Testing the Nikon F55 and 28-80mm kit lens as a Travel Camera in Shanghai

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... in which I wander the streets of Shanghai's old French Concession and ask, could a plastic fantastic SLR from the dying days of film actually be the best film travel camera? The Nikon N55 / F55 has a sketchy reputation for being a functionally crippled and poorly made consumer camera for Mums that didn't see the juggernaut of digital in their rear view mirror on the drive to soccer practice. But it's light, and despite its limitations has enough trickle-down technology to beat many more in-vogue film options. And what about the lens? After all, a camera is just a light-tight box, with the lens doing most of the heavy lifting. It's just as light and flimsy, with modest specifications; but perhaps this unassuming little optic has a surprise in store?
Camera: Nikon F55
Lens: Nikon AF NIKKOR 28-80mm f/3.3-5.6G
Film: Generic 800T and Ilford HP5 @1600 ISO
Location: Shanghai China (and a bit of Guangzhou)
Date: October 29 2023.
web: markmcmahon.me
instagram: @patternsinsand

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15 сен 2024

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Комментарии : 28

@apilgrim7 6 месяцев назад

Congratulations Mark! Time to celebrate! Great video as usual! Very entertaining and so much useful information in it! And you're so eloquent and funny too!

@patternsinsand 6 месяцев назад

Thanks Reuel. Comments like yours are the best encouragement to keep pumping those videos out!

@thedrunkweddingphotographer 5 месяцев назад

The 28-80 3.3 is an INCREDIBLE little lens that over the years I have own four of them, with three more on the way next week thanks to this video. To my knowledge, this might be the only zoom AF Nikkor with such a low element count, only 6 elements! And that there is the secret sauce to this lens and why it produces beautiful images. So the reason why I had four in the past was because they're made of plastic and are kit lenses, the people I acquired them from did not take care of them and they effed up the AF motors. That said, they served me well for many years. In fact, my only two photo exhibits (first in 2015, second in 2018) in the Vincent Price Art Museum in Los Angeles, were taken with both the N75 and the 28-80. And in 2020 when everyone was buying everything on eBay, I sold off half of my gear because I didn't want it sitting there since I no longer had a need for half of it. BUT! This video made me remember how much I love that little lens and it made me sad that I got rid of them. Especially after seeing all the photos I took with them, primarily family photos. Which are far more valuable to me than any award winning photo in my portfolio. As far the N55, I have only owned one, but again, it arrived damaged. I'm actually waiting for one in the mail as well that's included with the 28-80. I'm just gonna buy a handful of 28-80s until I get my hands on two minty copies. Hopefully this N55 I'm waiting for works because I have a wedding coming up at the beach, and I much rather take it than my F5 or F6 to the beach.

@patternsinsand 5 месяцев назад

Yeah, don't want to risk that 24-70 f/2.8 in the sand! Thanks for the comment. It's a great lens and I'm glad it reawakened some fond memories.

@redskysaturn75 13 дней назад

For the 800 film, I recently shot it, the grey sticker is just an indicator for you to place your dx code sticker there, it's not wrong indication, a lot of people get it wrong.

@patternsinsand 12 дней назад

Thanks for that. Makes a lot of sense, though making it look like a DX code easily confuses idiots like me.

@redskysaturn75 12 дней назад

@@patternsinsand yeah I couldn't figure it out initially too. Good to stock up on some dx coded stickers too.

@patternsinsand 12 дней назад

@@redskysaturn75 Yes, but my preference is always going to be a knife and electrical tape on a rerolled metal dx coded cartridge. Or put it into a manual film camera. Too cheap to buy DX stickers!

@redskysaturn75 12 дней назад

@@patternsinsand ah yes I've never tried that method. Currently using most of my bulked roll Kodak double x and Potsdam Kino in manual cameras, I still got a wierd fear that cameras don't read those dx coded stickers.

@user-fl4rn1zl9x 6 месяцев назад

Love you videos Mark, Snapy style photos I don't think so, they look pretty nifty to me. I've a later Nikon F75, its light and small perfect for travelling and is very capable too. Like you said, looks wise these cameras aren't fashionable, get overlooked. or dismissed - camera snobs loss, Yep, I really like these last generation of film SLRs.

@patternsinsand 6 месяцев назад

I found a Nikon F75 at a second hand shop recently. $50 with lens and it arrived covered in crud and gunk, with a very stiff 28-80mm (similar to the one just reviewed but with aperture ring). I think I'm addicted to these late consumer Nikons. No doubt it'll make an appearance here soon enough!

@intiyyaz 4 месяца назад

can we use the flashlight with the nikon f55?

@patternsinsand 4 месяца назад

You can use a flash but the F55 doesn't support TTL for external flash (only for inbuilt). I tend to just set the camera to manual, put the shutter to 1/90 and then use a manual flash that has a chart for ISO/Aperture/Distance to dial in the aperture. That works fine for me (I often like to do things like bounce flash anyway so often have to compensate and TTL has limited use for me).

@peterr.c.k.8057 6 месяцев назад

Back in 2003 I bought a Pentax *ist with a nice 28-80mm lens as an easy family camera. Your Nikon and this Pentax must be twins: exactly the same plasticy experience, almost identical design. I got good results, but I never loved this camera, it's got little character. I still own it and even used it a few months ago. - There are such cameras, such things, such jobs that are pale and invisible but probably more important than Leicas & Hasselblads. The supermarket cashiers of photography. - You got excellent "snap shots", thx!

@patternsinsand 6 месяцев назад

Thanks. Yes, most manufacturers have a few of these unloved models and while cameras like the *ist may not have that 'it' factor, they pretty much get you where you need to go without any fuss.

@iainmc9859 6 месяцев назад

One Day in Shanghai ... at least you come home with something more innocuous than One Night in Bangkok. Considering the three stops of overexposure the shots came out well. Tended to prefer the ivy shots through ironwork than the people stuff though. Those yellow bikes are cool though. I wonder if you can get one in Britain ?

@patternsinsand 6 месяцев назад

I enjoy taking the photos of people to see how they come out but ultimately, I would be more likely to hang that ivy on my wall than the curious expressions of Shanghai locals as I wander around taking pics of them!

@iainmc9859 6 месяцев назад

Yeah, I'd never really considered that. Is street photography 'hangable' in people's homes or just in galleries and books. Maybe we were all influenced by the 'Athena' shop at an impressionable age. That will cross my mind the next time I'm out shooting street.@@patternsinsand

@jw48335 6 месяцев назад

By the way - I have found a 1/8 promist filter knocks down the halation. Another great video sir!

@patternsinsand 6 месяцев назад

Thanks and I might take a can of black spray paint to an old UV filter to try it out!

@robdido 6 месяцев назад

By product of baby Soylent green.. too dark?... I digress.. I loved that first roll. Well suited for those streets. The pastellio, pistachio, helatio look was very cool. For a lazy last day effort that was great. Really enjoyed this one

@patternsinsand 6 месяцев назад

I'm going to trademark that PPH aesthetic :)

@robdido 6 месяцев назад

My 1990s plastic fantastic SLR of choice is the Canon 500N

@jw48335 6 месяцев назад

For the el-cheapo combo I vote F80 with either the 1st gen 28-85 AF or the 28-80 AF-D 2nd Gen with the aperture ring before the AFG gelded version. I suppose the silver body here is a fashion statement though 😂

@patternsinsand 6 месяцев назад

I'm envious of the build quality of my wife's F80. It sits perfectly between the F55 and the F100 in terms of heft, and of course you can dial in the ISO. And yes, the silver is very blingy compared to the blacks of the others.