Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
The F6 has an over all higher level of sophistication. I remember reading that the F6 shutter mechanism has an isolastic mounting system
to reduce vibration throughout the camera. The attention to detail on the F6 is truly amazing!
ChrisLivsey
Veteran
That's what an F4 is for
Nahhh
That's a polite way of saying the F4 is ugggggly
Bille
Well-known
Isn´t using the F6 pretty much like using a DSLR? I see film and manual cameras going hand in hand. Film and AF and high framerates... less so.
froyd
Veteran
Hi agree that high frame rates are better suited to pro-level digital (large buffer --if low buffer, then film still might make more sense). It takes seconds to burn through 36 frames at high speed, and even larger backs (250 frames on the F4) cannot hold the many hundreds of shots that can be saved on a CF card.
However, I don't see how the usefulness of AF is improved on digital. AF is ingrained in film history from Polaroid, to P&S, to the Hexar, Contax G, and Maxxums. Not to mention that digital photographers have to revert to manual focus when the situation calls for it (or if the use manual focus lenses, obviously!).
Alpsman
Well-known
I took this yesterday with my F6. And $1.49 Fuji C200 film..
Looks great!
dtcls100
Well-known
Really enjoying shooting mine. The optional MB-40 grip with 8 rechargeable AA batteries obviates any concern about draining more expensive CR123 batteries and makes vertical shooting a pleasure.
I am a long time OM user and have used pretty most all of the major brand SLRs. While the OM-4T may still have the most precise metering system for available light, the accuracy of the F6 matrix metering system comes very close for available light with far more speed. The F6 flash capabilities (I am using fill flash more and more) leaves every other SLR in the dust, as its flash capabilities fully match up with the latest DSLRs, which is pretty impressive given that the F6 was released more than 10 years ago.
I am a long time OM user and have used pretty most all of the major brand SLRs. While the OM-4T may still have the most precise metering system for available light, the accuracy of the F6 matrix metering system comes very close for available light with far more speed. The F6 flash capabilities (I am using fill flash more and more) leaves every other SLR in the dust, as its flash capabilities fully match up with the latest DSLRs, which is pretty impressive given that the F6 was released more than 10 years ago.
Huss
Veteran
I now have grown to love my F6, but I do not find the matrix meter as good as I had hoped. It is very easily fooled in heavy back lit situations, even when using a Nikon D lens which is meant to take into account focus distance to determine the subject and hence the subject's exposure.
I treat the matrix setting as if it was a regular avg meter pattern, and things are ok. But for precise work, the heavy center weighted (like my F2AS!) is much better, as is the spot meter.
Skiff
Well-known
That is right.
The shutter and mirror dampening of the F6 is improved concerning the F5.
And there are more than 20 other aspects / features in which the F6 is an improvement regarding the F5.
The Nikon engineers evaluated the experiences with the F5 very intensively to make the F6 an even significantly better camera.
And they were succesful.
A big "thank you" from me to them.
Skiff
Well-known
No.
Just one example from my experience using the F6 along with the D800:
- F6 has better ergonomics: because of the big display of the D800 the AF focus selector is too far on the right side at the D800.
At the F6 the selector has the perfect position.
- AF of the F6 has better precision. The inflation of focus fields on the latest DSLRs is more because of marketing. The problem is that by increasing the number of focus fields the number of CCD elements per focus field is significantly decresing, which is decreasing the AF precision.
Concerning all film and DSLRs I've ever used the F6 has the most precise AF.
And that also means it is my most precise manual focus camera, because the very precise focus indicator works excellent in combination with manual focus lenses like AI / AI-S, Voigtländer SL II and Zeiss ZF lenses.
The F6 gives me 37 pictures in one turn at maximal resolution.
And there are some films which offer a resolution above the 50 MP equivalent, especially at medium to higher contrast details.
There are no DSLRs on the market which offer 50 MP+ resolution and 37 pictures in one turn at that full resolution.
Of course the same is valid for the F5 or Canon EOS 1 V.
Skiff
Well-known
+1.
I can only highly recommend the MB-40 grip.
Perfect ergonomics and shooting in vertical format, perfect energy solution.
+1.
Using flash, and especially fill-in flash with a dedicated flash like the SB-800 gives perfect results.
I am often using it in very high-contrast scenes, also with transparency film, and I get perfect exposed, natural looking pictures.
The fill-in flash works so good that you don't see that flash was used, you just see a natural looking picture with nice detail both in the shadows and in the highlights.
With this technique I have all the advantages of transparency (slide) film, and can even use it in very high contrast scenes.
It's amazing.