Love letter to the F4
p.5 #1Love letter to the F4
Lee Saxon wrote:
OffTrail wrote
Interesting. How does the MLU differ in the F4 vs. the others?I recently picked up an obscure M42 lens that hits the mirror when focused to infinity on all my Pentax K, EOS and M42 bodies. I ended up finding an older M42 body that had enough clearance (Zeiss Ikon Voigtlander Icarex 35S TM Pro). Cool that Nikon supported old lenses like this for so long.
Mar 31, 2026 at 10:01 AM
p.5 #2Love letter to the F4
Mirror strike was revisited in the 21th century when people started attaching alternative lenses to DSLRs. Even when the registration distance was compatible, the lens could protrude too deeply into the mirror box. Solutions included shaving the lens, shaving the mirror, and even using pre-fire to mount the lens (and allowing the mirror to land on top of the lens). The latter approach meant losing TTL functions, but we suffer for our art, right?
Mar 31, 2026 at 01:03 PM
p.5 #3Love letter to the F4
I had originally wanted the F4, but the best version I could find was the F4S. It's great!. Then found an F4 that met the criteria, and even with it's smaller size it is a heavy camera. Then I found the best waist level finder ever with an amazing diopter adjustment range. An angel dropped it off yesterday. My eyes are happy.
NIKON_F4-{FirstRoll}_5222-XX-at-400-HC-110_1:63-H_14.75min-70-degrees
NIKON_F4-{FirstRoll}_5222-XX-at-400-HC-110_1:63-H_14.75min-70-degrees
Apr 14, 2026 at 02:51 PM
p.5 #4Love letter to the F4
What’s the magnification on that finder? Can you see the whole frame?
Apr 14, 2026 at 07:42 PM
p.5 #5Love letter to the F4
Oldwino wrote:
What’s the magnification on that finder? Can you see the whole frame?
Specs:
"The Nikon DW-21 is a 6X high-magnification finder designed for the F4 35mm SLR camera, featuring a diopter adjustment range from -5 to +3 for individual eyesight correction. It is primarily used for close-up work and photomicrography, providing a clear and sharp view of the entire image"
I can see critical focus from about 12-18 inches away, but have to move my eye closer to see the whole frame. The brightness is amazing.
What’s the magnification on that finder? Can you see the whole frame?
Specs:
"The Nikon DW-21 is a 6X high-magnification finder designed for the F4 35mm SLR camera, featuring a diopter adjustment range from -5 to +3 for individual eyesight correction. It is primarily used for close-up work and photomicrography, providing a clear and sharp view of the entire image"
I can see critical focus from about 12-18 inches away, but have to move my eye closer to see the whole frame. The brightness is amazing.
Apr 14, 2026 at 08:28 PM
p.5 #6Love letter to the F4
Desmolicious wrote:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49835268546_fb9edc37c7_c.jpgHow's the 28-105?
You'd think they could improve older designs like this with 20-30+ years advancement in CAD etc. Wish they'd do that instead of extremely high distortion etc. on the newer lenses. I don't necessarily need 24mm nice to have but on a good day I'd take something 21mm or less.While totally fine on film, I just found it too bulky and replaced it with the much more enjoyable to use (and better optically) 28-80 kit lenses.
I have both the D and G versions (the D came with a Nikon N80 for $30 totall). I prefer the G just because it is more compact - optical quality is the same. Even though the D has the aperture ring, I do not recommend this lens - or the 28-105D - to be used on a manual focus body.
This is because the focus throw on these AF lenses are geared so short...Show more →
The 28-80 G on the F4 (program mode used) with HP5.
The previous version w the aperture ring (which makes it more suitable for the F4 pretty much gave the same results i.e. I could not tell any difference.
AmbientMike wrote
Desmolicious wrote
F4, 28-105d, HP5https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49835268546_fb9edc37c7_c.jpg
You'd think they could improve older designs like this with 20-30+ years advancement in CAD etc. Wish they'd do that instead of extremely high distortion etc. on the newer lenses. I don't necessarily need 24mm nice to have but on a good day I'd take something 21mm or less.
I have both the D and G versions (the D came with a Nikon N80 for $30 totall). I prefer the G just because it is more compact - optical quality is the same. Even though the D has the aperture ring, I do not recommend this lens - or the 28-105D - to be used on a manual focus body.
This is because the focus throw on these AF lenses are geared so short...Show more →
The 28-80 G on the F4 (program mode used) with HP5.
The previous version w the aperture ring (which makes it more suitable for the F4 pretty much gave the same results i.e. I could not tell any difference.
Apr 15, 2026 at 10:31 AM
p.5 #7Love letter to the F4
anselwannab wrote:
To me, you have to put F4 in perspective. I thought it came out around 86, but what I see online is 89- which would put it contemporary to the EOS-1. And I think that is a great ‘break point’ in cameras.
To me, as a young shooter, the F4 was ‘it’. Building on the F3 and the history of Nikons. At least from my perspective in the 1980s, Nikon’s were pro cameras and Canons were consumers cams, (like the AE-1 Program that my mom had). My first camera was an A1 to build on the lenses in my family, but...Show more →
1988-1995 were the golden years for the switch over from mechanical to electronic - manual to auto focus and exposure. The newspaper I worked at was about 95% Nikon, and one staff, and one stringer photog used Canon. Nikon's backward mount compatibility probably held them back in the AF development - while Canon gobbled up market share.
To me, you have to put F4 in perspective. I thought it came out around 86, but what I see online is 89- which would put it contemporary to the EOS-1. And I think that is a great ‘break point’ in cameras.
To me, as a young shooter, the F4 was ‘it’. Building on the F3 and the history of Nikons. At least from my perspective in the 1980s, Nikon’s were pro cameras and Canons were consumers cams, (like the AE-1 Program that my mom had). My first camera was an A1 to build on the lenses in my family, but...Show more →
1988-1995 were the golden years for the switch over from mechanical to electronic - manual to auto focus and exposure. The newspaper I worked at was about 95% Nikon, and one staff, and one stringer photog used Canon. Nikon's backward mount compatibility probably held them back in the AF development - while Canon gobbled up market share.
Apr 16, 2026 at 10:11 AM
p.5 #8Love letter to the F4
Oldwino wrote:
The lower LCD is part of the finder so a swap would fix it. The upper LCD is part of the camera and just magnified via the finder.The upper left LCD in the finder has bleed. The lower LCD is fine. So, a new finder won't help me I assume?
What info am I missing at the top? exposure and frame counter?Correct. I believe the top left LCD is actually an easy replacement if parts are available. I know in the F3 it was designed to be a quick replacement, and working LCD"s still appear to be common enough.
I couldn't actually remember what the top LCD showed so I got mine out. With the DP-20, it only shows frame count. You've got a frame counter on the body, so that's not a big deal IMO. With the DP-20 removed, I see some exposure info displayed but with the DP-20 installed, that goes away and the exposure info is shown in the bottom of the viewfinder. My guess is that the top LCD's exposure info is for use with other finders or no finder.
So I personally wouldn't worry about the top LCD if I intended to only use the DP-20 (which I do). And evidently I never look at it if I couldn't remember what it was good for anyway
I think the upper left LCD is for frame counter and exposure compensation. Mine has a slight bleed in that one too.
That is correct. L>R in the upper left corner is Exposure compensation setting, and then Frame #
OffTrail wrote
mascejos wrote
OffTrail wrote
mascejos wrote
Dumb question. Does a new used DA-20 finder solve the LCD bleed issue?What info am I missing at the top? exposure and frame counter?
I couldn't actually remember what the top LCD showed so I got mine out. With the DP-20, it only shows frame count. You've got a frame counter on the body, so that's not a big deal IMO. With the DP-20 removed, I see some exposure info displayed but with the DP-20 installed, that goes away and the exposure info is shown in the bottom of the viewfinder. My guess is that the top LCD's exposure info is for use with other finders or no finder.
So I personally wouldn't worry about the top LCD if I intended to only use the DP-20 (which I do). And evidently I never look at it if I couldn't remember what it was good for anyway
That is correct. L>R in the upper left corner is Exposure compensation setting, and then Frame #
Apr 16, 2026 at 10:18 AM
p.5 #9Love letter to the F4
A have a Royal Star Magnolia in the yard. As my health declined three different vines attacked it's 5-6 foot high frame. They actually choked it, broke branches off - due to my pruning neglect. I looked out the windows a few days ago - and it was in bloom. So I got the shears out and Freddie Krueger'd the vines. Even more blossoms - yeah. F4 with the Micro Zoom Nikkor 70-180mm f4.5-5.6 AFD
NIKON_F4-{FirstRoll}_5222-XX-at-400-HC-110-1:63-14.75min-70-degrees
NIKON_F4-{FirstRoll}_5222-XX-at-400-HC-110-1:63-14.75min-70-degrees
Apr 16, 2026 at 10:33 AM
p.5 #10Love letter to the F4
grantgoodes wrote:
I think the F4 is a great design, probably the last of the "knobs and locks-on-knobs" UI bodies from the Nikon pro-line. However, with no removable motor-drive, and even the smallest battery being quite large, the F4 was just too big for me and I stuck with my F3/T. Yes, would have _loved_ the F4's matrix-metering, better finder, and (primitive) AF capabilities, but I just wasn't willing to carry around such a big body to get those features. Also, I'm kind of "all in" with my complete collection of F3 finders and accessories, and the F4 finders were _very_ pricey...Show more →
Yeah there's a reason that Nikon kept the F3 going well into the early 2000s
Apr 18, 2026 at 05:38 AM
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p.5 #11Love letter to the F4
F4S with 400mm f5.6 ais, and a modified TC-16A (640mm EFL) using Fuji 400
Red-Bellied Woodpecker_Fuji-400-C-41-4min-103-degrees
Red-Bellied Woodpecker_Fuji-400-C-41-4min-103-degrees
Apr 18, 2026 at 02:22 PM
p.5 #12Love letter to the F4
Lovely colors in that shot @James Markus 🥰
Also that finder looks really nice, yet isn't the "lid" in the way then lowering your eye to it?
Also that finder looks really nice, yet isn't the "lid" in the way then lowering your eye to it?
May 02, 2026 at 02:54 AM
p.5 #13Love letter to the F4
Tina Kino wrote:
Lovely colors in that shot @James Markus@@ 🥰
Also that finder looks really nice, yet isn't the "lid" in the way then lowering your eye to it?
Thanks. Fuji 400 seems to have natural colors imo. The waist level finder lid is rubber - just like the dk-2 and dk-19 eye cup. So, you can push your face into it. However, it's intended use is to hover your eye above it. When close you can see the full frame, but even from a distance of 12 inches i can see critical focus. This is why I bought it - to help with manual focusing. Auto focus still works as well. I wonder why there are not more parafocal optics in photo gear? In microphotography all eyepieces are parafocal.
May 02, 2026 at 07:17 AM
p.5 #14Love letter to the F4
James Markus wrote:
F4S with 400mm f5.6 ais, and a modified TC-16A (640mm EFL) using Fuji 400
That is just lovely.
F4S with 400mm f5.6 ais, and a modified TC-16A (640mm EFL) using Fuji 400
That is just lovely.
May 02, 2026 at 02:11 PM
p.5 #15Love letter to the F4
Another excellent F4 review. Steven's history tracks with what I experienced at the time.
May 03, 2026 at 11:16 AM
p.5 #16Love letter to the F4
It is good and thorough, though more like instruction than review. I'm surprised the F4e is not mentioned. Many pros were unhappy with the fiddly 3-piece MB-21 battery grip so the F4e was introduced a bit later. I found the MF-23 indispensable and one of the reasons I bought the F4s and spare MB20 to begin with. AF was not very good and focus trap pretty useless. What bugged me most was that there were no fractional shutter speeds in M or S and in A or P the shutter was shown in half stops. By the 90s that was looking archaic already.
Although the camera was developed a bit before the Eveready/Energizer L91 were widely available, they were usable over most of its production life if memory serves. They were red/gold back in the day.
EBH
Although the camera was developed a bit before the Eveready/Energizer L91 were widely available, they were usable over most of its production life if memory serves. They were red/gold back in the day.
EBH
May 03, 2026 at 09:30 PM
p.5 #17Love letter to the F4
I love the F4 like my grandson loves ice cream 
8X-sampling_LS-5000_Nikon-F4_50mm-f1.4-afd_Kentmere-200-at-400_HC110-1+31_7.5min_68Degrees
8X-sampling_LS-5000_Nikon-F4_50mm-f1.4-afd_Kentmere-200-at-400_HC110-1+31_7.5min_68Degrees
Aug 20, 2026 at 12:23 PM
p.5 #18Love letter to the F4
Desmolicious wrote:
F4, 50 1.4d, Fuji 200
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49568573372_622fa7210a_c.jpg
I wish I remember how I did that! I think it was four multi exposures...
F4, 50 1.4d, Fuji 200
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49568573372_622fa7210a_c.jpg
I wish I remember how I did that! I think it was four multi exposures...
Aug 20, 2026 at 03:54 PM
p.5 #19Love letter to the F4
Desmolicious wrote:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49568573372_622fa7210a_c.jpgI wish I remember how I did that! I think it was four multi exposures...
Way too much coffee.
Desmolicious wrote
F4, 50 1.4d, Fuji 200https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49568573372_622fa7210a_c.jpg
Way too much coffee.
Aug 20, 2026 at 04:13 PM
p.5 #20Love letter to the F4
These F4 beasties never disappoint. I now am appreciating the heft, because it dampens camera shake.
Nikon-F4s_KM-100@400_Nikkor_105mm-f2.5ais-&-Modified-tc16a_Xtol-1+1_14.5min-68-deg_LS-5K-NLP
Nikon-F4s_KM-100@400_Nikkor_105mm-f2.5ais-&-Modified-tc16a_Xtol-1+1_14.5min-68-deg_LS-5K-NLP
Sep 06, 2026 at 10:24 AM