Would you buy an F4 if you only use MF lenses?

[rich815]

Hmm, came across an F2A in nice shape for about the same price I was expecting to pay for the F4. I'm not quite ready to buy just yet (later this month) but that had me wondering...

Eh? What was I saying?? It's a sign! :-)

[Aja B]

You have an F3. How about a different flavor altogether such as the FM2N? Otherwise I'd need a definitive reason to lug an F4. In fact, make it an F100 instead. But for general shooting?

I shoot a raft of Nikons. My shortlist includes the light, compact and reliable FM2N.

[agphotography]

I do like the FM2n & it would probably meet my needs just fine, but there are two things going against it for me.

1) its small size (I have large hands)
2) it's 92% viewfinder coverage (I rather like the 100% coverage in my F3)

[SamSpade1941]

I want an F4s or an F4e (mb23?) so badly it kills me but it seems like every time I find one on the net they are gone before I can say I will take it , or I am broke. More often than not as of late I am broke, and I have more pressing things to spend my money on a lot of the time as we are often at the hospital when the spouse is getting chemo. Eventually I hope to get one within my budget. The F4 was the Ferrari of 35mm cameras that I only dreamed about back in the 80's.

[mablo]

A new F4s user here. What a magnificent SLR camera it is! I think I'll need the smaller battery grip and definitely the waist level finder.

[Michael R 1974]

My primary Nikon is an F3, but I bought a used F4 only because if you want to use any of Nikon's current Tilt-Shift lenses (they are manual focus), the F4 is the lowest number "F"-camera that will work with them. They are manual focus lenses, but have electronic diaphragms that won't work with an F3, F2 etc.

[agphotography]

That's a good point, and Tilt/Shift lenses are on my list, but I would be purchasing Canon's versions

The FM2n threw an interesting wrench into the mix as I kind of like the battery independence aspect of it and 1/4000 shutter speed would be sufficient enough. I also keep hearing that its darn near indestructible, I like that too.

As I mentioned though, I don't think the size / weight of the F4 with the smaller MB-20 grip would be an issue, I'm 6'3" and I've got reasonably large hands, I'm also fairly accustomed to large & heavy cameras. Not that I prefer that, I'm just used to it.

When I had my 1n and 1V I had all of the grip options for them, but I found I definitely preferred the smallest battery grip as the other options just added too much weight. Are the dimensions of the F4 similar to the 1N or 1V?

I guess at this point it's between the F4 and the FM2n, I would need to find a K or P screen for the f4 most likely and the FM2 would just work.

Hmmm, decisions, decisions..

[rich815]

Buy an FM2n, F4 and F2. Use for 3 months. Sell the two you like least for probably about what you paid.

[fotch]

Buy an FM2n, F4 and F2. Use for 3 months. Sell the two you like least for probably about what you paid.

Caution! You may like all of them.

[BradleyK]

I personally wouldn't but it's more due to its size than its features. When I first saw one I found it hard to believe that it wasn't medium format and only produced postage stamp sized 35mm negatives.


Steve.

+1. I won an F4S body on ebay sometime back (two years, perhaps); I had bid on a whim, and somehow managed to win the thing (around $100, give or take, if memory serves). From the start, I was impressed with the camera's metering capabilities, viewfinder display (especially its brightness), the built-in diopter adjustments, its multi-mode capabilities (far more than I would ever need, but still impressive) and the quickness of the camera's motor drive (I often shoot wildlife photography). However, I could not get passed the awful ergonomics of the F4S: the thing is big, chunky and awkward. Holding it in my hands, I thought the F4S to be the most gratuitiously oversized piece of 35mm equipment I had ever used. Needless to say, the beast did nor stay in my possession for long: after one roll of film, I gave it away to my sister - also a Nikon shooter. Her reaction was near the same as mine (she shoots with a pair of F3HPs and a D700); one roll and then up on the shelf. A few weeks later while visiting her, she returned the camera with a "thanks, but...". I took the thing back - with more that a little hesitation - stuck it up on the shelf. A month or so later, seeking a new home for the camera, I gave the thing to my nephew (F2A and F3, no digital - a very enlightened 18 year old!) who accepted the thing with more than modicum of hesitation ("soo...this is an F4...thanks..."). While he and I have been out shooting together in Banff at least half a dozen times since I gave him the F4S, the camera has yet to put in an appearance. When asked about it, he told me he keeps the camera as a "spare." Given that he shoots with two of the most reliable cameras ever built, I assume that this particular F4S has been consigned to a lengthy stay in camera purgatory...