For all you Nikon shooters

[InsuredDisaster]

If you had to pick only 2 cameras out of the following, which two would they be and why?

F3, FG-20, FM2 (with or without motor winders)
F4(s or vanilla), N90s, N2000, N2020
F5, F100, N80

Just curious. I own them all and its just something I think about every day. My choices change every day.

[Dirk]

Originally Posted by InsuredDisaster

If you had to pick only 2 cameras out of the following, which two would they be and why?

F3, FG-20, FM2 (with or without motor winders)
F4(s or vanilla), N90s, N2000, N2020
F5, F100, N80

Just curious. I own them all and its just something I think about every day. My choices change every day.

my choises would be
F4(s or vanilla) and the N80

for top market (ex conditions camera;s in film is still a market but the deals are lower because digital has increased in quality and capabilities and decreased in the prices.

[Narsuitus]

The F4 would be my first choice and the F3 would be my second.
The reason is because I have used the F3 and I am still using the F4. I have never used any of the other cameras on the list.

The F4s uses an MB-21 battery pack (holds 6 AA batteries), fires at 5.7 frames per second, has a socket to accept a mechanical cable release, has a socket to accept an electronic remote control, and has an extra shutter release that is useful when shooting in portrait orientation.

The F4 uses an MB-20 battery pack (holds 4 AA batteries) fires at 4 frames per second but sacrifices some of the MB-21 features such as electronic remote control socket and extra shutter release in order to reduce the size and weight.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11336821@N00/5585137227/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11336821@N00/5585726638/

[JimmyH]

Of your list I have the F4s, N90s, N2000, N2020

Limited to 2, my picks are:

F4s
- Big, heavy piece of Nikon history
- Can fit and meter MF lenses, center and spot only, though
- AF lenses work fine, including Matrix, and AF-S works too (no VR)
- MB-20 4AA battery can make it lighter... I want one, someday...

N2020
- Another piece of Nikon history
- MF and AF lenses work fine (AF-S becomes MF)
- An N2000 with autofocus, which usually works better than my eyes...

Of course, I hope I never have to choose only two..

[Douglas]

I would of said the F5 and either the F4 or the N90s. (Not sure how the F5 improves on the F4 or the N100 over the N90s. I had a N90s and loved it!)

[InsuredDisaster]

Interesting replies. I disliked the N2020 since the AF was so slow. Its the only camera in my collection that I've thought about selling! I've tried AF-S on the F4 but not the N2020.

Its hard for me to compare the F5 to the F4, Douglas. I think the F4 is very much a manual film camera, while the F5 is solidly an AF camera. I guess only 8 years seperate the camera, but they look, feel and operate so differently.

Part of my problem is that with so many, I have trouble moving through the collection!

I've thought the F4s and the FM2 or F3 would make a nice manual combo if you either had a lot of MF lenses or AF-D lenses. A heavy beastly F4 for speed and then the FM2 or F3 for slower, lighter and with the FM2, battery free operation if such a situation came up. I've been using the F3 for the last couple of weeks (I shoot 3-5 rolls of film a week) but recently I put on the motorwinder and now I am not digging the combo. Too heavy. Part of what I like about the F3 is how small and light it is and the motorwinder ruins that.

But when I got the F5, I had been using the Nikon FG-20 for a couple of weeks and I was so blown away by the speed of the thing that I began to think that maybe and F5 and F100 or N80 would be an awesome combo.

Think I need to spend more time with the N90s. Arrrggghhhh! Too many cameras!

You know, JimmyH, I got lucky and bought a very late model F4 that came with the MB-20 pack. The MB-21's are much more common on ebay so I picked up one that worked fine but was somewhat beatup on the outside for a pretty good price at a later date.

Oh well, not planning on selling anything, but its fun to think about if only two, which would they be.

[nolanr66]

F100 and forget the others.

[JimmyH]

Originally Posted by InsuredDisaster

I disliked the N2020 since the AF was so slow.

I usually don't mind waiting for the AF to work, as the scenery does not move fast, but turn off the AF and it is a good, solid MF camera... I even bought an N2000 to keep the N2020 company, and these siblings tell stories about me behind my back, I'm sure!

Part of my problem is that with so many, I have trouble moving through the collection!

Yeah, but that's not really a bad problem, is it?

Think I need to spend more time with the N90s.

That reminds me, I need to get off my flat end and finish the roll in mine...

Arrrggghhhh! Too many cameras! Oh well, not planning on selling anything, but its fun to think about if only two, which would they be.

Me too, and there are bunch more, beside the Nikon family I've collected over the years that I probably won't sell either.

[InsuredDisaster]

I really wonder what it would have been like if I was a photo enthusisast in 1986 with an N2000 and suddenly this thing called AF shows up in the N2020. Suppose I ran out and bought the N2020 along with a 35-70mm f/3.3~4.5S lens. Would I be happy or really dissappointed? Currently I'm shooting a lot with the F3 and FG-20, and even with the F4 I often switch it to MF and focus with my K screen, so I don't miss AF except in certain fast moving situations.

Now of course the N2000 and 2020 are almost the same in price, but I just wonder if I'd paid an AF premium back in 86 if I'd be happy or not.

Anyone shooting film back in '86 with this experience care to tell how you felt when you first handled the N2020/F501?

[Risingsun]

Hands down Nikon F4s, second F3, then Nikon FM2. All three are in my arsenal for many years, absolute solid performers.