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Nikon Film Body?

robmac

Well-known member
Don't believe the F6 has that data-entry ability re: lens data.

Now I don't see why an F4 or F6 (which offer matrix with AiS glass) would treat a Leica R+leitax bayonet or a Mamiya unit, etc any differently than any other AiS unit - e.g. allow matrix metering. I do stand to be corrected on this..
 

monza

Active member
According to this, it does:

"Manual Focus Lens Data

The great news is that the F6 is the only Nikon film SLR in 20 years to give matrix metering with manual focus lenses.

On my D200, a custom setting lets you use the FUNC button to enter a lens' focal length and maximum aperture using the two command dials. In a second I can set my D200 for any manual lens.

My F6 is different. It allows me to program up to 10 lenses into its memory, and then use the FUNC button, with only one command dial, to recall any of them in an instant."

I believe matrix metering requires the camera to know the max aperture...I don't think this is possible on F4, there is no way to tell the camera what max aperture is, on a converted Leica lens.
 

PeterA

Well-known member
If you are going to do the Nikon film thing - there is only one 'modern' Nikon - and that is the F3HP with motor drive. Get yourself a 28 /2.8, 50/1.2, and 105/2.5 - a brick of TRX and go for it. No shutter makes the same sound - bliss. A very good condition body and 3 lenses should set you back maybe $600 - dont forget to fire the shutter every few months and to take the batteries out of the motor drive in between!

Way back - I had an F4s and traded it back after a few months for a new F3. the auto focus on the F4 is slower than a blind man on manual and an f3 -:) anyway you DONT WANT autofocus on this baby or MLU - thats all for sissy boyz.

also dont forget to over cook the TRX and use plenty of agitation..you want globs of FAT grain ..

good luck
retro pete
 

monza

Active member
Heh. :) For Tri-X I'll stick with an old M2 or M3, no shutter makes the same sound. :)

After thinking about it more, although max aperture can be entered into the F6, the aperture ring is still not coupled and it would be stop down metering so I'm not sure there are any options for matrix metering and Leica R lenses.
 

Jeremy

New member
If you are going to do the Nikon film thing - there is only one 'modern' Nikon - and that is the F3HP with motor drive. Get yourself a 28 /2.8, 50/1.2, and 105/2.5 - a brick of TRX and go for it.
Switch that 28 f/2.8 for an Ai'd 28 f/2 and you have my setup. I do prefer the F4 over the F3 for the ergonomics and matrix metering, but there's something about the feel and sounds of the F3HP....
 

fotografz

Well-known member
If you do not want to spend the money, do NOT place a F6 in your hands.

Size, heft, mind boggling speed, sound, feel ... Nikon went out absolutely on top as the best 35mm film camera ever made. Had them all over the years, but this camera managed to surprize and delight .... like slinging the past over your shoulder and strolling into the future.
 

robmac

Well-known member
LOL - no risk there. getting an F6 in my hand around here is about as likely as my getting nominated for sainthood. Hell, an F4 would be a real stretch.
 

Stuart Richardson

Active member
The F6 is really pretty amazing -- I just wish it was in R mount...I just love the Nikon bodies, but the lenses just don't really impress me...the problem with spending years shooting Leica, Schneider, Zeiss and Mamiya...and for whatever reason the ZF lenses have not really won me over either. As amazing as the F6 is, I think if you want to shoot R lenses, the R8 or R9 are hard to beat. They are excellent cameras, and the metering is not quite matrix, but it is very reliable (all three -- multi-segment, center and spot). For its part, the F6 feels nicer in the hand (my hands anyway), and of course it is autofocus, auto advance, has more sophisticated metering and an endless array of custom functions and features. It is also much smaller than the R9 with a motor drive.

The F6 has a nice data imprinting feature too. It puts the shooting information in between the frames. It works really well, you just have to remember not to replace the film halfway through the roll if you are in the habit of doing so -- as you advance past the shots you have already made, it will imprint the data over the already shot frames.

And yes, you can enter the focal length and aperture information for R lenses, but they are still stop down metered, so I am not sure they will matrix meter properly other than wide open.
 

fotografz

Well-known member
The F6 is really pretty amazing -- I just wish it was in R mount...I just love the Nikon bodies, but the lenses just don't really impress me...the problem with spending years shooting Leica, Schneider, Zeiss and Mamiya...and for whatever reason the ZF lenses have not really won me over either. As amazing as the F6 is, I think if you want to shoot R lenses, the R8 or R9 are hard to beat. They are excellent cameras, and the metering is not quite matrix, but it is very reliable (all three -- multi-segment, center and spot). For its part, the F6 feels nicer in the hand (my hands anyway), and of course it is autofocus, auto advance, has more sophisticated metering and an endless array of custom functions and features. It is also much smaller than the R9 with a motor drive.

The F6 has a nice data imprinting feature too. It puts the shooting information in between the frames. It works really well, you just have to remember not to replace the film halfway through the roll if you are in the habit of doing so -- as you advance past the shots you have already made, it will imprint the data over the already shot frames.

And yes, you can enter the focal length and aperture information for R lenses, but they are still stop down metered, so I am not sure they will matrix meter properly other than wide open.
I think that depends on what you're shooting. I used a R8 and R6.2 for many years. For walk around street shooting and wedding/event work in B&W, I prefer a F6 and a couple of the modern Nikon AFS nanocoated lenses, or occassionally a select ZF like the 35/2. If I want manual focus with W/A to normal focal length optics the R can't hold a candle to a M anyway. It's nice to have a really good film body for B&W films even if you shoot mostly Nikon digital.
 

woodyspedden

New member
Personally although I love the F6 (as I did my F5 when I was really shooting lots of film) I just wish there was a way to use R lenses on the Contax RTSIII! I know it sounds silly since it has almost none of the modern features found on the F6 but this is one brick of a camera......the only one to successfully address the issue of film flatness.......the best viewfinder ever in my humble opinion (and I love the R9 as well but.......) and I would take it anywhere. The only missing link is that it has no manual mode to allow say a 1/60th or 1/125th second mechanical shutter speed when you are in a situation where you have no more batteries or they are lasting only a few minutes due to very low temps. All of the modern features are wonderful when they work but there are simply times when an old fashioned mechanical speed is a great situation. I love my M7 but there are just times when the M4-P is a better choice!

Just my thoughts on the matter

Woody
 

robmac

Well-known member
Still hunting around. Had thought about the Contax, but really want a body that will use my existing glass.
 
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