Nikon F5 35mm Film Camera

I have shot over 150 weddings with my F5. It is amazing how it meters in the most difficult situations. It is heavy, but durable. It is fast, accurate, and never lose a shot. I use it on Aperture priority all the time and the metering on this camera is truly incredible.

I like my purchase of the Nikon F5 because it gives a lot of functionality closer to a Digital Camera. Although, I have not use all the features of the camera yet, it gives the assurance that I have the features that I can use in the future.

I am very well satisfied with the camera.

I bought this camera to replace my F3 (still working) as my primary film camera, with the F3 as a backup. Everything thing I read about the camera is true. The camera is in excellent condition when I received it. It's very solidly built and comfortable to hold even with it weight. I'm very satisfied in the time I had to shoot with the camera. Highly recommended for those who still shoot film.

The camera is a classic with mmultiple technically advances for the time it was produced. It feels like a real professional camera when you hold it in your hand. All the devices seem to work, it was a little dirty but overall it appears that the camera will be working well.

Nikon created the finest most versatile camera ever made when they released the F5 to the public. It has so many parts after market to configure the camera for every type of use. Four different view finders for ease of use include a waist level finder for low level work, 6x close-up finder for macro work, 6x wide area finder for underwater work or flying aircraft and the standard view finder for general photography. Thirteen focus screens to cover all of the manual focus and auto focus lenses made up to the introduction of the DX lens for digital cameras. Five different eyepieces are available so eyeglass wearing people can remove their glasses. No other camera made has this many features not even the new Nikon F6 or D3, they are both a serious step backward in design compared to the F5. I guess Nikon sees $5000.00 and $10,000.00 digital cameras as the future and has discontinued to support film advancement by discontinuing to offer this versatility. I hope that someone at Nikon will read this review and again offer more items for both film and digital cameras instead of more mega-pixels, so I can get excited about the future like I was about the F5.

This camera seems very solid- I am happy about this because I have children... Condition I give an A-especially for it's age... The speedlight was given to me for free with buy-now service... Everything was as expected and was packed securely... I took 24 pictures and had developed over night to vfy and they came out great and this was without me making any adjustments to the settings that were already in place... I am very very happy that I chose to buy-now otherwise I might not have it!!!

I like its performance and its design. I love to keep it as my most desired collection as it's my first professional film camera and probably the best film camera ever I ever had. That's all.

The seller delivered as promised. The camera I bought works excellent and the condition very good.
I will buy from this seller again.

A Nikon F5 is one of those things in life that you must have. I shoot very little 35 MM , But when I do I want the best, and this camera is high on the list.. If you want a film camera that really works, get an F5, and enjoy life..

I wanted to get back to the fine art of film, so I bought this F5. It is hailed as possibly the best 35mm camera ever made and I can tell you it lives up to its reputation.

I have always wanted an F5. This one is in very nice shape and a great deal. The digital age is makeing the top film cameras very affordable. Love it and glad I still have my own darkroom. :)

Possibly one of the "best" film cameras that will ever be made for durability, versatility and useful features - the later F6 is for show-offs and rich amateurs. If you want to keep buying add-ons there isn't much you can't do with the F5, but like any other cam it's only as good as its lenses, so buy good lenses, not doodads. Also, it's an ox! Haul this sucker all week and you don't need to go to the gym - as everyday shooters the "amateur" F100 and D200/300 are more fun.

Bought it to commemorate the phasing out of film-based photography, because I can finally afford stuff like this and getting a mint example for about 20% of the "new" price makes it easier to rationalize.

The Nikon F5 35mm film camera is, by far, one of the best film cameras that Nikon has ever produced. The camera is rugged, accurate, and excellent in craftsmanship and manufacture. It takes excellent photographs in all types of film, including prints, slides, b&w, and infrared. The camera is a classic. In a digital world, it is still the choice of professionals using film as a medium.

What a great camera. It feels good, sounds awesome, shoots and focuses very, very fast. Sturdy, strong and heavy. Built like a tank - accepts many Nikon accessories. I never had the F6, but I would venture a guess that the F5 is better. And much, much cheaper. If you're still shooting 35mm film, this is the camera to get these days. You can get a great value on a used one, and you'll feel like a pro even if your photos suck!

Fantastic metering system. Super fast autofocus. Excellent craftsmanship.

One of the best Nikons ever at a great price.

I shoot film regularly. As like most, I shoot digital as well as film. When I shoot with my D80 and my F5, I can seldom tell the difference in the final print. Using my Nikon scanner, I wonder which takes the better image.

It is my opinion that there is no film camera that the Nikon F5 could be compared with; instead of listing those from other manufacturers, I will start with the features that the F5 offers.

Usable Lenses: All AF-D, AF-G, AF-I, AF-S and AF VR Nikkor lenses provide full AF and metering operation. AI-P lenses provide manual focus w/electronic rangefinder and full metering operation. AI lenses provide manual focus w/electronic rangefinder, aperture priority and manual exposure mode, Center-Weighted and Spot Metering operation.

Metering System: 1005-pixel 3D Color Matrix metering provides information about scene brightness and contrast conditions. RGB sensors gather information about the colors within the scene, enhancing scene identification. In addition, this metering system incorporates a database of over 30,000 scenes of actual shooting data to evaluate color, brightness, and overall composition.

Auto focus: 5-Area Cross Array Auto focus system for fluid composition, includes 3 Cross Type AF sensors. Focus Tracking with Lock On to 8 fps regardless of subject direction or movement.

Shooting Modes: Program, Flexible Program, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Manual.

The F6 replaced the F5 in 2005. With a sticker price of around $2000 new and $1500 used, the F6 may not be what many die-hard film photographers are willing to purchase in this digital age. However, the F5 with a used price of $450 to $600 is well in the range of many.

Looking at Nikon’s N80 and the F100 with prices of $100 to $300 used (respectively), the F5 may very well be worth the extra expense.

If you shoot Digital and are looking at the F5 as a back up, you are a very smart individual. There are dozens of reasons why the “digital” photographer needs a film camera.

Digital sensors heat up when in use. For a short exposure, you will never have a problem. However, for long exposures of more than 30 seconds, you may get a discoloration in the edges of your image or a vignette. This is a flaw with many digital cameras. It almost seems senseless to have a digital camera with a B or Bulb Mode.

Some respectable reviewers have mentioned in their reviews that, “The F5 is for sports and wildlife. Only misguided rich people buy it for landscapes and portraits.” In fact, it is my opinion that the F5 is one of the BEST landscape cameras available. This is due in part to the MLU or the Mirror Lock Up feature. If you would like more information on the MLU feature, please read my guide, “MLU or Mirror Lock Up Feature Is Essential For Sharp Landscape Images.”

All-in-all, the Nikon F5 was made to endure. This feature gives it longevity. When purchasing the F5, look for one that does not have much external signs of use. Little signs of use usually means it has not seen too much use or abuse. Combine this with the durability of the F5 and you are sure to get a camera that will last for years and be peace of mind in your camera bag.

Show The World Your World; Share A Photograph. TM.
Sulae

I own a Nikon F3HP, F4E, and F5. F5 is my favorite. Amazingly versatile and solid as a rock. Nikon just keeps getting better with every model that comes out. An F6 could be my next buy. My wife wants a camera and I wouldn't own anything but Nikon. I admit, I have NAS (Nikon Acquisition Syndrome) :-)

Deputy

Shooting the F5 is a pleasure. Knowing that a bad shot is difficult to make with the Matrix Metering capacities of the camera. This is the last of the great SLRs, the F6 doesn't come close to it. At 8 fps, and the rapid lens adjusting, you know you are truly holding something great. Get the rechargeable batteries, your fps goes from 5 to 8 with the rechargeables. It is built like a tank and is a workhorse. You will enjoy it for years to come.

Not much to be said other than the fact that the Nikon F5 is the Nikon F5.
As a professional 35mm Film Camera this is the one...THEE ONE.

There is no finer 35mm SLR camera.

I'm telling you this as a professional photographer. http://www.dcolegrovephotography.com

Got it for my boyfriend who wanted one for the last 8 years. He loves it. It arrived quickly and in great shape. The pics that he has been taking are so beautiful, I love them. I am very happy with my purchase.

There should be a separate rating for the F5, something like "awesome", I've never used an F6, so I can't debate the merits of it vs. the F5. All I can say is that inall the 35 years I've been involved with photography, I've never held a more impressive camera in my hands. Forget all the technical jargon; the self-diagnostic shutter, etc. What counts is, the Nikon F5 will deliver fantastic photos time and time again. It's a pro camera, but put it on progarm and any amateur with a sense of composition can deliver pro quality. Heavy? Yes, because it's packed with features and built to withstand any punishment. It is indeed a brute with the soul of an artist. I love this camera, just as I love my F4's. The advantage of the F5 is an improved 3d matrix metering system. The F5's focusing motor is quick, almost brutally so. I would think it might rip some of the lower priced af lenses to shreds. It's fast and efficient. Combined with the af Nikon lenses (my favorite is the 105MM, micro)the F5 is an awesome tool, indeed. I shoot weddings with the F5 and my two F4's, using today's fine-grain films, I think I get results equal to medium format and even digital.
With the increasing popularity of digital cameras, it's possible to get some real bargains of Nikon F5's, on Ebay or in some camera shops. I don't know that this is the greatest camera ever made, but I do know that it is the greatest camera that I have ever used and is capable of far greater things than I have demanded of it. It's a beauty.