the EOS 3. Certainly a cheaper option to buy one of those than the F4 and lens.

Perhaps thats a better route for me - half the time i'm too experimental, when i should be content with the capable system i already have !
 
With the optional battery grip which really integrates and becomes part of the body, the EOS3 fits in the hand beautifully. It's a heavy beast with the grip but lacks for nothing really - the eye control even works for me as a specs wearer. The more often you run the calibration procedure, the more accurate the eye control becomes.

Canon still claim the EOS 3 to give the fastest AF performance with their lenses.
 
...and the added advantage buying used is that a 3 is more lightly used than a EOS1 which could have seen and awful lot of shutter operations !

Me thinks i will stick with Canon, and see what i can get the old Nikon kit for from work :D:D
 
second for the eos3, its a great camera and the AF is brilliant, so much so I have 2, and having basically stopped 35mm SLR togging I still can't bear to sell them on
 
Well i said i was impatient :eek: - just bought a mint and warranted EOS3 for £119

Arrives Thursday :woot::woot::woot:

Now to find a cheap grip :bang:
 
You`ll like the 3 tis a lovely camera, got one new from jessops years ago (interestingly it was between that and the f4s as I was looking to upgrade from my ME Super).
 
percymon said:
Well i said i was impatient :eek: - just bought a mint and warranted EOS3 for £119

Arrives Thursday :woot::woot::woot:

Now to find a cheap grip :bang:
Click to expand...

LOL. Well done. The grips tend to be a bit sought after.
 
Freester said:
I did think the Autofocus was slow compared to my 70-200 f/2.8L but guess I'm comparing probably 10-20 year advance in technology. The matrix metering seems very good. I've enjoyed playing with it and was pleased with the results. It feels really nice in hand but the AF does seem very clunky.
Click to expand...

That 70-210 af will be cam focussing, 20 years old or not, stick a 21st century af-s on it and it'll focus as fast and quiet as you like.
How good is that, they put contacts for af-s in the body 3 years before they made af-s lenses...:lol:

VR doesn't work though.....BOOOO....:thumbsdown:
 
CT said:
LOL. Well done. The grips tend to be a bit sought after.
Click to expand...

There are a quite a few kicking around in dealers, some at not too bad money and some for almost as much as the camera bodies themselves ! :(

I'm in no particular rush - prices are only likely to go one way ;)
 
There are actually two grip versions available. One takes 8 AA batteries, the other one takes a long EOS 1 Series type battery and gives the highest frame rate - 9 or 10 frames per second I think.
 
EOS 3 Body arrived at 8am this morning - Wow its like new :D

I can't believe the previous owner parted with such a unused example.

Many thanks to MPB Photographic for such an easy sale and at such a good price too :thumbs:
 
They do tend to look pretty good anyway, it's a durable beast with a good finish. You'll love it.

You can't run the eye calibration procedure too often - the more often you repeat it, the more accurate it gets.

EOS 3 Manual PDF.
 
Thanks CT - my next job was to find an online manual - you've saved me the trouble :thumbs:
 
I've enjoyed my time playing with the F4 and it will get some more time out in the field. I really don't enjoy carrying 2 lots of kit. A better Canon film body to go alongside my digital body and EF lenses is on my mind now. You've got me thinking about EOS3's. Arrrgggghhhh!
 
Freester said:
I've enjoyed my time playing with the F4 and it will get some more time out in the field. I really don't enjoy carrying 2 lots of kit. A better Canon film body to go alongside my digital body and EF lenses is on my mind now. You've got me thinking about EOS3's. Arrrgggghhhh!
Click to expand...

Well it makes absolute sense, which is the reason the A1 isn't getting used when I can use my EF lenses with the EOS 3.
 
LOL. You're gonna do it anyway - resistance is futile. ;)
 
Freester said:
I've enjoyed my time playing with the F4 and it will get some more time out in the field. I really don't enjoy carrying 2 lots of kit. A better Canon film body to go alongside my digital body and EF lenses is on my mind now. You've got me thinking about EOS3's. Arrrgggghhhh!
Click to expand...


There is one on ebay with a grip right now with about 5 days to go - i emailed the seller earlier in the week for a buy it now price, they replied £110 for the lot ;)
 
percymon said:
There is one on ebay with a grip right now with about 5 days to go - i emailed the seller earlier in the week for a buy it now price, they replied £110 for the lot ;)
Click to expand...

I've just been looking before I saw this.

I'm not buying one this month. Honest!
 
I gotta say that looks a bargain!

:popcorn:
 
LOL. Sensible head on just for a minute, but I'm always wary of ebay posts with one tiny image and no speil about the general condition of the camera. Drop him a question or two? I have to say though, the battery grips often go for a lot more than 110 quid
 
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