Nikon F5—The Most Comprehensive Camera Ever Built!
Written: Jun 09 '02 (Updated Oct 08 '02)
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Pros: Built, 3D Color Matrix Meter, Operations, Handling, Performance, FAST!
Cons: Heavy, Expensive?
The Bottom Line: The most comprehensive SLR with intelligent metering system, and an array of features that will bring your photographic skills to a whole new level, is the Nikon F5.
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| paulphoto's Full Review: Nikon F5 35mm Film Camera |
The Nikon F5, as its numeral indicates, is the fifth generation of the legendary Nikon F series, with the first F appeared over 40 years ago (in the summer of 1959). Each of the F series, spanning from manual focus (F, F2, F3) to autofocus (F4, ...) using the same F lens mount, is well known and respected for its durability, dependability and reliability with its rugged body construction. Being the second autofocus camera, the Nikon F5 has been in the highlights ever since it first appeared almost 6 years ago (Fall 96). The F5 has become the cornerstone of the top-level professional 35mm camera to which all others have been compared. Everything about the Nikon F5 is superior. With all its fancy electronics utilizing the cutting edge technology (at the time it was being built) and computer wizardry, the F5 still maintains the tradition and heritage of rugged dependability of Nikon and its famous F lens mount. With its solid aluminum-alloy die-cast body, titanium prism housing, intelligent metering system, comprehensive control system, ultra-fast autofocus system with automatic focus tracking with lock-on at a speed of 8 frames per second, contoured body with excellent texture which makes it very comfortable to hold, the F5 is arguably the ultimate 35mm SLR the world has ever known.
In this review, I hope to convey my impression of this superlative camera based on my own personal experience with it, how I appreciate its construction and design, its controls, its capabilities, its handling and performance, and my recommendation to those looking or planning to buy one.
**Construction, Design, Controls and Operations**
At first glance, the F5 appears to be large and heavy. Once in your hand, everything seems to fall into place. The exterior textured coating and the contoured style of the body render a superb handling with its solid built. Boy, this camera feels great to hold; it immediately and instinctively “becomes” the extension of your hands. This impression is in fact due to the clever placement of the control buttons and dials. A group of related control buttons, such as the exposure compensation, exposure mode and AF area mode or even the multiple exposure control, are located in one place along the front of the top LCD panel where your index finger can easily reach. The sub-command dial is right at the front, just below the on/off switch. Directly behind the LCD panel are the auto-focus/auto-exposure lock, AF On buttons, and the main command dial. All of which are accessible with your right thumb. The focus-area selector is at the back of the camera where your thumb can also reach, to navigate the five AF sensors.
The placement of the two LCD panels (top and rear) is a real genius, I think. This allows for a larger display of the symbols and icons, very easy and legible to read even at a glance. I appreciate this a lot. All related information is grouped together in the top LCD display, so you won’t miss anything in fast working conditions. The rear panel displays the symbols and icons that are less frequently used, such as the ISO film speed, custom functions, autobracketing sequence, flash sync, PC link. The buttons for these functions are located under the metal panel to prevent any accidental push. Furthermore, all the important and useful information is displayed in the viewfinder so that you do not have to take your eye off the screen to operate the camera and miss any photo opportunity.
Simply stated, the F5 has the most comprehensive control operations and system there is in a 35mm SLR camera. And this is no exaggeration.
**Performance**
In terms of performance, everything about the F5 is incredible and super fast, especially its autofocus response with its strong motor drive gear. Of course, the Multi-CAM 1300 autofocus sensors and those 8 AA batteries have a lot to do with it. The F5 has the greatest autofocus torque than any other cameras I have tried. I cannot imagine anyone would mount a cheap plastic lens on this camera. The autofocus operation is also very quiet and smooth. The F5 is the only 35mm SLR on the planet to have a self-diagnose and calibrating system to correct its own shutter speeds. The F5 can maintain its accurate shutter speeds in case they begin to drift, maybe due to high temperature condition or components wear. This means that you will never get bad exposed photographs that you are “not aware of”. Now, this is performance! But in terms of components wear, rest assured that the F5 is built to the highest standard with shutter tested to a minimum of 150,000 cycles compared to most SLRs with 50,000. For an amateur use, this means that the camera will last a life time.
With its 24 in-camera custom functions (and 17 more with the Photo Secretary for F5 which I will discuss later), the F5 can be programmed to suit virtually anyone’s personal photographing style; talk about versatility here. The Nikon F5 features superb metering system with three different modes: 3D Color Matrix, Variable Center-Weighted and Spot. If you like to use the center-weighted metering system, you will love the F5. With its custom function CS-14, you can vary the sensitivity of the center-weighted metering area to 8mm, 12mm, 15mm, 20mm diameter (all in 75% concentration), Average, or you can custom set it via the PC link with the software. This is incredible and impossible according to the conventional metering system. But the F5 incorporates new innovations; its metering system utilizes the new color-sensitive RGB (Red, Green, Blue) CCD (Charged Capacitance Device) sensors with 1005 pixels. In theory, the F5 can see colors and, in practical situations, it knows those colors and sets the exposure right on the dot every time! The F5 also has five spot metering areas corresponding to its five AF sensors providing total freedom to creatively compose your photograph without much work or hindrance.
A year ago, shortly before I owned the F5, I have asked a number of experienced pros about the F5’s 3D Color Matrix metering system, and if they trusted it and used it all the time. Most of them gave a similar response that “you have to know what the camera sees.” Well, it seems that this is no difference than using the conventional center-weighted metering system, where you have to make sure you know what the camera sees. What then is the advantage of 3D Color Matrix? Or perhaps that these pros did not want to respond in a direct way that might ruin their image being a pro, to blindly rely on a camera’s meter.
My experience with the F5’s 3D Color Matrix turned out to be somewhat different. I have put my F5’s 3D Color Matrix to rigorus test in a number of tough and frustrating conditions (where center-weighted or simple matrix would definitely fail), including extreme high and low contrast, mixed lighting, partially lit, back and side-lighting, you name it, to see how it’s 3D color matrix metering handles.
For every shot, I made one exposure according to my knowledge of 18% gray along with the F5’s 3D Color Matrix. The F5’s 3D Color Matrix nailed the exposure every time! For example, I shot a snow scene (using Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8, set at 105mm) that had rocks covered with white snow on the top-half of the frame and (non-frozen) water and other dark-colored frozen rocks with glare at the lower half. I had calibrated my F5’s metering sensitivity based on center-weighted to 18% gray. I spot-metered the top snow (and checked it against center-weighted) and opened up 2 full stops (based on my experience with the texture of the snow). I made the shot. Then I dialed to 3D Color Matrix metering and shot. I noticed there was a slight 1/3-stop difference between the two readings. The slides came out yielding a better pleasing scene in the 3D Color-Matrix mode than my spot-metered one. Well, that may be an easy test, which could be argued that the white snow and dark-colored water and rocks render an average for a medium (gray) tone.
For the next test, I had only a few elements in the scene (and off balance in terms of tones) with white snow covering the entire frame and a small portion of white clouds in the sky. In it, there are a couple of trees (near the edge of the frame) and a red lighthouse (near the center of the frame) at a distance (very small compared to the entire scene), using my Nikon 20-35mm lens set at 28mm. I made three shots in this scene: 1) I metered the white snow and opened up 2 full stops, 2) I spot-metered the gray tree trunk and shot at the suggested reading, 3) I used 3D Color Matrix metering. Again, the 3D Color Matrix delivers! Among the three shots, the method of opening up 2 full stops seems a bit on the over-exposed side compared to the other two, both being quite similar, with the red-lighthouse being red, and white snow white. This has proved to me that the F5’s 3D Color Matrix can be trusted almost every time, and especially if you are unsure of your opening up or stopping down method from the 18% gray.
Now I always turn to the F5's 3D color matrix technology whenever I don't want to waste too much time figuring out the exposure value. I am confident that the F5's 3D color matrix will give me the right exposure "all the time". When I use this camera to shoot a wedding, I often use its color matrix and concentrate on capturing the precious moments, instead of worrying about whether I had made the correct exposures or not. Of course, with the F5's 3D color matrix you would get the technically correct exposure all the time, but sometimes I don't want that. I want to add moods and feelings or emotions to my photographs; the F5 cannot read my mind yet. So in those situations I will utilize the F5's other metering modes.
It takes time to master the F5's variable center-weighted meter. However, this feature is very much appreciated when shooting portraits, as I often do.
The F5 takes fill-flash technology to a whole new level. If you have ever been frustrated with the F4’s top-speed 1/250 sec fill-flash sync in broad daylight (that you can’t control the aperture and set the depth of field the way you like it), you will appreciate so much with the F5’s fill-flash capabilities. With most Nikon speedlights, you can achieve a 1/300 sec TTL high-speed sync. You can control the speed in 1/3 step down to 1/60 sec. With SB-26 or SB-28, you can achieve a faster shutter speed for flash synchronization from 1/250 to as high as 1/4000 sec in manual mode. You will lose TTL, but that doesn’t matter, because with SB-26 or SB-28 you can control its output power according to the distance of the main subject.
**Additional Features with F5 Photo Secretary**
If you are planning to buy the F5 or already own one, you owe it to yourself to get the Photo Secretary for F5. There are other useful features and operations that can only be activated with this software, and a load of other features including the most useful one like shooting data storage. Here you can further fine-tune the F5’s operations to suit your personal preference and shooting style.
For example, with the software I can re-program my F5 so that only the manual (M) and aperture priority (A) modes are available. Since I don’t use the P mode and never remember I ever used the S mode, I can eliminate them to save a second or so in switching my exposure modes between M and A.
If you prefer to use the sub-command dial to change the aperture, you know how frustrating it is to turn the wheel back from f/22 to f/2.8. With this software, you can set the direction of the command dial so that it enables an endless turn, meaning that you can keep on turning the wheel in one direction. In this way, f/2.8 is next to f/22 (if f/22 is the minimum aperture).
If you are a manual focus lover and don’t rely on the focus assist indicators, you can turn off those annoying red focus arrows in the viewfinder. When you are tracking a fast moving subject using dynamic autofocus mode with focus tracking with lock-on, you can disable the top and bottom AF sensors and allow only the three horizontal ones to be active; this can also speed up your focus tracking.
The shutter speed set by the manufacturer is from 1/8000 to 30 seconds. With the F5’s custom functions, the slow shutter speed can be extended from 30 seconds to 30 minutes (yes, 30 minutes!), and with the software, the “bulb” setting can be replaced by “TIME”. I appreciate this a lot since I often shoot after-sunset and twilight scenes. In the “TIME” mode, unlike the “bulb” mode, you do not have to keep on pressing the shutter release button; just press it to start the exposure and again to stop it.
And there are loads of other features. The one feature I appreciate the most is the shooting data storage, and you can link the data with your scanned images.
**Comparison with the competitors**
Currently, a worthy competitor of the F5 is the Canon EOS-1V or the Minolta MAXXUM 9. Of course, there are other outstanding professional cameras, like the manual focus Olympus, Leica or Contax. But neither one of them is rugged, weatherproof or feature-laden with advanced operations as the F5, EOS-1V or MAXXUM 9. Among the three, the Canon EOS-1V is the last to appear (Spring 2000), and so it had 4 years (with respect to the F5) in the making to gather its challenging strategy in terms of the cutting-edge technology, computer wizardry and performance. Needless to mention, the EOS-1V is the fifth (hence, the letter "V") or officially the third EOS-1 of the Canon flagship (starting with the EOS-1, EOS-1N, and now EOS-1V), whereas the F5 is merely the second autofocus flagship of Nikon. I cannot help but relay the phrase that the F5 is truly “imported from the future”. I’m not here to choose side. In fact, I was a Canon user, and I still love my Canon A-1 (which I still keep) and recently have tried the EOS-3. But for Canon, switching to autofocus, they had to change the lens mount, thereby abandoning their FD lenses. In this regard, I personally think that Nikon has perceived or foreseen this advantage from the very start; and that’s why their F lens mount is so famous. With this said, then the F5 will make your investment of the old AI/AIS or corrected non-AI lenses a smooth transition, with minimal sacrifice in terms of intelligent metering system and autofocus operation.
I have not used the Canon EOS-1V, but have studied its specifications, though most of its features and operations are somewhat similar (but much better and well improved) to the EOS-3 that I have used for a number of months. And I’m going to list just a few, for the sake of comparison.
Based on the cosmetics, the EOS-1V can be a light camera (much like the F4 w/ MB-20). But to challenge the formidable performance of the F5, the EOS-1V requires its battery pack, the Power Drive Booster PB-E2 (when attached, the EOS-1V is called EOS-1V HS). The F5 can achieve a firing rate of 8 fps (a record breaking in 1996), whereas the EOS-1V HS can do 10 fps (as of February 2000). But don’t forget that the EOS-1V had 4 years to improve on this.
Did you know that the Nikon F3H (F3HighSpeed, not F3HP) with its MD-4H could shoot 13 fps? This was possible because, unlike the (regular) F3, the F3H had a fixed, partially-reflecting mirror with 70% transmission and 30% reflection. This similar philosophy and technology was conceived in the Canon EOS-1V with its quick-return half mirror with transmission/reflection ratio of 37:63. This half-mirror movement allows the EOS-1V to achieve the top speed of 9 fps in (predictive) autofocus tracking mode, only 1 frame faster than the F5. The EOS-1V HS can shoot 10 fps in what Canon calls One-Shot AF mode; this means that the camera is not in tracking mode and thus some frames will be out of focus.
One the contrary, the Nikon F5 will keep track of moving subjects and fire at a rate of 8 fps, and hence 8 out of those 8 frames will be in sharp focus! The Nikon F5 makes use of the entire mirror movement with an instant-return type (a technology that predates the realization of the partially-reflecting with quick-return half mirror). To be able to achieve a firing rate of 8 fps with autofocus tracking with lock-on, the F5's instant-return mirror has to work in concert with the super fast AF response and high-speed motor drive. In terms of the cutting-edge technology of the instant-return type of the entire mirror, a firing rate of 8 fps is the threshold (upper-limit) speed. It is quite conceivable that the future Nikon F6 will make use of the new quick-return-half-mirror technology or perhaps a newer technology yet to be discovered.
In terms of size and weight, the EOS-1V with its PB-E2 is certainly bulkier and heavier (at 48.7 ounces w/o batteries) than the F5 (42.7 ounces w/o batteries). The F5 has four comprehensive interchangeable prisms (DP-30, DA-30, DW-30 and DW-31). The EOS-1V has none. The EOS-1V relies on battery power to rewind film either at end or in mid-roll. The F5 does not. With its manual rewind crank, even when the camera is inoperative, you can still get your valuable exposed film out of the F5. I think this really says a lot about advantage.
Compared to the EOS-3 (and EOS-1V according to its specs), the F5 still has the largest total AF area in the frame. The EOS-1V or my EOS-3 has this advanced technology on AF by eye-control. However, I wear eye glasses and it's very difficult to calibrate my pupil for AF via eye-control. Moreover, I personally believe this technology does not help much in terms of improving your AF response or action, since the AF sensors are confined in the oval shape. Thus you are still restricted to focus on your subject within the AF sensors in the central portion of the frame. I personally find that my F5's five AF sensors controlled by my thumb are more reliable and responsive.
All three cameras (F5, EOS-1V and EOS-3) have a mirror lock-up feature. Only the F5 has the mechanical mirror lock-up operation, and you can release the shutter at anytime you deem convenient, such as waiting for a light breeze to calm down. The mirror lock-up of my EOS-3 or the EOS-1V must be operated via a custom function prior to releasing the shutter, and you must release the shutter within 30 sec. Due it its mechanical mirror lock-up feature, the F5 can perform an autobracketing sequence. The EOS-1V, or at least my EOS-3, cannot.
One thing that I really appreciate a lot with using the F5 is its displayed information in the viewfinder. I often change metering mode to double check or compare my exposure value during a shooting. With the F5, I can change the metering mode without taking my eye off the viewfinder, because it shows exactly what metering mode I'm in. The EOS-1V does not have this information in its viewfinder, and with my EOS-3, I had to check the metering mode in the top LCD panel.
Needless to mention, the EOS-1V only has a simple data back, where as the F5 has it unrivaled comprehensive multi-function data back MF-28.
In terms of ruggedness or weatherproof, both cameras are tough. Although the EOS-1V still has a polycarbonate resin body, the F5 incorporates a solid aluminum-alloy die-cast body. As for weatherproof when shooting under a sprinkling or a light rain, it seems to me that the EOS-1V's (or my EOS-3's) top main command dial is more vulnerable to raindrops or water splash compared to the F5's front or rear command dial, in spite of the claim that the EOS-1V has 72 points of silicone rubber seals. It seems interesting to conduct such a test on these two cameras to see how each handles.
The same speculation, in terms of water splash, can be given to the F5's interchangeable prism finder, where water can seep through the slide gap. I live near Lake Michigan. And I often shoot sunset over the lake, near water and waves smashing onto rocks that I will unavoidably get water splashed onto my camera. I have had water splashed on my F5 several times, though not by intention or experiment. But I have never had problems with water seep through the viewfinder gap. In fact, if you examine closely, while sliding the prism on to the camera, you can see that they both fit so nicely and so intact that it seems impossible for anything to pass through the gap. This is the only part that seems vulnerable to the F5. But my experience with the F5 showed it other wise.
In terms of cutting-edge technology (such as more data storage memory and personal and custom functions), the EOS-1V may surpass the F5. But that's logical because there is a 4-year time lag between the two.
Finally, in terms of fast AF response, I think both Nikon and Canon are on the same footing, with their AF-S and USM lens system.
**Recommendation: F5 or F100?**
Considering what the Nikon F5 has to offer compared to its Canon competitor, the F5 is still at the top of the top-level pro SLR ever to exist. But is it worth it to spend $2000 for this superlative camera? And is it a camera for everyone? Before getting to the answer for these two questions, I would like to make a few remarks about the F5 within the Nikon line.
I have used the F100 extensively for 2 years before deciding to get the F5. You may have heard about the F100’s improved control system and operations, such as its larger buttons (for easy operations even with your gloves on) or its red illumination on the selected AF sensor, even with its E-screen. I was spoiled by these improvements; and my first reactions about the F5 resulted in two complaints (which now disappear). Beware that these two complaints (one is related to working in dim light condition, and the other being in cold environment) are very minor (not even worth mentioning) compared to the F5’s vast capabilities. The first one was about the F5’s black illumination on the selected AF sensor, with the other four being gray. It is understandable that in dim light situation it is very difficult to see which selected AF sensor is being used. Furthermore, this black-gray feature is only available with the EC-B screen (that comes with the camera). With any other screens, such as the E type, one has to look for the yellow arrow on the right side or top of the viewfinder or check the AF sensor on the LCD panel. And in fast photographing situations, you don’t really have time for that. There is an EC-E screen, but it comes with a price tag. My second complaint was the F5’s small buttons. I had to take my glove off most of the time to turn on the camera (because of its safety lock feature) and when I needed to use the multiple exposure button, because of it being so small and a bit recessed. But let me tell you, the F5’s multiple exposure feature is much better than the F100, because the F5 resets the film advance mode after the shutter is released (with its CS 13-0 for normal setting). With the F100, if you forget to dial the ring back to S, C, or Cs, you will end up exposing over the same frame! I have done this several times and hated myself for forgetting to reset it.
At a price of two thousand dollars, the Nikon F5 is an excellent buy, considering all its capabilities with virtually no shortcomings. But with the existence of the F100, it is also important to think again about your desire to own it. The F100 is in nearly every respect the F5, but much lighter and smaller. This is apparently the advantage of the F100. Let me list some of the related advantages and disadvantages between these two cameras.
The Nikon F5 has
PROS:
1) 3D Color Matrix Metering system
2) Self-Calibrating Shutter system
3) Comprehensive Custom functions and Controls with its Photo Secretary (unfortunately I have not tried the F100’s Photo Secretary to see and compare the differences)
4) Four interchangeable prisms (DP-30, DA-30, DW-30, DW-31), 100% viewfinder.
5) Manual Rewind Crank
6) Comprehensive Multi-Function Data Back MF-28.
7) Mirror Lock-Up feature.
8) Can shoot 8 fps
CONS:
1) Heavy and bulky
2) Expensive compared to the F100’s $900-$1200
3) Black illumination on selected AF sensor compared to red illumination of the F100.
4) Smaller buttons
The Nikon F100 has
PROS:
1) Rugged and Robust (and fast in terms of AF speed) like the F5, but lighter and smaller.
2) Red illumination on selected AF sensor—great for dim light photography!
3) Larger buttons for ease of operation when wearing gloves
CONS:
1) 3D 10-segment Matrix Metering compared to F5’s 3D Color Matrix, but the F100’s metering system is already outstanding!
2) No interchangeable prisms, with 96% viewfinder.
3) No manual rewind crank.
4) No mirror lock-up feature.
5) Simple Data Back MF-29
6) With MB-15, F100 can shoot 5 fps.
By comparing the PROS and CONS between these two cameras, it is quite clear that if you are very serious about photography and want to own the most sturdiest and most sophisticated 35mm SLR camera with pure intelligent metering system, the F5 is the way to go. But if you are concerned about weight and not too serious about serious photography and with the justification not willing to spend an additional grand, but want to own a camera very much similar to the F5, the F100 should be the better choice. Both are truly the best cameras on the market. With the superb design, handling, and superior performance, the F5 is no doubt the only 35mm SLR on the planet to suit pros and serious amateurs who want nothing less but the best. I, for one, am very proud to have the opportunity to own this legend!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 1930 NEW
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