Nikon 8008 What Do I Have?

<p>I am the original owner of a Nikon 8008 and I never really got used to it so I stopped using it. Today I am in love with my D300 but think it would be wise to learn about the 8008. How does it rank in your opion in the world of film cameras? Also, it's lens compatability. I am getting an urge to shoot slides again but my old love was an OM-1. What do I have with my Nikon 8008?</p>

 

<p>Great camera in it's day. Auto focus will be slow compared to today's cameras. It will synch flash at 1/250.....a nice feature for fill flash when shooting outdoors.</p>

<p>I owned a Nikon 8008 when it first came out. It's a nice camera, but I'd never sell my F100 and go back to it. The AF isn't fast enough, and the newer metering system is much better.</p>

<p>The N8008 (F801) came out in 1988, and I bought one, boy, 20 years ago now. At the time it was a great camera. I learned using dials (actually just one dial) instead of the traditional knob to control shutter speeds and flex program mode with it.</p>

<p>Today, the lack of AF-S compatibility and the spot meter are quite annoying. I used it for about 10 years along with my F4 and F5 during the 1990's. Eventually, I got more and more AF-S lenses and the F100 replaced it as my second body.</p>

<p>I used to have one. In addition to the above, if my memory serves me, the camera allows exposures at what I call full stops only--like f 11 at 1/125-- and not at inbetween stops like your D 300--f 7.1 at 1/125. The 8008s added that feature as did the N90s and the F 100 making them more useful cameras for slide shooters than the 8008. If I were you and wanted to shoot slides, I would get a F 100. That was what I was using before I got my D 200. For shooting slide film, on a scale of 1 to 10 the F 100 would get a 9 and the 8008 would get a 3. <br>

If you decide to use your 8008, you will have to determine how accurate your in camera meter is. It may require ex comp for each image taken. You cannot assume that the meter in the camera will read the light and yield perfect exposures at ex comp of 0. Joe Smith</p>

<p>I use an N8008s frequently. Regarding Joseph's comments about full stops, the N8008s still suffers from that. I believe it was the N90s that first got away from that and provided 1/3 stops for manual shutter adjustments. When shooting manually with an N8008/s you're left with the aperture ring to fine-tune things.</p>

<p>The lack of AF-S compatability is the most annoying trait to me, simply because the 17-35mm f/2.8 is my most used lens. I know it may seem silly to expect a camera from the late 80s to be compatible, but the F4 can use AF-I/AF-S. I guess it's just because it's a pro body.</p>

<p>If using a manual body I'm in the mindset to focus manually, but with any AF body I guess I just get lazy.</p>

<p>I've still got my F801 (n8008). I find it good enough for my needs. I don't own any AF-S lenses so it works for me.</p>

<p>It's sort of funny, but many years ago I owned a pair of Nikon N8000s cameras. I sold both of those. Then I had a pair of the Nikon N90s cameras. I sold both of those. Now I have a Nikon N8008 that I bought from a friend for only $30!, (and it even included a MF-21 back, rather than the stock, plain back). I guess I went backwards in Nikon AF camera evolution, but for $30, I couldn't pass up this N8000. (I'm so far behind the "new-camera curve" that my pair of 20+ year-old Nikon F3HP cameras are my all-time favorites, and are the ones I use for 95% of my photography.).</p>

<p>I still have mine (I will not sell it as in my view they are worth more than you can possibly get for them on the open market.) I will use it from time to time when I feel the need to shoot film. It is a very good camera that has actually survived longer and in better condition than the F90 / F90s that superseded it (The latter have a fault with the synthetic body convering that goes horrible after a while. While only cosmetic this is a bit of a deal breaker in my view.) This leaves the f8008/f801 family dominant. They really are very nice cameras and their only real flaw is that their auto focus is rather slow by todays' standard - although the f801 s is a tad faster than its forebear.<br>

One thing that annoys me - not so much about this camera but with Nikon is that back then I bought and still own an SB-25 speedlight which while still in great condition (and tecnially a very nice bit of kit still) and is able to be used on this camera is just about useless in any digital (excpet in manual or auto mode) as they have not made later models backwards compatible in their electronics for prrogram shooting.</p>

<p>I have an old F801s (N8008s) which I picked up for next to nothing. It's for my kid to use with some older Nikkors to learn the basics of photography before I let him loose on a DSLR.<br>

Everything works fine, except the light meter needs adjusting. Can anyone point me towards some online instructions as to how to make the adjustment? I could get it done by a professional repairer but it would cost me more than the camera is worth.</p>

 

<p>Tony -</p>

<p>How far off is the meter on your F801s? I have some old John Shaw books and he discusses calibrating a meter to your liking. I think this was in an era when he was using F3 and F4 bodies, and said that the meters were not all identical. Thus, he would test them and simply adjust ISO to his liking.</p>

<p>I bought a Nikkormat FT2 in 1999 and noticed that I was getting awfully fast shutter speeds for ISO 100 film. I compared scenes with my FE2 and the Nikkormat was consistently underexposing by 1 stop. I adjusted the ISO ring to compensate and went on shooting.</p>

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