Nikon's History of Film Flagships
Nikon's professional SLR line started with the F in 1959. It was based on their
SP rangefinder and was Nikon's first SLR. It was an innovative camera for the time, and it immediately
became the preferred tool for many professionals, demanding performance, reliability, and adaptability.
Twelve years later, Nikon followed up with the F2. Still a fully manual 35mm
film SLR, it refined the design to include an attached back, better ergonomics, a faster shutter, and
an expansive selection of accessories. Still considered one of the best mechanical SLR's available,
many photographers continue to shoot with these rugged cameras!
In 1980, Nikon heralded the decade with the F3, an absolute design icon from
the era. Crafted by Giorgetto Giugiaro,
this camera introduced the brand's hallmark red accent on the grip, still present today. With an
electronically controlled shutter, and aperture-priority, the F3
ushered Nikon's pro-level body into the future, even introducing autofocus (though in a very limited
capacity).
The F4 came in 1988, finally bringing a fully realized autofocus system to
the top of Nikon's range. The styling and controls places this camera right in the middle of the
classic, boxy, fully manual bodies of the past, still retaining knobs and dials, and the sleek, curvy,
automated bodies we have now. This is a very complicated camera, though still quite reliable, and
while the autofocus performance is slow by modern standards, the F4 can still be a great choice
today.
A sea change in styling, control, and performance, the F5 is easily recognizable
as the blueprint for many contemporary digital SLR's, even though it was introduced back in 1996. In my
opinion, there's no photographic need that cannot be met by this camera as well as any modern DSLR,
aside from low-light performance (though that's really a limitation of film, rather than the
camera). The F5 is fast, accurate, rugged, and while it's easy to use, it also retains all the
controls to satisfy any creative vision.
2004 saw Nikon's final film flagship: the F6. The culmination
of all Nikon's film camera design and technology, this model truly sits at the peak! The biggest
difference between this and the F5 is the form factor, making the vertical grip a separate accessory,
thus presenting a smaller, lighter body. Everything else, for the most
part is iterative, though the viewfinder is no longer interchangable, and there's less accessories in
general for the F6. You could put this camera in the hands of someone who's only shot on
digital cameras, and they'd instantly be at home with the controls and ergos.
Why Did I Get an F6?
I just got an F5 a few months ago, and I wanted a second film body for
shooting events, so I could have two lenses available without having to swap back and forth.
Initially, I was looking at getting an F100, since I wanted something lighter than another F5 around
my neck, but I was having a hard time finding a decent example in good condition for a reasonable
price. In 2026, a nice condition F100 is about equal price as an F5. While a great camera in its own
right, the F100 doesn't have the robustness of an F5, a particular concern being the plastic
latch on the film door. For as much rationaliztion about practicality, I also have to admit that I just
wanted the F6 as a tasty treat as much as a reliable workhorse :p
If I was being more practical, I'd just get a used DSLR and save on the expense
of shooting film, but taking photographs isn't about practicality for me. I'm not doing this for a job
anymore, so I don't need to balance expenditures or stay on track for deadlines. I'm just taking
pictures, simple as that. I scan my negatives, file them away in binders, and fret over how I could
have shot the scene better while cleaning up dust and scratches in Lightroom. That's it! I don't need
to worry about anything further than my own edification, so I can risk not getting the shot, and there's
no rush to get a roll developed.
What's It Like to Shoot?
The F6 shooting experience is very similar to the F5. It feels
thoroughly modern and quite intuitive. The top and rear screens cover all the configurations in a clear,
quickly accessible way, even moreso than the F5. The grip is comfortable,
and all the dials and buttons are placed in sensible, in-reach spots. The front and rear command dials
have a rubber coating and, unlike my F5, the front command dial (controls aperature by default) doesn't
skip around values, a common issue on the F5. However, the internal clock battery appears to be dead on my F6, so
it's draining the main batteries faster than usual. Unfortunately, that internal battery is not easily
replaceable, and I'll probably have to send it in for service just to get it done (keep an eye out
for the inevitable blog post on that experience).
I've been running around with a 28 f/2.8 AF-D lens, making for a nice, compact
setup. 28mm is a bit wider than feels "natural" for me (I'm currently looking for a good condition 35
f/2 AF-D at a decent price), but it's a fun challenge that yields results I really like when I get it
right.
One thing that quickly stood out to me was the shutter sound. It's so satisfying!
I know it's a little thing, but small nicities like that make the shooting experience all the more pleasant.
So far, the F6 is proving to be a superb walking around camera. It's much lighter and looks more casual
than the F5, while remaining just as capable and hardy!
Pictures Please
So far, I've only shot one roll of Kodak Pro Image 100 through the F6, first with an AF-S 17-35 f/2.8D IF-ED (great lens, sharp and very useful, though mine squeals a little bit sometimes... might need servicing eventually) and the 28 f/2.8D I mentioned earlier. I took some sunrise shots of a bridge with the 17-35, and I walked around a park area with the 28. These aren't the most exciting shots in the world, but I had a fun time taking them, and I very eagerly look forward to using this camera more and more!
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