Does the Nikon D4 bode badly for the F7?

[duncan_murray1]

<p>Not sure I'd be all that keen on an F7 if they remove the AE-L button. Also, I don't see how they can take the metering selection switch off the prism without losing the mechanical rewind.</p>

<p>On the other hand, would be great to see more advance AF for us film users.</p>

<p>Also, better hope there isn't any liveview or video mode.</p>

<p>D</p>

[CharlesBecker-Toronto]

<p>please ignore this post-sorry.</p>

[Dieter Schaefer]

<p>I wouldn't worry about those details - I very strongly doubt that Nikon will produce an F7.</p>

[leicaglow]

<p>I've heard the rumors of the F7, but I just can't imagine Nikon making a film camera beyond the F6. Anything they could do to improve upon the F6 (Matrix metering and AF, for example) would only satisfy pro photographers, who are not using much film these days, and film purists probably don't care about such improvements.</p>

[duncan_murray1]

<p>I was being slightly tongue-in-cheek - I would be very surprised if an F7 were to be made anytime soon. That's not to say I wouldn't appreciate a revised F6 with the benefits of advanced autofocus. But I wouldn't be happy if the AE-L was relegated to some other button!<br>

D</p>

[Dave Luttmann]

<p>I think my F5 will end up being the last film camera I use....well, and my Holga.</p>

[bebu_lamar]

<p>Although there are a lot of things you can improve on a film camera, Nikon won't have the F7 because Nikon is not a film maker and how can they assure their customer that they will be able to use the brand new camera at least a few years down the road.<br>

I am an film shooter and I have more cameras than I ever need but I think film is running out on me.</p>

[richard__]

<p>True, and there's that simple problem of resolution too.</p>

<p>The F2 has the same resolution now that the F6 does, and even more in some ways when you look back to the older film stock used that is no longer available.</p>

<p>Or maybe it is that I'm just missing Kodak's film, and should look further afield for it now from the European offerings.</p>

[mfophotos]

<p>Shoot more film, worry less about things we have no control over. I have an F100, F3HP, Nikon F, an FM, and FM2N. That's all the Nikon I need. If I can't get the shot with any of that, I might as well quit.</p>

[duncan_murray1]

<p>Goodness, I'm getting a very negative vibe in this film forum - I'm guessing because of everything going on with Kodak. I've always been a Fuji user myself, recently I've been very impressed with their superia 200. I used to think the 200 was a poor compromise between the 100 and 400, but now I think the opposite - it's terrific. Colours are very controlled, but saturated enough. The grain is much better controlled than the 400, too.</p>

<p>So true Mark! But it won't stop me lusting after something new... Though to be honest, I still don't see how you can improve much more on the F6. Maybe make it lighter.</p>

<p>Richard - try some Provia 100 or 400. I still haven't come across a film better than this. It gives a very truthful image, which is still quite saturated, and grain is minimal - and when you do see the grain, it has a nice, fine quality to it. The only downside is that it's b****** expensive. I find superia 200 gives me similar results in the colour negative world, but you need decent scanning people to get the right colours (I use NCPS).</p>

<p>Bebu - I think film will be with us for at least a few decades down the line, if not more.</p>

<p>Michael - I agree with you that matrix metering is something that most film users don't care about. I also think it won't really be possible to get a noticeable improvement on the matrix metering of the F5 - beyond that requires creativity. On the other hand, autofocus can be improved. There are times when I rely on it. But, I'm not sure the D3's autofocus is a massive improvement over the F6 in real-world usage. When I was using them alongside for a wedding, I found that the F6's group autofocus was extremely useful for portraits. The D3 only had the 'whole frame' autofocus (which was useless) and the 'single-point, then follow with 3D tracking mode', which as you were relying on a single point to get the autofocus started, was sometimes less reliable than the group autofocus mode.</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<blockquote>

<p>"Goodness, I'm getting a very negative vibe in this film forum..."</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I'm not. Not in this thread, anyway. But I have been reading a lot of similar observations in recent threads on film-related forums.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>"...I'm guessing because of everything going on with Kodak."</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I believe you nailed it. My spidey sense tells me most of the recent defensiveness is related to insecurity over Kodak's demise. And that's perfectly understandable. For many of us it's like losing an old friend. I'm trying to adjust to the notion of life without TMX, TMY, Tri-X and HC-110. But I'll manage.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>"Michael - I agree with you that matrix metering is something that most film users don't care about."</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I didn't get the impression that's what Michael meant. Perhaps I'm misinterpreting his original comment.</p>

<p>I find matrix metering very useful, especially for occasions when there's no time for spotmetering or incident metering. Even the relatively primitive version of matrix metering in my old Nikon N6006 is often better than the center weighted metering patterns of my F3HP (which I often find a quirky compromise between spot and center weighted) and FM2N.</p>

[duncan_murray1]

<p>I started off using the matrix-metering on my F6, but found I faired better with the centre-weighted. I think the set-up is a 20mm circle, with a 75/25 weighted split - is this not the same as the F3 and the FM2N? I find it very useful - though, as you mention, I tend to use it like a big spot meter. If I didn't have time to lock the exposure I guess I'd be using matrix metering - although I'm not often in that situation.</p>

[bebu_lamar]

<p>I also found that the matrix metering in my F5 is not good for color negative film although it's good for transparency film. The F6 like most other newer cameras has a 12mm circle with 75/25 weighted. You can change the diameter of the circle though. The F3 has the same 12mm circle but heavily weighted as 80/20. The older Nikons were weighted at 60/40.</p>

[aplumpton]

<p>One of the apparent reasons for the F6, which might justify an F7, were pro or commercial applications where a mistrust of digital related to the greater ease of modifying a digital image and the difficulty of doing the same with a film camera. This includes power company meter readings, courtroom images (where permitted), some other legally related recording photography and the like. Not sure that the market for this and the film users market would support a new model, though. There are a lot of convenient film cameras floating about. On the other hand, I think Leica still makes its film M7 and within the last few years Fujifilm has introduced some medium format film cameras. Some decisions are also specific, like Nikon's circa 2000 re-introduction of a limited number of S3 and SP 1960s rangefinder cameras. Photo Technique's Kevin Moloney stated in their Jan/Feb issue that more black and white films are being manufactured now (more than a dozen brands) than in 1990.</p>

[jason_ganz]

<p>I think F6 is the end of the line. Per http://asia.cnet.com/crave/what-goes-on-inside-nikons-sendai-factory-62213402.htm , Nikon's Sendai plant makes only 50 F6's per month. Judging by that, the F6 will be that last hurrah for film cameras from Nikon. </p>

[marc_batters]

<p>An associated storyline for possible availability of film, and maybe, [a big maybe] for the continued manufacture of some film cameras. </p>

<p>A Kodak spokeswoman, commenting about future ideas during re-organization and beyond, stated that Kodak will be receptive to producing short runs of 'boutique films,' including some films that have been previously discontinued. Enough film will have to be pre-paid for a master roll to be produced, or at least some portion of a master roll.</p>

<p>Also, Adox just announced their new 35mm perforation machine will be added to their production line soon.</p>

[dave_s]

<p>That 'boutique film' idea is interesting. It might be a chance to get some HIE or Tech Pan for the freezer every few years, for those folks who lament their passing. But I'm not holding my breath.</p>

<p>Continued manufacture of film cameras? Nope. Except for small niche markets.</p>