Nikon F 100 - SLR camera - 35mm - body only - black

I still shoot a lot of film, being a bit of a purist and throwback - I like the satisfaction and anticipation of waiting for prints. I've used a lot of Nikon SLRs to include the FM, FM2, N2002, N5005, N8008s, and this is my current workhorse. It performs extremely well for everything I shoot from macro to 600mm zoom. I think this will be the last film camera Nikon makes in this range and I've been looking hard at the fantastic new D2H and upcoming D70 with excitement, but I think I will always have a film camera.

I have one comment to make about the doofus who posted in an earlier review that the camera has a critical mirror defect in that the mirror does not lock up and the camera may break accordingly. Hogwash. I've traveled with mine all over the world and it hasn't even flinched in the travel and varying conditions. I packed it in a Pelican case with all of my lenses and didn't have a single problem. I've dropped it once and it didn't even dent.

Great SLR - the best I've ever used.

I've had my F100 for just over a year and continue to be impressed by the handling and abilities of this camera. Very good build quality, good features, and good layout of controls. I debated between the F100 or a Canon EOS 3 for quite a while. For me the F100 viewfinder was easier to see through and the controls are much more intuitive. Both are good cameras, but for me the F100 was better. While not all my pictures are gems (due to my own limitations as a photographer), this camera has never delivered less than expected.

I did try a friend's F5 for a few days, which is an amazing camera. But given the few additional features it has, and the weight difference, I'd would still choose the F100 over the F5. It does 95% of what the F5 does in a much better handling and lighter package.

Finally, regarding the review below that talks about the lack of mirror lock-up (MLU) causing the mirror to break when traveling - what a load of trash... MLU has nothing to do with traveling with your camera. It's used exclusively to reduce camera vibration by flipping the up mirror early, typically for shots taken with long exposure times on a tripod. The reference he made to other information on the web regarding the lack of MLU in the F100 all have to do with vibration, not any travel concerns. The fact is that some camera vibration can be intoducted in the exposure range of .3 secs to .75 secs. MLU would help to alleviate this, and since the F100 doesn't have MLU some people have said that vibration may impact pictures with exposure times in this range. Any more or less exposure time than this and vibration isn't a problem.

I've taken many insect pictures using a tripod and macro lens in this range, and have not noticed any lack of sharpness. And if there were a problem, it's easy to change settings to get a longer or shorter exposure time. If you are strapping a camera to a microscope and MUST take pictures with exposures between 0.3-0.75 secs, get a camera with MLU. For the other 99.9999% of all pictures taken, it's not a problem. Mirror lock-up goes almost completely unused on cameras that have it - it simply isn't needed. Bottom line: lack of MLU on the F100 is a non issue.

Finally, I travel a lot for work and have taken my F100 all over the world in all kinds of conditions with no problems. This is a well built, reliable camera.

I had a N8008s, and it was awesome. I lost it last year, and replaced with what I thought a better camera, F100.
I used once at home, and brought it with me on a trip 9 months after I bought it. By the time I opened the bag, (by the way, the CF-57 case I bought for F100 was like an old pair of pants for a 150-lbs person who had just lost 300 lbs - it did not fit and the button and zip were difficult to use) the mirror gad been jamed.
Because F100 does not have a mirror lck-up, any shock could easily dislodge the mirror and render the camera useless. I checked the Web, and there are many similar complaints. I contact Nikon, and it charged me $241 for a major repair, meaning that they have to take the camera apart and reassemble it. I even don't know when and where I "damaged" the camera. It is like carrying an egg with you. Anyway, it is in the shop.
I guess I will store it on the shelf and tell all my friends how bad this product is. If you don't mind spending money on fixing it, and if you have other similar cameras, then you may try F100, which have some good features when it works.

Only From Nikon do you get a professional 35mm SLR for less than a thousand dollars that is excellent quality and loaded with features. True, other brands also have similar equipment, but with Nikon you can use any Nikon lens produced since the beginning. I have used only Nikon in my twelve years as a semi-pro photographer. I started with an N8008s, which is still shooting, an FM-2n, F4s, F4e, N90s, F3HP and now, finally, the F100 with MB-15 Power Pack. Believe me, after shooting the F100 I am glad I didn't buy the more expensive, and excellent F5. Unless your are a pro shooting for National Geographic (they also use F100)go with the F100. Easy to use, loaded with features, can connect to your PC and much more. I use mine for Outdoor/Wildlife/Aviation photos along with the F4e/N90s and am planning on buying a second F100. That's how superve it is! Buy an F100 with MB-15 Power Pack and you will be amazed at what a Nikon F100 can do.

Those who know Nikon's lineup well, will know that this camera falls between the flagship F5 and the high consumer end N80. It has a tough role to fill, and it does it perfectly.

The focusing on the F100 is far faster than on the N80. When I originally bought my N80, I thought it was fast. On the F100, it's amazing. The images from the F100 are great, and I've never had one that didn't turn out because of camera error (what can I say, human error is the prevalent error behind this camera)

This camera isn't for everyone though. It lacks some of the features of the N80, such as the pop up flash and the grid lines on demand. If you're looking for an introductory camera, this is not it.

However, if you're serious about photography and already have a speedlight (flash), then this camera is definitely worth it. The reason for it not including a pop up flash is that the camera is geared towards very serious amateurs or professional photographers. Nikon figures that by the time you step up to one of their higher end cameras like the F100 or the F5, that you've already acquired a good flash unit. To put it into perspective, one of the photographers who routinely shoots at the local high school shoots with this camera. You can get the grid lines in the viewfinder by spending another [amount of money] and replacing the screen inside the viewfinder. Unfortunately, they aren't built in like the N80, but there is a work around, so in my mind, that's not a big deal.

This camera also has a vertical grip via the high power pack, which is something that the N80 is clearly lacking. So if you tend to shoot a lot in the vertical direction, this is a definite plus, especially if you're like me and don't have very big hands.

All in all, I highly recommend this camera for those who are serious about their photography, and don't want to spend the cash for the F5.