alexandru_voicu
Established
Hey Skiff,
Thank you for the piece of advice. Sure, I will get the MB-40. I like the fact that I can use rechargeable NiMH batteries. Right now I'm communicating with two local stores.
Regards,
Alex
Gregm61
Well-known
But oh, it does have a weak-point. Underneath that weird hot shoe on top of the rewind knob is a wafer-thin glass resister plate. I cracked that twice when banging a mounted flash that stressed the assembly. Once that glass plate is cracked, the metering system is shot and the camera will only shoot at the mechanical 1/80 second shutter speed. I purchased the resister plate from Nikon twice during the 90's, $25 each time, and had the Nikon authorized repair shop here in Dallas repair it.
To my knowledge, that $25 resister plate is no longer being manufactured and I would imagine there will start to be F3's with un-repairable resister plates all over the place one day soon. I actually thought at one point about buying several of them from Nikon to sell at some point but never followed through.
Today, 10 times out of 10, I'd rather buy a nice F2AS.
Skiff
Well-known
Maybe that will happen, maybe not. We will see.
But even if that happens in the coming years, than the F3 will have served for more than 40 years. Someone who bought one new in 1980, which then maybe get defunct in 2023, have had made a really great purchase!
Have you ever had a car which lasted so long for you?
If someone buys a brand new F6 today, which then maybe fail 40 years later, will also have made an outstanding purchase with excellent price-performance ratio.
I won't. Every F2 today is very old with lots of shutter counts / "mileage". And I don't know how much it was abused by the pre-owners. The likeliness that its get defunct in the next years is much higher than that a brand new F6 gets problems.
But, even much more important to me:
The F2 limits my photographic possibilities. With the F6 I can do so much more, it offers so much more possibilities and creativity to me that it is a no brainer for me.
There is a reason why my most used Nikon is the F6, and my old mechanical Nikons are mostly staying in the cupboard.
The F6 does not limit me.
alexandru_voicu
Established
Hi everyone,
Just a quick update. Today I ordered the F6 and the MB-40 from a local dealer. In two weeks to one month, I shall be the proud owner. I wonder what serial number will I get... Above 40000 or below?
I'll let you know when it arrives.
Once again, thank you for your support.
Regards,
Alex
Just a quick update. Today I ordered the F6 and the MB-40 from a local dealer. In two weeks to one month, I shall be the proud owner. I wonder what serial number will I get... Above 40000 or below?
I'll let you know when it arrives.
Once again, thank you for your support.
Regards,
Alex
Ted Striker
Well-known
Hi everyone,
Just a quick update. Today I ordered the F6 and the MB-40 from a local dealer. In two weeks to one month, I shall be the proud owner. I wonder what serial number will I get... Above 40000 or below?
I'll let you know when it arrives.
Once again, thank you for your support.
Regards,
Alex
Congrats on the new camera. May the time to wait blow by quickly and you shoot a lot of film. What lens will be attaching to this beaut?
css9450
Veteran
On the other side of the coin, though, I might imagine that most people shooting an F3 nowadays are doing so without using flash, so hopefully impact damage caused by bumping the flash slows to only a tiny trickle.
Noserider
Christiaan Phleger
mmm I've long thought of the fun lenses to shoot on an F6....AF-S 200mm f/2....58mm f/1.4....
alexandru_voicu
Established
Ted, I guess I'll be the laughing stock of this forum, but I have to face it: I have no lenses in F mount. I have several in M mount, but no F mount... So... I don't know. I'll probably start with 35 or a 50 and then go longer. For wide angle, I shall use my M6 with the Zeiss 25/2.8.
Thank you for your kind words!
Ted Striker
Well-known
I have to admit, that's pretty funny. Well, have fun shopping for a new lens.
Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
I understand very well why Alex want new camera.
Many people prefer new. And not only cameras.
Many people prefer new. And not only cameras.
Skiff
Well-known
Hi everyone,
Just a quick update. Today I ordered the F6 and the MB-40 from a local dealer. In two weeks to one month, I shall be the proud owner. I wonder what serial number will I get... Above 40000 or below?
I'll let you know when it arrives.
Once again, thank you for your support.
Regards,
Alex
Hi Alex,
congratulations! I wish you lots of fun with your new F6!
Concerning serial number:
The latest reported serial numbers 2-3 months ago were in the 0035636 - 0035650 range, if I remember right (have a look at the F6 serial numbers thread in this subforum
).Concerning lens:
A good starter would be the current Nikkor AF-S 1.8/50G. A very solid performer at a very attractive price, with an excellent price-performance ratio.
View Range
Well-known
Alex, congratulations on the F6. I also buy only new because I was disappointed that the 80 - 200mm f2.8 AF-S lens that I loved after buying it used could not be repaired. I decided on a new 70 - 200mm lens rather than another used 80 - 200mm. I want it to be reliable and repairable as long as possible.
The Nikkor AF-S 1.8/50 is almost a legendary lens along with being small and inexpensive. However, I think you should decide what your final set of lenses would be and buy one of the lenses on that list. It depends on what focal lengths and apertures you actually use. I would never use a 50mm lens. But an 85mm f1.4 will always be in my set.
The Nikkor AF-S 1.8/50 is almost a legendary lens along with being small and inexpensive. However, I think you should decide what your final set of lenses would be and buy one of the lenses on that list. It depends on what focal lengths and apertures you actually use. I would never use a 50mm lens. But an 85mm f1.4 will always be in my set.
Huss
Veteran
Congrats on the F6 purchase!
You have bought the best AF 35mm film camera ever made, so buy the best AF lenses for it - I use the Sigma Art 50 and 35 1.4 lenses. They work perfectly.
For light weight I sometimes use the 50 1.8G Nikon lens.
For zoom, I use the Nikon 24-120 G VR lens (latest version). And a whole bunch of manual focus glass.
The light meter on the F6 is biased for slide film, i.e. it leans to underexposure so as not to lose highlights. When I shoot colour negative film, I set it for 1/2 stop over exposure.
I also set the AE hold mode so that when you use the AE lock it holds it for as many exposures as you want until you actively release it, or turn the camera off. Default mode is to release the AE hold after one exposure. I also use the AF on button to activate AF, not the shutter button.
re. reliabilty, my perfect condition never dinged, never dropped F6 had the AF fail. Just stopped focusing accurately, kept on front focusing by several feet. Nikon USA (in Los Angeles) repaired it in a few days (are you listening Leica?!) for $250. They said this has happened on a few of them and was a defective rf module (their words).
So nothing is faultless.
re. the F3 with the cracking meter circuit, that's why I use the F3P and Limited models. They are made much stronger out of titanium and have the hot shoe on the prism. Ever notice so many regular F3s have dented prisms? That's because they are made out of very thin metal while the P versions are not.
You have bought the best AF 35mm film camera ever made, so buy the best AF lenses for it - I use the Sigma Art 50 and 35 1.4 lenses. They work perfectly.
For light weight I sometimes use the 50 1.8G Nikon lens.
For zoom, I use the Nikon 24-120 G VR lens (latest version). And a whole bunch of manual focus glass.
The light meter on the F6 is biased for slide film, i.e. it leans to underexposure so as not to lose highlights. When I shoot colour negative film, I set it for 1/2 stop over exposure.
I also set the AE hold mode so that when you use the AE lock it holds it for as many exposures as you want until you actively release it, or turn the camera off. Default mode is to release the AE hold after one exposure. I also use the AF on button to activate AF, not the shutter button.
re. reliabilty, my perfect condition never dinged, never dropped F6 had the AF fail. Just stopped focusing accurately, kept on front focusing by several feet. Nikon USA (in Los Angeles) repaired it in a few days (are you listening Leica?!) for $250. They said this has happened on a few of them and was a defective rf module (their words).
So nothing is faultless.
re. the F3 with the cracking meter circuit, that's why I use the F3P and Limited models. They are made much stronger out of titanium and have the hot shoe on the prism. Ever notice so many regular F3s have dented prisms? That's because they are made out of very thin metal while the P versions are not.
Austerby
Well-known
I can recommend buying new Nikon film cameras - I got my FE brand new in 1982 and it's still working perfectly. I hope you get at least 27 years use out of your F6.
Huss
Veteran
Digression here... I am really disappointed that the new 58 0.95 Nikon Noct lens is made in the Z mount. I wish it was in the F mount (which can be adapted to the Z) so I could use it on my F6.
alexandru_voicu
Established
Hi everyone,
Again, thank you so much for your suggestions. I certainly do have to buy my first F mount lens, but I haven't yet decided which one. And, after the expensive purchase, it will be really hard to find the funds for a lens. All I know is that I want autofocus, not a manual lens. For manual, I have my M mount lenses. And probably I want primes, as I'm used to having fast glass and it would be hard to go back to F2.8 lenses. We'll see. I don't want to buy the lens before receiving the camera, just in case anything happens and my order for the F6 is canceled. Also, I can borrow F mount lenses from friends.
Regards,
Alex
Again, thank you so much for your suggestions. I certainly do have to buy my first F mount lens, but I haven't yet decided which one. And, after the expensive purchase, it will be really hard to find the funds for a lens. All I know is that I want autofocus, not a manual lens. For manual, I have my M mount lenses. And probably I want primes, as I'm used to having fast glass and it would be hard to go back to F2.8 lenses. We'll see. I don't want to buy the lens before receiving the camera, just in case anything happens and my order for the F6 is canceled. Also, I can borrow F mount lenses from friends.
Regards,
Alex
Ted Striker
Well-known
You are the exact reason why I always recommend people buy Nikon cameras second hand. They are so well built that they last decades. My Nikon FM2n is an early model and just keeps on truckin' year after year after year. It shows no signs of slowing down. Buying second hand, especially in the case of the F6, allows for a massive savings of money. Now we learned that the OP has no F mount lenses and not much funds for a lens. A second hand F6 would have allowed for 1-2 lenses, with no discernible drop in quality for the camera. Well, everyone makes the choices that they are comfortable with.
alexandru_voicu
Established
The situation is like this: if I had bought a second hand F6, I would have still found it very difficult to buy lenses. Why is that? Because I bought the new F6 in 12 installments. Which means that it's actually easier for me to buy new than second hand. Buying second hand would have put me even in a more difficult situation for a couple of months simply because I would have forced to put on the table a much larger sum at once.
And, speaking of lenses, should I get the G lenses? Coming from the world of rangefinders, having a lens without an aperture ring is nothing short of an abomination. I'm sure this topic has been discussed to death, but I still want to hear a few opinions on the matter.
Regards,
Alex
Huss
Veteran
Alex get the 50 1.8g as your first lens. It is excellent, light, focuses very fast and accurately and is cheap. especially used .... And looks and balances great on the F6.
The previous model (still made) 50 1.8d is also excellent and even cheaper.
Forget about wanting an aperture ring with the AF lenses. I was like that too until I tried those lenses. The aperture dials on Nikon’s AF lenses (that I tried) are horrible and plasticky feeling with lots of stick. Not smooth, precise and beautiful like on the AIS lenses.
After I used it once I just used the camera body to control the aperture.
And looks and balances great on the F6.The previous model (still made) 50 1.8d is also excellent and even cheaper.
Forget about wanting an aperture ring with the AF lenses. I was like that too until I tried those lenses. The aperture dials on Nikon’s AF lenses (that I tried) are horrible and plasticky feeling with lots of stick. Not smooth, precise and beautiful like on the AIS lenses.
After I used it once I just used the camera body to control the aperture.
alexandru_voicu
Established
Alex get the 50 1.8g as your first lens. It is excellent, light, focuses very fast and accurately and is cheap. especially used ....
The previous model (still made) 50 1.8d is also excellent and even cheaper.
Forget about wanting an aperture ring with the AF lenses. I was like that too until I tried those lenses. The aperture dials on Nikon’s AF lenses (that I tried) are horrible and plasticky feeling with lots of stick. Not smooth, precise and beautiful like on the AIS lenses.
After I used it once I just used the camera body to control the aperture.
Thank you for the advice. Surely, the 50/1.8 is on the short list. But so is the 50/1.4. Still hard to digest the idea that no aperture ring is better than aperture ring.