Nikon F5

This is a pro camera and I used it in a pro way in that I set it on aperture priority and let the camera do all of the work. There is a PASM mode selector, so I could have put it on manual, but that hardly tests the capability of the auto functions available. Moreover, I made several shots contre-jour thereby testing its metering ability. Generally, when shooting towards the sun, you might want to make some exposure compensation to open up the shadows, but then risk blowing out the highlights. This was not particularly risky on the day I took the camera out as it was misty and the sunlight was reduced by atmospheric haze. I was using HP5+ that I developed normally.

Lighting conditions made HP5+ a good choice of film; early in the day the dull light was not offering a lot of contrast. This improved slightly by the time I got to Princetown, but I don’t think my aperture went above f8 and earlier in the day I relied on a tripod with shutter speeds around 1/30th sec. There are dials, front and back, to make adjustments for exposure compensation and, in the case of the aperture priority setting, to change the aperture; basically, the camera offers a lot of control if you care to use it, or it can be a very sophisticated point and shoot. The F5 will allow you to make very precise decisions about how you want each shot or range of shots to be made, as you would expect from a professional camera – the choice of lenses you use will also help to determine the quality of the images you make. Ordinarily, I would choose prime lenses, but I do use the odd zoom and some are definitely better than others. For this review, I took out three lenses, all zooms, the f2.8 14 – 24, the f2.8 17 – 35 and the f3.5-5.6 super-zoom, 28 – 300mm. The last of these lenses is pretty standard, at the lower end of the price range for a good autofocus lens. The other two, on test with the camera, are both slightly defective and being sold at a considerable discount; you will be hard pushed to notice and I couldn’t find anything to show they were not working perfectly in practice, although I didn’t use them absolutely wide open.

This is a good camera to use; it is quite heavy, but well balanced and very durable with weather sealing allowing it to be used in some adverse weather conditions. It takes 8 AA batteries which, naturally, adds to its weight and has a small LED screen with which to view the settings. Anyone used to using a digital camera will have no difficulty working their way around the F5’s controls. You will, of course, have to learn about using film, even if you do set it to aperture priority and let the camera do the work, in order to get the best results. I used it much like the Nikon F90, with which it shares some similarities, while exceeding its functions, because I used it for basic landscape work, but it will come into its own with wildlife or sports where it has a chance to shine. Nevertheless, anyone who uses this camera will appreciate its ergonomics, build quality and looks.

Would I recommend this camera to anyone new to film photography – probably, if they were used to using a digital camera, because the transition is relatively easy and a good camera is worth the effort to learn however experienced, or otherwise, you happen to be. At the same time, I would recommend a workshop into how to get the best use out of this or any other film camera you might think of buying, especially if you are used to digital photography because, though there are similarities, there are significant differences that matter a lot.