Rangefinder Magazine
March 2005

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Field Test: Nikon F6 by Bob Rose

Early this past September, amidst the numerous announcements of all the digital cameras to be introduced at Photokina, Nikon released a camera nobody ever expected—the Nikon F6.
While Digital SLRs have been the recipients of a steady stream of mechanical and electronic enhancements, their film-based siblings have taken a backseat to most technological improvements. Not any more!

The sixth generation of the Nikon F series, a series introduced in 1959, easily claims the title as the most sophisticated film-based SLR. But film? Industry research says there are plenty of us who still like to shoot film for a variety of reasons, and Nikon aims to please.

According to Nikon, “The F6 embodies Nikon’s latest technological advancements, such as the Multi-CAM200 11-area AF system for exceptionally high-speed autofocus operation with outstanding accuracy, and the i-TTL Creative Lighting System for incomparable flash photography. The F6 features a newly refined proprietary 3D Color Matrix Metering system for improved accuracy in scene recognition and exposure. The camera also operates at highly subdued noise levels to ensure the ultimate shooting experience.”

Based on the specs, this camera has it all. It even has a bulletproof shutter, literally. All right, not totally literally, but it is the first one to be made out of Kevlar, the same stuff used to weave bulletproof vests. For film shooters, the F6 undoubtedly represents the epitome of 35mm SLR photography and cutting edge performance.

Anyway, I’m ready, so off to Photokina I go, anxious to have a chance to ever so briefly play with an F6. Sure enough the F6 felt great and handled well. But also coming as no surprise, I had been told that cameras would be in short supply, so I knew I wouldn’t have a chance to test one anytime soon. How could I get a feeling for “real world” performance? Enter Cliff Mautner.

Cliff is a wedding photojournalist who’s been merrily shooting everything with F5s, and he just recently purchased an F6. During his 15 years as a photojournalist with the Philadelphia Inquirer, he experienced just about every situation a photographer could possibly encounter. Whether shooting a magazine assignment in Liberia, following the President on a campaign stop, covering spelunking in Central Pennsylvania, or any of his 6000 or so other assignments, he never dreamed for one second he would enjoy wedding photography as much as he does now.

As Cliff says, “I believe my career as a photojournalist has provided me with extremely unique insight and perspective on how to photograph the most important day in the life of a couple in love.” It’s also prepared him to really know how to push his new F6 to the limit, so I asked him to share his first experiences.

“This is the most incredibly responsive camera body I have ever gotten my hands on. The most obvious advancement from the F5 is the focusing capability. As advertised, it is quite an improvement. The focusing sensors are so precise. It’s hard to believe there was that much room for improvement from the F5. I feel like all I have to do is see my moment, and I capture the image without any time lag whatsoever. This puppy focuses almost instantaneously. It’s like an extension of my mind’s eye. It focuses on everything, all colors, all lighting—flat lighting included. Even low-contrast situations are handled well. With the SC-29 TTL cord, even the dimmest light is no problem. This improvement truly makes my job seem effortless.

“Feel and ergonomics—the only way to truly appreciate this camera is to shoot a job with it. It just feels great. It is so solid but only weighs a tad more than an F100 (without the optional battery pack), so it is quite lightweight. It is really well balanced, even with a long lens. The command dials are basically placed in the same locations as the F5, so it was a natural fit for me. One thing I did not like, however, is that the exposure meter indicator is on the right when looking through the viewfinder instead of on the bottom as on the F5. This will take some adjustment. My eye has to go back and forth when I want to set exposures in manual mode, and it has definitely slowed me down a bit.

“While the metering system is supposedly improved, I see no noticeable difference from the F5. The F5 meter was awesome to begin with. The i-TTL capabilities with SB-800 strobe are another change from the F5. However, given the latitude of film; no noticeable difference has been seen with respect to exposure consistency. And, unlike the F5, the F6 touts wireless i-TTL capabilities, although I haven’t been able to try this feature yet.

“Rewinding the film without the MB-40 Battery Pack is only a bit faster than the F100, which is a bit of a drag. It also feels like it’s a slower process when compared to the F5, even after the film has rewound. Although I like the size of the body, I need to hold on to the lens during reloading simply because there is less camera to grab compared to the F5. Right now, until I get used to it, I can change film easier on the F5. However, I love that fact that the film advances to frame one immediately when the back is closed (as long as the sprockets are lined up correctly). This is very cool. I also love that the data back actually tells you that film is rewinding, and it tells you when the rewind is complete.

“The new shutter is so smooth. It is unreal how quiet this camera is. When the shutter is fired, there is virtually no vibration whatsoever. Any seasoned professional would appreciate the way the camera feels in use. I get the impression I can handhold this camera at very slow shutter speeds without shake.

“All in all, the F6 is simply amazing. I don’t care if you shoot DSLRs, film SLRs, Leicas, medium- or large-format cameras or Holgas—any professional photographer will appreciate the solid feel and responsiveness of the F6. Is it worth $2300 for a film body? For me it is. It’s a great tool that makes my job easier, and I feel as though it puts me in a position to make better images. In the first three weddings I shot with this camera, I was able to capture moments I may have otherwise missed, even with my F5s. That was all I needed to know. After seeing the film from those weddings, I believe I nailed moments I wouldn’t have gotten with any other camera.

“With respect to film vs. digital, I truly don’t want to come off as a digital basher because I believe in its quality. But I have a tremendous comfort level with film. I love to break the rules of light, and I find there is a bit too much compensation needed when doing that digitally. It causes me to miss moments while trying to deal with exposure accuracy. The beauty of the Nikon matrix meter, in my opinion, is that I never, ever, have to think about exposure. I know what I will get just by looking with my mind’s eye. And, I prefer black-and-white film to digital black and white. It’s got a whole different feel. Remember I said different, not better.

“I also choose film over digital since the digital workflow would just about kill me. I have a unique relationship with film that still allows me to have a life—and I shot about 60 weddings last year. I don’t sit at a computer editing files for days after a wedding, and I don’t need to hire two or three people to manage my files. I have a wonderful lab that is my production staff. I shoot digital on corporate jobs when called for. I use digital as a tool, and just like anything else, I will use it if I feel it is called for. I just choose to stay with film and can’t wait to shoot another wedding with my Nikon F6.”

The images that appear in this article were all made by Cliff with his new F6. For more of his work visit www.cmphotography.com/ or he can be reached at (609) 560-0877.

For information about the F6, visit Nikon's web site: www.nikonusa.com/.

Bob Rose joined the photo industry in 1978 after graduating from RIT. As director of Dark Space Research for Beseler, the manager of Digital Business Development for Ilford, and VP of Marketing for Bogen, Rose has been a contributor to a number of publications including the Focal Press Encyclopedia of Photography, and has taught at Parsons School of Design. In 1999 he formed his own company, VMI. He can be reached at: vmi-info@earthlink.net.

See Cliff Mautner’s program “Editorial Vision in Wedding Photography” at the WPPI 2005 Convention.