The Nikon F5: From the Grays Vault

[@Photojouralist123]

I was a photojournalist for AFP and my work camera was the F5. I got many of front pages with that camera. Never ever failed me.

[@jb-xc4oh]

I own two F5's, they have the best metering system for properly exposing color slide film that was ever put in a camera. I still use them to shoot B&W and color slides.

[@dunnymonster]

Love my F5, it's a beast of a camera. The fact that I can shoot it with " modern " G lenses means I'm pretty much getting the very best images I can get out of any film camera 😊

[@marshalltravis3217]

I always wanted one of these but in the 90’s it wasn’t in the budget. A couple of years ago I bought one for a bargain and it was a dream come true. I have fallen asleep with the f5 in my hand. Love it.

[@baxtermarrison5361]

A point of pedantry... there were 3000 anniversary variants, 1000 were sold in the Japanese market, the remaining 2000 were sold over the rest of the world.

[@radicalrenegade8528]

Both of you can dance. I am impressed.

[@garethwilliams976]

Simply the best pro SLR made anywhere by anyone! A total masterpiece never outshone even by the F6. Mine will be buried with me.

[@ThomasHalways]

No, this was the beginning of Nikon's downfall from Nr1, to fall back behind Canon and never to recover. The EOS-1 and later EOS-1V blew the F5 off the sky.

[@garethwilliams976]

The advantage was with the EOS system of lens based autofocus and Canon's early adoption of full frame digital which gave them a commanding lead up to 2008 and the D3 which was better than any Canon especially the D3x. I find Nikon's menu system more intuitive and the single figure pro cameras at least as well made as any Canon. At least Nikon did not desert their many fans by discontinuing as Canon did the FL lens system nearly overnight. I had a system based on my F1 F1n and T90 and lenses to match. I abandoned Canon then and swore like many others never to buy their equipment again. Never regretted it.@@ThomasHalways

[@powbobs]

@@ThomasHalways LOL, no.

[@charliipresley]

@@ThomasHalwaysyea, tell that to Nick Van Owen…

[@porkster5924]

A used F5 these days is a bargain if you are still shooting film. I own one along with the F4S, FA, FM2, FE2, FM, FE, F3 and an F100. Just need an F6 and FM3a to complete my collection.

[@steveottavaino3804]

The F5 was the last film camera I purchased and is simply the best. Although I moved into the digital realm I still own and shoot with it, mostly black & white. When purchased Nikon offered 0% financing for 1 year, truly the only way I could have bought it at the time; I will never sell it. Subjective of course but I believe Nikon never produced a higher quality feeling camera body, you could drive nails with it and look good doing so. Thanks for sharing. Ciao.

[@tedsmith_photography]

Got two. Used to have 3 but some "one" stole it in 2011, along with the lenses! Fear not - he was caught 3 months later, and did 8 months inside for it. I use my F5's for all sorts, but mostly for weddings believe it or not.

[@dundas45]

Was fortunate enough to get an F5 a year ago at a very decent price and really love using it. It is a beast for sure, even more so than the D850.

[@davidjohnson4451]

I was shooting with 4x5s and 8x10s. And used the Nikon F5 and the 20-35mm lens to meter for the larger format. The F5 would often take the more usable photos, so I switched back to 35mm. And it was fast!

[@jb-xc4oh]

I did exactly the same thing, I have two F5's. However the images out of my 4x5 and 8x10 cameras make images from 60 megapixel digital sensors look like crap.

[@kidzrevil]

This is about to be my first film camera and I can not WAIT 😢😢😢

[@1111undici1111]

Sexy camera, especially that 50 anniversary, gun metal color!

[@anthonyc1883]

Nice. Would love to see you do a vault episode on the rare Nikon F3/T in the original "champagne" finish (not the black version). All F3/T models were seldom seen back in the day but the non-black champagne version was almost like a unicorn. I love mine.

[@davidjb9199]

Have had mine for a few years. When I use it with B&W I use the manual rewind (which you did not mention) so I can leave the film leader out to make my home processing a bit easier. Another point about the rechargeable battery pack, I have had good luck here in the States having a Rolleiflex battery pack re-celled with Ni-Metal Halide batteries and they work in the original NiCad charger. That might be an option here.

[@sunilkale7178]

One of my favorite camera Nikon F5 and Nikon DR. They are great greater and greatest.

[@herewardukulelegroup1034]

The best film camera ever built.

[@lanatrzczka]

Love my F5, but love my F6 more. The backpack weight of the F5 on a hike is a consideration, and that lock button to turn on the F5 trips me up.

[@nandi123]

My favorite camera. I download the shooting data with Meta35.

[@michaelgeorge9525]

Have just seen this Becky . Fabulous review . F5 is undoubted King Nikon . Still loving My Becks ❤❤

[@Carl.65]

Mmmm F5... I have the poor man's/woman's version, the F100 with the grip. Kon has some moves!

[@eyesonly4451]

These cameras were made for full-time photojournalist and field photographers (think National Geographic). They are heavy as lead! On the end of a tripod they make a formidable blunt force weapon. I feel sure it could take out a silverback gorilla if necessary. One thing the F5 was known for (and carried over to the F6) was fool-proof metering for reversal (slide) film. Reversal film was used mostly by pros of the day because of its high contrast color pop--if properly exposed. The F5's matrix metering system was actually an early example of machine learning AI that had been trained over thousands of images.

[@ralphmwhite3]

Excellent choice to review.

[@chrislekhavanija]

Nikon F5 is my all time favorite camera. Partnership between Giugiaro Design and Nikon, designed for professional market users.

[@davidjohnson4451]

I still have my F5 and my favorite lens, the 20-35 Nikkor lens, and it is still WORKING and loaded with Fuji film 100 ISO Reala. It is almost as big as My Nikon Z 9. The 20-35mm lens is an awesome lens. I used that camera form the Atlantic to the Pacific.

[@keironstoneman6938]

Canon user here. My Eos 1n and 1v are absolutely flawless for me, however there has always been a buzzing in my head telling me "go on, the f5, you know you want to try it...."

[@graysofwestminster]

*whispers* do it, you know you want to 😂

[@keironstoneman6938]

@@graysofwestminster thanks to the extortionate price of film now I am skint!

[@paulatterby7507]

I remember when digital started to get a hold, Jessops cameras were selling these off brand new for £250. Never appealed to me though because of the weight.

[@Mr09260]

My BEST Film Camear bar None

[@dominiclester3232]

The F4 accepts more lenses and most people vote for the F6 which is slightly better on several features. Both are lighter.

[@张大勇-p2r]

F6's side foucs point is powerful.

[@PaulMoorhousehankooks]

I have a f4 ..f5 ..d1x I refurbished a cell for my f5 also

[@philmtx3fr]

Beautifully made (honnestly the f4 was ugly) , very efficient, a very good handling ( same as the EOS1), it s probably one of my favorite film camera … which now cost less than a 400€… just a beast eating ( too fastly) roll films :)

[@jaimeduncan6167]

E lenses: Just like they said they are. not compatible, but if you are willing to use the lens wide open, then the lens will AF, at least in my F100.

[@borisgalos6967]

No question that the F5 was the ultimate 35mm System Camera. That the F6 lost the ability to change prisms and had significantly fewer options available for customizing the camera to specialized uses moved it down a level. The F5 was my last film body since I moved to the D1 when it came around and didn't look back just as I did from the D5 to the Z 9.

[@s0972821]

Some F5's battery power run out very quickly due to the short circuit. Have you ever heard about that?

[@NigelsVidPix]

I had mine fixed by Gray's - I believe it was due to the sensor shutting off the camera at a higher voltage than it should have, making it appear to consume batteries at an alarming rate but before they had been normally exhausted. After the fix it behaved perfectly up to this day. Grays also change a setting to prevent films from entirely rewinding, leaving about 2 cm so you can easily retrieve for processing.

[@danieleppelsheimer9273]

Hi For those who were there I think that is a British expression The Battery in that camera was always its problem. it’s shape/function is timeless

[@medicus1963]

I still own one. It’s really a great cam. And I can use all my modern lenses as well as my old screwdriver tele lens. It focuses so quick like an AF-S! The motor is brutal strong. There is an urban legend where a sales man of a third party lenses enters a shop. The shop owner puts the third party lens on the F5 and it makes during focusing a very ugly noise because the mighty F5 had cracked the drive of the lens. 😂 The sales man takes the ruined lens saying no single word and he was never seen again in this place.

[@charliipresley]

Good enough for Nick Van Owen , good enough for me…

[@norbertmuhlberger7357]

😢 It was the shutter …

[@lightspeed2121]

I bought 2 F-5 anivirsary models new unused in the box from a broker out of Tokyo,, I use all my F mount lenses on it , gave one to a friend photographer!

[@williamweaver5695]

If you improved your sound quality these videos would be amazing

[@nickcucchiara]

That's was the camera I wanted in the 90's as just a poor kid!

[@gohilsavio]

1st to comment 😆 without knowing the content... ok lemme watch it now ..

[@cditfurth]

Great video, thank you. However, your microphones are placed too high, under the chin. Probably that's why the sound is pretty bad.

[@ThomasHalways]

As a former owner of a F4, I have to say a big loud and decisive: NO! The F5 was a clear miscalculation, a begin of the downfall from Nr1 position. Nikon never regained its former glory, and now even it is only a distant Nr 3 behind Canon and Sony (carrying the spirit of Minolta.) Especially the huge number of young people entering rather the Sony system are the real danger to Nikon's future. The old folks are getting older, our Nikon bodies dusty, and the Z bodies are now "the road less traveled."

[@roybixby6135]

Great Video on a great Camera - love it. And I love the Kodak DCS760 which is a digital Nikon F5. I dont remember mine coming with the gray bodycap - must be a Grays tribute thing ... 🦘

[@jamiegray3245]

The grey cap was only on the 50th Anniversary Edition, which is what they are holding here