Fujitsu
Well-known
Whats wrong with center weighted average? For dark subjects underexpose, for bright subjects overexpose a stop. This works far better than any "matrix" type mode I have ever used.
SolaresLarrave
My M5s need red dots!
Matrix mode for everything... especially with flash. Sometimes the results don't differ much from conventional average, but if the camera has it, use it.
The F6 probably doesn't do anything much better than any modern AF film camera.
Where the F6 does leave the opposition in its wake is the build quality and overall refinement. Feels waaaaaaay better in the hand than an F100
That said, the prices are high compared to the competition. Luckily I was able to buy mine for $900.
Riverman
Well-known
Just resurrecting this thread as my love affair with the F6 continues. I recently took it on a weekend trip to Chicago. The city itself dazzled me. What a fantastic place. And what great fun to photograph with the F6 and a few rolls of Ektachrome. While I was in the UK I didn't shoot Kodak E6 films because they were hard to find and expensive. E100G and E100VS are both great films. I also shot a few rolls of Kodachrome that I'm waiting to get back from Dwaynes.
Anyhow, I just wanted to share again my enthusiasm for the F6 - the pinnacle of SLRs. The only thing that was mildly distracting was the weight - carrying it round for 3 days was quite tiring!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sbk21/sets/72157624845754414/
Anyhow, I just wanted to share again my enthusiasm for the F6 - the pinnacle of SLRs. The only thing that was mildly distracting was the weight - carrying it round for 3 days was quite tiring!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sbk21/sets/72157624845754414/
Attachments
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rpsawin
Guest
Don't have the F6 but I have an F100...spent the weekend shooting seascapes with it. It's a joy to use. FWIW I use matrix most of the time and switch to spot in tricky exposures. I don't use flash at all. The F100 is a fun camera to use and I think the F6 is as well.
Best regards,
Bob
Best regards,
Bob
Mablo
Well-known
Here's another happy new F100 user. I wish I had a F6 but they cost 8-10 x as much here as a mintish F100 so this is a no brainer for me.
So far I've only used matrix metering. For the first time ever I get photos with flash where only I can say that flash was used. It does fill flash in a very very delicate way. Matrix works very well in normal non-flash situations too but it fails with a backlit scene IMO. I need to make a mental note on this and switch to spot metering.
So far I've only used matrix metering. For the first time ever I get photos with flash where only I can say that flash was used. It does fill flash in a very very delicate way. Matrix works very well in normal non-flash situations too but it fails with a backlit scene IMO. I need to make a mental note on this and switch to spot metering.
italy74
Well-known
A couple of F6 shots...
Dear David
the only thing I see is that local labs are dogs compared to what you have there (at least for scanning, go figure for printing!) :bang: :bang: :bang:
robert blu
quiet photographer
When I bought my last Nikon F6 was not yet on the market and I went for thr F100 (money and weight reason). Very happy with it even if now I use more th FM2! I would like to have an F6 as well, but cannot justify it (mainly shooting RF now). But I still believe it is one of the best SRL camera. Just having the idea to use the F 100 for one of my last Kodachromes...
robert
robert
David_Manning
Well-known
Dino,
Yep...that E6 was done at a pro lab here in Fort Worth, Texas...the last lab to do in-house E6 outside of Dallas. AND--their prices went up three weeks ago (again).
I don't have my F6 anymore, but if I did, I think I'd be shooting Ektar 100 instead. My local CVS will run the film inexpensively, and I just scan the keepers at home.
In fact, I just invested in a new Plustek 7600i SE that I'll be using for scanning to print...but my Epson 4990 works well as a contact-sheet maker. So, scan the whole roll on the flatbed at 600dpi (the individual frames are about half-screen size) and then make decisions about single scanning from there.
As a side note, I sold my F6 to purchase my M6 and Zeiss 35/f2.0 and haven't looked back. The F6 was awesome (always used matrix metering), but at the end of the day, it operated almost EXACTLY like my D700, but with the added steps of developing and scanning. At least with the M6, I have a small, light pro rig to use when I don't want to lug a solid-magnesium F or D body around all day.
Yep...that E6 was done at a pro lab here in Fort Worth, Texas...the last lab to do in-house E6 outside of Dallas. AND--their prices went up three weeks ago (again).
I don't have my F6 anymore, but if I did, I think I'd be shooting Ektar 100 instead. My local CVS will run the film inexpensively, and I just scan the keepers at home.
In fact, I just invested in a new Plustek 7600i SE that I'll be using for scanning to print...but my Epson 4990 works well as a contact-sheet maker. So, scan the whole roll on the flatbed at 600dpi (the individual frames are about half-screen size) and then make decisions about single scanning from there.
As a side note, I sold my F6 to purchase my M6 and Zeiss 35/f2.0 and haven't looked back. The F6 was awesome (always used matrix metering), but at the end of the day, it operated almost EXACTLY like my D700, but with the added steps of developing and scanning. At least with the M6, I have a small, light pro rig to use when I don't want to lug a solid-magnesium F or D body around all day.
kdemas
Enjoy Life.
Shooting with the F6 is such a pleasure, I absolutely love mine. I like it so much that I have taken to working film back into my racing/track photography.
The camera is ergonomically a godsend with a superb viewfinder and a build quality that is second to none. I don't gush too much about SLRs but this one truly deserves it. If you leave the grip off it is a relatively compact camera as well (compared to the F5!) and it handles just brilliantly.
If you're in serious need of a "full featured" modern film SLR you really can't do any better than an F6 in my opinion. Love it.
Kent
PS- The F100 for the money is a terrific camera for most uses as well if you need AF.
The camera is ergonomically a godsend with a superb viewfinder and a build quality that is second to none. I don't gush too much about SLRs but this one truly deserves it. If you leave the grip off it is a relatively compact camera as well (compared to the F5!) and it handles just brilliantly.
If you're in serious need of a "full featured" modern film SLR you really can't do any better than an F6 in my opinion. Love it.
Kent
PS- The F100 for the money is a terrific camera for most uses as well if you need AF.
Riverman
Well-known
Dig what you say about back lighting. The only occasion matrix metering has failed me with the F6 is with a heavily backlit scene. Must remember to switch to spot in those situations.
Andy Kibber
Well-known
Agreed. I've not used the F6 but matrix metering on the F100 with colour negative film is a match made in heaven.
mervynyan
Mervyn Yan
I'd like to have a F6 but too much considerations have been given to workflow these days, so got a D700 for about the same price range, perhaps upgrade to D3s at some point. Sadly it is the wrong time to go with high-end film SLR.
italy74
Well-known
F6 and D700 same price range ??? For sure isn't cheap but here (ebay aside) D700s are still well over 1800€, F6s are around 850-1000€ almost half, F5 even less, around 300/450€ depending on the sample. The only film cameras that keep a high value here are:
SLRs
Nikon F6 (850€ and up)
Leica R8/R9 (450/750 R8 - 750 and up R9 if I just could find one !)
RF
Leica M6/7/P and Zeiss Ikon (1300€ and up)
All the rest is under 300€.
mervynyan
Mervyn Yan
From B&H website, a brand new F6 costs $2199, a brand new D700 costs $2389, it is very close. Of course you can find one cheaper somewhere else.
Pirate
Guitar playing Fotografer
I have the F5 (and D700). I like the vertical grip on the F5, it feels much more comfortable than without.
Riverman
Well-known
I thought I'd resurrect this thread. Recently, I switched to a D700 for colour work. I vowed to continue to shoot black and white film though - and for that task, my F6 is my main body. Two years into my love affair with the F6 and the camera continues to delight me. Coupled with a wide autofocus lens, I find it the perfect combo for street and candid shooting. This weekend, walking through London, I grabbed a few shots with the F6 and an AF-D lens which I personally would have struggled to nail with my M6. For me, for street work, nothing beats an autofocus SLR set up. To anyone out there in two minds about whether or not to try an F6 - DO IT. It's just a sublime experience to shoot with this camera.
London%20Street%20by%20Riverman___
%20Free%20Syria%20Demo%20by%20Riverman___
%20Fre%20Syria%20Demo%20by%20Riverman___,
London%20Street%20by%20Riverman___%20Free%20Syria%20Demo%20by%20Riverman___%20Fre%20Syria%20Demo%20by%20Riverman___,
David_Manning
Well-known
You're walking very nearly the same walk I made.
It was my experience that once the D700 handled color, I could use SilverEfex Pro to convert to b&w (which negated time-consuming processing/scanning/filing), and then having a second pro film body didn't make sense to me. The D700 is a faster-process F6, without the sex appeal. And after I got over the desire to just HOLD the F6, away it went.
Sad, really...beautiful machine, but impractical. I get my film fix with a little Contax T3...everything else is digital.
It was my experience that once the D700 handled color, I could use SilverEfex Pro to convert to b&w (which negated time-consuming processing/scanning/filing), and then having a second pro film body didn't make sense to me. The D700 is a faster-process F6, without the sex appeal. And after I got over the desire to just HOLD the F6, away it went.
Sad, really...beautiful machine, but impractical. I get my film fix with a little Contax T3...everything else is digital.
dave lackey
Veteran
I thought I'd resurrect this thread. Recently, I switched to a D700 for colour work. I vowed to continue to shoot black and white film though - and for that task, my F6 is my main body. Two years into my love affair with the F6 and the camera continues to delight me. Coupled with a wide autofocus lens, I find it the perfect combo for street and candid shooting. This weekend, walking through London, I grabbed a few shots with the F6 and an AF-D lens which I personally would have struggled to nail with my M6. For me, for street work, nothing beats an autofocus SLR set up. To anyone out there in two minds about whether or not to try an F6 - DO IT. It's just a sublime experience to shoot with this camera.
Riverman, can't think of a better combination than the D700 and F6. Should be a lot of fun!
Riverman
Well-known
Cheers Dave. It sure is a fun combo. The thing that blows me away on both cameras is the autofocus. Until 2010 I'd never shot an autofocus camera, having spent my first 12 years in photography taking pleasure in manual focusing (Minolta SLR and later a Mamiya 6). I realise now that for a lot of the kind of photography that I really enjoy, autofocus is just a fantastic feature to have.