F5 & F4 hmmmm

F4 is probably the better bet if you use mainly Ai-S lenses.

But I agree with the head bartender. At the prices the F6 is selling for these days, its no contest, get an F6.
 
I have both the F4 & F5 and for AIS lenses the F4 is a far better camera. The F4 was the bridge camera between manual and AF and offers far more options for the AIS lenses.

BTW I also have a F100 and I'd buy a F100 before the F5.
 
The F4 is big, heavy, doesn't autofocus that well and always seemed like a compromise camera when I used them. Hated the things. Even an N8008s is a better camera, in my opinion (in fact, I love the 8008s, much better than the N90s). I agree with Beemermark. The F100 is a fine camera and what I would buy rather than an F5.
 
I shot F4's for many years every day in every kind of weather. The F4's ran without trouble after the LCD screen in my F100 froze in the mountains of New Hampshire. I never worked in very cold with the F100 again. The F4 is arguably the best tripod camera there is, with every setting visible without having to start the thing up to read it from a screen.

If you are using AiS lenses go with the F4 over the F100, which has much worse compatibility. The F4 gives all metering functions with about any lens that can go on it. The height of backward compatibility. True, some of the newest lenses won't work, but if you're not going to use the latest AF zooms or VR things I'd vote for the F4. It won't let you down.

Of my three F4's only one ever had problems, it came to me very well used, and I shot it hard, daily, for four years. I had a shutter blade develop a crack and it was repaired and the camera continues to run trouble free. I can't begin to guess how much film has gone through that body, I must have put 500 rolls though it a year, and it had a similar working life before I got it, it was at least 10 years old then.

I don't know the F6 well, but wouldn't hesitate to say go for the F4. A student of mine got an F4 about a year ago, he absolutely loves it- and that from someone who grew up reading everything from an LCD screen!
 
I have an F4 which I bought new in 1991 and an F5 which I bought used last year. In terms of the results on film, I cannot tell the difference. I am in the "love F4" camp. Absolutely rock solid for 15 years of use, and superb results every time. I still like the control layout and ergonomics better than the F5, but that's probably because I was so used to how the F4 handled. In terms of buying used, the F4 is dirt cheap right now, but you probably takes your chances in terms of shutter life and how the camera was used/abused by its prior owners. I would also consider an F3 (unless you must have autofocus), which for my money still has the smoothest manual advance of any camera out there, even the vaunted M3, has dependable autoexposure and was built like a f__'n tank.

Ben Marks
 
trev2401 said:
arrrrghh... ok.. apart from asking me to get the F6 (which i oh so want so badly)..
Click to expand...

Just curious, why? because of the hype?

An F100 can be had for less than two-hundred dollars nowadays, use that for a year then you can really tell if you need an F6 or not.

Heck, I just found out that a twenty-dollars Maxxum 7xi has an *excellent* metering system. 😉
 
Agree with Bob. The F4 is the toughest camera out there and handles much nicer than the F5. I never like the F5 with the little lock buttons you need to push in, while the focus point adjuster can't be locked! Also the fact that you can't slim it down by removing the motor drive portion.
As for the F100, I am a happy owner but it's important to realize its design flaws. Although the camera is thought of as a pro-level camera it really can't stand up to the same level of hard use as the F4 or F5. I've replaces the film door on mine three times because the little latches that are molded to it keep breaking. I've also had to replace the little tangs that hold the film canister in. The eventually disintegrated after all the high-speed film rewinding.
 
Well... i picked up a barely used F4 (non s)recently for less than the price of a bag of potatoes at costco, and being a seasoned user of the F5 for over 5 years, the F4 struck another chord with me... reminding me closely of the RTS system with knobs for everything perfectly placed.

Although i yearn to get either an F100 or even an F6 out of GAS, my only concern would be if the F4 would be consistent in metering vs the F5 which i'm so used to. I don't really believe in matrixing on the F5 unless i'm really lazy... but the F4's center gives me different readings (1-2/3s stop) when compared to my f5.

hmmm..
 
trev2401 said:
Well... i picked up a barely used F4 (non s)recently for less than the price of a bag of potatoes at costco, and being a seasoned user of the F5 for over 5 years, the F4 struck another chord with me... reminding me closely of the RTS system with knobs for everything perfectly placed.

Although i yearn to get either an F100 or even an F6 out of GAS, my only concern would be if the F4 would be consistent in metering vs the F5 which i'm so used to. I don't really believe in matrixing on the F5 unless i'm really lazy... but the F4's center gives me different readings (1-2/3s stop) when compared to my f5.

hmmm..
Click to expand...

I have a pair of F4s, never had an urge to get an F5 because I'm in the love F4 camp. To answer your original question, I use Center Weighted almost exclusively on the F4 and it has been extremely consistent for me. When used with the same lens, and metering the same scene, you should be getting almost identical readings between your F4 and F5 if you use CW on both cameras. If you really do get a 1.5 stop difference still, then one of your cameras needs its meter adjusted. A quick trip to a technician should answer that question for sure. 🙂

--Warren
 
F4, center-weighted, no exposure problems, though personal preference has exp comp set at +2/3 for E100Gx, which is my film of choice. I use my ancient AI-converted lenses (a 55mm f1.2 especially) with it and have a hard time putting it down to use other cameras.
 
To all that have contributed to this thread... just want to say a huge THANK YOU for the comments/help/PMs that have been coming my way.

After the past week of tinkering with both my F5 & F4, i think i now officially belong to the "love da f4" club too. 🙂 To make matters worse, i went out today and snagged myself a 2 pound weapon of mass destruction aka the 55 1.2 SC, together with a 105 1.8... and am now in Manual focus heaven.

Now thanks to my good friend's help (thanks brian), I just figured how to use the crazy 55 1.2 SC on my f4... man it feels good.

Anyone care to comment on this lens/pics?

🙂
 
photogdave said:
Agree with Bob. The F4 is the toughest camera out there and handles much nicer than the F5. I never like the F5 with the little lock buttons you need to push in, while the focus point adjuster can't be locked! Also the fact that you can't slim it down by removing the motor drive portion.
As for the F100, I am a happy owner but it's important to realize its design flaws. Although the camera is thought of as a pro-level camera it really can't stand up to the same level of hard use as the F4 or F5. I've replaces the film door on mine three times because the little latches that are molded to it keep breaking. I've also had to replace the little tangs that hold the film canister in. The eventually disintegrated after all the high-speed film rewinding.
Click to expand...

My F5 can lock the focus point. All I do is hold the L button and press the focus point selector.
 
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