Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body USA

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

I purchased this camera because I still use film and have a personal darkroom in which to express my creativity. I already own the F100 which is a great camera in its own right, but the F6 is on a different level. The camera feels solid in your hands and is very easy to hold. I find that the custom settings further personalize the camera to my individual taste. A 3D matrix metering system coupled with an adaptable autofocus array makes this what many have called the last great film camera. I hope that this is not the case, but I'm very pleased to own this camera.

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

I love the camera. It is much stronger that my F 100 and very comfortable to use.

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

Although now most people just looking for the digital camera,But the film camera is still have user in the world like me,In couple years ago I'm the Canon user,The EOS1V is my equipment,Now a day I bought the Nikon F6 finally,It is a great camera and it is the last F camera,Very easy to control and stronger body,I love it very much!

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

I have had F2,3,4,5 and 6 and have to say the F6 is hard to beat. peter bruce Photo

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

I've been away from film for some time but decided to come back -- the F6 is a great camera. I took on a recent vacation to New Hampshire and it produced some wonderful shots -- the ones that were not great were my fault. I've had Nikon cameras for over 40 years -- I still have my original Nikon FTN circa 1968 -- it still works great. The F6 will will outlast me.

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

I am disabled. This is a great camera, but is too heavy and requires both hands to operate.

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

Great performance, great build quality.

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

Is really need to write anything of the world best film camera? You can't buy any better film camera than a Nikon F6. It is tell everythign!
But here is a few thing I would highlight of it's features.
First of all, I use this camera more than five years, almost only for wildlife and nature photography, but it was worked like a dream on wedding photography too!
It is had a very bright 100% frame covered viewfinder, what make even manual focusing very easy in low light situations.
The rear LCD panel - where all the info what shown on the top LCD can be found -, is very handy for wildlife photographers, when sometimes the smallest movements can make end the photography! Now I dont have to lower the camera or raise myself above it just see the LCD.
Other great feature of the F6 is, it is store all the shooting data in a memory or can print some of it between the frames. It is a memory reader for it, but I don't have it. I read and write out manually all the data, cause I created a label maker in Microsoft Excel what I can print out on a self sticking paper and stick on the slide mount. It is a little job but worth it. So all the shooting data can be read on the back panel right away after the shoot was taken. The camera print an ID number on lead of the film so if you shoot and drop more roll in a lab still you can identified what shooting data belong what roll of film. Also you can give an ID number for your camera, if you have more than one, which also printed on a film.
The other feature I very like about it, is the metering. The spot metering is a very small spot approx 1,5% of the entire frame, and it is linked to the active focus area. This spot metering make it possible to determine the correct exposure value even in extreme illuminatons.
The next great feature, also very usefull for wildlife photographers. It is a possible manual film rewind. This is the most silent method to rewind the film. It is very handy in some wildlife photography situation. However, the camera can rewind the film with motordrive, in two speed! One is very fast, and it is handy if you shoot actions and need fast rewind. The other speed is slower and produce minimal noise. Motor rewind can be automatic on the end of the film, or manually activated any time even midroll. Also can be set to leave the film leader out, so the midroll rewinded film can be reload back to the camera and shoot all the frame on it.
The next great feature I would like to mention, is the build quality. It is like a tank! Once I accidentally dropped the camera on a paved road. It was falled from about a four feet and landed on it's top. The hot shoe hit the ground first. It has no damage on it and still working fine three years after this incident. The camera body well sealed aginst dust and moist, so not need to worry about weather. This camera work fine under freezing point at a winter and under a hot sun in summer.
Other thing I very like about this camera, it's quiet operation. No, it is not quiet it is silent! Once an other photographer was shooting next to me. It was wery quite around us, we vere out, shooting water birds. After a while he ask me, I took any shot, cause he did not hear my camera exposure sound at all. I heard hes camera well! The Nikon F6 so smooth so quiet, it is the best camera for wildlife photographers with long lenses.
Ergonomically is perfect and it is a beauty. (designed by the same guy who designed the Lamborghini sports cars!) All the buttons in a perfect place, well reachable except the metering switch. I wish that button somewehere on the back of the camera. If you want to change the metering mode, you have to release the camera with your right hand. Ther is one more thing I don't like about the camera, it is a lens release button. You have to push it with a same hand as you hold the lens itself. After my Pentax Z1p camera it is not handy at all. I needed a while until I figured out some good way to cahnge lenses. But all the Nikon camera same in this aspect so I need to use to it.
The camera loaded with lot of good features, and other than a lens change and metering swich I can't say anything wrong about it. There is no situation what this camera can't handle. It was designed for any type of photography in any situation.

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

I have only shot a dozen rolls so far, but this camera definitely lived up to all the hype! Solid construction, smooth handling are just some of the great features it has to offer. I own a D3 and it compares in quality; the reason why I have replaced most of wedding and portraiture work with film. I feel so confident with this camera in hand.

So glad I made the investment!

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

People say that digital is great because you can learn much faster the technical details of photography. There is instant feedback and exif data so you can analyze your exposure and adjust it.
Now here we have a film SLR which does almost the same. It can record all the exposure information and imprint it on the film. Also, it has the same metering system as the best dSLRs, so even if you are not sure what you are doing in terms of the exposure, you can trust the F6, it will get it right 95% of the time. In addition to that, if you learn how to use exposure compensation, this camera will give you 100% of your frames correctly exposed. And that is for slide film too.
And if you like the Nikon Creative Lighting System, here is a camera for you which can do all that too.
And the best thing is that while you will be upgrading your dSLRs every 2-3 years, this camera does not need upgrade. It is the film manufactures who do the upgrade by making better film. The camera stays forever.

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

I have been shooting with my F6 since last fall (2009). I had been using an N70 for over 10 years with no major issues other than I kept breaking the plastic clips that hold the back door on. I finally decided it was time to replace it and had to make the decision of film or digital. I was a little reluctant spending this kind of money on a camera body when I could have had a digital for far less. In my job, I shoot a lot of landscape photos and close up items with geologic themes. I also shoot a lot of mineral photos as well, which can be very small scale. My first trip was to the Pacific Northwest. After the geologic conference, I took a trip to Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Rainier to test out the camera and make sure I didn't spend too much. After the first roll of film, I was smiling big. After I got the slides back, I couldn't contain myself. The colours and the detail were out of this world; a digital could only dream of capturing these mountains the way this camera did. The second trip was to Germany over Christmas. Not only did every photo come out true to form, but even the photos at the Christmas Markets, shot with only the lights of the market and in some pretty cold weather, were perfect for colour and detail. My last big trip took me to Newfoundland and Labrador. Again, the camera performed flawlessly. Puffins were the correct colour, underground mine shots were metered perfectly, and even the darkest days were captured with ease. When combined with Velvia film, it will outperform any digital camera on the market, including (sorry guys) the D3x. I'm very much contemplating a second one just because it is such a great camera, and I have no clue how long Nikon will keep building the F6 or whether they will release an F7.
The only con I have with this camera is make sure you keep an extra pair of CR-123 batteries on hand, because when the battery indicator says it's time to change, you have maybe one more roll of life. I usually keep at least 2 or 3 extra packs as I don't have the MB-40 battery pack. But for what this camera can do, I can live with this minor con.

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

I bought this camera to replace one of my F4s when the shutter was going out and new ones were nla. I had hesitated when they came out, they looked like a great camera (not a hulk like the F5), but I prefer 'old style' knobs over computer buttons and wheels. But I have to say, now that I have used it a few times, the buttons and wheels aren't as bad as I anticipated, and their funcitons can be custom programed, so they are far better than I anticipated. Also need to note that in general, between the custom programability and the feel of the 'standard' camera controls, this camera is very easy to use and versatile. It also has a coating unlike any of my other Nikon film cameras that makes it the best camera to handle in your hands that I own, even better than my D700 wich has a similar texture.I just covered Halloween on the main street where I live (Santa Cruz, California), it's such a big event people come from as far away as San Fransico. It's like a mini Times Square on New Years, thousands turn out in costumes and it runs all day into the 'wee hours' of the morning. I've covered it several years in the past, and it's one situation where autofocus is needed or you would loose half or more of your shots (can't focus fast enough by hand and pre-focus just doesn't work well). The lighting is street lights and those big portable work lights that the city brings in for the event, existing light is the only way to shoot for great shots. Shooting at 1600 means 1/60-1/90 @ f1.4-f2.8. (The 50mm f1.4 AF is the ONLY lens to use!)As mentioned above, I also own a D700, a very good digital camera, so before I did Halloween this year I ran a test with a MacBeth Color Checker to see what to shoot with (film or D700). I shot Kodak 800 pushed to 1600 and the D700 set to 1600. I scanned the 800 neg on a CoolScanV at max resolution (4000dpi) with no filtering or alteration and compared the two digital files. While the 800 scan had grain and the D700 was 'flat', the 800 was clearly sharper and the D700 also had noise even with the control set for maximum noise reduction. So while I'm sure the D700 would have worked shooting 800 pushed to 1600 was definitely the way to go.Now about the F6 during the event, it was an absolutly fantastic camera. The different autofocus modes worked great, I used two different modes (out of the 4), depending on the situation. The focus was the last thing I though about.One of the nicest features of the F6 is it gives manual shutter speed control in either 1/3 or 1/2 stops (user programable). I have mine set to 1/2 stop. During this shoot having the 1/2 stop manual control was so needed. Due to the situation, where bright lights were often in the scene, costumes from white to black, and everyone always moving, manual exposure was the only way to shoot. And about half the time setting the shutter speed to 1/90 gave a dead-on exposure for the area (pre-metered usually off the street which is close to 18% gray).And when it comes to motor-wind functions, this camera is also incredible. When your shooting the noise and vibration of the motor wind is so subdued it's almost quieter and smoother then my D700! You can't feel any vibration, yet it can still shoot at 5.5 fps (or 8 fps with the optional battery pack). It also has a counter-balanced shutter which I'm sure ads to the 'smooth as silk' feel. This camera is the smoothest shooting camera I've ever used, even smoother than my FM2's! It's hard to believe a shutter is actually moving and film is advancing!And when it comes to auto-load and auto-rewind. It's so much better than my F4! You load the film and close the back and it loads, or if you didn't load it right you know within seconds of closing the back. The best part is the auto rewind. A big 'problem' I had with the F4 was that when I reached the end I often wouldn't know without checking the led indicator. Sometimes it would still shoot, or appear to shoot, when it had reached the end. So I ended up shooting past the end of the roll several times in fast paced situations like this event. Not with the F6. You hit the last shot and you hear (more than feel) a motor going, it's rewinding the film. You know without having to keep looking at the frame counter or keeping mental track that you've reached the end of the roll. And by the time you get the new roll out of your pocket the old one is wound up and ready to change! I just love the film advance of this camera.One other great thing with this camera, and Nikon in general, is the F mount. I have a wide variety of lens, from a pre AI 16mm fisheye (which is AI modified), several of the 80's era manual lens, and some new AF lens. And they all work. one minor down side is in order for the display and some of the functions to work right you need to program the camera with the information of your non CPU lens, and it only has room for 9. I have like 12 non CPU lens, so for some with the same maximum aperture (like my 16mm f3.5 FE and 15mm f3.5) I programed if for the 15mm f3.5 and use that setting when I use the 16mm f3.5 FE. Fortunately I was able to cover all my lens this way.There is only one down side to this camera, but it's not so bad it reduces it's rating from a 5 to a 4. You can't change the view finder (you can change focus screens though, so that's not the issue). Every once in a while, like 5 or 6 times a year, I need to do a 'all four walls' shot of a room with my 15mm f3.5 (it has a 110 degree angle of view so you can take a shot of all four walls in the typical room). I usually use an F3 when doing such work. What I do is put the camera as tight into a corner as possible, take the viewfinder off, and check the view using a 50mm to enlarge the focusing screen. You can't do that with this camera.In general, if you want a film camera that will do everything you've ever wished a 35mm camera could do, and some things you never thought of, you have to get this camera. It is, without question, the best automatic camera Nikon has ever made, and quite possibly the most versatile and operational 35mm camera anyone has ever made. The two negative things about it I've found are really minor, and not so bad they in themselves would be a reason to not get it if you looking for the best 35mm AF you can buy!

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

This is a fantastic camera. The matrix metering is mind blowingly good. I never used to shoot much slide but with the F6 it's a breeze. The camera is quite heavy - but in a solid, reassuring way. Ergonomics are perfect - feels like it was sculpted to fit in my hand. Everything is blazingly fast and the viewfinder is a joy, even for a glasses wearer. A 35mm f2 lives on mine but I also occasionally mount old manual AIS lenses on it as well with very satisfying results.

I'm glad that as a non-professional, deadlines and profit margins are unimportant to my photography and that I have the luxury of spending my time and money shooting film. I've shot 35mm film for over 12 years and the F6 was the first 'new' camera I had ever bought. I'm glad I did and I hope Nikon keep turning them out so that others can continue to enjoy the sublime experience of photography with an F6.

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

I am absolutely pleased with my Nikon F6 I must admit I am still learning to take the most advantage of the capabilities of this outstanding camera but I am really enjoying the results.

If you still appreciate Film (the old style photography) and you are either a professional or someone willing to invest the time and effort involved in taking great film pictures, this is the camera to own.

This is the best tool to capture those "forever" moments, the results are up to your skill and luck. (Luck because hey! this is not digital, you cannot take thousands of pictures at once and then pick the best ones)

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

The F6 is really what it's all about. Moved up from an aged F3, which served me well for some 20-odd years. The F6 has all that I wanted as far as customization and adaptability. Truly a flagship camera.

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

A film camera that almost all of the features of Nikon's digital cameras. But it takes better photographs than any of them! Because it puts the images on film, with a color depth that digital camera owners would die for. I also own a Nikon D700 -- a full-frame digital camera. The D700 is nice, but the bold colors seem artificial, like slide films. Each camera has its place though, and I wouldn't want to put all my eggs into one basket (or camera).

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

This camera, coupled with the AF-S 70-200mm 1:2.8 GII ED lens, is as smart as I would want a camera to be. I also purchased a Nikon D700 to "set up" the F6 before exposing the film, but that may have been overkill as the F6 nails the exposures so well there is little opportunity for a bad exposure. Even when I did screw up the exposure (on my first roll, Kodak Ektar), there is enough latitude in the Ektar to correct the exposure in Lightroom 2 or Photoshop CS4. I only wish I could have afforded the F6 many years ago -- although it didn't exist then, did it.

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

This has got to be the best 35mm camera on the market. It shoots RealRAW (fine quality film), which you can get processed and receive digitized high-resolution images on a CD-ROM. It beats the DX3s for handling, comfort, features and build quality. Years from now, your F6 will retain it's worth, while most digital cameras come and go every 18-months and drop significantly in value. I highly recommend this camera for anyone serious about creative photography.

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

A camera made to last forever, excellent controls, good grip, very rugged, it feels excellent in your hand. Very silent stutter and film rewind, easy to operate and a pleasure to use it. I use this camera with manual focus Zeiss ZF lens and the results are so good, particularly when shooting slides or the new Kodak Portra NC films, my favorite color film.

I added to my kit the Nikon MB-40 Multi-Power Battery Pack which gives excellent battery life and add a pretty nice look to the kit as a whole.

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

Words cannot describe how this camera with a roll of low speed film can produce prints that often surpass my D3 in detail, sharpness and realism. I'm so happy I went back to the future with this camera. Kudos to Ken Rockwell for steering me in this direction.

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

I purchased this camera because I still use film and have a personal darkroom in which to express my creativity. I already own the F100 which is a great camera in its own right, but the F6 is on a different level. The camera feels solid in your hands and is very easy to hold. I find that the custom settings further personalize the camera to my individual taste. A 3D matrix metering system coupled with an adaptable autofocus array makes this what many have called the last great film camera. I hope that this is not the case, but I'm very pleased to own this camera.

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

I love the camera. It is much stronger that my F 100 and very comfortable to use.

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

Although now most people just looking for the digital camera,But the film camera is still have user in the world like me,In couple years ago I'm the Canon user,The EOS1V is my equipment,Now a day I bought the Nikon F6 finally,It is a great camera and it is the last F camera,Very easy to control and stronger body,I love it very much!

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

I have had F2,3,4,5 and 6 and have to say the F6 is hard to beat. peter bruce Photo

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

I've been away from film for some time but decided to come back -- the F6 is a great camera. I took on a recent vacation to New Hampshire and it produced some wonderful shots -- the ones that were not great were my fault. I've had Nikon cameras for over 40 years -- I still have my original Nikon FTN circa 1968 -- it still works great. The F6 will will outlast me.

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

I am disabled. This is a great camera, but is too heavy and requires both hands to operate.

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

Great performance, great build quality.

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

Is really need to write anything of the world best film camera? You can't buy any better film camera than a Nikon F6. It is tell everythign!
But here is a few thing I would highlight of it's features.
First of all, I use this camera more than five years, almost only for wildlife and nature photography, but it was worked like a dream on wedding photography too!
It is had a very bright 100% frame covered viewfinder, what make even manual focusing very easy in low light situations.
The rear LCD panel - where all the info what shown on the top LCD can be found -, is very handy for wildlife photographers, when sometimes the smallest movements can make end the photography! Now I dont have to lower the camera or raise myself above it just see the LCD.
Other great feature of the F6 is, it is store all the shooting data in a memory or can print some of it between the frames. It is a memory reader for it, but I don't have it. I read and write out manually all the data, cause I created a label maker in Microsoft Excel what I can print out on a self sticking paper and stick on the slide mount. It is a little job but worth it. So all the shooting data can be read on the back panel right away after the shoot was taken. The camera print an ID number on lead of the film so if you shoot and drop more roll in a lab still you can identified what shooting data belong what roll of film. Also you can give an ID number for your camera, if you have more than one, which also printed on a film.
The other feature I very like about it, is the metering. The spot metering is a very small spot approx 1,5% of the entire frame, and it is linked to the active focus area. This spot metering make it possible to determine the correct exposure value even in extreme illuminatons.
The next great feature, also very usefull for wildlife photographers. It is a possible manual film rewind. This is the most silent method to rewind the film. It is very handy in some wildlife photography situation. However, the camera can rewind the film with motordrive, in two speed! One is very fast, and it is handy if you shoot actions and need fast rewind. The other speed is slower and produce minimal noise. Motor rewind can be automatic on the end of the film, or manually activated any time even midroll. Also can be set to leave the film leader out, so the midroll rewinded film can be reload back to the camera and shoot all the frame on it.
The next great feature I would like to mention, is the build quality. It is like a tank! Once I accidentally dropped the camera on a paved road. It was falled from about a four feet and landed on it's top. The hot shoe hit the ground first. It has no damage on it and still working fine three years after this incident. The camera body well sealed aginst dust and moist, so not need to worry about weather. This camera work fine under freezing point at a winter and under a hot sun in summer.
Other thing I very like about this camera, it's quiet operation. No, it is not quiet it is silent! Once an other photographer was shooting next to me. It was wery quite around us, we vere out, shooting water birds. After a while he ask me, I took any shot, cause he did not hear my camera exposure sound at all. I heard hes camera well! The Nikon F6 so smooth so quiet, it is the best camera for wildlife photographers with long lenses.
Ergonomically is perfect and it is a beauty. (designed by the same guy who designed the Lamborghini sports cars!) All the buttons in a perfect place, well reachable except the metering switch. I wish that button somewehere on the back of the camera. If you want to change the metering mode, you have to release the camera with your right hand. Ther is one more thing I don't like about the camera, it is a lens release button. You have to push it with a same hand as you hold the lens itself. After my Pentax Z1p camera it is not handy at all. I needed a while until I figured out some good way to cahnge lenses. But all the Nikon camera same in this aspect so I need to use to it.
The camera loaded with lot of good features, and other than a lens change and metering swich I can't say anything wrong about it. There is no situation what this camera can't handle. It was designed for any type of photography in any situation.

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

I have only shot a dozen rolls so far, but this camera definitely lived up to all the hype! Solid construction, smooth handling are just some of the great features it has to offer. I own a D3 and it compares in quality; the reason why I have replaced most of wedding and portraiture work with film. I feel so confident with this camera in hand.

So glad I made the investment!

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

People say that digital is great because you can learn much faster the technical details of photography. There is instant feedback and exif data so you can analyze your exposure and adjust it.
Now here we have a film SLR which does almost the same. It can record all the exposure information and imprint it on the film. Also, it has the same metering system as the best dSLRs, so even if you are not sure what you are doing in terms of the exposure, you can trust the F6, it will get it right 95% of the time. In addition to that, if you learn how to use exposure compensation, this camera will give you 100% of your frames correctly exposed. And that is for slide film too.
And if you like the Nikon Creative Lighting System, here is a camera for you which can do all that too.
And the best thing is that while you will be upgrading your dSLRs every 2-3 years, this camera does not need upgrade. It is the film manufactures who do the upgrade by making better film. The camera stays forever.

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

I have been shooting with my F6 since last fall (2009). I had been using an N70 for over 10 years with no major issues other than I kept breaking the plastic clips that hold the back door on. I finally decided it was time to replace it and had to make the decision of film or digital. I was a little reluctant spending this kind of money on a camera body when I could have had a digital for far less. In my job, I shoot a lot of landscape photos and close up items with geologic themes. I also shoot a lot of mineral photos as well, which can be very small scale. My first trip was to the Pacific Northwest. After the geologic conference, I took a trip to Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Rainier to test out the camera and make sure I didn't spend too much. After the first roll of film, I was smiling big. After I got the slides back, I couldn't contain myself. The colours and the detail were out of this world; a digital could only dream of capturing these mountains the way this camera did. The second trip was to Germany over Christmas. Not only did every photo come out true to form, but even the photos at the Christmas Markets, shot with only the lights of the market and in some pretty cold weather, were perfect for colour and detail. My last big trip took me to Newfoundland and Labrador. Again, the camera performed flawlessly. Puffins were the correct colour, underground mine shots were metered perfectly, and even the darkest days were captured with ease. When combined with Velvia film, it will outperform any digital camera on the market, including (sorry guys) the D3x. I'm very much contemplating a second one just because it is such a great camera, and I have no clue how long Nikon will keep building the F6 or whether they will release an F7.
The only con I have with this camera is make sure you keep an extra pair of CR-123 batteries on hand, because when the battery indicator says it's time to change, you have maybe one more roll of life. I usually keep at least 2 or 3 extra packs as I don't have the MB-40 battery pack. But for what this camera can do, I can live with this minor con.

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

I bought this camera to replace one of my F4s when the shutter was going out and new ones were nla. I had hesitated when they came out, they looked like a great camera (not a hulk like the F5), but I prefer 'old style' knobs over computer buttons and wheels. But I have to say, now that I have used it a few times, the buttons and wheels aren't as bad as I anticipated, and their funcitons can be custom programed, so they are far better than I anticipated. Also need to note that in general, between the custom programability and the feel of the 'standard' camera controls, this camera is very easy to use and versatile. It also has a coating unlike any of my other Nikon film cameras that makes it the best camera to handle in your hands that I own, even better than my D700 wich has a similar texture.I just covered Halloween on the main street where I live (Santa Cruz, California), it's such a big event people come from as far away as San Fransico. It's like a mini Times Square on New Years, thousands turn out in costumes and it runs all day into the 'wee hours' of the morning. I've covered it several years in the past, and it's one situation where autofocus is needed or you would loose half or more of your shots (can't focus fast enough by hand and pre-focus just doesn't work well). The lighting is street lights and those big portable work lights that the city brings in for the event, existing light is the only way to shoot for great shots. Shooting at 1600 means 1/60-1/90 @ f1.4-f2.8. (The 50mm f1.4 AF is the ONLY lens to use!)As mentioned above, I also own a D700, a very good digital camera, so before I did Halloween this year I ran a test with a MacBeth Color Checker to see what to shoot with (film or D700). I shot Kodak 800 pushed to 1600 and the D700 set to 1600. I scanned the 800 neg on a CoolScanV at max resolution (4000dpi) with no filtering or alteration and compared the two digital files. While the 800 scan had grain and the D700 was 'flat', the 800 was clearly sharper and the D700 also had noise even with the control set for maximum noise reduction. So while I'm sure the D700 would have worked shooting 800 pushed to 1600 was definitely the way to go.Now about the F6 during the event, it was an absolutly fantastic camera. The different autofocus modes worked great, I used two different modes (out of the 4), depending on the situation. The focus was the last thing I though about.One of the nicest features of the F6 is it gives manual shutter speed control in either 1/3 or 1/2 stops (user programable). I have mine set to 1/2 stop. During this shoot having the 1/2 stop manual control was so needed. Due to the situation, where bright lights were often in the scene, costumes from white to black, and everyone always moving, manual exposure was the only way to shoot. And about half the time setting the shutter speed to 1/90 gave a dead-on exposure for the area (pre-metered usually off the street which is close to 18% gray).And when it comes to motor-wind functions, this camera is also incredible. When your shooting the noise and vibration of the motor wind is so subdued it's almost quieter and smoother then my D700! You can't feel any vibration, yet it can still shoot at 5.5 fps (or 8 fps with the optional battery pack). It also has a counter-balanced shutter which I'm sure ads to the 'smooth as silk' feel. This camera is the smoothest shooting camera I've ever used, even smoother than my FM2's! It's hard to believe a shutter is actually moving and film is advancing!And when it comes to auto-load and auto-rewind. It's so much better than my F4! You load the film and close the back and it loads, or if you didn't load it right you know within seconds of closing the back. The best part is the auto rewind. A big 'problem' I had with the F4 was that when I reached the end I often wouldn't know without checking the led indicator. Sometimes it would still shoot, or appear to shoot, when it had reached the end. So I ended up shooting past the end of the roll several times in fast paced situations like this event. Not with the F6. You hit the last shot and you hear (more than feel) a motor going, it's rewinding the film. You know without having to keep looking at the frame counter or keeping mental track that you've reached the end of the roll. And by the time you get the new roll out of your pocket the old one is wound up and ready to change! I just love the film advance of this camera.One other great thing with this camera, and Nikon in general, is the F mount. I have a wide variety of lens, from a pre AI 16mm fisheye (which is AI modified), several of the 80's era manual lens, and some new AF lens. And they all work. one minor down side is in order for the display and some of the functions to work right you need to program the camera with the information of your non CPU lens, and it only has room for 9. I have like 12 non CPU lens, so for some with the same maximum aperture (like my 16mm f3.5 FE and 15mm f3.5) I programed if for the 15mm f3.5 and use that setting when I use the 16mm f3.5 FE. Fortunately I was able to cover all my lens this way.There is only one down side to this camera, but it's not so bad it reduces it's rating from a 5 to a 4. You can't change the view finder (you can change focus screens though, so that's not the issue). Every once in a while, like 5 or 6 times a year, I need to do a 'all four walls' shot of a room with my 15mm f3.5 (it has a 110 degree angle of view so you can take a shot of all four walls in the typical room). I usually use an F3 when doing such work. What I do is put the camera as tight into a corner as possible, take the viewfinder off, and check the view using a 50mm to enlarge the focusing screen. You can't do that with this camera.In general, if you want a film camera that will do everything you've ever wished a 35mm camera could do, and some things you never thought of, you have to get this camera. It is, without question, the best automatic camera Nikon has ever made, and quite possibly the most versatile and operational 35mm camera anyone has ever made. The two negative things about it I've found are really minor, and not so bad they in themselves would be a reason to not get it if you looking for the best 35mm AF you can buy!

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

This is a fantastic camera. The matrix metering is mind blowingly good. I never used to shoot much slide but with the F6 it's a breeze. The camera is quite heavy - but in a solid, reassuring way. Ergonomics are perfect - feels like it was sculpted to fit in my hand. Everything is blazingly fast and the viewfinder is a joy, even for a glasses wearer. A 35mm f2 lives on mine but I also occasionally mount old manual AIS lenses on it as well with very satisfying results.

I'm glad that as a non-professional, deadlines and profit margins are unimportant to my photography and that I have the luxury of spending my time and money shooting film. I've shot 35mm film for over 12 years and the F6 was the first 'new' camera I had ever bought. I'm glad I did and I hope Nikon keep turning them out so that others can continue to enjoy the sublime experience of photography with an F6.

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

I am absolutely pleased with my Nikon F6 I must admit I am still learning to take the most advantage of the capabilities of this outstanding camera but I am really enjoying the results.

If you still appreciate Film (the old style photography) and you are either a professional or someone willing to invest the time and effort involved in taking great film pictures, this is the camera to own.

This is the best tool to capture those "forever" moments, the results are up to your skill and luck. (Luck because hey! this is not digital, you cannot take thousands of pictures at once and then pick the best ones)

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

The F6 is really what it's all about. Moved up from an aged F3, which served me well for some 20-odd years. The F6 has all that I wanted as far as customization and adaptability. Truly a flagship camera.

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

A film camera that almost all of the features of Nikon's digital cameras. But it takes better photographs than any of them! Because it puts the images on film, with a color depth that digital camera owners would die for. I also own a Nikon D700 -- a full-frame digital camera. The D700 is nice, but the bold colors seem artificial, like slide films. Each camera has its place though, and I wouldn't want to put all my eggs into one basket (or camera).

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

This camera, coupled with the AF-S 70-200mm 1:2.8 GII ED lens, is as smart as I would want a camera to be. I also purchased a Nikon D700 to "set up" the F6 before exposing the film, but that may have been overkill as the F6 nails the exposures so well there is little opportunity for a bad exposure. Even when I did screw up the exposure (on my first roll, Kodak Ektar), there is enough latitude in the Ektar to correct the exposure in Lightroom 2 or Photoshop CS4. I only wish I could have afforded the F6 many years ago -- although it didn't exist then, did it.

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

This has got to be the best 35mm camera on the market. It shoots RealRAW (fine quality film), which you can get processed and receive digitized high-resolution images on a CD-ROM. It beats the DX3s for handling, comfort, features and build quality. Years from now, your F6 will retain it's worth, while most digital cameras come and go every 18-months and drop significantly in value. I highly recommend this camera for anyone serious about creative photography.

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

A camera made to last forever, excellent controls, good grip, very rugged, it feels excellent in your hand. Very silent stutter and film rewind, easy to operate and a pleasure to use it. I use this camera with manual focus Zeiss ZF lens and the results are so good, particularly when shooting slides or the new Kodak Portra NC films, my favorite color film.

I added to my kit the Nikon MB-40 Multi-Power Battery Pack which gives excellent battery life and add a pretty nice look to the kit as a whole.

Comments about Nikon F6 35mm SLR Autofocus Camera Body:

Words cannot describe how this camera with a roll of low speed film can produce prints that often surpass my D3 in detail, sharpness and realism. I'm so happy I went back to the future with this camera. Kudos to Ken Rockwell for steering me in this direction.