Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
I recently bought the Nikon F4 and the two Nikon manual focus AiS lenses (50mm f1.4 and 85mm f2) in the photo above.
Back when I was in my final year of high school and planning to go to art school, my father bought me a brand new Nikon F4s and a 50mm f1.4 AF-Nikkor lens so that I would have professional level equipment for school and to start my career. After I had to stop teaching after a stroke in 2013, I had to sell off most of my camera gear so I could keep the bills paid while my son was in school. The F4s and the five AF-Nikkor lenses I owned by then all went.
Mack graduated from Purdue with his computer science degree last year and is making twice what I made as a teacher. He told me I no longer have to worry about making a living, he would take care of it, so I can spend my time doing my fine art work and my money on replacing my equipment I sold off to put him through school.
I found a Sigma 50mm macros lens in a box in my house I had forgotten about, so I decided to buy a Nikon camera to use it with. Found an F4 with the MB-20 battery holder, which makes it smaller and lighter than the F4s I originally had. Was surprised at how big and heavy it is! I'd forgotten just how hefty the F4 is, since all my recent 35mm work has been with Leicas.
I decided to buy Nikkor AiS lenses instead of the autofocus lenses because the AF on the F4 is not very great and I always manually focused with the older one I had anyway. I like the way the older manual focus lenses handle; the AF lenses have narrow focusing rings. Finding good lenses has NOT been easy
Nearly every AiS lens I have bought had a worn out focusing mechanism with a lot of wobble in the lens barrel and play in the focusing ring. Two lenses I bought had good mechanics but were optically decentered when I tested them. All the bad ones were returned. I asked sellers on eBay and the camera stores I bought some from if they wobbled and most of them lied to me.I got lucky on the 85mm; Roberts had one in near-new condition in the original box. I gave up on finding a used 50mm f1.4 after buying and returning six of them. B&H still has brand new ones in stock, and I bought one. Still trying to find some wide-angle lenses. I want a 35mm f2, and NO ONE seems to have any of these for sale. I also want either a 24mm or 28mm lens, but all I have looked at had worn out focusing mechanisms. :bang:
Anyway, I am going to have a lot of fun with this setup. I did a lot of my early work as a young professional photographer with the Nikon F4; its nice to have one in my hands again!
Pioneer
Veteran
This is great Chris. I know the feeling of re uniting with old camera equipment that you used when you were younger. I am sure you will enjoy the camera.
And congratulations on your son's recent graduation. That too is a wonderful feeling.
And congratulations on your son's recent graduation. That too is a wonderful feeling.
p.giannakis
Pan Giannakis
First of all, well done for having this strong bond with your son. Having a relationship built on mutual respect and understanding is such a great thing to have.
On the F4 front, i have one and i love it although i am not using in as much as i would like to. Throughout the years it has given me some brilliant pictures. I mostly using AF lenses with it but i also have and use the 28 f/2.8. With b&w film i count more on its light meter than i count on the F5 (the F5 is programmed to underexpose in high contrast to expose whichever colour it sees as dominant). I always considered the AF of the F4 to be good enough for what i need it for.
I am leaving a few pics taken with the F4
On the F4 front, i have one and i love it although i am not using in as much as i would like to. Throughout the years it has given me some brilliant pictures. I mostly using AF lenses with it but i also have and use the 28 f/2.8. With b&w film i count more on its light meter than i count on the F5 (the F5 is programmed to underexpose in high contrast to expose whichever colour it sees as dominant). I always considered the AF of the F4 to be good enough for what i need it for.
I am leaving a few pics taken with the F4
Timmyjoe
Veteran
Congratulation Chris, on your new camera and on your son's graduation.
Had an F4s for over a decade, enjoyed using it and especially enjoyed it's robustness. You should have a lot of fun with that set up.
Can't wait to see the pics.
Best,
-Tim
Had an F4s for over a decade, enjoyed using it and especially enjoyed it's robustness. You should have a lot of fun with that set up.
Can't wait to see the pics.
Best,
-Tim
Pál_K
Cameras. I has it.
Congratulations on your F4. I like them because they’re the last professional-grade Nikon with dedicated external dials, knobs, and levers. Ken Rockwell is correct in calling it the Rosetta Stone of Nikon lens compatibility.
It’s totally modular. On one of my F4s’s I recently added an MF-23 back for printing exposure information between the frames. I also used it for the “trap focus / shutter release” feature (it automatically sits and waits for something [a cat?] to come into focus, then releases the shutter.
It’s totally modular. On one of my F4s’s I recently added an MF-23 back for printing exposure information between the frames. I also used it for the “trap focus / shutter release” feature (it automatically sits and waits for something [a cat?] to come into focus, then releases the shutter.
Attachments
Horatio
Masked photographer
Congrats. I got a pristine example last winter, also with the standard battery holder. It is a beast, but a joy to hold. Mine seems to do ok focusing my AF Nikkors (much better than my N80) especially the 50mm f1.4, even in very low light/contrast.
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
That's why I like the F4, too. I LOATHE the electronic finger wheels modern cameras use. I have to tolerate them on my digital cameras, but on film I can still use the traditional controls. Of course, lots of old 35mm SLRs offer that, but the F4 is weather sealed and has a 1/8000 shutter speed. I used to take my old one out in heavy rainstorms and it never had issues with getting soaked!
Horatio
Masked photographer
That's good to know. Which lenses were most waterproof?
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
The crazy thing is that I didn't think about the lenses being waterproof and I took them out in the rain. Never had trouble, though I don't think any of the lenses I owned was made to be water resistant! I had several of the normal AF-D single-focal length lenses. 24mm f2.8, 28mm f2.8, 35m f2, 50mm f1.4, and 85mm f1.8
john_s
Well-known
The AF lenses in the moderate wide range that weren't newer super large aperture ones were not as good as their manual focus predecessors. I prefer to use the 28mm lens (Ai or Ais I can't remember) that we've had for decades.
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
The 20mm f2.8 and 24mm f2.8 did not change optical formulas when they went from the AiS to the AF mount. The 28, unfortunately, did. The 28mm f2.8 AiS is regarded as one of the best 28mm lenses ever made. The AF-Nikkor 28mm f2.8 used the simple five element optics used in the Nikon Series E 28mm lens, and was a poor performer. Nikon redesigned the optics in the 28mm f2.8 AF-Nikkor when they introduced the D version. Its not the same as the old AiS design but is greatly improved over the original AF design. I had one of the 28mm f2.8 D lenses and it was a good lens. I had one of the Series E lenses, too and it was pretty bad.
Freakscene
Obscure member
But the 28mm f1.4 D lens is fantastic, and now that Nikon introduced an AF-S 28mm f1.4 the D is just expensive, not stratospheric. The AF-MF switch is a circular clutch that often breaks, however, and Nikon has no more parts. Still a very nice lens, and although big it balances well on the F4.
Marty
Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
The F4s was and will always be one of my favorite cameras. If I exposed more film, more regularly, I'd really like to own one. Bigger lenses like the 20-35 AF-D were awesome on the F4. All the pro level crinkle paint lenses were very good. I agree that AiS lenses on the F4 are fantastic and another combo I love is the 105/2.5 AiS on it. These days, my FA with MD-15 is a step sideways from the F4, but not quite down.
Phil Forrest
Phil Forrest
farlymac
PF McFarland
That's cool, Chris. I only went as far as the F3. Once I got an F100 I just didn't need another single digit F. That is until I found an F2AS.
PF
PF
Rob-F
Likes Leicas
I wanted an F4 for a while, and got as far as ordering one from KEH. The one that arrived had such bad bleed in the LEDs that it was unusable! I sent it back, and so far have not risked buying another. I seem OK with my manual focus FE2s, and FM3a. I agree, manual focus ain't so bad, especially with the great Nikon focusing screens and AIs lenses!
Pál_K
Cameras. I has it.
Note that the F4 has two LCD panels: one in the head and one in the body; both are visible in the finder.
The LCD panel for shutter speed, aperture, etc.is in the metering head (so if it’s bleeding, only the head needs to be replaced).
The LCD panel for exposure compensation and frame count is in the body (in front of the focusing screen) and is viewable in the finder as well. However, if it’s bleeding, then there’s no way to replace it.
The LCD panel for shutter speed, aperture, etc.is in the metering head (so if it’s bleeding, only the head needs to be replaced).
The LCD panel for exposure compensation and frame count is in the body (in front of the focusing screen) and is viewable in the finder as well. However, if it’s bleeding, then there’s no way to replace it.
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
I had an F3 years ago but I never liked it. Its a wonderful camera, but the exposure meter in it is hard to use on manual mode. I like the F4's manual metering. It has a little graph showing over and under 2 stops, so you can use the spotmeter for zone system metering really easily! Also, my eyesight has gotten bad as I have gotten older, and the F4's adjustable eyepiece is a lifesaver.
I have always wanted an F2as. It is the best mechanical SLR ever made, in my opinion. I've bought and had to return a few of them over the years; I could never find one that worked 100%. Having played with them, I think the F4 is a more usable camera for actual work. The better metering, adjustable eyepiece, 1/8000 top shutter speed, 1/250 flash sync, weather sealing, and autowinding just make it nicer to use as a working photographer's tool. I'd still like to have an F2, but I don't know if I'll ever actually buy one.
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
I got lucky with mine. I bought it from KEH and it works perfectly with no LCD bleeding. There are still a lot of good F4 bodies out there.
nikon_sam
Shooter of Film...
I've had an F4e for a while...bought it about 20 years ago...used it for church events and while our kids were in high school marching band. It too had the MF-23 Back and I paired it with the 180mm 2.8 AF and 85mm 1.4 lenses...
Loved using that body...you could do everything by feel...
I pieced together a second F4s body a few years ago for cheap...great cameras, felt well balanced with the 180mm.
Loved using that body...you could do everything by feel...
I pieced together a second F4s body a few years ago for cheap...great cameras, felt well balanced with the 180mm.
maryland_fotos
Well-known
Chris, congrats on both accounts. Proud time to have the youngster get a good start in his career.
The F4 is a fun camera to use. I have an F4E and the F4S, and they can each be cumbersome to walk around with but nice to use and the results are satisfying.
Example with the old Nikkor 20cm Q f4 and the since discontinued Fuji Pro 400H.
04450025 by Maryland Photos, on Flickr
The F4 is a fun camera to use. I have an F4E and the F4S, and they can each be cumbersome to walk around with but nice to use and the results are satisfying.
Example with the old Nikkor 20cm Q f4 and the since discontinued Fuji Pro 400H.
04450025 by Maryland Photos, on Flickr