Huss
Veteran
I've been looking at the F4 and F6 (but not the F5 as it is not able to provide matrix metering with AIS lenses). The F4 has less electronics than the F6 so should it last longer? Or was it built in the era when the solder was already changed leading to the dreaded tin whiskers?
Only going to be using MF AI and AIS lenses.
Only going to be using MF AI and AIS lenses.
Skiff
Well-known
You don't have to. You even get often the best quality at lowest costs using film without a computer, without scanning.
95% of my film photography is meanwhile without scanning / computer.
1. Using reversal film (colour and BW). No computer needed at all. Outstanding quality at lower magnification with an excellent slide loupe (my Schneider-Kreuznach loupes are awesome).
The quality is 1000x better than any scanned picture on a computer monitor.
Computer monitors are offering the lowest picture quality of all viewing mediums: Extremely low resolution, no real half-tones because of the discrete LCD structure, problematic colour reproduction.
And of course slide projection: Absolutely unsurpassed in picture quality for big magnifications. Highest resolution and best colour brillance. At tiny, negligible costs.
For example with my Leica Super-Colorplan lens and Provia 100F I get 120 Lp/mm resolution at medium contrast of 1:4 onto the screen.
That is a 50 megapixel equivalent (!!).
Even with the extremely expensive 4k digital projectors I get only 8 MP in horizontal direction, and less than 5 Mp in vertical direction.
I've made the comparisons in projection side by side:
Leica Super-Colorplan with Velvia and Provia, shot with my F6, compared to D800E shots with 4k digital projection.
Digital cannot compete at all.
Slide projection is a league of its own: In resolution, color brillance and extremely low costs.
2. Making wet prints in my own lab. Also no computer involved.
And also often better image quality using optical prints compared to scanned images.
I've done several comparisons of the best drum scanners with APO enlarging lenses.
The sharpness and resolution with the APO enlarging lenses surpassed the best 8000ppi drumscanners significantly (same is valid for the best projection lenses for slide projection).
And an enlarger with an APO enlarging lens is much cheaper than any drum scanner.
So using film without a computer is not only easily possible, it is also
- much cheaper if you want the best quality from film
- it delivers often a better image quality compared to the hybrid workflow.
Another point, at least important for me:
I am an engineer. I have to work with a computer for hours every day.
It is so nice and relaxing, that with film I can enjoy photography without a computer in my spare time.
I disagree, you have to include it in the calculation. Seen it so often with my friends: Bought a new digital camera, that has much bigger files, problems with the old computer (e.g. too slow), new computer needed.
A digital camera alone cannot fully deploy its potential. A computer that fit the capabilities is needed for that.
A film camera can deploy its full potential without a computer.
Generations of photographers have done it before the digital age as well.
The costs are very high if you want security and longer lasting files. Please take the time and really read the scientific article I've posted above. It is really worth a read.
I am confronted with these problems in my job every day.
Cost for hard drives are not the problem. It is the work and time effort you need to migrate your data permanently. To keep up with new storage media and formats (you know floppy discs; only some years old but almost unusable now; the same will happen with our current media).
Copy errors are a real problem: To be secure you have to control each copy. A huge time effort. Time = cost.
Whether you have copy errors in 0,1%, 0,5%, 1% or 2% of your copied files. Well, it depends on the quality of your hardware and software. You don't know. You have to control.
There are further problems, too.
Don't want to go further in detail. The article posted is a good read.
There are lots of reasons why the Hollywood studios and lots of Governments store their important data on film, and not on digital.
Skiff
Well-known
No.
Nikon had several problems with the electronic of the F4. During their production time more than 200 improvements had to made to solve these problems.
Not so with the F6. Nikon was very ambitious here, wanted to build the best F ever.
With the F6 only one tiny problem at the beginning occured: With some batteries the disply showed exhausted batteries before they really were exhausted.
Nikon solved the problem immediately. Those cameras which had this tiny problem were send to Nikon and got a software update. Problem solved.
The F6 is perfect for that (I often use manual lenses with my F6):
- Color-Matrix metering
- very precise focus indicator, usable with all 11 AF focus fields with manual fokus
- excellent viewfinder.
And of course all the other advantages of the F6.
Huss
Veteran
Thanks Skiff!
Paul Jenkin
Well-known
The F6 is a current model, still in production and probably the best auto-focus film SLR ever made. The D700 is a fantastic camera but it's no longer current and the D750, D810 and D4 have more to offer - though clearly at different price points.
I had a D700 - now have an D800 (mainly for the extra MP as I do a lot of lanscapes) and it became pretty obvious that the re-sale value of my D700 was about to go south when Nikon started offering new ones with cash back and then free battery grips and other inducements to offload surplus / unsold stock.
I had a D700 - now have an D800 (mainly for the extra MP as I do a lot of lanscapes) and it became pretty obvious that the re-sale value of my D700 was about to go south when Nikon started offering new ones with cash back and then free battery grips and other inducements to offload surplus / unsold stock.
frank-grumman
Well-known
F6 refurbished from BH two months ago: $1300. Unbelievable!!! Perfect.
Skiff, thank you so kindly for your information. Is one relegated to Sleeze Bay to find Projectors and Projector lens?
Skiff, thank you so kindly for your information. Is one relegated to Sleeze Bay to find Projectors and Projector lens?
doolittle
Well-known
You can pick up an F4 for very little these days. Works great with AI an AIS lenses. It really is a nice camera to use.
Skiff
Well-known
You're welcome.
Sources for projectors:
http://www.dhw-fototechnik.de/en/slide-projectors.html
http://www.ffordes.com/category/Proj...ortExpression=
http://www.atelier-rieter.de/ang1.htm
http://heidifoto.net/technik/
http://www.rollei-diaprojektor.de/
http://team-foto.de/index.php?langua...=3537603_74392
http://www.braun-phototechnik.de/de/...iatechnik.html
https://reflecta.de/de/products/list...iatechnik.html
If you need further information on projection lenses, please don't hesitate to ask.
Faintandfuzzy
Well-known
I bet McDonalds sells more burgers in 1 minute than my local burger bistro does in a year...but I know which one tastes better.
Skiff
Well-known
As an additional information:
For those who are interested in the F6, there is just a new good and short review by the Film Photography Podcast:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4y1Q3ucFa78&feature=youtu.be
TheAngryPhotographer
SIO2DSLREMRART
Contarama
Well-known
Just saw this thread
Wow...that dude must have some really good videos...LOL
A F6 and a D700...now that sounds like one hell of a combat kit.
I'm with Godfrey I just haven't put the cash there.
Very interesting topic TS.
Wow...that dude must have some really good videos...LOL
A F6 and a D700...now that sounds like one hell of a combat kit.
I'm with Godfrey I just haven't put the cash there.
Very interesting topic TS.
Godfrey
somewhat colored
I bought an F6 a few months back ... It is a superb piece.
Then I added a couple of lenses to my Nikon collection (35/2 AF-D, 180/2.8 AF-D, and 50/1.8G AF-S). I now have lenses from 18mm to 180mm...
I was enjoying using that kit so much, I went whole hog and bought a D750 body. The D750 made the most sense to me for its excellent 24Mpixel sensor, live view and articulalted LCD, etc etc. It's just about the same package size/weight as the F6 too (a little smaller, a little lighter...)
It's been an expensive little side trip, but I'm very happy with it all.
G
Then I added a couple of lenses to my Nikon collection (35/2 AF-D, 180/2.8 AF-D, and 50/1.8G AF-S). I now have lenses from 18mm to 180mm...
I was enjoying using that kit so much, I went whole hog and bought a D750 body. The D750 made the most sense to me for its excellent 24Mpixel sensor, live view and articulalted LCD, etc etc. It's just about the same package size/weight as the F6 too (a little smaller, a little lighter...)
It's been an expensive little side trip, but I'm very happy with it all.
G