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Autofocusing with Nikon F4
We often heard about photographers complained of Nikon F4's sluggish autofocus performance. Over the last one decade, autofocusing technologies have leapfrogged a few folds. I am not sure what is the basis of comparison with such kind of remarks, this is especially true when photographers who may use a a current SLR to judge a camera which was introduced way back in 1988 (it is something like comparing a 2 Giga hertz Pentium or a G4 Mac as a yardstick to compare a 155Mhz Pentium PC or a 132Mhz Power Mac, right ? Well, come to think of it, unlike computers, a fine top grade SLR camera such as a Nikon F4 can preserves better value than computers - don't laugh - because minus the inflation factor, an used F4 can fetch a good premium almost the same price that you have paid during those days. Besides, they lasts better anytime than a comparing PC too, huh ?
I think it was more of a psychological thinking because most people often like to compared the F4 with others, a good model is Canon's second generation professional camera bodies (EOS-1N or the EOS-1N RS). Well, I do know how Nikon users have been feeling over the last 10 years as, probably a indecisive mistake Nikon made was in their inability to provide (and reverting back) a good solution of a basic efficient AF framework. The idea of using camera/lense autofocus design as well as finding an equivalent solution to counter the threat of Canon's USM design for the AF-Nikkor lenses. Although the original EOS-1 introduced in 1989 may still has some weaknesses during the early days but the subsequent followed up model of EOS-1n was really a killer to Nikon supremacy at the professional users market. Every observers in the photo community was in anticipation of a counter measure by Nikon to take on the aggression of Canon but strangely, Nikon was as if immune to such threat and neither has done anything or rather accepted the fact in letting Canon eaten up their clear dominance (the two generation of Nikon F90(x) were still too weak to take on the Canon's offerings). Anyway, those were history now and I don't intend to pursue further with this topic.
Malaysian Internet Resources
Back to the F4's autofocusing. The question of whether the AF performance n the F4 is adequate or too slow to satisfy users is very much depend on individual expectations and the kind of photography you are most likely engaging with. In most general photographic applications, the F4's autofocusing should be more than adequate in handling most situations with ease. The main issue relates to certain quarters of users is perhaps the speed and accuracy with its so=so performance of AF focus tracking ability with the camera. Besides, when shooting subjects that may have poor contrast, F4's performance in this areas is still considered to be less desirable (these operational phenomenon were quite common to 1st & 2nd generations AF SLRs as a whole). However, the main thing that I would like to emphasize is, even when you are using a 3rd generation AF SLR, dealing with sports and action types of photography would also require some conventional wisdom in utilizing camera's capabilities and anticipation of a possible action flow in order to try getting a more assuring results - so, although technology does help a great deal in this kind of photography but the way how you shot does play a big role to supplement the camera's operational features. The AF is one of the best thing that ever happened to sports photographers, it opens up a great deal of potential photographic possibilities which is beyond comparison with manual focus era. Regardless of horizontal moving subjects or those who are coming straight on to photographer's shooting position, it has helped to in a big way resolving one of the major problem facing the photographer - because focus has been taking care of ! As media industries usually command best exposures, both for exposures of publishing as well as the photographic equipment. So, we will, usually using action/news photography as the major reference to determine whether "how good the performance of the autofocusing technology is". So, in many ways, this separates differing opinions while the less confident ones often think he missed out an important shots simply because in the inferiority of the hardware he owns. Well, at least now I know why people appreciates good action pictures prior to availability of AF SLRs - simply because they were damn difficult to get one good ones with manual focus, huh ?
So, on the other hand, as you may also agree that not entirely all photographers are confined to shoot sports or wildlife to make a living. I do think in terms of functionality, a camera such as the F4 is indeed a real treat for those who doesn't has to live in the fast lanes of action. F4's AF may have shown a sign of age in the modern era but I don't entirely agree with many comments that it was rated so bad that has to keep rotating back and forth to search for a confirmed focus. However, as most AF SLRs introduced during the early AF evolution do have some limitations in their ability to deal with less contrasty pictures and/or less defined outlines. For an example, when using a Micro-Nikkor lense to shoot close-ups or handling high magnification ratio photography, the blurry out of focus scenes will definitely confuse the camera's AF sensors. In such manner, regardless of any AF cameras, it is always advisable to revert to manual focusing for quicker operation (and don't waste power unnecessary too). Well, if you still think the F4's AF is less desirable for your kind of photography, why don't you just switch your investment into a Nikon F5, F100 or even a cheaper F80 ? Simply because F4's AF is not a strength if compared with modern standard. Efficient AF operation does not just confined to just the types of AF module the camera used or has, it needs a faster computation of data, more efficient software and also combined with the appropriate lense types you are using; equally important is the subject matters you are shooting and naturally it needs a little creativity from the photographer as well. Similarly, sound knowledge of both hardware that you using as well as good understanding of the behavior of the subjects you are aiming your camera at do play a great deal in achieving optimum photographic results. I do believe strongly great pictures are made with the minds rather than purely depending on automation and technologies. I am not here to debate because as far as the AF relates, there is simply no way to compare a high performance Y2k AF SLR with a 15 years old AF SLR model but I do hope my personal thought can also help to address some of your discomfort with all the negative thoughts some of you have with F4's AF capability.
<<< ---- Credit: Image courtesy of Mr. Jon M. Stine <jcsebay@jackscamera.com> Jack's Camera Shop® 300 E. Main Street Muncie, IN 47305 tel. 765-282-0204 fax. 765-284-6405 http://www.jackscamera.com . Image copyright© 2003. All rights reserved.
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Nikon Manual Focus Nikkor lenses:- Fisheye-Nikkor Lenses - Circular | Full Frame | Ultrawides Lenses - 13mm15mm18mm20mm | Wideangle Lenses - 24mm28mm35mm | Standard Lenses - 45mm 50mm 58mm | Telephoto Lenses - 85mm105mm135mm180mm & 200mm | Super-Telephoto Lenses - 300mm 400mm 500mm 600mm 800mm 1200mm |
Index PageSpecial Application lenses:
Micro-Nikkor Lenses - 50mm~55mm -60mm 85mm -105mm 200mm Micro-Zoom 70-180mm
Perspective Control (PC) - 28mm 35mm PC-Micro 85mm
Dedicated Lenses for Nikon F3AF: AF 80mm f/2.8 | AF 200mm f/3.5 EDIF
Depth of Field Control (DC): 105mm 135mm
Medical Nikkor: 120mm 200mm
Reflex-Nikkor Lenses - 500mm 1000mm 2000mm
Others: Noct Nikkor | OP-Nikkor | UV Nikkor 55mm 105mm | Focusing Units | Bellows-Nikkor 105mm 135mm
Nikon Series E Lenses: 28mm35mm50mm100mm135mm | E-Series Zoom lenses: 36~72mm75~150mm70~210mm
MF Zoom-Nikkor Lenses: 25~50mm | 28~45mm | 28~50mm | 28~85mm | 35~70mm | 36~72mm E | 35~85mm | 35~105mm | 35~135mm | 35~200mm | 43~86mm | 50~135mm | 50~300mm | 70~210mm E | 75~150mm E | 80~200mm | 85~250mm | 100~300mm | 180~600mm | 200~400mm | 200~600mm | 360~1200mm | 1200~1700mm
Tele-Converters: TC-1 | TC-2 | TC-200 | TC-201 | TC-300 | TC-301 | TC-14 | TC-14A | TC-14B | TC-14C | TC-14E | TC-16 | TC-16A | TC-20ERecommended links to understand more technical details related to the Nikkor F-mount and production Serial Number:
http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-153.html by: my friend, Rick Oleson
http://www.zi.ku.dk/personal/lhhansen/photo/fmount.htm by: Hansen, Lars Holst
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/nikonfmount/lens2.htm
http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/serialno.htmlW A R N I N G: The New G-SERIES Nikkor lenses have no aperture ring on the lense, they cannot adjust aperture(s) when operating in manual exposure control even with certain earlier AF Nikon SLR camera models. Similarly, not ALL features provide in a modern AF-S series AF-Nikkor lenses can be utilized fully with a Nikon F4. Please refer to your local distributor for compatibility issue(s).
PLEASE NOTE: Complimentary links are appreciative but it is not necessary, I have limited bandwidth here in this server... So, PLEASE don't distribute this URL to any bulk mailing list or unrelated user-groups, just be a little considerate, thank you. (The more you distribute, the slower this server will response to your requests...). I am NOT a Nikon nor Nikkor expert, so don't send me any mails, use the Message Board Instead. While the content prepared herein should be adequate for anyone to understand and evaluate whether you should invest into a used Nikon F4 pro-camera system for your kind of photography. Well, IF you like what you have seen so far, please help to perfect this site by reporting any broken links or any errors made.
About this photographic site.
Credit: Chuck Hester, US for his patience, encouragement and help to setup the various content in this site; Robert Johnson for some of his original images on the F2H-MD appeared in this site; my ex-staff, KiaSu for his superb 3-D logo appeared in this Nikon F2 site; Marc Vorgers from Holland who generously provide me with some of his images of F2AS; MCLau®, who has so much time with me to re-edit the content in this site and not to mention buying a Nikon Coolpix 990 just for this site; Paul Armstrong (pkared@ameritech.net) for his explantion of the FF2 Slidemagic and Nikon F2 Pin Camera Keat Photo, Kuala Lumpur for providing their Nikon F2A to take some images for this site; Mr Edward Ngoh the great camera collector who provides us his collection of F2AS with MD-2; hawkeye.photographic.com for their images on the Speed Magny film backs; Sean Cranor for his image on Nikon F2 25th Anniversary Model; Ted Wengelaar®, Holland for his continuous flow of input on some of the early Nikon bodies; Genesis-Camera for granting permission to use an image of the SS-F2 camera; Mr Sover Wong, Australia for those great images of his rare F2 Gold;CYLeow ®, photo editor of the Star newspaper, Malaysia for some of his images used in this site. Ms Rissa Chan, Sales manager from Shriro Malaysia who has helped to provide some of the very useful input. HiuraShinsaku®, Nikomat ML, Japan for some of his images on various F2 models; my staff, Wati, Maisa, Mai and my nephew, EEWyn®, who volunteered and helping me did so many of the film scanning works; Hong-sien Kwee of Singapore for all the Nikon F2 Pin camera images appeared in this site; Luigi Crescenzi for many of his images on the Nikon F2 Titan; John for two of his images of the Nikon F2/T used in this site; Contributing photographers or resellers: Jen Siow, Foo KokKin, Arthur Teng, Mark Fallander, John Ishii, Ed Hassel, YoonKi Kim, Jean-Louis, M.Dugentas (Dell Corner.com.), Mr "Arsenall", Yang Zi Xiong and a few images mailed in from surfers with no appropriate reference to their origin. Note:certain content and images appeared in this site were either scanned from official marketing leaflets, brochures published by Nikon and/or contribution from surfers who claimed originality of their own work to publish in this site based on educational merits. The creator of this site will not be responsible for any discrepancies that may arise from such possible dispute except rectifying them after verification."Nikon", "Nikkormat", "Nippon Kokagu KK" & "Nikkor" are registered tradename of Nikon Corporation Inc., Japan. Dedicated to KU Yeo, just to express our mutual regrets over the outcome of a recent corporate event. Made with an Apple IMac.
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