Nikon F4: Unsung Cameras Of Yesteryear 

Nikon was popular amongst pros for its reliability and ruggedness - I don't remember many photographers in Vietnam running round with a Canon. NASA chose Nikon to take into space for the same reasons. I have used Nikon for over 50 years, shot thousands of rolls of film yet never had one in the repair shop. I cannot say the same for several buddies who preferred Canon, they were let down more than once and a body would often be out for repair. The F4 was an amazing leap forward and the layout and many of its features were the foundation of modern DSLRs today.

Wide angle lens, super steady movement...I guess Jordan saw The Revenant recently.

Holy shit this is GREAT. I've always wanted you to do videos about film but never got around to asking you so this is me pleading you to PLEASE make more videos about film and film cameras. I mean, just looked at how good most of the shots came out! Those portraits at the end were *amazing*. Even Chris' puddle shot was surprisingly epic looking. Everything just looks better on film imo So please, guys, consider making videos about film photography because it's not dead yet. Not even close.

I think the F4's biggest failing was the video quality. The EM1 mkii did well though.

This was my favorite video that you guys have done and helped remind me why I used to love my old Nikons back in the day. More segments like this, please.

I loved how the pictures turned out! That black and white look is perfect. I think your photos taken with this camera are probably the most beautiful ones I've seen you take in a video.

I sold a bunch of Nikon equipment and bought an EOS1 along with several lenses and was happy with it until I tried using it in low light. The autofocus was dismal and my daughter's Nikon N-8008s would out-focus it every time. Our local Canon rep admitted that was a known problem but that they were working to fix it. Not the answer I wanted to hear, so I sold the EOS and switched back to Nikon. I've had my 2 F-4's for a lot of years and never had a problem. And I love the fact that they will take all of my Nikkors all the back to my original F lenses. I still have my Canon F! original model, and love it!

I started out with the Minolta x-700, then the Minolta maxxum 9000. years later, I switched to Nikon and got the f4e then the f5. I moved to Europe and started publishing for a magazine. more than two decades later when I switched to digital. I've owned the d100, d200, d3, d3s, and finally the d4s. I still consider the f4 one of the sexiest of the cameras I've owned. I still have it. it still makes the same sexy sound as 20 yrs ago.

best pics i've seen made by you. this camera inspires you.

Neat video! I picked up an F4 years after they became obsolete and fell in love with shooting it. The feel of it in the hand is second to none.

That was a fantastic blast from the past. I too had an F4, purchased on its beautiful looks alone. Saw that body and the money flew from my wallet, I was shooting a pair of F3's at the time. My first auto focus Nikon I don't recall being disappointed by the AF performance, but of course I continued to use the MF lens in my collection adding just a few autos so I had nothing to compare it to. The only thing off putting was the plastic wrap so when the opportunity presented itself I moved onto the F5, a great camera which I still own but it sure isn't the sexy supermodel the F4 was. Wish I had that beauty back... Thanks for the trip down memory lane and sharing those terrific B&W's, the portraits at the end make me want to re-fire the F5, a feeling long gone from me. Cheers brother!!

There's something about film grain that makes everyday images look special.. Great video guys! I think your entire videos are getting good enough to merit your own TV show!

In college, my roommate Dave Politi had an F4 and I am still jealous a decade later, even though I could probably get one for pennies now. I'll put the Canon Élan 7 or there is one of the best film cameras out there. Still love mine today

Love the portraits the best. They are incredible! Thanks for this step back in time for reflecting on how "easy" and we have with the modern digital cameras. Not to say they are better, but the experience is much different.

I am a camera salesperson, and totally digital professional for over 20 years........I played with this camera a while back and indeed it did make me want to shoot film again.

holly sh*. Best shots EVER!!

I used to own the F4s (like you have there) and took many of my best images with it in the mid 90's. The use of large, easy to use buttons and nobs (rather than LCD displays) made it much more useable while wearing gloves. I (stupidly) traded it for a Canon EOS5, one of the most dumb things I ever did.

I had two F4's. Loved every pound of them. At the time I used them mainly with Nikkor Ai MF lenses and also the 80-200 f2.8 AF first version which was deadly sharp. Later I found the F4's were a killer sharp combo with the 300 f2.8 AF-I which I STILL own and use with my D2x! The F4's AF focus confirmation light worked well for MF lenses. Also the power rewind was nice. Battery life was forever with the add-on grip. Interchangeable focusing screens was great to have also. Metering was also excellent. These F4 cameras were indestructible and super-reliable.

WOW!!!, Just, WOW!!! Probably your best video ever! Video quality, production, stills, the whole kit and kaboodle!!! Thanks for the trip down memory lane that I continue to live today! I still use my film cameras quite frequently. It still is a passion most people don't understand, it's wonderful to see that Chris still "Get's it", and damn if it doesn't show in his shots!! I've graduated to a F6 now which permits me my passions with a healthy dose of technology thrown in for good measure!! Maybe you guys would do another video show casing the F6; trust me it's a current day wonder camera, marvelous is barely enough to describe its capabilities or its technological perfection! Thanks for the video!!

LOVED my F2! Sold it in the 80s for peanuts. So wish I'd kept it.

loved this video! The handheld video had an awesome feel. Loved the editing to include moments with no dialogue or music, just the background noise.

Great photos Chris! Keep the classic camera reviews coming.

Yup. Those B&W portraits at the end were definitely the money shot! NICE

Beautiful episode from you Chris and Jordan. For sure it recalls me a lot of memories using professionally and personally the Nikon F4 and I fully agree with Chris about its perception and use of the camera at the time in avoiding autofocus dis-ability of the model and its preference for the MB-20 version (compact). Thank you for sharing your nice B&W pictures. Yes film photography at the time was a different challenge with deep concerns about the final output resulting of our photo sessions. It was really nice to revive all this!

Awesome Video... This video took me back twenty five years ago where I used F2, F3, F4, F90X, FA, FM2, FG and FG20. I had Canon AE1 and A1 which I gave to my friend as I always loved to work with Nikons. Thank you so much for this video. I truly appreciate it.

6:37 . Simply fantastic. The composition, lighting and post processing. Even the nature of the grain. Good stuff Chris!

Where's the part where Jordan talks about the video features??

Wow those images were awesome, especially the portraits! Hope you do more of these videos.

I have been using the F4 as my main film body for the past 2 years and I could not be happier. Especially with the addition of the MB-23 multi-control back and a K-type focusing screen. It doesn't matter where or what my day of photography throws at me, because all the F4 does is give me answers to any problems I may come across. Most of the time I use mine for documentary photography in which I use both MF and AF lens. I have never had a major problem with the AF system on the F4, always seems to be spot on; especially when used in conjunction with the AF-L button. I could talk about it for a long while, so I will end it here. Hot, cold, rain, snow, and not yet used as a blunt object the Nikon F4 does it all!

More Cameras of Yesteryear segments please!!!

I have been following this channel for a while now. The photos taken look the best I have seen here. Excellent review and nice job in ever way.

What an amazing set of shots. Dear lord! Wow, I'd love a portrait from you Chris Nichols!

Wow, the video quality from the E-M1 in this video is incredible. Also, really got me interested in pursuing film photography again. Great review guys!

Awesome video!!! I love these old school cam reviews. Keep them coming!

High Chris, Nice to see your enthusiasm for one of my favourite cameras. After years of shooting for the press and as a photojournalist with Nikon F's, I bought 2 F4's in 1989 and fell in love with them. Finally moving on to Nikon Digital with the D2. However, I still own and for a weekend every year pull out my F4's and have great pleasure shooting processing and printing black and white. Those cameras are built to go on forever, classics in every way.

This is one of the cameras that made it into the movie Jurassic Park, used by Vince Vaughn who played the roll of a photographer. He was holding a few different cameras throughout the movie, but the Nikon F4 with grip was one of them. :)

A great video not just about the camera or film shooting. It shows the importance of AUDIO QUALITY. Worst few seconds of the video was the absence of Audio. Reminds me the effort that you guys spend for editing and sharing all your footage. Thanks Camera Store, cheers from as cold, as friendly country; Finland.

Thanks for doing this. The F4 takes me back to a good place and time. It is hard to believe that 1988 was almost 30 years ago.

Awesome review Chris, it sounds like you truly love this camera. Not to mention the pictures, wow! Arguably the best pictures I've seen on this channel. Thank you guys for this video.

Chris, thanks for sharing your love of the F4 and your Tri-X photos... beautiful work. Watching this video brought back memories of shooting with my first Nikon camera, a used, rough around the edges F3.

I used to shoot with the F3 back in the day then a colleague bought the F4 and we were just blown away with the physical size and design, it was a thing of beauty (to us anyway!). Looking at your results, wow the grain and feel of the b+w analogue images, I love it!

Those shots were fantastic! Seeing the film container instantly struck a nostalgic, childhood chord, bringing back darkroom memories under the red bulb at school! And those portraits at the end were god damn beautiful.. impossible to replicate with digital. Also the F4, my photography teacher had one and I used it maybe a couple times and good god it seemed like a tank back then! Nikon has done so much over the years in terms of innovation, people tend to either forget or just don't even know about it. Would love to see an episode on the revolutionary Nikonos!

Thanks for a great video. I really like the ones of the analog camera's. I know you guys are busy, but I would love more of them.

I love this camera, in fact back in the day it was my dream camera and I've alway promised myself I would eventually own one, I haven't yet but this video has spurred me on to get one before the end of the year, superb video, love you guys and thank you.

This are the best videos of your channel by far. I know TCS is a modern camera store, but we love this old camera reviews. Just look the likes: 63 vs 0! Also this videos bring people than normally don't see TCSTV modern videos. So everybody wins here!

I love my f4! Like you, I saw it in a magazine as a teenager and instantly fell in love. Of course, I couldn't afford one back then, but eventually I was able to get one for nostalgia's sake. At first, I didn't really enjoy using it because of the weight with the mb-21, so it was mostly a shelf queen, but last year, I got an mb-20 (small grip) and it made all the difference. I've used it quite a bit since, sometimes even preferring it over my M6.. I've really grown to love it. I'm pretty sure it's my favorite SLR.

Very well done and great pictures! Hopefully to see the Contax RTSIII some day!

In 1975 I went to the camera store to get my first SLR. I wanted a Nikon but my mom's budget said Pentax. I got a black MX. A 50 and 135 lens. Worked great. Used it a few years then got Pentax MEsuper. With auto exposure! Started buying digital cameras 1998. Went to Nikon DSLR's 2005-June 2016. Now Sony A7R2. Which is about the size of my old MX. Always curious to use the F4. There is a famous street photographer on YT that uses F4. One benefit is if it's stolen, easier to replace than most DSLR's.

I owned and used both F4e and F5.. Both are very very good sturdy cameras and fail-safe too. The heft and feel was wonderful...

Lovely images Chris! I would really love to see more film based episodes!

This is the second time that I watch this video... and because of it I watch it now with a F4S in my hands. I had to get it again after I sold my first one about 15 years ago. This is still the most exciting camera I have had in decades. Glad it´s back home and can´t wait to shoot with Fujifilm Neopan Across 100 and Kodak Ektar 100. Thanks for inciting me into spending my money in awesome stuff!

When this video started, I thought it looked better than usual in terms of stability and color. Checked the description and sure enough you're shooting on the em1 mkii. I'm pretty impressed with the quality of this camera. Thanks for the video! Great film shots too!

More Film camera yesteryear videos , love this channel :)

Please more stories with classic photo cameras! Please! I love it!

I`m still using my Nikon F4s since 1990 without any issues and I `ve no real problems with the AF system of this camera :-)

Those portraits were fantastic! Great video Chris and crew.

Love that you're shooting film!

Incredibly enjoyable video! I can alway's count on 10-20 minutes of fun, where I can forget my troubles, when I watch your videos. Love you guys! Would love to come by and say hello the next time you are in NYC. Cheers!

I've never shot film but this was a great video to watch. Great shots and it really makes you realise how easy it is with digital, perhaps to a fault. There's no "use it sparingly" with a digital camera, and perhaps that leads to less consideration to things like composition and subject. Great to watch, really makes me want to pick up a film camera. Loved the 3 shots left and 3 great portraits, summarises everything I said above perfectly.

Cris, this will be my first comment in my years of being subscribed and watching all your videos, but i REALLY love the pictures you came up with in this review!

I had an F4..... and I loved it. If there was a digital back for it, it would be a great camera. Thanks for this nice video.

Enjoyed living this with you.

Jordan's videography in this was absolutely wonderful! Inspired me to order a few rolls of film :)

I still LOVE the Nikon F4S. Perhaps my favourite camera ever. It's a design object of desire.

Fantastic images! I love analog. Thanks for doing these videos! Your digital videos are great too btw.

Whoa! I genuinely thought the opening shot was on a gimbal until you mentioned it was handheld! Olympus is rocking the IBIS. Great video as always!

It was so interesting to see you shoot with Nikon's flagship camera. Thank you for showing us this beautiful camera.

Hi Chris, thank you for a wonderful film. The F4 was the best camera I never had. Great work!

This brings me back. While I much preferred Tri-X over Tmax, I never got better negatives than when I was shooting Ilford. I can't remember how many spools of HP5 Plus I went through.

For casual shooting, some of your photos were excellent both in composition and technically. The portraits were excellent and I really enjoyed the pic with the eclipsed modern car in the lower right hand corner. You certainly proved why you a pro.

Love these yesteryear videos, very informative and entertaining.

Awesome stuff. Love this series! I'm totally a child of the digital era, but this video made me feel nostalgic about those times I did not happen to live in... and now I'm itching to buy one of those great film cameras. Would be awesome if you did a video on Pentax LX or Nikon's rangefinder S3.

Chris, I LOVE these videos. I know so many of us appreciate them. Cool.

I love these videos... I watch a shit ton of RU-vid and these are some of my favorites... keep them up!

Great camera. I use the F4 and F6 along with my digital cameras. This is definitely a refreshing video. Thank you.

Those portraits are absolutely stunning!

your photography has gotten a lot better I feel like. good work

Great vid and great shots!

I love this camera. I love all the F series by Nikon anyway. My favorite will always be the F. My Uncle had one, and I just have a sentimental attachment to that camera. Nice video Chris, and thank you for the great memory you kindled for me.

The Camera Store does The Best reviews and easy-going camera related ephemera videos on youtube. Great pics from that F4!

Really nice portraits. Great shots.

This is a great camera review. I hope to see more film camera reviews from TCS in the future. The images look fantastic. I love the aesthetic that Tri-X and Rodinal produces. For your next unsung cameras of yesteryear video I would suggest the Minolta Maxxum 9. It is probably the most advanced film camera ever made, but it never got the respect that that it deserved.

Great review and some excellent shots

Back in the day, the F4s was a dream camera that I could not afford. I did, however manage to get an N8008s and it too was a work of art to look at.

My father used a F3 back then and he brought a catalog to up grade. I saw the F4 and I fell in love with it.

Nice this kind of video with old cameras.... thanks for sharing

I love the F4. Maybe it's time to break mine out and shoot some film! I used one when I worked newspapers. I had the film winder replaced twice and the shutter box replaced. Even after I moved on, the guy that took my place at the paper used the same camera for years after. I picked one up at a few years after I left the paper. It had hardly been used. I had it serviced and used it as my main camera ... until I finally went digital. I enjoyed your presentation of the F4 very much. Thanks.

great video i love this retro reviews! I have a Minolta Maxxum 9 it is similar to the f4 but does not allow to use md/mc glass. Hope with these videos people will get in to film, maybe a medium format review with a Mamiya 7 or Makina will be interesting.

Excellent video! Very informative. Thanks a lot.😃

I'm a video guy, never shot film and not that big on photos overall. But I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would.

I love videos like this. My dad bought the Nikon F401 in the late 80's, which was our main camera until we got a D70 in 2004, but I guess Canon was already pulling ahead even then, as he always regretted he didn't spend a little more on a Canon like his friend did, which had better AF and better lenses. But I've always had a soft spot for Nikon as a result. I wonder if we would've gotten a Rebel instead of the D70 if not for his choice 15 years prior.

I think I like the color you got from the Olympus almost more than some of your fs5 videos. Nice job Jordan!

Thanks so much for the video. I loved my F4. Beautiful camera.

thanks for the look into the past with the F4. I still have two of them which I use on occasion. The weight and the grip of the camera feels so good in my hand. Also like most I use them with my large collection of old Nikon manual glass. Focus confirmation is a good compromise for an old guy since my eyes aren't what thee once were. And finally it is still controlled by shutter speed dials, knobs and aperture rings.

Dam I love the F4. It just felt so good in the hands.

What a great video. Did succeed in making me feel quite old.... oh dear I am. Never mind, this whole think takes me back. The combination of a great camera with my personal favourite film developed in true kamakazi fashion made me laugh my socks off as Chris of the Camera Store dives in the bog and then into the kitchen to poison his mate's lunch. No thermometer and still great images. Somehow the digital stuff can never quite capture the traditional thrill of photography as was but can't give up. Keep up the great videos easily the best channel! Note that you are 'passed puddles' though (haha).

I echo your comments and sentiments: the F4 is the most ergonomically correct designed camera I’ve ever experienced. A beast of a build, but as you pointed out that also helped provide a rock steady focusing platform. And the design, with it’s brilliantly positioned knobs, dials and buttons taught me the basics of photography like no other piece of equipment has since - not even my Leica’s. My original F4 was stolen from my car in Philadelphia. But nearly 20+ years later I tracked down a new body out of Japan and holding it again today only reinforces and underscores my original belief that the F4 may be the finest 35mm SLR’s ever made. For me, it was and still is. I am glad to see it is finally receiving the accolades it has long deserved.

Interesting timing, about 2 months ago I wanted to get back into 35mm film and wasn't sure on which camera I wanted to use this time (years ago I used a Canon A-1--- wonderful camera too, btw) but I wanted the best manual focus camera I could find... looks like made the right choice! I bought 2 bodies and fitted one with a Nikon 50 f1.2 AI and the other with a 28 f2 AI. With the right finder screen, manual focus on this camera is a dream, even with the extremely shallow depth of field f1.2 offers!

the portraits look great and the look of olympus 4k video looks phenomenal.

My favorite camera of all time! Still have it collecting dust in my closet.