Review 2 of 168
Price Paid:
$150.00
from internet auction Summary: I've only bought the F90 after a period of switching back and forth between Nikon and Pentax. Both a Pentax SF7 and SFXn died on me... this discouraged me a bit so I picked a Nikon again (my first AF SLR was an F50 which has never let me down)... it was an F801 - a masterpiece of a cemera, but it lacked a spotmeter... my next pick was an F4s, but despite the wonderful solid build, some things didn't feel right - no program shift and some other details, too. Remembering the F801 very fondly I began looking for an F801s, but found this F90 instead. That's right, it's not even an F90X, it's the older F90.
Well what can I say? It feels like a good old friend. Basically, it's the good old F801 body, shutter and mechanics paired with a whole new 8-field #D matrix system, new AF system, and other new electronics, and given a new external shell to make it look like a whole new model. I'm glad they didn't change the basic parts, why change perfection?
It has the same brilliant layout, the same magnificent hi-eyepoint viewfinder, same indestructible mechanics, with plenty of great tiny little details added, a studio flash socket, second frame counter added in the viewfinder, LCD illumination, PC interface, custom functions and it stores shooting date. Frankly speaking, it offers more of the features I find useful than the F4s did.
A brilliant camera. Strengths: -Build quality
-Toughness
-has everything you need, it's a pure picture-taking machine
-excellent metering systems
-excellent flash control
-excellent user interface... with one flaw, described in the weaknesses section
-perfect viewfinder
-AA batteries
-viewfinder blind
-must I go on? Everything else, too :-) Weaknesses: - its control system, although brilliant, doesn't cover all its functions and a ridiculously expensive MF-26 back is needed to get something as simple as multiexposure (I don't miss any other feature it offers, though). I wish it had a shift button like the F601!
- VR lenses can only work without the VR function
- outrageous price tags on extras such as the dedicated release cable or the PC interface cable. Similar Products Used: F50, F801, F4s
other brands: Pentax Z10, SF7, SFXn
Zenit Automat, 19, 18 Customer Service: Not needed for any repairs (no problems with any of the Nikons I've owned), but prooved excellent for a simple conversion (installing contacts in the battery well to make the MB-10's shutter button work) - fast, to the point, and cheap, too (they ask 4x less for this service than any other nikon service center in the west)
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