Nikon F4, Review

[RonVol]

Nice review.
I really enjoyed it.
A modern-take on a late 80s camera.

https://youtu.be/HMqmENnOZ8w

[RonVol]

An F4E with some period glass, AF-Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8 ED

[Jacques]

I still have the one I bought as soon as they were available in the UK probably 1989, unfortunately mine is not in the same condition as yours as it was heavily used until 2001/2002 when I started with a D100, not being totally sold on digital quality I used the two in parallel until a Nikon workshop fully explained how nef files worked, eureka moment for me !. The F4 with all the controls on the outside each with their own safety catch was a hard camera to put aside, now it resides in a display case at home together with all my old film Nikon cameras, strange I never felt the same attachment to my digital bodies that I felt the need to keep them.

[David H. Hartman]

I owned a Nikon F4s with the optional in the US smaller grip (both grips). I liked the camera but the metering for macro and lenses slower than f/5.6 was inaccurate. In the begining the only autofocus lens I owned was an AF 60/2.8 non-D. With an SB-24 the F4s/F4 could focus in total darkness. Later I added an AF 80-200/2.8D ED (New) and an AF 70-180/4.5-5.6D ED Micro-Nikkor.

The LED focus confirmation was red/green/red which could be used with peripheral vision which was a joy compared to today's green/green/green focus confirmation. I wish I still had my F4s though the F5 was in many ways a great releif.

I remember at night I knew my 180/2.8:ED AIS was in focus before the F4 did. I never managed the with the F5 or D2H.

The video review was fun to watch. Though I prefer the F5 and F3 over the F4 the F4 was a worthy camera.

Dave Hartman

[richardHaw]

I had one. hated the size but a very capable camera

it was also a pain to take apart. super complicated, i didn't last more than an hour

[Matthew Currie]

I finally got an F4 not too long before I had a bad accident that curtailed my photographing for a while, after which I started traveling a lot and went to digital, and also about the same time my local processor stopped doing slides.  I loved it when I used it, but confess I've put very little mileage on it in the last few years.  Mine is an old one that looks as if was dug up out of someone's garden, bought very cheaply, with a little LCD bleed thrown in, but working perfectly.  It also still has the alkaline batteries that were in it when I got it some time around 2012, which seem destined to outlive me.  I got mine because it was so cheap at the time I could not resist it, and expected not to like it, but found it quite nice to use.

Like the reviewer, I never used it much for auto focus, but found it a great body for MF lenses, and despite my love for the F3 that came before it, I think the F4 got the exposures right with a bit less fuss.   

[Frank Fremerey]

I bought my F4s with the bigger grip used in 1996 and I loved it. I did try the AF once but switched it off after a few days into using this beautiful camera.

As I considered it a manual focus body I loved the ground glass for focussing.

And: It was the one camera my wife loved to shoot all the time. Most used lens was the 1.8/85D

I think I can find & scan one of the photos my wife took with that combo (I am the model ;-)

[Frank Fremerey]

Here are the scans. Nice memories!

[Akira]

Nice portrait, Frank!

Incidentally, intentionally or not, Kai Wong posted his take on the F4 review     :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CCZjPicCBQ

[RonVol]

Incidentally, intentionally or not, Kai Wong posted his take on the F4 review     :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CCZjPicCBQ

Unfortunately I can't stand that guy.
His goofy, idiotic manner begins to wear thin after a while.

[Akira]

Ron, I understand your feelings, and basically agree.  That said, I think Kai has a fairly good taste for the camera gear, which I believe the reason for the popularity of DigitalRev.  The comical aspect alone wouldn't let DR gain such a popularity.