Nikon F6
The Nikon F6 is a 35 mm film single-lens reflex camera body that became commercially available during 2004, and is the sixth top-of-the-line professional film camera in Nikon's line since the introduction of the Nikon F in 1959.[1] The Nikon F6 is designed by Nikon and manufactured at their Sendai Plant.[2]
 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Type | 35 mm SLR |
| Lens | |
| Lens mount | Nikon F-mount |
| Focusing | |
| Focus | TTL Phase Detection Autofocus (11 zone) |
| Exposure/metering | |
| Exposure | Program, shutter priority, aperture priority, manual |
| Flash | |
| Flash | External flash |
| Shutter | |
| Frame rate | 5.5 frame/s, 8 frame/s with external battery & grip |
| General | |
| Dimensions | 158 × 119 × 77.5 mm |
| Weight | 975 g |
| Made in | Japan |
| Released | 2004 |
The F6 is the current model of Nikon's F series and it is still in production.[3] It replaces the Nikon F5, manufactured from 1996 to 2004. The Nikon F6 accepts nearly any Nikon F-mount lens with full metering functionality, except for non-AI (non-aperture indexing lenses made before 1977, unless the lens was modified to AI function by Nikon Service or equivalent) and the latest E series lenses with electronic aperture control.
Notable features
- Focusing screen: B-type BriteView Clear Matte Screen II, interchangeable with six other optional focusing screens
- Viewfinder frame coverage: Approx. 100%
- Finder magnification: Approx. 0.74x with 50 mm lens set to infinity at -1.0m-1
- Autofocus: TTL phase detection, Nikon Multi-CAM2000 autofocus module
- Autofocus detection range: Approx. EV –1 to EV 19 (ISO 100, at normal temperature)
- Focus modes: Single Servo AF and Continuous Servo AF, and Manual
- Focus Tracking: Automatically activated in Single Servo AF or Continuous Servo AF
- Focus area: One — or a group — of 11 focus areas can be selected
- AF Area Modes: Single Area AF, Dynamic AF, Group Dynamic AF or Dynamic AF with Closest-Subject Priority selectable
- Focus lock: Focus is locked by pressing AE/AF-L button or lightly pressing shutter release button in Single Servo AF
- Exposure metering: Three built-in exposure meters — 3D Color Matrix, Center-Weighted and Spot
- Metering range (ISO 100, f/1.4 lens): EV 0 to EV 20 in 3D Color Matrix and Center-Weighted, EV 2 to EV 20 in Spot
- Exposure compensation: With exposure compensation button; ±5 EV range, in 1/3, 1/2 or 1 steps
- Auto Exposure Bracketing: Number of shots: 2-7; compensation steps: 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, or 1 EV steps
- Auto Exposure Lock: By pressing AE/AF-L button
- Film speed setting: DX or Manual selectable (manual setting has priority over DX detected film speed); DX: ISO 25-5000,
- Manual: ISO 6-6400 in 1/3 steps
- Shutter: Electronically controlled vertical-travel focal-plane shutter with built-in Shutter Monitor
- Shutter speeds: 30 to 1/8,000 s (1/3 steps in S and M modes); Bulb setting available in M mode (Shutter speed can be prolonged to 30 minutes in M mode)
- Accessory shoe: ISO518 hot-shoe contact digital data communication (sync contact, ready-light contact, TTL auto flash contact, monitor contact, GND), safety lock provided
- Sync contact: X-contact only; flash synchronization up to 1/250 s (up to 1/8,000 s possible in AUTO FP High-Speed Sync)
- Flash control: TTL flash control by combined five-segment TTL Multi Sensor with single-component IC and 1,005-pixel RGB sensor; i-TTL Balanced Fill-Flash with SB-800/600; Film speed range in TTL auto flash: ISO 25-1000
- Automatic film loading; automatic or manual film rewind
Specifications, features and design
- Electronically timed focal plane shutter unit with aluminum alloy and Kevlar shutterblades (150,000 cycles).
- Die-cast camera chassis, rear and film cover made of aluminium alloy
- The front, top and bottom covers are made of magnesium alloy.
- Parts made out of magnesium-alloy use the thixomold process.
- Remote shutter release: 10-pin terminal
- Power source: 2 x CR123A (3 volt), or with optional MB-40 battery pack: 8 x AA or 1 x EN-EL4
- The F6 has been engineered for reduced noise and vibration when operating. It includes a feature called "Silent (S)" that allows for quieter single frame advance.
- User feedback resulted in improved ergonomics for the Nikon D2 family from which the F6's ergonomics is derived. These include redesigned tilted control wheels, shutter button and larger buttons.
- The F6 deviates from the F5 integrated system with a detachable vertical grip housing and external battery pack.
- Compatibility with Nikon i-TTL flashes.
- 11-zone autofocus, with 9 cross-type sensors.
- The viewfinder has a 37-segment vertical metering scale.
- Integrated date/time/exposure information film imprint and intervalometer.
- With the Nikon MV-1 data reader accessory, the ability to write exposure and lens data to a flash memory card, so photographers need not write that information down. While this accessory was introduced at the same time as the F6, it is also compatible with the F5 and F100.
- 100% coverage viewfinder
- Low 37 ms shutter lag
The F6's styling resembles that of the Nikon D2X, its digital contemporary. Its industrial designer was Giorgetto Giugiaro, who has designed all Nikon professional cameras since the Nikon F3.
The F6 is Nikon's first F-series camera without an interchangeable viewfinder pentaprism.
Autofocus
The F6 uses the same Multi-CAM 2000 autofocus module as the D2X professional-level digital SLR, which is a DX camera (APS-C frame size of 23.7 x 15.7 mm).[1] The F6 is a 135 film camera (24 × 36 mm frame size[4]) and since the same AF sensor unit is used in both cameras, the AF sensors cover a smaller area of the F6's frame relative to the coverage on the D2X.[5]
References
- "Nikon F6". Nikon Imaging Global Site. Nikon. Retrieved 2011-03-17.
- "Sendai Nikon History". Nikon Imaging Japan Site. Nikon. Retrieved 2007-09-02.
- "Nikon F6 is still in production" (Press release).
- "Nikon D2XS". Nikon Imaging Global Site. Nikon. Retrieved 2007-01-13.
- Hogan, Thom. "Review of the Nikon F6".
