Nikon F4s 35mm SLR Film Camera Body Only

Nikon F4: In more than 20 years as a pro photographer, I've used pro Canon and Nikon equipment on a regular basis. While I like to show off a nice clean black on black Hasselblad or state of the art Nikon Digital to impress the client, one of my favorites is still Nikon F4.

Originally I remember it was criticized for its complexity or for having too many bells and whistles. But, after use I see you can go full manual like an F3, F2, or even F. You can then add programming functions as desired or not.

I enjoy the appearance of the F4 as much as any Nikon. SQUARE IT IS NOT. For function, you will be hard pressed to find a more versatile, intelligent camera. Much of the technology devised for the F4 is present in today's highest end Digital Pro cameras.

Six AA batteries packed into two separate holders across the MB-21 motor lend stability, balance and power to spare to enhance your prowess. If you like tack sharp perfectly exposed and synthesized realistic 35mm film images, I'd recommend the Nikon F4. It surpasses the F3 in terms of a much more modern type of lens metering. It is designed to run most of today's specialized lenses. Going older will limit your ability to use many new functions and techniques such as auto-focus. It is a plenty heavy camera and provides one-of-a-kind results. While the variety of lenses you can use is varied and substantial your limitations will be few.

The Nikon F4 was produced at Japan from 1988 to 2000. It is an F series professional camera I love as a collector mostly because it bridges the gap in evolution between manual and digital telemetry by having both. It amazes me to see and use the mid-transition controls frozen in the F4. Its electronics, LCD viewfinder display, auto-focus, auto-exposure, and light metering are still in use today, but it retained classic DIALS YOU TURN for shutter speed, aperture, metering, and exposure compensation. In this respect it offers MORE than the Nikons of today and it tells a much bigger story about photo history.

It even offers both motor-driven and manual film rewinding. It’s a complex camera, no doubt, with over 1700 parts, but they’re high-quality mechanical/electronic components like no other. These features combined with WEATHER SEALING and NOTABLY TOUGH CONSTRUCTION, make it a camera for the ages. The F4 will accept all auto-focus lenses made for the F mount, as well as almost all manual focus F mount lenses. Its forward compatibility with the most recent lens offerings in the G-series and DX lines is consistent in that it accepts them, but functions are limited. For example, DX lenses just introduced are made for a smaller digital imager than 35mm film so it will leave an unsatisfactory vignette.

The only knock I have on the Nikon F4 is that the sleek smooth design and smaller form factor hurts its FEEL. The grip is shallow. Longer fingers fit better into a camera like F3 or D200. The racy design also leaves the F4 without a leather texture, or any texture, which was brought back later. It is therefore a touch harder feeling and slippery in a very minor hypercritical sense.

In conclusion, once you read the manual and practice with the Nikon F4, you will realize its true professional scope and well-rounded background. You will then be able to easily harness its potential in all of your pro photography. (Rating A+)

Wow - where could I possibly start when doing a review of this camera body? I guess I can only relate my own personal buying decisions with this particular camera.

I went from a Nikon FA (which finally gave up the ghost) and I had to make a long and hard decision about where I was going to go from there in terms of a camera body. I had a few requirements.

One being that I had grown use to matrix metering with my manual focus glass. That was something that I really, really did not want to give up. My other requirement was that I wanted something that had autofocus capability (certainly not a big priority for me). Thirdly, I wanted something that had mirror lockup. And finally I also wanted spot metering. Basically, it got down to the F4.

It's one thing to hear people wax poetic about using one of the F bodies. If you've never used one before, you might think that those people are perhaps influenced by the allure of a "status item". But once you've hit your finger on the shutter release of something like the F4, you will then know what they are talking about. I watched this happen with a friend of mine (who has used a 6006 for years) after he took his first exposure.

There is virtually no vibration from mirror-slap. Nikon integrated a shutter balancer device that counter-balances the "shutter bounce" movement of the gears within the shutter system. Plus, the mirror box movement is so well dampened.

The viewfinder: A delight. To some photographers who haven't had much experience with using a variety of bodies, they may never know the advantage of a good viewfinder. The finder in the F4 is clear and bright. On manual mode you can see in the range of +2 EV over and -2 EV under the "correct" exposure (which isn't available on other bodies) and the camera also has Aperture Direct Readout (something I also got use to with the manual cameras like my FA) which means you can see the selected aperture even with manual glass.

Nikon F finders also have the advantage of being manufactured from a real block of optical glass. That helps immesurably with viewfinder brightness and clarity. The F finders are also free of distortions (in most of the other bodies there is a degree of pincushion distortion put in to compensate for the typical barrel distortion in wideangles) And what is truly unique is that all of the F finders have 100% coverage. So what you see in the viewfinder is exactly how it will be framed on the 35mm negative.

The other advantage to this camera over the F5 is that it comes with three seperate power winders. The F4 was sold in the US under the F4s configuration, which had the MB-21 motor drive attachment. The MB-20 battery pack slims down the size of the camera considerably.

This camera has a number of other nice touches: DX coding, viewfinder blind, the aforementioned mirror lockup (which is good when you want to take macro shots in the shutter speed area of 1 second to 1/15th of a second) and depth of field preview. Multiple exposure is onboard. You have the choice of manual or auto rewind. There is exposure and autofocus lock switches. Probably the BEST (and least known) aspect of the F4 is that it can used AF-S. Yes - you heard that right, it can use the AF-S suerfast/supersilent focusing.

In general, you cannot go wrong with this camera if you're searching for a great manual 35mm camera that can in a pinch provide good (but limited) AF performance.

The Nikon f4 is one of, if not THE BEST and most versatile 35mm SLR cameras EVER built.
The f4/f4s although out of production for several years now, is still in use daily, by professionals and hobbyists alike.
With the ability to function with almost any Nikon or Nikon compatible lenses,several sinc. flash units and built-in multiple metering system, multiple viewfinders, not to mention multi-function and polaroid backs,data backs,bulk film backs, high-speed film advance motors(5fps),dual position shutter release buttons, electronic remote control devices...well it's a tough act to follow. By special invitation from NASA,the f4,with a few modifications,has even been to outer-space!
Numerous guides have been published on the capabilities and functions of the f4, most simple enough for even most novice photographers to understand.
The f4 can be a little intimidating for the beginner, but for those with a bit more experience it can open unlimited possibilities for creativity. Whether your interest is fashion, sports/action, wildlife/nature, macro or scientific...the possibilities are endless with the Nikon f4.
The Nikon f4 is not your average SLR. The body is not plastic as so many modern SLRs...it is made of die-cast aluminum, making it extremely durable and a bit heavier than many "lesser" SLRs. The extra weight helps to steady the camera when shooting from a tri-pod in windy conditions or when shooting without the aid of a tri-pod.
The f4 is also more resistant to the elements(dust,water etc...)than many other SLRs, although as with any electronic equipment, care should be taken to protect it as much as possible.

The Nikon F4 is very versatile, as it might accept most Nikkor lenses ever. Yes, it has something that the F5 doesn't have, and this is SIGNIFIGANT: The F4 allows you matrix metering with manual focus AI & AIS lenses. You can't on the F5 (only spot and center-weight). If you have a pre AI lens, you just get a good camera repairman to convert the base of the lens to AI (this is very cheap to have done) and presto - you get matrix metering even with those old lenses as well with the F4. Many of Nikon's most legendary lenses were manual focus. Busloads of people have a whole closet full of those old goodies and you can pick them up much cheaper than new auto focus lenses. Though viewed of as an auto focus camera, the F4 is the greatest platform ever for manual focus lenses other than the super expensive F6. The other SIGNIFIGANT factor: The F4 was the last pro body to have real knobs instead of those silly menus. Here's a secret: Put Auto-Focus lenses with the built in silent wave motor (AF-S)… and the F4 focuses about as fast as the F5.

I purchased the F4s AND an F5 about the same week. I am a fan of some of the older AIS Nikon lenses and the F4 does matrix metering with these which the F5 does not. I have put a few rolls thru each of these cameras now and here are my thoughts..

EVENT SHOOTING
For event shooting, where you mostly want super fast focus accuracy, easy TTL flash, the F5 with an autofocus lens wins hands down. I'm not saying you CAN'T do this type of work on an F4, it's just that it is easier with the F5 with the right lenses. Note: I don't have any silent wave Nikon lenses to try on the F4, but I've read that they focus almost as fast on the F4 as the F5. These lenses have the focusing motor IN the lens and are much quicker than the older Nikon screw type autofocus lenses.

VIEWFINDER
The interesting thing though is that I expect that I'll use my F4 maybe MORE than the F5. This is because of my particular style of shooting. I don't shoot events or weddings..I shoot mostly models and portraiture where I have lots of time to compose and fiddle with light etc. The F4's viewfinder is slightly larger and brighter than the F5, which makes a big difference since my vision is getting worse (44 years old). As a side note, I also have an F100, and even though the viewfinder is about the size of the F5, it seems easier to manual focus in the F100 than the F5. Of the 3, I prefer the F4's viewfinder. Shooting with the F4, I feel like I take the time to make the decisions on composition and light much more carefully. The F5 is more of a super high end point and shoot for me. (Note: I mostly shoot medium format, so I like taking my time shooting).

SHUTTER RELEASE
This is an area that I don't often hear discussed but vibration and the "feel" of the shutter release is very important to me. Between the F4, F100 and F5 the F5 wins. When you click the shutter on the F5 everything feels rock solid. The F4 is very good too, but not as nice as the F5. The F100 has a weird feel to the shutter release..sort of mushy and I don't really like it.

TTL Flash
I used both cameras with an SB800 testing fill flash and I think the F4 did better with manual focus lenses (matrix metering?) but both the F4 and F5 are really perfect here. Much better than digital cameras that I've owned.

Overall, the F4 is a great tool, and for current (2009) prices you should treat yourself! I anticipate using mine probably more than the F5 just for the particular types of shooting that I do...