Introduction

I have a strange affection towards the Nikon F4. Maybe because we both have a lot in common.

We were both born around the same time – the F4 in 1988, me in 1989.

We both witnessed the transition of analog to digital and this impacts how we operate. I love analog controls combined with the advantages of high end electronics, a feeling only the F4 can satisfy.

Anyways, welcome to my review of Nikon’s first professional auto focus SLR!

Review

Specifications

35mm SLR
Nikon F-Mount with screw drive AF coupler
Single AF-point (phase detection)
4 to 5 frames per second
Exposure modes: M, P, Ph, A, S
TTL Exposure metering modes: Matrix, Center-weighted or Spot
Shutter speed 30’’ to 1/8000
Flash synchronization 1/250
Mirror lock-up, multi exposure and self-timer
Requires 4 to 8 AA cells depending on the model
Weight around 1.200g

Controls and Handling

Handling is the first and foremost reason to purchase an F4. It is the only professional Nikon AF SLR with classic dials and switches only. No shoulder LCD panel is required to check the settings like on the F5 or F6.

This makes working with the F4 so unique. It is a physical, tactile experience you either hate or love. I love it.

Compared to its predecessor, the F4 marks the beginning of a new design philosophy for professional SLRs. While the F3 needed a winder, hot shoe add-on and more, the F4 has everything built in.

The pronounced hand grip is necessary to handle the 1.2kg heavy body. The Nikon F4 feels like a lot of camera.

Nikon F4 hand grip with lockable drive selector

Another very positive aspect of the F4 that can’t be emphasized enough is that runs on regular, widely available AA batteries.

My F4 is equipped with an MB-21, which requires 6x AA batteries and doubles as a vertical grip with a lockable shutter release button.

Autofocus and Metering System

Being the first professional AF SLR made by Nikon, the F4 was a revolution. It only has one center phase-detect AF point, but this one is very precise and usually able to acquire focus. The Nikon F4 supports continuous and single focus AF. I found the continuous AF quite reliable, but because there is only one AF point severely limits its usefulness for tracking subjects.

Also, its AF slower and less reliable than for example that of the Minolta Alpha 9.

The metering system is built in to the interchangeable viewfinder prism. Most F4’s you’ll find on the used market are equipped with the DP-20 finder. It offers an early version of Nikon’s matrix metering, which works reliably. I’ve shot some rolls of slide film with the F4 and the camera mostly got it right. Of course, back-lit scenarios and predominantly white or black scenes require exposure compensation. Spot and center-weighted metering are also available.

Viewfinder

Equipped with the DP-20, the viewfinder offers approximately 100% coverage with a magnification of around 0.7. Two reference circles in the middle of the frame provide indication for the spot metering and center-weighted metering radius. The viewfinder is one of the brightest I ever had the pleasure to look through. It rivals the best Acute Matte screens on the market. However, it is not designed for manually focusing lenses. The F3’s finder offers a clearer visual clue for what is in focus and what not.

Flash Photography with the Nikon F4

It is important to note that the F4 is not equipped with Nikon’s iTTL system, which was introduced with the F6 and D2 in 2003.

Shooting with flash is therefore solid, but not outstanding as with Nikon’s new (D)SLRs.

Build Quality and Reliability

Build quality on the F4 is outstanding. Everything feels super solid and well made. One can clearly feel that Nikon did not take any shortcuts and wanted to bring the best possible experience to the user.

Nevertheless, the camera was not intended for a 30+ lifespan and unfortunately the Nikon F4 is not the most reliable camera on the market. Even cosmetically perfect cameras can just die unexpectedly or start developing certain issues. Given you are willing to spend enough money, an expert repairman with extended knowledge in electronics might be able to fix it. I would not bet on it though, you might have to sell it for parts. My DP-20 for example refused to trigger any flash at some point, but still metered perfectly.

You can send the F4 to Nikon Europe for service, but they are mostly out of parts.

I would never buy an F4 before personally checking every function of the camera. If one thing does not work, sudden camera death might be around the corner.

Lens Compatibility

It is an F-mount camera, so it is naturally very compatible. Here are some caveats though:

The lens has to have an aperture ring, otherwise you can’t stop it down except in P-mode.
It cannot close the aperture on new E lenses, even in P-mode.
Just use lenses with an aperture ring and you will be fine.

Ken Rockwell describes compatibility in detail on his site, so if in doubt I would just head over there.

Conclusion

Again, I would like to draw a comparison between myself and the F4: We both are capable of professional results, but have developed some quirks over time. While I would still consider myself a 100% reliable, the F4 certainly is not. Always bring a second body in case the F4 decides that it is time for retirement.

Nowadays, I would mostly recommend the F4 for landscape and studio work. When shooting portraits, you will do the focus-recompose a lot. This also means that when shooting lenses wide open, it will be necessary to manually adjust focus.

The Nikon F4 is a unique piece of camera history and every photographer should work with it at least once. Just don’t spend too much on it, as it is not as reliable as other options on the market. When in doubt, get an F5 or F6.

Nikon F4