Where is my F7?

[Karim Ghantous]

<p>I mostly agree that the F6 can't be improved upon much. Maybe the metering can be upgraded to 100,000 cells or whatever, but as long as I have a good spot meter, I don't care (although I don't use it as often as I should on the D700!). It would be cool to have a video tap option for remote operation, however.</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>I wonder how many film shooters there will even be at the Olympics?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>More than I might assume. PJs don't have deadlines as strict as press photographers do AFAIK. I would love to go to this year's Olympics (despite its awful logo). If I do go I'll be shooting film (as I'll have the freedom to do what I like). I've been invited by a friend to Korea for the 2018 Winter Olympics and if I go I'll be shooting film there.</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>There will be a comeback to film.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Very brave, Andre!</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>Kodak has discontinued all of the last three Ektachrome films</p>

</blockquote>

<p>It seems that Fuji beats Kodak for slides and (so far) Kodak wins in C-41. Does Kodak have a competitor to Fuji 400X?. I don't shoot slides though.</p>

<p>Mind you, the real key is not the F7. It's the $500 scanner from Kodak that gives clear, crisp scans and that can give you the depth and resolution that their finest films can offer. I don't shoot film now because a) there are no convenient, good labs around me and b) I am not paying all that money for a used Nikon Coolscan. Not now, anyway.</p>

<p>Let it be said that I'd rather be shooting film. But for pragmatic reasons I'm shooting 90% digital right now, F7 or not. ;-)</p>

[daniel_johnson6]

<p>Karim, what Kodak scanner is that you're refering to?</p>

<p>As far as what's missing from the F6, probably not a lot. But I'm sure Nikon could think of something. The autofocus system could stand an update. Mostly, though, it would just be really fun to see a new film camera with some new options...we get a new Dx every couple years, seems like we could stand a new Fx, too.</p>

<p> </p>

[Karim Ghantous]

<blockquote>

<p>Karim, what Kodak scanner is that you're refering to?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>A hypothetical product which the author of figitalrevolution.com encouraged Kodak to produce. That site is now no longer publicly viewable. Sorry I did not make that clear.</p>

[daniel_johnson6]

<p>Ah...too bad. Thanks.</p>

[robert_zemboch1]

<p>When the F6 came out, I immediately realized that Nikon had given up on producing a true pro film camera a la the F5 due to the predominance of digital technology. No interchangeable prism, no proper MLU, no titanium cladding, much smaller accessory list. I instantly bought 3 new F5 bodies to add to the working pair I use every day, in and out of the studio. Those three are still brand new in the box, as I have yet to kill either of my original F5s, even though both are approaching 250,000 exposures. I know one day, one of them will give out, and I will be forced to open one of my new ones to replace it, but my guess is that it won't be for many years still.<br>

My point is, the F5 was and still is the best pro 35mm slr ever built, so who cares about a possible F7, or even the current F6 for that matter? (No offense intended towards F6 owners - it's a fine camera, just not on the level of the F's that preceded it.)</p>

<p> </p>

[Karim Ghantous]

<p>The one feature of the F6 which would win me over is 'quite mode'. Am I right?</p>

[peter_maccabe]

<p>An interesting debate....<br>

Personally I think an F7 is still possible.<br>

It would be IMHO something which contained the very best attributes of the F5 and the F6 in a slightly niftier package.<br>

Removable pentaprisms, Titanium top and baseplate. Brighter focusing screen, quieter still.<br>

Brute strength of the F5, rechargeable Li-Polymer/AA battery pack as standard.<br>

Biggest problem IMHO isn't the demand or lack of it as such, it is what others are doing.<br>

Starting in 2005, I have witnessed the near extinction of 35mm cameras and film.<br>

On the High St there is very little choice of 35mm film nowadays. <br>

I am hard pushed in Leicester UK to find much choice and I was shocked to be told that Fuji had dropped all 100 ISO print films including Reala....(!!!).<br>

Even the Kodak equivalent Ektar 100 which was released in 2009 (...I think...) is only available via the net..<br>

And there comes the question of how long Nikon will be prepared to offer full support regarding service and spare parts.<br>

Well it is down to us as users to get out there and start doing something about it.<br>

Start asking in shops like Jessops, Jacobs etc in the UK for film.<br>

Eventually they have to listen, if enough demand it they will realise that they are losing money without the stock.<br>

It can be done.<br>

And there are some encouraging moves elsewhere in the World.<br>

Apparently film has had something of a renaissance in Hong Kong.<br>

Even so that needs to spread to the UK and Europe.<br>

Then Japan will listen.</p>

<p> </p>

[borgis_karl_johan1]

<p>I fear the last high- end film SLR has been built.</p>

[duncan_murray1]

<p>For those of you saying that the F6 can't beat the F5, I have to disagree, and I'm sure Nikon could produce an F7 which beats the F6 if they put their mind to it.</p>

<p>I'll admit that the F5 has a lovely grip and viewfinder, but I have two main problems with it. The killer for me is the AE-L not holding without having to continually press the button. This combined with AF-ON makes it impossible to use without leaving AF on the half-press of the shutter. Not to mention the little buttons are really quite hard to keep depressed. The other disadvantage is the AF - it just isn't as intelligent as the F6s. It's brutally fast, but gets confused easily. The F6 is much more guaranteed.</p>

<p>For me an F7 would have the same great 100% viewfinder as the F5 (doesn't need to be interchangeable though) - maybe with a couple mm more eye relief, but with the D3/D4's AF system linked to the multisegment metering. However, it would keep hang on to 'group' autofocus, which I found very useful for most of my shooting. I don't think the metering can be improved. They could also license Pentax's awesome (hyper, even) hyper-manual and hyper-program modes.</p>

<p>The olympics are fast approaching, Nikon. Don't let me down!</p>

[Peter_in_PA]

<blockquote>

<p>The olympics are fast approaching, Nikon. Don't let me down!</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Wont' matter. Nikon's not going to make a film camera for the pros to use at the olympics. Those Pros are all buying D4s. The film cameras are for serious artistic film-weilding amateurs, a shrinking group, it seems.</p>

<p>Good luck, though!</p>