F90X or F100

[michel_obadia]

Hi,

 

I have a Nikon F90X but I'm thinking of moving "up" to the F100. Is it worth it? I've

read reviews and there are lots of good things about the F100 but are these extras

worth it? Has anyone else been in this predicament? Thanks for your thoughts!

[tree]

I have an N90s and an F100. My primary body is still the N90s (with MF-26 and MB-10).

 

What is it about the F90X that you want to move "up" from? Are any of the extras that you've read about worth the cost of moving up? Could you add an MF-26 back to your F90X and get some of those features (e.g., automatic bracketing?) The meter and autofocus on the F100 are better than the F90, and it is most certainly a sturdier body. I usually shoot landscapes and still-lifes in aperture priority with centre-weighted or spot metering, so focus speed and a studly matrix metering system are less important.

 

One thing that I really like about the F100 is the selectable focus regions, but you can find this in the N80 as well. Auto bracketing and an enhanced meter can be found in that body too, and a feature that I really like in the N80 is the custom feature to show gridlines in the viewfinder: I had to buy a different focusing screen for my N90s to get this functionality.

 

The F100 is a great camera, but so is the N90s. You can get a new N80 for less than the used price of an F100, so if you don't feel the need to have a body you can drive a car over (OK, you have one, perhaps a Humvee) take a look at the N80.

[armando_roldan]

Get the F100, you will never regret it. They are discontinuing the N90s/F90x if they haven't already. If you sell your F90 for say $450-500 US dollars, you can get a nice F100 for about $700-$800 USD. Getting a N80/F80 is taking a step backward in my opinion. The N80 feels "cheap" in my hand while the F100 is like a part of my hand/face. OR just keep your old F90x and get yourself a nice Nikkor lens that you have been wanting.

[thidglance]

The F90x is a fantasic camera, only upgrade if you need to to use some of the newer lenses etc... However the F100 is in my mind the best 35mm film camera ever made. Yes the F5 etc are faster, but they are much larger as well.

[jbq]

What's wrong with your F90x?

[jim_gifford]

<<I have a Nikon F90X but I'm thinking of moving "up" to the F100.>>

 

Join the very, very large club...

 

<<Is it worth it?>>

 

For some folks it is, for others it ain't...

 

<< I've read reviews and there are lots of good things about the F100 but are these extras worth it?>>

 

That question tells me you're in the "it's not worth it" camp for now.

 

<<Has anyone else been in this predicament?>>

 

Sure, everyone with an F90x or N90s who has heard of the F100 shares your predicament.

 

Michael, if you can buy an F100 without financial strain go right ahead. Why not? But...

 

If you have to ask someone else whether an upgrade is worth it, you do not need the upgrade. When you KNOW you need the F100 to fix a specific problem the F90x cannot handle for you, THEN you need the upgrade. That's when it becomes "worth it."

 

Meanwhile, grab that roll of duct tape from the workbench and rrrrrip off a piece and seal your wallet tightly.

 

Have fun,

[dan_andrews]

Michel, it all depends on what you want to do with it. I'm into

travel photography, so for me the obvious move was to an F80

for its lighter weight, although it shares some other features of

the F100. I also like the fact that I can buy TWO F80 bodies for

the price of one F100 body.

 

Having said that, I drool over F100s when I encounter them: they

feel solid, they handle wonderfully, and they can use the latest

lenses and accessories, which your F90x might have problems

with (think "G" lenses or VR.)

 

If you want to use the latest accessories, your choices are to go

with an F80 or F100. If you want to use your old gear, keep the

F90X. If you want less weight, get the F80. If you want a sturdier

camera get the F100.

 

BTW, my backup body is an N8008, the predecessor of the F90X,

and I still use it regularly.

[jemini_joseph]

If you need faster autofocusing and better matrix metering it's worth for it. It's also worth it if you are planning to buy new lenses in the future. I think Nikon is gradually removing the aperture ring from the lens like Canon and Minolta. If you ever have any plan to move to digital (you may have to eventually) it's better save the money and wait.. n90s is a greate camera. You are not going to improve the quality of picture anyway. You might get more pictures. That's it. I had n90s, then upgraded to F100 and then to F5. It's worth for me just for the color matrix metering. I shoot birds. They don't wait for me to take spot metering. So F5 does the job for me... I've tested F100 side by side. If the subject is true black or while F100 does the same thing. I'm not sure how good is n90s's matrix metering

[ShunCheung]

Michel, as most people have pointed out, you need to explain what you are planning to do with the F100.

 

The main advantage of the F100 is that it can take advantage of the vibration reduction on VR lenses; those lenses cannot VR on the F90x/N90s. The secondary advantages are full compatibility with G lenses, faster AF and 5 AF points, improved matrix metering, etc. And if you prefer it, you can control aperture from the F100 camera body.

 

So the main issue is whether you can take advantage of those differences. I don't own any VR lenses, at least not yet. However, IMO AF with only one AF point is pretty useless because if forces you to put the subject in the center of the frame and creates some bad compositions. When you truely need AF, there is simply no time to AF and recompose. So when I shoot action, I wouldn't use any AF camera with only one AF point any more.

 

If your photography doesn't require VR or fast AF, those may be moot points. Only yourself can decide.

[michel_obadia]

Thanks all for your contributions. The reason I'm looking to get a F100 is mostly for

the bracketing and multiple exposure capability. I know I could get a back for the

F90X but seeing as the F100 has other advantages, it may be a better move to get the

F100. Of course I like the solid feel as well.

On the other hand I've read about some electronic problems with the F100. Anyone

run into those problems?

Thanks again for all your help.

[seandepuydt]

I use a F4s and don't have any camera envy because I have learned how to use my camera and don't need any other functions at this time. I wouldn't consider moving up unless there was some major reason. Keep your camera and invest in some top notch lenses and filters.

[ilkka_nissila]

While the F100 has had its share of defects, those are almost always manufacturing defects and as such covered by the warranty. Also, usually it's quite safe to buy a body several years after it was introduced as Nikon has had time to work out the problems. I recently "upgraded" and the main reasons were the smoother AF, and compatibility with some new lenses (G and VR). No problems so far except that I'm a bit annoyed with the vibration caused by the film transport when hand-holding the body.

[douglas_green1]

Well, count me among those for whom it was NOT worth it. I had an F100. I sold it, and bought a near-mint N90s, and put $400 more into lenses with the extra proceeds. The N90s does everything I personally need. If it didn't, I wouldn't have gotten it. BTW, I can't use an N80, because I have around a dozen manual focus Nikkor AI and AIS lenses, and only a few autofocus lenses, and I need the meter coupling with AI/AIS MF lenses. I also own a half dozen manual focus bodies, F2, F3HP with MD-4, FG, FM2n, FE with MD-12, and EM, as well - The N90s is my only autofocus body, and it does what I need.

[alex_lofquist]

The F100 is sometimes known as "F5 Lite".

[chuck_greene]

I've been shooting an N90s for 4 years and have used an F100 some. I really like the F100 but for me the main advantage of the F100 over the N90s is the multiple AF sensors. I primarily photograph people, mostly my 2 year old son and over the past year I've found myself using manual focus almost all the time now.

 

Actually I think now is the best time to buy another N90s, since it's been discontinued it's prices have gone down quite a bit, $400 for a body in ex. cond from KEH.

[photojim]

I have an F90 and an F100. I can't answer the question as to whether it's a worthwhile upgrade for you. Really, I didn't upgrade my F90; I upgraded my F601, which was my second body, to an F90 and got a better primary body in the bargain. Having two really good competent bodies is a nice thing and these two bodies go really well together, since they have a lot of the same capabilities.

 

While I love the F100, there is one thing about which I prefer the F90, and that's multiple exposures. I like to take impressionistic multiple exposures, and I rely on the motor drive to do it. The MF-26 back for the F90 lets you set how many multiple exposures you want in advance of shooting, and it will wind the film automatically after you make them. This is really handy for my style of shooting. The F100's multiple exposure setting lets you shoot until you turn off the setting. Some think this is better, but since almost always you need to compensate exposure by the number of frames you are making, you need to know in advance anyway.

 

The autofocus of the F100 is significantly faster, and the number of sensors is nice. I like to use the F100 for action a lot better than I like to use the F90. The F90 is still pretty competent, though.

 

The F100 is a lot better built. You can feel it. The top cover, for instance, is metal. My F90 has the ubiquitous cracking top; most F90s eventually succumb to this unfortunately.

 

My F90 only goes 3.6 fps (the F90x goes 4.3) and the F100 goes 4.5 without the MB-15 grip and 5.0 with. If you have the F90x, the motor drive speed isn't that important, but 3.6 to 5.0 is quite a jump so for me, it was worthwhile.

 

You can adjust flash exposure compensation on the F90/MF-26 but you can't on the F100. You need a flash (like the SB-28/28DX or -80DX) that can do it. This might not matter to you.

 

Bracketing is way easier on the F100 than the F90/MF-26. I don't use the feature on the MF-26 at all; it's pretty inconvenient. I used to use it all the time on my F601 and while it's differently implemented on the F100, it's no less easy to use.

 

The F100 is, as noted, significantly more expensive than the F90x. Also, I don't think the amount you'd get for your F90x is a particularly good trade as I think the camera is underpriced right now considering how good it is. If you're buying an F100 in addition to your F90x, it might be worth it, but you take quite a hit to sell one and buy the other.

[manfred_sadlowski]

I am one of those upgraded, and I am pleased. One thing not mentioned till now are separate buttons for AF start and AE lock on F100, much better ergonomics.