Pros: Outstanding Features, Lighter than the F5, excellent metering and AF systems
Cons: It's not the F5. Other than that, NONE!
The Bottom Line: An exceptional camera with a large selection of features that will please just about anyone. If you don't need the capability of the F5, YOU MUST CHOOSE the F100!
colonialpara's Full Review: Nikon F100 Body Only 35mm Film Camera
This is another of the exceptionally well designed and thought out cameras provided to photographers by Nikon. It is a very capable camera that takes advantage of Nikon's years of experience, exceptional quality lenses, the world famous "F" lens mount and world class engineering.
I bought this camera just before Christmas 2002 and it replaced my Nikon N90s as my primary camera body. Because I have the vertical grip/battery packs on both bodies, I must say that both cameras are now fairly heavy and bulky. For me, I do not consider those factors as negatives; I chose to add the battery packs to provide for flexibility in which type of batteries I use and to provide additional gripping area for each camera. The choice to add these optional capabilities or not will not detract from the overall best utilization of the F100's capabilities.
Here at epinions are also two reviews of this camera body by two of the best reviewers readers will be able to find. I recommend that readers of this review also read the exceptional reviews of the F100 by Howard Creech and paulphoto. They provide a wealth of information and a litany of reasons to buy this camera.
Here are my observations:
CAMERA WEIGHT: about 2/3 of the total weight of Nikon's flagship 35mm, the legendary F5. The camera with vertical grip and batteries weighs less than 3 lbs. This figure will vary depending on the lenses chosen for each shooting application.
FEATURES: Fully automatic with autofocus. There are 22 custom functions that can be chosen by the user. Nikon provides a convenient pocket card for the user which allows selective usage or cancellation of features based on the particular needs of the photographer.
LENS MOUNT: Nikon has retained the world famous "F" Lens mount allowing usage of almost all Nikon F series lenses. However, be aware that not all metering or AF features will be available with older AI and AIS lenses. The camera is optimized for use with AF, AF-D (flash distance measurement capability), AF-S (autofocus lenses equipped with silent wave motor) and AF-VR (vibration reduction) lenses.
CONTROLS: Like its big brother, the F5 and its little brother, the N80, the F100 allows its users to make individual settings and control custom settings through two rotating knurled wheels, one on the front left of the camera, the other immediately behind it on the back of the camera and just below the top-deck LCD panel.
On the top left deck are control wheels that permit the user to manually set ISO speed for the film used, flash bracketing, single frame advance, continuous slow speed and continuous hi-speed advance. In addition, the user can manually set multiple exposures on the same frame using the left top control settings. The self timer is located here, too. Film rewind and advance can be set as just one of the 22 custom settings or the user can press the two red marked exposure bracket buttons on the left & right top decks to rewind the film at roll's end.
Unlike the F5, there is no manual rewind should the batteries die. There is also NO mirror lock-up feature.
Immediately below the left top controls are the custom setting menu button and the AF Lock button. To the immediate right of the high eye-point view finder which sees 96% of the image viewed are the combined auto-exposure/autofocus Lock button and the AF ON button.
On the camera back, you will find the dynamic AF selector pad with arrows indicating which sensor will be employed to first spot and then track your subject. There is also a selector switch for choosing single area AF or multiple AF focus based on whether action or still photography is being performed.
The shutter release is conveniently and ergonomically incorporated into the front right grip of the camera and the camera itself is covered in an easy to grip (and hold) rubber armor. Between the top deck LCD which provides illuminated settings are the mode control button (for Program, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority or Fully Manual usage). On the right side of the pentaprism is the switch that allows the user to select 3D matrix metering, spot metering or center weighted metering. All of the control buttons and wheels are logically placed and provide maximum ease of use.
INFORMATION DISPLAYS: The top deck LCD provides the following information:
1) exposure compensation, 2) autoexposure/flash exposure bracketing, 3)film speed/dx indication, 4) shutter speed lock, 5) shutter speed, 6) aperture lock, 7) aperture, 8)custom setting, 9) battery power, 10) exposure mode, 11) flexible program, 12) Flash synch mode, 13)Electronic analog exposure display, 14)focus area selected, 15) frame counter.
Obviously, quite a large amount of info is provided, but it's all there when you need it and nothing is omitted.
In addition, almost all of the above features are also displayed in the illuminated viewfinder as well.
ACCESSORIES: Nikon has allowed enough flexibility to also use Nikon designed and manufactured accessories. These include various multi-pin remote cords such as the MC-20 and ML-3, the already mentioned MB-15 battery pack/vertical grip and a wide range of Nikon flashes. Nikon also offers a multi-function data back for use with the F100. The data back, known as the MF-29 allows the user to imprint date/time information in the sequence of year/month/day. It does not provide the extensive list of features available for the data control back designed for the F5.
CONVENIENCE AND EASE OF USE: As mentioned above, the thoughtfulness of the feature set and the ergonomic locating of buttons and control wheels make Nikon's F100 a veritable paragon of creative flexibility. The controls also allow for maximum ease of use even by those not 100% familiar with the camera and its capabilities. This is what makes this high end Nikon such a delight to use.
CONSTRUCTION: Like other top end Nikons of the past, the F100 is robustly built. It is well sealed against dust and moisture (although perhaps not quite as well sealed as the F5) and it's outer casing is covered by comfortable, easy to grip rubber. The lens mount is machined stainless steel and supports F lens mount interchangeability. Lenses made by aftermarket companies such as Tokina, Tamron, Sigma and the lesser manufacturers, who offer lenses with AF-D, Silent Wave and VR software compatibility also work well on the F100.
FLASH CAPABILITY: The F100 interfaces with all current Nikon and many older Nikon flashes. Using the Nikon SB-28, the SB-28DX and the SB-80DX and the new SB-800 permit complete through the lens flash metering (TTL) and also offer red-eye reduction, slow synch, rear synch and High Speed flash synch for daytime high speed flash facilitation. Depending on which flash you use, the F100 is also capable of providing off-camera wireless TTL flash, repeating flash, strobe, subject modeling (currently only with the SB-80DX and SB800) and other creative features.
VALUE: This is Nikon's second pro-level camera, the flagship being the legendary F5. This camera's street price is currently $1,000 less than the price charged for the F5 and while there is a significant price delta, there is not a huge qualitative difference in the features on the F100 or the pictures it produces. The F100, first introduced at the very end of 1999 has improved on features found on the F5, while omitting those that many pros don't use and that top level enthusiasts wouldn't need. To that end, this camera is an excellent value for professionals and seasoned amateur enthusiasts.
To reinforce the value of the camera, below are its most significant technological capabilities:
1) A powerful Multi-cam 1300 autofocus module, utilized on the F5 (although the F5's autofocus is nominally faster). This module works with five AF sensors. Three are crosshatched, two are line sensors. When none of the sensors are exactly in line with a subject, the system automatically selects the closest to the subject to provide AF operation.
2) Dynamic AF Operation. The camera automatically switches among the five AF sensors as the subject moves inside the frame. This provides off center tracking even at high speed film advance.
3) 22 custom settings and some of these have multiple options to suit specific situations.
4) Intelligent TTL flash and fill flash operation, slow synch, rear synch, off camera slave flash and TTL use. High Speed flash synch for selecting flash synch speeds higher than normal on the camera body. Flash synch speeds of up to 1/4000 second are available using this feature.
5) 10 zone 3D matrix metering that employs a database of more than 30,000 images to make intelligent decisions of exposure while evaluating scene brightness, contrast, focus area and so on.
6) Multiple exposure bracketing options (# of frames, over/underexposure, usable in both Program and full manual modes.
7) electronic depth of field preview.
8) Optional Photo Secretary II (for Windows) as well as PC cords for downloading photo data to your computer.
All in all, this is a very capable camera and quite a few professionals choose to use it in place of the heavier and bulkier flagship, the F5. To be sure, for the weekend snap-shooter, this camera, with all its capacity will be overkill in terms of usage and cost effectiveness. But with the just announced $100 rebates from Nikon on this body (they offer none on the F5), this is an ideal camera for pros and advanced enthusiasts. For many users, the F5 would be overkill and this is all the SLR they will ever need.
Would I like an F5? Of course! But given my skill level and needs at the time I bought this camera, I could not justify the additional $1,000 for the F5 body. This camera has yet to disappoint me and I doubt if it ever will. It is an engineering and technological marvel, without all the weight and bulk of its big brother, the F5.
You will not regret buying this camera from the master of the SLR - NIKON!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 999.00 This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Solid Enough for a Professional
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