# Thoughts on trading out my Nikon F5?



## SoulfulRecover (Feb 24, 2017)

Picked up a F100, I love shooting with it and I had someone offer me a Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 D lens in exchange for my Nikon F5 body.

Should I trade out my F5?

I guess this is a F100 vs F5 thread and how do you like the Nikkor 28mm?


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## Dave442 (Feb 24, 2017)

I think the 28mm focal length is one you should have in the bag, but I would not trade an F5 for one.


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## cgw (Feb 24, 2017)

Unless you need AF, the 28mm length is probably best covered by the MF 28/2.8 AIS. Keep the F5.


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## compur (Feb 24, 2017)

Just checking eBay sold prices:

AFD Nikkor 28mm/2.8 = $100-150
F5 body = $250-500

Unless your F5 is in very rough  condition I would pass on that trade.
Sell something else and buy that 28mm -- it's a honey.


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## Gary A. (Feb 25, 2017)

Keep the F5.


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## SoulfulRecover (Feb 27, 2017)

I lucked out and got my F5 for ~150 and its in fairly good shape. Maybe a 6-7 out of a 10?

After talking with you guys and the wife, I told the guy I'm going to keep the F5 for now


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## table1349 (Feb 27, 2017)

The value of the thing or most pieces of used film gear is relative.  To me it is relative to whether it gets used or not.  The F5 was in interesting beast but I much prefer my F & F2's over the F4, F5 generation.  I don't mention the F3 as to me it was an abomination.   

The point being if the F5 sits gathering dust and the 28mm f2.8 would get used then that is a big point in my book to consider.


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## SoulfulRecover (Feb 27, 2017)

I'm not sure how often I'd use the 28mm either. I'd like something wider for just general walking around but that's not very often.


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## denada (Mar 1, 2017)

gryphonslair99 said:


> I don't mention the F3 as to me it was an abomination.



don't mean to thread jack, but OP made his decision. why do you consider it an abomination? it's on my buy list for the 80/20 center weighted metering.


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## SoulfulRecover (Mar 1, 2017)

denada said:


> gryphonslair99 said:
> 
> 
> > I don't mention the F3 as to me it was an abomination.
> ...



Please feel free to


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## table1349 (Mar 1, 2017)

denada said:


> gryphonslair99 said:
> 
> 
> > I don't mention the F3 as to me it was an abomination.
> ...


Any camera from that era that when the battery dies has only 1/60th shutter speed available is pretty much useless.   Prior to the F3 batter died you lost your meter.  After the F3 you still had choice of shutter speeds.  In the Nikon world, or at least my Nikon world the F3 was the Windows Vista of it's day.


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## denada (Mar 1, 2017)

i appreciate the explanation.


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## table1349 (Mar 1, 2017)

No problem, The F3 was a well built camera with to me a big flaw, To me it wasn't that much of an upgrade from the last of the F2's.  If I were to add to my Nikon film camera collection I would go with an F4 or F5.  It was truly an innovation for it's time.


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## denada (Mar 1, 2017)

gryphonslair99 said:


> F4 or F5.  It was truly an innovation for it's time.


bringing it full circle. i'll leave those for you and OP. so big and ugly. actually the whole f# series is unfortunate looking.


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## cgw (Mar 1, 2017)

gryphonslair99 said:


> No problem, The F3 was a well built camera with to me a big flaw, To me it wasn't that much of an upgrade from the last of the F2's.  If I were to add to my Nikon film camera collection I would go with an F4 or F5.  It was truly an innovation for it's time.



With respect, couldn't disagree more. Funny how the F3's production run was so long and ended with a well-meant but awkward stab at AF. Battery issue? Solved simply by packing a few extra long-lived SR44s or using an MD-4 whose AAs lasted forever. The 80/20 "fat spot" meter pattern was killer and still surprises me with its accuracy. But then this wasn't the PJ's weapon of choice for years for nothing, right? Can't help but like the F3's ability to take almost days-long meter readings that produced spot-on exposures. It was a transitional camera, the last MF F model, and not simply an improved model, like the F2 was over the F. The F4? Just the best manual focus camera Nikon ever made. Totally smoked by its contemporary, the F90x/N90s, that showed what advances in ICs could do for AF and accurate TTL flash metering.


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## bhop (Apr 5, 2017)

denada said:


> actually the whole f# series is unfortunate looking.



Blasphemy!!!

IMO, the F4 is one of the most beautiful cameras ever made, and one of my most favorite to shoot with (with the small MB20 grip). I like all the Fs tbh.. looks wise.


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## Kiron Kid (May 13, 2018)

The N90s smokes the F4 in all ways.


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