So I got my Nikon F4 today. Imagine. I purchased it from a guy in Japan on the 28th. It arrived today. Wow. That was fast.
Well, when I got my D4 recently, the excitement factor was around 8/10. Funny enough, the excitement factor of getting this F4 was 9/10. Why? Firstly, it is darn beautiful. Second, it is fun to play with buttons and dials rather than going through menus. Third, this thing autofocuses much better than I expected it would. I mean, I was expecting a sloth but instead this thing is on par with the D7000 and, although it gets into this momentary hunting mode for no reason (maybe 15% of the time), I was also surprised how well it focused in low light.....it even seemed better in low light than my D800 (!). The screen is amazingly clear and larger than even the D4. The sound of this thing clicking and advancing film is just like listening to a flat 12 Porsche engine....just something so unique and nostalgic about that kind of sound...so analog. Mirrorless cameras? No thanks.
The film I ordered hasn't arrived yet so I was not able to do some test shooting with the F4, but that will come, along with tests of digital vs film on these cameras. However, I was able to throw the 50mm 1.4G and 85mm 1.4G on it and I was so pleased with how it focused the lenses. The F4 works with AF-S lenses in P mode or S mode, not A mode or M mode. I learned quickly how to make the aperture change, however, just by adjusting the shutter speed (faster shutter speeds open up the aperture more). The feel, heft, and ease of use of the F4 was just a joy. I also threw my SB-800 flash on the F4 and it just worked, no problem. The flash even matched the focal length of the AF-S lens.
The genius of Nikon is that they can engineer something like the F4 in the late 1980s, and here we are in 2014 and the camera can still operate with the latest AF-S lenses. Plus, it even take pre-AI lenses. No other Nikon camera can accept ANY Nikon lens. It still boggles my mind.
I love how the AF-L and AE-L buttons are right where they should be on the front of the grip and the AF-L button can double as both AE-L and AF-L just but rotating a small lever on the AE-L button. Such simplicity.
I love how the "F4" lettering is huge compared to the "D4" lettering. Almost as if the F4 back in the day was so confident of itself, hehe, and justifiably so.
I can't wait to take this baby out into the field. It is just a joy to own a camera like this. When I was studying in the 80s, that time just flew by and cameras like this were not even on my radar, let alone in my interest, just because I had no time. Now I can rediscover that period with these amazing Nikon film cameras (I hope to get an F3 as well, maybe an F5 someday).
So I couldn't resist comparing my "new" F4 along with the "new" D4 and my D800. THIS to me is real Nikon porn. :kiwi-fruit:
So first a three-way comparison of the Nikon F4 vs the D4 and D800. The F4 is just a beast and makes the D4 look tame, at least aesthetically.
F4 vs D4 at different angles
Nikon D800 vs Nikon F4
The Nikon F4 vs the Nikon D7000, with and without the grip.
The Nikon F4 with 50 mm f1.4G AF-S lens.
These next shots I call "hero" shots.
And the Nikon F4 with the 85 mm f1.4G AF-S lens.
And finally hero shots of the F4 vs D4 in the same lighting.
Whew!
Well, when I got my D4 recently, the excitement factor was around 8/10. Funny enough, the excitement factor of getting this F4 was 9/10. Why? Firstly, it is darn beautiful. Second, it is fun to play with buttons and dials rather than going through menus. Third, this thing autofocuses much better than I expected it would. I mean, I was expecting a sloth but instead this thing is on par with the D7000 and, although it gets into this momentary hunting mode for no reason (maybe 15% of the time), I was also surprised how well it focused in low light.....it even seemed better in low light than my D800 (!). The screen is amazingly clear and larger than even the D4. The sound of this thing clicking and advancing film is just like listening to a flat 12 Porsche engine....just something so unique and nostalgic about that kind of sound...so analog. Mirrorless cameras? No thanks.
The film I ordered hasn't arrived yet so I was not able to do some test shooting with the F4, but that will come, along with tests of digital vs film on these cameras. However, I was able to throw the 50mm 1.4G and 85mm 1.4G on it and I was so pleased with how it focused the lenses. The F4 works with AF-S lenses in P mode or S mode, not A mode or M mode. I learned quickly how to make the aperture change, however, just by adjusting the shutter speed (faster shutter speeds open up the aperture more). The feel, heft, and ease of use of the F4 was just a joy. I also threw my SB-800 flash on the F4 and it just worked, no problem. The flash even matched the focal length of the AF-S lens.
The genius of Nikon is that they can engineer something like the F4 in the late 1980s, and here we are in 2014 and the camera can still operate with the latest AF-S lenses. Plus, it even take pre-AI lenses. No other Nikon camera can accept ANY Nikon lens. It still boggles my mind.
I love how the AF-L and AE-L buttons are right where they should be on the front of the grip and the AF-L button can double as both AE-L and AF-L just but rotating a small lever on the AE-L button. Such simplicity.
I love how the "F4" lettering is huge compared to the "D4" lettering. Almost as if the F4 back in the day was so confident of itself, hehe, and justifiably so.
I can't wait to take this baby out into the field. It is just a joy to own a camera like this. When I was studying in the 80s, that time just flew by and cameras like this were not even on my radar, let alone in my interest, just because I had no time. Now I can rediscover that period with these amazing Nikon film cameras (I hope to get an F3 as well, maybe an F5 someday).
So I couldn't resist comparing my "new" F4 along with the "new" D4 and my D800. THIS to me is real Nikon porn. :kiwi-fruit:
So first a three-way comparison of the Nikon F4 vs the D4 and D800. The F4 is just a beast and makes the D4 look tame, at least aesthetically.
F4 vs D4 at different angles
Nikon D800 vs Nikon F4
The Nikon F4 vs the Nikon D7000, with and without the grip.
The Nikon F4 with 50 mm f1.4G AF-S lens.
These next shots I call "hero" shots.
And the Nikon F4 with the 85 mm f1.4G AF-S lens.
And finally hero shots of the F4 vs D4 in the same lighting.
Whew!
