Introduction

When I decided to pick up my first 35mm film camera I spent a good chunk of time working out which model would suit me best. Early on I decided to stick with Nikon so I could use some of my existing lenses, keeping investment down in case film was not for me. Nikon has a huge historical backlog of film cameras from the original mechanical ones all the way up to the F6 which is perhaps the most advanced film camera ever made. The older Nikon Professional cameras: F3 & F4 were tempting but they were a bit too primitive for someone who was looking to try film from digital as seamlessly as possible. The F5 ticked all the boxes but was too big and bulky to carry and F6 which would have been perfect was simply too expensive. In the end I decided on the F100, the last high-end film camera that Nikon made. Modern, highly spec’d and at a very affordable price (£150-£250 for the body) I believe this is the ideal camera for a first-time film shooter.

Specification

Here is a quick rundown of some of the specs:

·       Shutter speeds from 1/8000s to 30s with bulb mode

·       Automatic film wind-on

·       4.5fps (5fps with the optional battery grip)

·       5 point autofocus system

·       10 segment light meter with full matrix metering

·       Flash sync speed of 1/250s (no HSS) – compatible with modern Nikon flashes including 3rd party gear such as Godox

·       Takes 4 AA batteries which last for at least 10 rolls of film (36)

·       Aperture, shutter speed and exposure compensation modes can all be adjusted at a 1/3 stop intervals

It is worth noting that it is fully compatible with Nikon G lenses but cannot change apertures on the most recent lenses with the electronic diaphragm. It also lacks the interchangeable prisms that the F5 had and there is no option for mirror lock-up.

More information can be found here: https://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/filmcamera/slr/f100/

Camera Manual: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/lit_files/42036.pdf

My experiences

Picking up an F100 is a familiar experience for those who use Nikon’s DSLRs. The buttons and dials are all laid out in the same way and it even has the LCD screen to check your settings on top of the camera. The main difference is the back of the camera, there is no screen just a wheel and a selector to control your autofocus points. There are twenty-two custom settings on the F100 and to go through them you simply hold down the CSM button on the back of the camera and use the scroll wheels to select your settings. However, you will need to look at the manual to work out what all the numbers mean, and this can easily be found as a PDF online (see link above). There are only five autofocus points but it is responsive and accurate, though just like my digital Nikons, I find the speed of acquiring focus has a lot to do with which lens you are using.

Loading film is a straightforward exercise: turn the camera on, open the back, insert the cartridge, stretch out the leader to the red dot and then close the back and press the shutter button. At this point the film will wind on and you will be ready to take your first frame. What did confuse me when I first used the camera was the light meter. In a digital camera values to the left mean darker and values to the right mean lighter but this was inverted in the F100. Why? Well, in the days of film most lenses had an aperture ring on the lens which you would either turn to the left to close the aperture and let in less light or turn to the right to open the aperture and let in more light. This matches the light meter, there is no custom setting to change this, but you quickly get used to it.

Other than that, the only confusion the camera has caused me is the battery indicator. Unlike a modern camera with multiple bars of charge this only has two. Full two bars for sufficient power and a single bar to indicate low battery (meaning you need to get those new batteries ready pronto!). I mistakenly believed this meant half battery which left me with a dead camera less than thirty minutes into a photo walk without any spares, I will not be making that mistake again! When in low power the camera will turn off the LCD displays on top and in the viewfinder whilst you are not pressing any buttons which is also somewhat annoying when you are changing your settings.

All in all, it is a very straightforward camera to use, more so than a lot of digital cameras with their complicated menu systems. Just remember that unlike digital cameras the image quality comes from the type of film you use and not the camera body itself. The F100 provides a reliable, highly functional, easy to use body that, with its weather sealing, will allow you to shoot in whatever conditions you can throw at it. Perhaps one day I will get that F6 but for now I have the camera that does everything I need it to an affordable price. If you are looking at getting your first film camera and want something less retro, then I highly recommend you get one of these.

See below some of the images I have recently taken on the F100.

Do you have an F100 or are looking to pick up your first film camera? Let me know in the comments below.

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