Nikon F-801 (N8008) The 35mm film camera Underdog.

[@wsbrum]

Amid this COVID-19 mess I thought of getting into 35mm film photography. Mentioned to my dad I was after a film camera and, to my surprise, he took a Nikon F801 he had not used in 20 years from his office drawer and gave it to me. Looking forward to using it after watching the review! Thanks for the video.

[@1989Goodspeed]

Super Cool! It is a really awesome camera, hope you enjoy it!

[@toomanyjstoomanyrs1705]

Got one of these last year for $20.00 US only because I liked the yellow Nikon strap. Took the camera for a test run and I was surprised at the photos I got back. Superb.

[@dhavidcg]

Got it for $18, best purchase of my life :)

[@melvinch]

The F-801 was used heavily by National Geographic photographers back in the days. If it's good enough for them, it's good enough for the rest of us mere-mortals.

[@1989Goodspeed]

Melvin Chong cool, I didn't know that.

[@lightnick8994]

Could you post the source, please?

[@damonlangley6615]

I just bought one of these with a 50 1.8 for $49 australian. Im pretty keen to use it. It just kind of seems like a cheap way to get a decent nikon body that does everything an f3/f2 could do without the cult status or the price

[@1989Goodspeed]

Cool, it really is a brilliant camera. Yes the F2 and F3, well especially the F2 has for some reason just out of the blue reached some sort of “legend status”. I think the F-801 is the underdog because of the “button + control wheel” interface you use to change settings… Anyway enjoy the camera, and getting it with a 50mm 1.8 for that price was a bargain!

[@NextScamdemic]

Got one today for $16.00! (Along with an AF Nikkor 28-85mm 3.5-4.5 for $20.00!) The looks are deceiving, from the looks I was expecting it to have a junky early 90's feel -but you can tell the excellent build quality the moment you pick it up and handle it! Thanks for the review.

[@1989Goodspeed]

Thank you! Well that was a real bargain, good lens too!

[@jeancadet7968]

I'm going to get one real soon!!!! I own a Nikon N60, and I love it. The F801will be my next Full frame body for sure!!!

[@1989Goodspeed]

Cool, hope you enjoy it!

[@jonjanson8021]

I bought a new F90 X new in the early 90's. I used it as a pro and it was so good I bought a second used body. Used both professionally right up into the 2000's. At the time I was a little worried about the plastic outer shell, but actually it has held up better than any all metal camera I've ever had. I sold the second camera but kept the first simply because I'd done so much with it. I still use it occasionally. IMO they are by far the best value Nikon film cameras right now. They can be had fairly cheaply and leave just about everything that went before in the dust. Very reliable, handling is great, Matrix metering, built in motor drive and if you need it single point autofocus. In fact Nikon had a problem for a while because it eclipsed the then flagship F4. If anyone is into 35mm film and they're not interested in the collector scene or the groovy 60's hipster look I'd highly recomend them as great working, usable, affordable cameras. Today's equivalent would be the D800 series. Check them out on Ebay and get a good one while the prices are still low.

[@jonjanson8021]

Excellent video by the way. No nonsense and as usual you cut through the BS and say it as it is. Thanks.

[@jonjanson8021]

One more point. The lack of a PC port can be overcome by using a cheap hot shoe adapter. The F90x has a built in PC port. The remote releases can be bought super cheap and there are even new Chinese knock offs available. There's no mirror lock up but quite frankly it doesn't need it, quite a hefty camera. The MB grip battery holder for the F90x improves handling and portrait shooting. Again at the moment, super cheap. If you are a street shooter and because of the value, if someone tries to steal your camera at knife point, you just throw it at their face and run. Perfect street camera.

[@1989Goodspeed]

Thank you! Well everything is a learning experience. It is cool that film is coming back in a way. But it also seems in a way that some of Nikon´s late 80s to early 2000 35mm cameras are in a way “neglected” or at least underutilized. These were the cameras that basically were used as benchmarks for their digital counterparts. I look at my D7200 and it is ecstatically weary similar to a F100, so you can still see were the pedigree comes from.

[@caleb082]

Superb camera. I fully maintain that my sports photos from 25 years ago with a Nikon F801s and my Tokina 70-200 f2.8 are in a whole different league to anything that most digital can do - at the moment. Most people don't know what an F801 is though - unfortunately.

[@1989Goodspeed]

Well yes film was cool in the sense that the camera could take a variety of film among others things. And yes it is a pity that not many appreciate the F-801, but that's why I call it a "underbog", but it is a briliant camera.

[@thomiccor]

The Nikon MF-21 "data back" is multi-function. It does much more than imprint information on the negative. The MF-21 connects to the cameras computer via brass dimples, and allows you to program times and exposures too a much longer and more exact than even the F5 was capable.

[@Lufimix]

Nikon F-801S - for ever!

[@jbliborio]

I've just brought one in very perfect state and Iust say I loved it. A perfect camera for me.

[@1989Goodspeed]

Nice!

[@oc2phish07]

I bought my F801s way back soon after it first cam out. Still use it today alongside my Nikon and Fuji digital cameras. Right now I have Fujifilm Acros 400 film in it. Nice video by the way.

[@1989Goodspeed]

Cool, hope the 90s Nikon´s will get some more appreciation, after all they are the “last generation” before digital became the standard. I usually use Ilford for B&W…though I got to try T-MAX again. But I might add Acros to my bucket list of films to try out ;-) Anyway, thanks for watching!

[@roybixby6135]

F801s An Underrated Camera - I would suggest the SB24 flash instead of the SB20...

[@1989Goodspeed]

I agree, the SB20 was the flash my dad got with the camra "back in the day"... a casually I now own two SB24's and they are brilliant speedlights. Anyway thanks for watching!

[@pjimmbojimmbo1990]

I got one of these after my F3HP was stolen. Combined with the SB-24, it did real well. It did better than the F90X and the SB-26 when it came to exposure

[@vyrnmn]

This may be a strange question, but is it possible to fire off a shot without any film loaded? I have an F801s that appears all to be working, except when I try a shot with no film loaded I just get a short whirr and nothing else. With the beep turned on it will chime a number of times and the film symbol on the display will flash for about 8 seconds. My assumption is that it won't let me do anything if there is no film loaded, but I just want to be sure before I put a roll in and potentially waste it. Any advice would be really helpful.

[@1989Goodspeed]

Well as far as I know this was a popular “backup” to F4/F5 shooters so it was one of Nikon´s more technologically advances cameras. It uses DX-codes and is self-loading so it has a feature that detects if the film holder is empty and if it is “miss loaded”… so if there is a way to use the camera on empty I would consult the manual. Have seen them as PDF files online.

[@vyrnmn]

@@1989Goodspeed Thank you for your reply!

[@NextScamdemic]

The autofocus on mine is very noisy, I thought maybe it was sick or needed lubrication, but in the commercial at 16:06 it makes the same exact noise.

[@1989Goodspeed]

Yeah, thank R&D for silent wave motors lol.

[@IvanAgram]

It's like Harley's :)

[@1989Goodspeed]

@@IvanAgram cool analogy 👍

[@volante8657]

from a friend of mine who owns a F801s, F801 is pretty much a F4 without analog dials(and the manual rewind), that's how close the 2 are

[@1989Goodspeed]

Can totally see that, they were contemporary cameras with each other. Still a grate (underappreciated) camera body.

[@ghw7192]

I bought an 8008s with the 50/1.4 AF lens for my daughter and she loved it. We were at a Halloween party not long afterwards and she had her Nikon and I had a Canon EOS 1, also with a 50/1.4 lens. When it started getting dark, her Nikon would lock in the focus while my EOS would play hunt and seek. I mentioned that to the local Canon rep and he told me that low light focusing was a known problem with the EOS, but that Canon was working on it. Wrong answer, so I sold the Canon and bought myself an 8008s. I still have it along with an F-801s QD that I picked up later. I have two F-4's, but I actually prefer shooting with the 8008's. Great review of a great camera! Thanks!

[@1989Goodspeed]

Cool story!, thanks for enjoying the review!

[@bobthompson865]

Inherited my father in laws 8008 and looking for information on how to use it. He took amazing pictures with it, especially of Yosemite.

[@mickturnock1348]

Thanks for the info. Just found this camera in a pawn shop for $50 Australian. One roll of film nearly finished. Look forward to the results.

[@1989Goodspeed]

Cool! Hope you enjoy the camera!

[@1872hannah]

I just got one of these, but it doesn't seem to work:// I have no clue on how this camera works, and my boyfriend said it probably just needed to be charged, but it doesn't seem like you can charge the camera

[@1989Goodspeed]

It runs on 4 AA-batteries, so try to just get some new. On the botom there is a hatch with a solver screw. Thats the battery compartment. Hope it healps!

[@ColeGaskins]

I had to leave my on for a couple of hours when I got it. The capacitors were empty. Needed charging after years of being idle.

[@giannagiavelli5098]

it is amazing camera, better ai support than f4. the s ver adds spot metering (and is newer) beware the gummy rubber which happens to some abused ones

[@oteliogarcia1562]

The F100 or even F90x/N90s are the film equivalents of the D850

[@nandagopalnair]

Great stuff bud! I’ve got a question though, which Nikon body is better, F80 or F801?

[@1989Goodspeed]

Well, they are two different generations of Nikon cameras… So going on features alone and compatibility with modern glass, I would have to say the F80. The F-801 came in the transitional period between the F4 and F5 while the F80 is considered the F100 cameras “little brother”.

[@nandagopalnair]

T.B.Photo Thanks for the reply :)

[@huwanpel9466]

hello.. i have a nikon f-801s but body only.. what lens should i buy? what lens model compatible?

[@1989Goodspeed]

Well this camera body is compatible with most Nikon-F mount lenses. Although it woll not take Pre-Ai (auto indexing) lenses and I don’t think it will work with “current gen” G-series lenses (the ones not having an aperture ring/collar on the base of the lens). But the camera itself is a really good peace of gear. On what lens you should buy… well that’s dependent on what type of photography you aspire on doing. But the good news is there are plenty of good second hand lenses in F-mount for this camera. Hope this was useful, take care!

[@PhilipRice]

Great vid, thanks!

[@1989Goodspeed]

Saw your other comment as well. Thank you!

[@theenchiladakid1866]

Will it meter with AP or SP in manual focus mode?

[@1989Goodspeed]

There is a indikator for focusing in the viewfinder, and the camera has matrix and Centre-Weighted metering modes... so i guess it will meter focus and light in manual focusing mode.

[@1989Goodspeed]

in AP and SP modes i don´t really know since i haven´t use that particular combo myself... But i would be surprised if it didn't work in those modes.

[@zeljkoplavsic784]

Bought mint N8008 from Etsy for $20

[@1989Goodspeed]

Cool. Nice price for a briliant camera!

[@northof-62]

My F-801 just failed to rewind. I heard the motor going, but when I opened the door the film was still at the last frame. Bummer. 36 frames gone. Bye bye to this one? No - see update below.

[@northof-62]

Update: I unscrewed the bottom plate and fiddled with a cog on a small arm that switches from right to left to engage the rewind wheels/sprockets. After a little fine machine oil on that mechanism I got it working again. Yayy! Love my F-801 even more now.

[@1989Goodspeed]

Cool, awesome you could tinker with it to make them work again!

[@fabmanly1070]

@@northof-62wow thanks for this, I got mine in 92 and I think it’s got the same problem.

[@northof-62]

@@fabmanly1070 Hope you manage to save it.

[@frankiebigrings7048]

how do I get it to auto focus , what button and how do I remove the lenses

[@1989Goodspeed]

05:40 The camera has three AF modes M for manual S for single and C for continuous, you need to have it on S or C to auto focus (AF). The AF accrues when you half-press the shutter bouton it takes a delicate touch. 08:30 look were the first finger on my left hand is, on the left side of the camera below the F-801 logo is a black button you press while twisting the lance. That should do it, best of luck.

[@alga51]

Eu tenho a mesma Câmara, quero_a vender: que preço posso pedir por ela, foi comprada no ano 1988, por 1'330 Sfr.que valor pode ter hoje? Muito obrigado!

[@1989Goodspeed]

Ok, I used Google translate for this since I don’t read Portuguese. But I would look towards E-Bay or any national variant of E-Bay to get an estimated price. Then it’s a matter of condition, a mint-in-box from Japan can fetch about 100Euro, though a used example depending on functionality and cosmetic wear can go from 20 to 50 Euro if you add in a “Kit-lens” like the 35-70mm f/3.3-4.5. As I state in the video; this IS a underappreciated, but brilliant SLR Camera, so the prices are low compared to let’s say an Nikon FM, F3, FA or F4.

[@alga51]

Thanks so much! My Camera, Is the Nikon F-801 - practicaly without use, it is as new! 100 € is very little...thenk you very much! Regards from Lissabon

[@underground1911]

how much ?

[@1989Goodspeed]

Since this was my father's camera it was free for me.

[@Puffles127]

whats the megapixel?

[@1989Goodspeed]

Depends on how good the negative scanner is. Its a film camera, so zero megapixels.

[@bscpladet3233]

nikon to pin? does anyone have a link to 7:28

[@1989Goodspeed]

Its "Two Pin", the camera has a two pin conection for a external trigger like the "Nikon Pistol Gripp" with the Nikon MC-3 cambel (it´s a three pin cable) shown in the example picture.

[@bscpladet3233]

@@1989Goodspeed thanks!

[@ericliu1558]

It still uses film roll which need to be developed. This is why it is obsolete.

[@FourSeasonsHD]

When you have the film developed, you have a tangible item that is known to last 100+ years. It is not film - it is a time machine.

[@andreika6681]

+ possibility to get 100Mpix images on a good scanner

[@fabmanly1070]

Anyone know where to get a manual for the 801s

[@1989Goodspeed]

www.cameramanuals.org/nikon_pdf/nikon_f-801s_af.pdf