Some questions for the Nikon AF experts

excalibur2

excalibur2

My F4's Broken...
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Brian
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Well I've got a F401 with Sigma 70-210 zoom and it's too limited in what it can do i.e. no film ISO adjustments and if using MF lenses would have to use a separate exposure meter, so:-

Will the zoom operate faster with a later Nikon AF camera and will it work with later models. If so, what Nikon body do I look for that can also meter with MF lenses inc Tamron?
OR forget AF film cameras for fast moving grandchildren and get a digital compact camera.

Thanks
 
I'd go with the F75, F90 or F100 which will all autofocus, and will meter with manual lenses.


Or you could go digital... :)
 
The problem with digital compacts is the shutter delay. My X100 can't cope with them. I bought an F4 for the job (grandkids). Never use it, too easy to just grab the D700....
 
Thanks gents..will this old zoom work with a Nikon F4? As someone here (or swop in classifieds) might want to give me a F4 body on loan in exchange for a OM mount Komine Vivitar 24mm F2 also on loan.
The Vivitar on ebay is going for silly prices even up to £230, but I've only got an OM20 and unlikely to get another Olympus camera, so the lens is not much use to me.
 
If it works with a F401 then it should work with an F4 & if memory is correct, the F4 gives matrix metering with manual focus Nikkors as well.

The only negative thing that I would say about the F4 is that the autofocus is supposed to be fairly slow. If you are looking for speed of autofocus in an F body then maybe think of the F5? With manual Nikkor's you will be limited to manual & aperture priority with spot & centre weighted metering but the AF is very quick. I have an F5 & although it is heavy, it is a lovely camera to use.
 
DNH said:
If it works with a F401 then it should work with an F4 & if memory is correct, the F4 gives matrix metering with manual focus Nikkors as well.

The only negative thing that I would say about the F4 is that the autofocus is supposed to be fairly slow. If you are looking for speed of autofocus in an F body then maybe think of the F5? With manual Nikkor's you will be limited to manual & aperture priority with spot & centre weighted metering but the AF is very quick. I have an F5 & although it is heavy, it is a lovely camera to use.
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Thanks but the F5 is not cheap compared to F100 or F4......shame about the auto focus on the F4 and I'm coming to the conclusion that if you want to photograph children that wont sit still then get a DSLR :'( :bang: :eek:
 
excalibur2 said:
Thanks but the F5 is not cheap compared to F100 or F4......shame about the auto focus on the F4 and I'm coming to the conclusion that if you want to photograph children that wont sit still then get a DSLR :'( :bang: :eek:
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The F100 can be found for not much more than the F4, I've got both and use my F100 most of the time but you can borrow my F4 if you'd like to try it.
 
RaglanSurf said:
The F100 can be found for not much more than the F4, I've got both and use my F100 most of the time but you can borrow my F4 if you'd like to try it.
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Thank you so much for your kind offer, but it's just me in that I don't like borrowing anything that could be damaged...so that just leaves something like a hammer :shrug: :wave:
 
Most of the higher end Nikon AF cameras from the 90s will still meter for old AI/AIS lenses. Additionally, the AF will be faster and better because it depends on the camera AF motor, in a time before the motors all went in-lens.

The F5/D1 (same thing really) are reputed to have brutal AF performance.

I'd still use a digi for anything, or anyone, fast moving.
 
excalibur2 said:
Thank you so much for your kind offer, but it's just me in that I don't like borrowing anything that could be damaged...so that just leaves something like a hammer :shrug: :wave:
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I understand Brian, although TBH there's not a lot to choose between the F4 and hammer.

It won't be going anywhere if you change your mind.
 
I've found the f100 AF to be pretty sharp. I have on occasion used it for birding and it worked pretty well, should be OK grandkids if it can capture blue tits. :thumbs:
 
Maybe have a look at the F90 or F90X? Will meter in CW & spot with AI lenses & shoots in aperture priority & manual. They can go for under £40 on ebay . Quite a lot of camera for the money & the AF is supposed to be OK speed wise. Just have to watch the back as it has a habit of becoming sticky.
 
F90, damn good camera for the money.
 
Thanks all but confusing as I am newbie for AF cameras....well assuming the lens I have for the F-401 was not redesigned to work faster on later models, and it's the camera design that operates the lens more efficiently, would there be much difference in AF comparing the F90, F100 or F4....but if I'm stuck with the F-401 lens and that's that, then it would seem there would be no point going above a F90 as that can meter for non AF lenses (hopefully with a decent display of info in the viewfinder) and assume can also change film ISO to what I want.
 
Not much point going beyond F75 I reckon. I bought mine for£15.
I need the diopter adjustment.
 
kendo1 said:
Not much point going beyond F75 I reckon. I bought mine for£15.
I need the diopter adjustment.
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...but the F100 seems a nice camera for maybe £100 more :shrug: most of my 35mm MF cameras were bought for under £10 so maybe I should treat myself and join the Nikon club h'mm with my one Nikon lens...a 50mm :)
 
excalibur2 said:
...but the F100 seems a nice camera for maybe £100 more :shrug: most of my 35mm MF cameras were bought for under £10 so maybe I should treat myself and join the Nikon club h'mm with my one Nikon lens...a 50mm :)
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I don't think you'd be disappointed they are cracking cameras, probably the best specced Nikon AF camera without going for an F5 or 6.
 
AF speed depends on the sophistication of the sensor in the camera & on screw drive ones, the speed of the motor in the camera that does the focusing. The F4 has the earliest sensor on the list which is why it is the slowest. I imagine that the F100 may be a bit faster than the F90 due to the newer sensor? I have never tried either though.

Here is a link to a download from the F90X instruction manual:

http://www.butkus.org/chinon/nikon/nikon_f90x_af/nikon_f90x_af.htm

Here is a link to the F100 instruction manual:

http://www.butkus.org/chinon/nikon/nikon_f100/nikon_f100.htm

They may help you decide between the two?
 
Do you know this site, Brian?

http://www.mir.SPAM/rb/photography/companies/nikon/htmls/models/htmls/slrmainy2k2003.htm

This page is 2000 - 2003.
 
Thanks all.......Well I want to stick with film and decided on a F100, but my son has a Canon 550d that he doesn't use much (when he shows us his latest shots they are all from his mobile phone) so if he gives it to me that will solve my shooting grandchildren problem.
 
excalibur2 said:
Thanks all.......Well I want to stick with film and decided on a F100, but my son has a Canon 550d that he doesn't use much (when he shows us his latest shots they are all from his mobile phone) so if he gives it to me that will solve my shooting grandchildren problem.
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Grandchildren maybe a problem but I believe resorting to shooting them is frowned upon.
 
Greenough said:
The only negative thing that I would say about the F4 is that the autofocus is supposed to be fairly slow. If you are looking for speed of autofocus in an F body then maybe think of the F5? With manual Nikkor's you will be limited to manual & aperture priority with spot & centre weighted metering but the AF is very quick. I have an F5 & although it is heavy, it is a lovely camera to use.



http://www.g02.me/6dX
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Thanks but I had a stroke of luck as my son bought his 550d over to my house and said I can use it when I want and he would borrow it just for occasions when he is not using his mobile phone. Anyway he tested the F401 and he thought the AF wasn't that bad compared to his 550d :shrug: . h'mm the camera hadn't been used for a long time so maybe the lens has loosened up :thumbs:
But I'll still look for a bargain F100 to now satisfy my curiosity about AF cameras :wave:
But one thing that is useful on the F401 is:- with a manual lens you get a green signal in the viewfinder when the focus is correct, I'm interested to test this out, as on some combos of camera, lens and adapter what I see in the viewfinder is not what I get on the neg... esp for close ups :suspect:
 
Are later AF Nikons (or I suppose AF Canons etc as well) as annoying as the F401, in that if I set shutter priority @ say 1/250, the camera wont fire if the exposure goes beyond the max f no on the lens for correct exposure... so you miss the shot as the time you drop the shutter speed the subject could have gone......
My Canon T70 and T90 will auto shift to the next suitable shutter speed and at least you get the shot. e.g. if the T90 is set for 1/2000 and then point the camera at something in a very dark corner, it could be about 20 secs before the shutter closes.
 
I think that the only Nikon that has had that feature is the FA. Nikon call it cybernetic override. The feature was dropped from all subsequent Nikon cameras IIRC.
 
DNH said:
I think that the only Nikon that has had that feature is the FA. Nikon call it cybernetic override. The feature was dropped from all subsequent Nikon cameras IIRC.
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h'mm so a Nikon on shutter priority with any zoom or prime that goes\is to 210mm f5.6 is useless on a Nikon camera and even 200mm f4 wouldn't be of much use either, as you would normally set at least 1/250 because of camera shake and if the sun goes behind clouds and using 200 ISO film the camera wont fire.....:lol:
Must be 1000's of newbies like me wondering why the shutter wont fire as I was taking a shot of a house in sunny conditions but the camera's exposure meter decided that the part of the house in the shade was outside the limit of the f5.6 lens and the computer blocked the firing mechanism. :shrug:
So it's aperture priority or manual from now on for me.
The sigma 70mm-210 on the camera is a sharp lens, so that's useful.
 
I've given up looking for a F100 body on Ebay as they are going for silly prices, IMO as film is in decline it's crazy to spend a lot of money on a AF camera if it's not a classic for at least a backup selling to collectors. If you are just wanting AF then a digital camera is faster, so can't see the point over a manual focus camera.....h'mm have I missed something.......................
 
Brian my F100 is the camera that I will be buried with. The AF is as fast as on my old D300 and for the money you are basically getting the film equivalent of a D700, it is a superb piece of engineering. I often pop the 50mm f1.8 on it and just go out with a few rolls of film, it does everything perfectly and allows me to concentrate on composition etc. Get one, you won't regret it.

Cheers

Andy
 
Andysnap said:
Brian my F100 is the camera that I will be buried with. The AF is as fast as on my old D300 and for the money you are basically getting the film equivalent of a D700, it is a superb piece of engineering. I often pop the 50mm f1.8 on it and just go out with a few rolls of film, it does everything perfectly and allows me to concentrate on composition etc. Get one, you won't regret it.

Cheers

Andy
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^^^WHS^^^

Sold prices on a well known auction site seem to average just below £100 for a UK based auction sale. One went for £62, most expensive was £164 for a mint boxed copy, but another boxed one with a battery pack went for £75 so there are bargains to be had.

Worth every penny :thumbs:
 
Andysnap said:
Brian my F100 is the camera that I will be buried with. The AF is as fast as on my old D300 and for the money you are basically getting the film equivalent of a D700, it is a superb piece of engineering. I often pop the 50mm f1.8 on it and just go out with a few rolls of film, it does everything perfectly and allows me to concentrate on composition etc. Get one, you won't regret it.

Cheers

Andy
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Well Andy that explains why a good one (body only) is going for over £100 as a many agree with you.
I thought my mint Canon T90 was expensive at £60 but at least I got a lens with it :)
 
F100 models were nudging towards £150+ not so long ago (when I had a cursory look about 18 months ago). £100 is pretty good going, especially considering how much they went for new not so long ago.
 
freecom2 said:
F100 models were nudging towards £150+ not so long ago (when I had a cursory look about 18 months ago). £100 is pretty good going, especially considering how much they went for new not so long ago.
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Well with Kodak having problems and Fuji reducing their range of films could put people off spending too much on cameras..and that is my thinking as well...lenses for the foreseeable future seem to be in demand so money spent on excellent lenses is a good investment and you can enjoy them in the meantime.
 
Nobody told the Leica, Rolleiflex, Hasselblad or Mamiya sellers that news :lol:

(that said, Leica prices have stalled a bit in the last 6 months - but prices for the common models of the other 3 brands have been on an upward trajectory)
 
My F100 cost me £149 in supposedly excellent condition, though words are to be had with the seller as the back is stickier than a year old haribo under the car seat....

AF on it is on par with if not slightly better than my S5 using the same lenses. It'll cope with kids.
 
freecom2 said:
Nobody told the Leica, Rolleiflex, Hasselblad or Mamiya sellers that news :lol:

(that said, Leica prices have stalled a bit in the last 6 months - but prices for the common models of the other 3 brands have been on an upward trajectory)
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Classics will always be in demand, but surprised about Mamiya though :shrug: And don't forget snob value as I'm sure meeting a photographer with a Leica, he\she would look down on me with a Canon T70 around my neck. :)
 
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excalibur2 said:
Classics will always be in demand, but surprised about Mamiya though :shrug: And don't forget snob value as I'm sure meeting a photographer with a Leica, he\she would look down on me with a Canon T70 around my neck. :)
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I think owners of anything else in the world would as well, it's like having orange stripey wallpaper and a chopper. :gag: :p
 
Alan Clogwyn said:
I think owners of anything else in the world would as well, it's like having orange stripey wallpaper and a chopper. :gag: :p
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:lol:

The T70 is my most used camera, and took two to Ibiza :) my wife refused to carry my RB67 and Etrsi instead :lol:
To the female members....I'm joking.
 
I'm kinda wondering why you don't just stop buying film cameras, pool what you would have spent on them and buy a dslr.
You'll still be able to use the 50p lenses you con old ladies out of at boot sales...lol, and you'll save on processing.

I got an F100 the other day for less than £100, luckily its a keeper, but then I buy film cameras because they shoot film, not because they are cheaper.
 
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