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F6 9 years

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Ken Rockwell is rather cute sometimes, and this text in celebration of the great F6 must be one of his best:

"Nikon's best full-frame camera, and the world's best 35mm SLR, is still the Nikon F6, announced on 16 September, 2004. In 2004 the F6 sold for $2,400, and today still sells for $2,450 new or $1,250 used: only $100 a year to own the unbeaten F6.

As the latest example of digital rot, the Nikon D2X was announced the same day. You people tripped over yourselves to pay $5,500 a pop, and today, no one even can remember it anymore. Today on eBay, they sell for $600: a loss of $4,900. Great investment, eh? Digital sure saves money over film."

Few people can be right, wrong and funny at the same time, but KR can :)

I have both the F6 and the D2Xs, and enjoy each of them immensely.
 
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Lightleak

New member
I have thought about the difference in market value between old digital cameras and old film cameras myself. I think a D700 or D800e will still sell for a good amount in the future. From a photographers (and not collectors) point of view it doesn't make any sense (regarding the image quality) to shell out that much money for an f6 unless you really want to shoot film or love that specific camera model. I do remember the first images from the D2x /D200, they were the first digital images that made me consider to drop film. (Although it only happen a lot later, with the D700).
 

Swissblad

Well-known member
Unfortunately the D700's 2nd hand retail value has plummeted due to the D600 - I tried to trade one in for a D800E.... and will keep it as a spare.
I don't think any digital camera's will keep their value - even MF.
On the other hand, there are camera's that do keep their value for a along time eg the Nikon F3 or FM2, which still commanded top $ prices even after their successor's (F4) had been replaced.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
I paid more for my F6 than my D700. I also like my F6 more than I like my D700... much more.
 
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Swissblad

Well-known member
I paid more for my F6 than my D700. I also like my F6 more than I like my F6... much more.
Never got to use any Nikon film cameras past the F90 series.....the last film camera I bought was the FM3 .... although I would have liked an F5.

I think with the F6, Nikon was making a statement for long time film users, that they can still make excellent film bodies.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Never got to use any Nikon film cameras past the F90 series.....the last film camera I bought was the FM3 .... although I would have liked an F5.

I think with the F6, Nikon was making a statement for long time film users, that they can still make excellent film bodies.
To many, the F6 is still the best SLR body they have ever made, regardless of technology. In most areas, it's more advanced than an F5, but still more compact. The ergonomics are better than any Nikon DSLR, partly due to a slimmer body. From a design point of view, there's nothing like it. It's a sculpture of a camera. They still manufacture it at a rate of 50 units per month, on an assembly line with two employees.

It's a camera that makes little sense if one only reads the spec sheet, but take it in your hand and shoot a few rolls of film with it... it's an unmatched pleasure that I wouldn't be without :)

Here's some background
Nikon | Imaging Products | Behind the scenes - Nikon F6
What goes on inside Nikon's Sendai factory - Crave - Cameras - CNET Asia
Nikon F6, F6, 35mm film camera, film photography, film photographer, colorado nature photographer, nature photography, outdoor photography, editorial photography, colorado photographer, colorado nature photographers, colorado landscape photography, l
NikonLinks - Nikon F Series SLRs
Nikon | Imaging Products | Nikon F6
 

Swissblad

Well-known member
It's a camera that makes little sense if one only reads the spec sheet, but take it in your hand and shoot a few rolls of film with it... it's an unmatched pleasure that I wouldn't be without :)

| Nikon F6[/url]
Most things in life that add to our enjoyment in life, don't make sense on the spec sheet.....;)

I wasn't aware that Nikon still make the F6 - am impressed - and glad that they do!
 

Jan Brittenson

Senior Subscriber Member
Nothing particularly enjoyable about worrying over a bag of film, both exposed and unexposed. Do you dare run it through an airport scanner? A government building? Or leave it in the trunk of a car on a hot day in Tamil Nadu? You arrived from the airport and it would be nice to grab something to eat before going to the hotel, but your film really doesn't like heat - so the hotel and unloading film someplace with A/C becomes a priority you have to arrange everything else around.

Not to mention 135 always made me feel like I was wasting effort. The quality was really pretty poor. So "film" to me generally meant 120/220 and 6x7. Which added significant bulk to any luggage... The Mamiya 7 was the film tool of choice for this reason, but even if the camera and lenses were compact for 6x7 100-200 rolls of film still took up a huge chunk of any luggage. (Not to mention it cost $500+ and was completely unavailable in much of the world.)

The fact that I can get better-than-6x7-film results form my D800E (a 35mm camera!), even with its oversize for its format optics, is a stunning step forward! Maybe one day I can get the same from a 4/3 form factor (but with a proper viewfinder; personally can't stand EVF) and that would be another huge leap...
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
Ken Rockwell is rather cute sometimes, and this text in celebration of the great F6 must be one of his best:

"Nikon's best full-frame camera, and the world's best 35mm SLR, is still the Nikon F6, announced on 16 September, 2004. In 2004 the F6 sold for $2,400, and today still sells for $2,450 new or $1,250 used: only $100 a year to own the unbeaten F6.

...
I have both the F6 and the D2Xs, and enjoy each of them immensely.
Now just stop that, Jorgen. I've started looking at F6 prices ...

G
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Nothing particularly enjoyable about worrying over a bag of film, both exposed and unexposed. Do you dare run it through an airport scanner? A government building? Or leave it in the trunk of a car on a hot day in Tamil Nadu? You arrived from the airport and it would be nice to grab something to eat before going to the hotel, but your film really doesn't like heat - so the hotel and unloading film someplace with A/C becomes a priority you have to arrange everything else around.

Not to mention 135 always made me feel like I was wasting effort. The quality was really pretty poor. So "film" to me generally meant 120/220 and 6x7. Which added significant bulk to any luggage... The Mamiya 7 was the film tool of choice for this reason, but even if the camera and lenses were compact for 6x7 100-200 rolls of film still took up a huge chunk of any luggage. (Not to mention it cost $500+ and was completely unavailable in much of the world.)

The fact that I can get better-than-6x7-film results form my D800E (a 35mm camera!), even with its oversize for its format optics, is a stunning step forward! Maybe one day I can get the same from a 4/3 form factor (but with a proper viewfinder; personally can't stand EVF) and that would be another huge leap...
So, film is not for everybody. No worry.

15 years ago, I went around the world, visiting Chicago, San Francisco, Beijing, Guilin, Hong Kong, Macau, Bangkok, Pattaya, Vientiane and rural areas in China and SE Asia. I brought an OM-1, 3 lenses and 10 rolls of Velvia. When I returned home, I still had 2 rolls left. Still, there are few other photos that I enjoy more than the ones I took on that trip. Still, I remember how I concentrated on getting the most out of each and every frame. Did I miss any shots because I "saved for later"? Yes, probably. Does it matter? No, not at all.

All of those photos would have been sharper, with more detail had they been taken with any of the digital cameras that I own now. Would that have made them better photographs? Not the way I watch photographs.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
why is the f6 so bad? looks very similar to my f100 which i bought for 40 bucks !
There are differences that make the F6 stand out compared to any SLR. If it's worth the enormous price difference seen objectively is doubtful. But it's such a well thought out, well designed comfortable device to take photos with that I don't care. It's the ultimate SLR, and ultimate solutions cost more. I'm closer to buying one more than to selling it. Much closer.
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
There are differences that make the F6 stand out compared to any SLR. If it's worth the enormous price difference seen objectively is doubtful. But it's such a well thought out, well designed comfortable device to take photos with that I don't care. It's the ultimate SLR, and ultimate solutions cost more. I'm closer to buying one more than to selling it. Much closer.
Jorgen,

just wonder if you ever tried a Leicaflex SL2? This was the best SLR out of film days I ever had - unfortunately sold it ....

WRT film and getting back into it for some work? I am also sometimes tempted to do so, but finally never managed to succeed since over 10 years. Currently I am looking hard to find a good working used OM2 for a decent price, which is almost mint - hard to get :D

Peter
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
just wonder if you ever tried a Leicaflex SL2? This was the best SLR out of film days I ever had - unfortunately sold it ....

WRT film and getting back into it for some work? I am also sometimes tempted to do so, but finally never managed to succeed since over 10 years. Currently I am looking hard to find a good working used OM2 for a decent price, which is almost mint - hard to get.
I now own two Nikon Fs and two Leicaflex SLs, and a smattering of five lenses for each. Lovely cameras. I don't use them a lot, but I do use them. They are terrific shooters.

The Leicaflex SL is the only film body of that era that I feel was actually better than the F. It is an absolute delight to use. I had wanted one throughout the entire film era of my life, but could never afford it before now. I bought the setup for the lenses ... I'll use them with other cameras. But the SL bodies are works of art and I'll shoot some film with them just for the pleasure of doing it.

G
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Jorgen,

just wonder if you ever tried a Leicaflex SL2? This was the best SLR out of film days I ever had - unfortunately sold it ....

WRT film and getting back into it for some work? I am also sometimes tempted to do so, but finally never managed to succeed since over 10 years. Currently I am looking hard to find a good working used OM2 for a decent price, which is almost mint - hard to get :D

Peter
I haven't tried the Leicaflex, but who knows? I've just been offered an R4 with some lenses, and with some lenses... you know :)

There are other SLRs that are fantastic also, like the Contax RX, the N1, the FM3A and obviously the OM-2. I know about an almost mint OM-2 that works very well. It sits on my dining table right now with the 50mm f/1.4 mounted. It was given to me, so I should pass it on... in 30 years :ROTFL:


Edit: For those who think the F6 is expensive, check the price of a mint Leicaflex SL2. I just did :eek:
 
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