Still waiting for my F7!

Just kind of kidding, although if there were a year for Nikon to bring out an F7, it seems like this would be it. I think it could be a great camera, with the current autofocusing system, modern batteries, etc... I know I would like one! And I could load it up with some of that new Ektachrome...

 

Would you be interested in a new film Nikon? Why? Why not?

Sadly a no show @ 2017 CP+ show..... along with anything else made by Nikon. What a shame!

 

I got a very inexpensive F60 3 years ago as some of my clients said they might occasionally want slides. I've never even put a film in it.:(

I wonder which number is larger? The number of those who love the medium film and wish for a modern film camera or the number of those who love the form factor of the old film camera and wish for their DSLR to mimick it as close as possible? <br><br>

To answer the OP's question: not interested at all. Neither in a modern film camera nor film at all.

I would not be interested in an F7 myself. I would be interested in a mechanical rangefinder possibly but it would depend on the quality, lens mount and price really. And of course how it looked. I do not really care for the look of that old one they had back in the day.

I wonder which number is larger? The number of those who love the medium film and wish for a modern film camera or the number of those who love the form factor of the old film camera and wish for their DSLR to mimick it as close as possible? <br><br>

To answer the OP's question: not interested at all. Neither in a modern film camera nor film at all.

I still like film but i dont want another camera. I have enough

Since they are still making the camera it would not seem unreasonable to me to update it. It would generate interest in the camera and film photography as well. I am assuming the F6 is actually selling is the reason they have it in the line up. If so then the F7 would also sell camera's and possibly an increase as the F6 crowd stampedes to BHPhoto for a new camera. Just kidding sort of as I do not know what will sell or not.

 

I shoot a Nikon FM2n myself and like the camera. I will probably just keep shooting it and if I were to add another camera I would just get another FM2n or possibly a Leica M6 or MP.

Edited February 24, 2017 by rossb

Since they are still making the camera it would not seem unreasonable to me to update it.

 

Um. They're still selling the camera. That might be because they did a big production run, because it's cost effective to run a production line in bulk for a while, and now they have a warehouse full of the things, partly because they're still priced as exotica. And yes, if someone gave me an F6, I'd probably go "ooh". I probably wouldn't use it for anything, but it'd be a nice thing to have. (Not that I have room in my house for many more things in that category.)

 

I am assuming the F6 is actually selling is the reason they have it in the line up.

 

I'm assuming the F6 not selling is the reason that they've still got some to sell!<br />

<br />

As Dieter says, an interesting pair of camera categories. I wonder whether there's also a distinction between people who would be interested in an F7 as a high-tech F6 successor and those who want a "modern" film camera that still feels like an F3. (It took me a long time to realise that the tiny grip on the F3 and earlier bodies promotes a fundamentally different wrist position than the deeper grip on current bodies - and this might have more to do with choices than I realised.)<br />

<br />

I might add a line or two to my camera feature survey (which I really do hope to have out soon), but it still feels to me like someone other than Nikon should be making this. The recently-resurrected FM3a thread pointed out that most of the people in Nikon who know about film transport have retired - and I'd really rather the "A team" concentrated on a D810 successor.<br />

<br />

I find film expensive, inaccurate (because I can't chimp the images as I go), and low quality, compared with digital. I do think there are some merits to how its spectral response may vary relative to a digital sensor. There are film cameras whose form-factor I'll embrace for specific projects, with a DSLR still being the best general option I have. Although I have three film SLRs (two Canon, one F5), none of which are worth much (one was given to me, the other two were bought as back-up, for occasional Velvia use, and for HIE, which is discontinued), I'd argue that I'm more interested in non-SLR form factors when I want something different from my D810. There are some features on other designs that I like (silent leaf shutter, WLF, etc.) - which are complementary to rather than replacing the DSLR's handling. Would I love an "F7" as an oddity? Sure, if given to me (particularly with the "complete F mount compatibility" I mooted as a feature). I possibly wouldn't turn down a very light and cheap SLR with an F mount and DSLR-like handling, as a back-up. (The two-dial SLRs are all quite heavy.) But I strongly doubt I'm the target market compared with those keeping Ilford alive.</p>

AFAIK Nikon was making one F6 per day when it was still in production a few years ago, but it is not made any more. There must be a number of them in stock still. I would love to have one if I shot film but have not done so in a number of years.

Thanks God I currently enjoy more shooting film than buying cameras to be placed on an altar like imagery. So no, I don`t need a F7. I wonder about the things a F7 could bring that a F6 cannot. Or a F3, Or a FE. Or even a EM.

People buy 35mm cameras to have a try and immediately after that, they become ornamental. Most chemicals and darkroom items are bought by students that use them for a couple weeks at the "Traditional Processing" class. After that, they come back to the real work with digital processing.

I think pro film cameras are not needed these days just because very likely, film won`t be a pro media anymore.

Edited February 24, 2017 by jose_angel

The Nikon website just lists it as backordered. But since ilkka said it's discontinued I believe hiim. Nikon is probably looking to cut excess baggage and most likely the F6 has been an albatross for a while now. BHPhoto has some for sale and have a confusing price range for them. When the F100 was discontinued BHPhoto sold new old stock for years after that. I remember wondering if the camera would even still work after being on the shelf for a decade or more. The F6 was a serious Pro model but photographers like that moved on to digital years ago. I am not sure who the camera fits these days.

 

Anyway if the F6 has been selling poorly and is now discontinued then it would make no sense to make the F7.

 

I believe film is a stable industry and possibly with slight growth. New film camera's will eventually start showing up as the old stock out there finally dwindles down. Probably not in the form of an F7 but more then likely something that is quiet and discreet.

I'm doing fine with my F3 and FM3a and the problem is that when one commits to a modern camera, you commit to its lenses also. The syndrome stars all over again, another lens another lens for the present. The notion of a F7 has its merits, but only if one has extensive disposable income. How much would an F7 cost? Probably 2.5 Gs, I don't know, but there are some sweet lenses out there for that money. I'm new to the digital workflow experience and I need to eat some crow here, as I've been trying to wrap around the comments by many that say they need a film camera to stay in touch with a genuine Photographic experience. The mystery behind the missing monitored image has its appeal, but I'm wondering how necessary it is. Perhaps I'm lucky that the many years honing vision in a camera with film in it brings a comfort zone and the ability to adapt.

What could an F7 possibly offer that an F6 doesn't? Or an F5 or F4 for that matter.

<p><br>If it were to follow the trend it would be bulkier, heavier and less ergonomic than any predecessor.... and enough to put off any non-Nikon fanatic from ever shooting film.<p>There must be enough film cameras of every make and style lying unused to supply the demand for film cameras a hundred times over. The world doesn't need another new doorstop or paperweight.

I just shoot film because it's fun but but I would not make it out to be a special photographic experience. It's just a photo for the family album. Its nice to have the negative as I like them. I also prefer the look of HP5 over everything else. Edited February 24, 2017 by rossb

I've been shooting HP5 and wet-printing since the first of the year. Good times for sure, and the prints are just lovely. Using an M6 with 50mm mostly, but also using my F100 with various AF-D Nikkors. It is a superb camera (uses AA batteries), and can't imaging wanting another model.

Dan, I had an F100 and a Nikon N80 and gave both of them to my oldest son. I give away my stuff to the kids a lot. However I thought the F100 was a very capable camera and I definately prefer AA rechargeable batteries to the Lithium thing of todays camera's. I asked my son if I could borrow the N80 last weekend because I am going to hike Half Dome this year and I was thinking that it might be an easy to carry camera. It has the power winder on it which makes it a AA battery operated camera but I remember that it was an easy to carry camera because the power winder and the body made a fairly large flat surface and it hung there real nice and it's a light outfit with a small prime.. Anyway he said he just wants to give it back as he does not use it. He does like the F100 but he has a Contax G1 that he uses most of the time.

 

 

My son and I are both jealous of your M6. If I came across one I would give it to him because he is my son but I do wish I had one for my own.

 

I buy HP5 in bulk and use D76 1;1 with it. I enjoy the development process. I put on some music and do my developing thing and enjoy it more then watching a movie or other things I might do at home in the evening. Scans on my Plustek which is a very compact scanner and it will give me a file large enough for an 11x14 at 300 dpi. I only print out to 8x10 however so I am good with that.

I dont care about improvement on new film camera as the most important is the sensor which nikon doesnt make. I have to rely on kodak or fuji. May be an EVF?

rossb: One really nice little film camera I had back in the day was the Contax ARIA. Of course, you'd have to get a Zeiss lens or two.

Thanks for the tip Dan but I am not really looking to purchase another camera. I did look it up and apparently it is a very light rig. I did not look up a lens but if it did not have a 52mm filter thread I would also have to buy a new set of B/W filters for it.

Day dreaming...

Nikon, as with Canon, does not have all its fingers in the analogue world as it pursues the mantle of leadership in digital imaging.

 

Besides which, there are thousands and thousands of F6 cameras (and countless more decades and decades old still in use) out there and they will do the task for any accomplished (rather than beginner) photographers, and continue to do so into the future.

 

And Ektachrome...

Will not be anything like the ECN of years ago (for those that remember!), nor for that matter will the rumour mill's constant churning and salivating over the prospect of Kodachrome MkIII (again, when/if it eventuates, it will be nothing at all like the original).

What could an F7 possibly offer that an F6 doesn't? ...

exchangeable finders?^^

"exchangeable finders?^^"

<p> - and how many people actually use a waist-level, chimney, or sports finder? If you want that, get an F5 or any of Nikon's previous Fx series cameras.<p><br>The only good that could come of the introduction of an F7 would be to make KR waste his time and money on it so that he could review it as Nikon's "Best ever camera".<p>Remember Ken, sharpness depends much more on you than on the lens or camera you use!

I can't see what can be improved except for AF. A lot of progress has been made since the F6 was introduced but they are all applicable to digital. Higher frame rate isn't useful because you still stuck with 36 exposure limit.

To answer Dieter. I do want a digital SLR with the form factor and controls of the old Nikon F's prior to the F4. I still shoot film but have no desire for a new film camera. The new that Kodak reintroduce Ektachrome is much more exciting to film users than a new F7. Most film users today have plenty of cameras just need the film.

The only thing I can think of is that they could improve the auto focus.

What could an F7 possibly offer that an F6 doesn't? Or an F5 or F4 for that matter.

<p><br>If it were to follow the trend it would be bulkier, heavier and less ergonomic than any predecessor.... and enough to put off any non-Nikon fanatic from ever shooting film.

 

I don't see why. The F6 is much smaller and ligher, and more ergonomic than the F5. The D810 is ligher and more ergonomic than the D700. Cameras got bigger when they got integrated power winders, and taller when they got AF modules stuck in the bottom, but otherwise things have improved, for me. Can an F7 refine the F6? Absolutely, even if it just stuck a film system in a D810 body. Would that make it better for people who prefer the F3's ergonomics? Probably not. (I still doubt Nikon will make one, and don't want to pay the likely price for one, but I don't mind hypotheticals.)

 

There must be enough film cameras of every make and style lying unused to supply the demand for film cameras a hundred times over. The world doesn't need another new doorstop or paperweight.

 

Have you seen how much an F6 costs? Would you be happy paying that money for a camera whose electronics have been rusting on a shelf for ten years? Lomography sell film cameras; Leica sell film cameras (and bit of art work). If someone makes an F7, people (not me) will buy it. I strongly doubt enough people would for Nikon to turn a profit on it, but a smaller company might want to investigate.

 

What could an F7 possibly offer that an F6 doesn't?

 

Better AF is the obvious one that others mention. I'd not dislike interchangeable finders (I'd have a WLF for my F5 if they didn't cost so much - I've used it without the prism as a placeholder), and there's something to be said for the optional EVF idea. Improved metering (yes, I struggle sometimes with my D810's meter, but it's got more features than the D700/F5/F6's) including highlight priority and maybe shadow priority for slides/negatives. E lens compatibility. Better-than-Df pre-AI (and AI/AI-s) compatibility. Mirror lock up. A quiet shutter (at least like the D810's Q mode) - the F5 sounds like a machine gun. Easier data recording. Radio flash. IMAX-like vacuum plate and film duster.<br />

<br />

If someone else was to make a Nikon body not in the price range of an F7, I'd like to see an F75 but with two dials - small, light, cheap, pentamirror, modern meter and AF, modern interface, lightweight backup to a DSLR. Building it out of titanium rather than plastic and putting a decent pentaprism finder in it makes it worse for my needs. And I still maintain someone could make an F-mount body that collapses the mirror box (with a pentamirror) so it's pocketable with a pancake lens. Getting the alignment acceptable is a small matter of engineering, of course.

We might as well go full out on a fantasy F7, since they aren't likely to make one! How about an interchangeable digital back like the Leica DMR? Updated AF is a given, and it should also support all other current Nikon technologies like electronic aperture lenses. Is there anything else the F6 isn't compatible with? I know it does iTTL. Bring back the interchangeable finders, but keep the body as close as possible to the current F6 size. And why not make the pre-AI mod standard?