Nikon F5 Lust

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The F5 is a workhorse...Paid about $510 for mine 5 years ago...It's never let me down and it's easy to learn and use...
I got it in near new condition and added a new MF-28 back to it...I'd buy it all over again if I had to...
The F is a sweet little camera to use too...
 
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Don't even touch an F6 unless you are prepared to buy one. I have two F6s and they are great cameras. Like you, I have a D300. The F6 feels great in the hand and is a joy to use.
 
I also got an F5 for free. It was very nice but I ended up trading it for a F100 due to the weight and size. That thing was a brick but I still managed to travel with it quite successfully.
 
I have an F5 and love it. I sold my F4e system over it. I have to have the portrait grip so I won't even touch and F6. The F5 is a lot lighter than the F4e also and so easy to use. It's also smaller than my D700.

When I get ready to walk through Heck's Gate, I'll have that F5 in my hands.
 
OP here- an update for y'all!
I recently scored an F5 from Henrys for a bit over $400. Perhaps the amount was a bit much, but it was in good condition with only a couple tiny marks and a (seemingly ubiquitous) tiny dent in the finder.
Ten minutes after unboxing, my hands didn't want to put it down- after seeing how well it handled a couple rolls of Portra 400 in difficult light, I fell completely in love. Indeed, I just came back from two weeks in BC/home, and I only took out the D300s on one outing! 🙂
I can put up some pics, if anyone is interested 😛

P.S. The day before I left, I bought a Nikon 35/1.8DX (say, 90% condition) off a fellow here in Halifax for only $100!
 
The older Nikons are great but it sounds like you want modern auto-focus, not primitive early AF. After shooting the F100 for a while, the F6 is looking like a very attractive alternative to the F5. I like the F100 fine but it has some weak... plastic... points and I would like the later AF capabilities of the F6 (D2X era AF).

If only they made a film body with the D300-D700 level AF - that would be amazing.

Frankly I'd use what I've got and save up, if the urge remains once you have the cash then go for the F6.
 
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I never could quite make the leap from "really really like" to "really love" the F100. (I bet some ex-girlfriends would say the same about me.) It just didn't have the same heft as an F4 or an F5 and like you said, had just enough of a hint of plastic in it to turn me off.

And KEH should be delivering my F6 tomorrow (along with 40 CR123A batteries). I decided to take the plunge after seeing 3-4 used ones pop up simultaneously. D2 level functionality in a 35mm film camera? The mind boggles, I can't wait.


Frank Version Two said:
The older Nikons are great but it sounds like you want modern auto-focus, not primitive early AF. After shooting the F100 for a while, the F6 is looking like a very attractive alternative to the F5. I like the F100 fine but it has some weak... plastic... points and I would like the later AF capabilities of the F6 (D2X era AF).

If only they made a film body with the D300-D700 level AF - that would be amazing.

Frankly I'd use what I've got and save up, if the urge remains once you have the cash then go for the F6.
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The F5 was my very last film SLR before buying a D700. I got mine in very good shape from an eBay seller who was a bit grumpy in the beginning, but once he got paid he sent me a pristine camera (claiming it had been his workhorse). I never fails to get someone's admiration.

Since I liked the F5 body so much, I had to get the battery grip for the D700 and use it always. Otherwise, the camera feels puny.

It's also the one and only Nikon film body that has burned real B&W film. All my other Nikons only used slide film. The F5 really is worth every penny!
 
One of my best shots (to me) was taken with my F5 and the 80-400 lens.
Ansbach, Germany, July 2010

Nikon F5
Nikkor 80-400mm lens
Rollei Pan 25 film

Developed in Tetenal Neofin Blua.
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Never owned an F5, but had plenty of F4s cameras. Built to last, that's for sure, but not the best ergonomics in my view. Still, if you want heavy and solid, there you are. I'm sure the F5 would be as good or better, and newer too.

After a while I got real tired of toting those big cameras around. I'm not a commercial photographer, and have no need of cameras designed to go through a war. A medium format camera is no bigger or heavier than the F4s! My N80 was a little gem w/ one of the quietest shutters in photography, but that dim, small VF didn't work for me. My go-to Nikon has always been an N8008s. Fantastic viewfinder/metering/ etc, takes cheap batteries, and you can buy them for $20 or less now. Better than an F100 in my view. The mirror slap of those turned me right off, although the build quality was great.
 
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I also like hefty cameras and own both F4 and F5.

The F4 weighs at least as much as the F5 when it has motor drive and battery pack attached.

While the F4 is slightly less complicated to operate and has advantages for MF lenses, the F5 offers higher burst speed and slightly better metering with AF lenses.

Lately I've gravitated to using a 55/1.2 on the F4 and a 135/2 DC on the F5.

I haven't tried the F6, but I bought both F4 and F5 for a combined price lower than an F6.

Love 'em both!

Texsport
 
Pirate said:
I have to have the portrait grip so I won't even touch and F6.
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The F6 is perfect with the MB-40 grip. I am shooting lots of portraits with it.
Perfect ergonomics, better than the F5.

Besides, with the F6 I always have the choice: Smaller and more lightweight without the MB-40 vertical grip (than the dimensions of the camera are similar to the F100).
And if I need the vertical grip I can attach the MB-40 and have perfect ergonomics for vertical and portrait shots (and 8 fps speed 🙂).
This flexibility is a great advantage of the F6 compared to the F5 (there are some other significant advantages, too).

Cheers, Jan
 
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