Nikon F5

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Nikon F5
16-04-09 Nikon F5 RalfR WAT 6948.jpg
Overview
Maker Nikon
Type 35 mm SLR
Released1996
Production1996-2004
Lens
Lens Nikon F-mount
Sensor/medium
Film format 35mm
Film size 36mm x 24mm
Film speed Auto DX(ISO 25-5000), Manual (ISO 6-6400)
Film speed detectionYes
Film advance8 frame/s
Focusing
Focus modesAF-S, AF-C, Manual
Focus areasTTL Phase Detection Autofocus 5-zone
Exposure/metering
Exposure modesProgram, shutter priority, aperture priority, manual
Exposure metering 1005-pixel RGB sensor
Metering modes 3D Matrix, Center-weighted, Spot
Flash
Flash synchronization 1/300s
Shutter
Shutter Lithium niobate oscillator controlled vertical focal plane shutter; Electromagnetic Bulb Setting
Shutter speed range30s to 1/8000s in 1/3 steps
Continuous shooting 8 frame/s
Viewfinder
Optional viewfindersDA-30 Action finder, DW-31 High-mag finder, DW-30 Waist-level finder
Viewfinder magnification0.70x
Frame coverage100%
General
Battery8x AA battery, option MN-30 NiMH battery
Optional data backsMulti control back MF-28 and Data back MF-27
Dimensions 158 x 149 x 79 mm
Weight 1,210 g without batteries nor film
Made in Flag of Japan.svg  Japan

The Nikon F5 is a professional 35 mm film-based single-lens reflex camera body manufactured by Nikon from 1996 through 2004. It was the fifth in Nikon's professional film camera line, which began in 1959 with the Nikon F. It followed the Nikon F4 of 1988, which introduced in-body autofocus to Nikon's professional line. The F5 was in turn succeeded by the Nikon F6, as well as Nikon's parallel range of professional digital SLRs, beginning with the Nikon D1.

Contents

Design

Important advances in the F5 included:

The Nikon F5's standard DP-30 metering prism Nikon F5 Prism 2485.jpg
The Nikon F5's standard DP-30 metering prism

Like all previous Nikon F series cameras, the F5 maintained a manual film rewind (with a rapid power rewind built in), high durability, exceptionally short shutter lag, interchangeable 100% coverage viewfinders (including a large-view Action Finder, Waist-Level Finder, and 6x High-Magnification Finder, in addition to the stock DP-30 multi-metering pentaprism), and support for a wide range of Nikon F-mount lenses. In common with the F3 and F4 it relied upon battery power in order to function, either from eight AA batteries or an optional rechargeable NiMH battery pack.

Variants: Nikon introduced a very limited production anniversary edition of the F5 to celebrate 50 years of Nippon Kogaku (Japanese Optical). It featured a titanium colored top plate, grey handgrip (vice red) and a special DP-30 metering prism with its historic "Nikon" font. On the reverse is found the original Nippon Kogaku trademark logo and a stylized "50" beneath it. Approximately 3000 were made for the global market. They were quickly snatched up around the world by collectors who saw the F5 as the last of the true professional grade film SLRs by Nikon. It was discontinued in 2004 as it was facing tough competition from its competitors. [1]

Kodak digital camera conversions

A Kodak DCS 760, a 6 megapixel digital SLR based on a Nikon F5 body Kodak DCS 760 1912.jpg
A Kodak DCS 760, a 6 megapixel digital SLR based on a Nikon F5 body

During the late 1990s, Nikon and Kodak collaborated on a range of professional digital SLRs which combined Nikon bodies with Kodak digital sensors and electronics. The initial range was based around the semi-professional Nikon F90, but the later Kodak DCS 600 and DCS 700 models were based on the Nikon F5. On a physical level they consisted of a Nikon F5 with the film transport equipment replaced with a custom-made Kodak digital back. The digital back extended beneath the camera to house the battery and a pair of PCMCIA card slots.

The Kodak DCS 600 series was launched in 1999, and initially consisted of the 2 megapixel Kodak DCS 620 and the 6 megapixel DCS 660, which had an initial launch price of $29,995. [2] The DCS 600 series was continued in 2000 with the Kodak DCS 620x, a high-sensitivity model with an upgraded indium tin oxide sensor and a cyan-magenta-yellow Bayer filter, which had a then-unique top ISO setting of ISO 6400.

Kodak replaced the 600 series with the upgraded DCS 700 series in 2001, which consisted of the high-sensitivity DCS 720x and the 6 megapixel DCS 760. By 2001 Kodak faced competition from the popular Nikon D1 and Nikon D1x, [3] which were physically smaller and cheaper. The DCS 760's initial list price was $8,000.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikon</span> Japanese multinational corporation that specializes in optics

Nikon Corporation is a Japanese optics and photographic equipment manufacturer headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The companies held by Nikon form the Nikon Group.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikon F4</span> 35mm SLR camera

The Nikon F4 is a 35 mm autofocus (AF) single lens reflex (SLR) film camera, introduced in 1988 as the next generation in Nikon's line of F series professional cameras. With industrial design by Giorgetto Giugiaro, the F4 was the first professional Nikon to feature a practical autofocus system. The F4 is able to accept any of Nikon's manual focus (MF) or AF lenses from 1959 to the present day, including the two F3AF lenses. The F4 succeeded the F3, a manual focus camera introduced in 1980 but outlasted the F4 as it stayed in production until 2001. Nikon introduced its next flagship model, the F5, in 1996. All F4 models were discontinued soon after, in May 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikon FM2</span> Camera model

The Nikon FM2 is an advanced semi-professional, interchangeable lens, 35 mm film, single-lens reflex (SLR) camera. It was manufactured by Nippon Kogaku K. K. in Japan from 1982 to 2001. The original camera was released with some incremental improvements in 1984, and this later version is commonly referred to as the FM2ɴ, although both versions are labelled as the FM2 on the front of the camera body.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikon FA</span> Camera model

The Nikon FA is an advanced amateur-level, interchangeable lens, 35 mm film, single-lens reflex (SLR) camera. It was manufactured by the Japanese optics company Nippon Kogaku K. K. in Japan from 1983 to 1987. The FA used a titanium-bladed, vertical-travel Nikon-designed, Copal-made focal plane shutter with a speed range of 1 to 1/4000th second plus Bulb and flash X-sync of 1/250th second. It was available in two colors: black with chrome trim and all black. The introductory US list price for the chrome body only was $646. Note that SLRs usually sold for 30 to 40 percent below list price.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikon FE</span> Camera model

The Nikon FE is an advanced semi-professional level, interchangeable lens, 35 mm film, single-lens reflex (SLR) camera. It was manufactured by Nikon in Japan from 1978 to 1983, and was available new from dealer stock until c. 1984. The FE uses a metal-bladed, vertical-travel focal plane shutter with a speed range of 8 to 1/1000 second, plus Bulb, and flash X-sync of 1/125th second. It had dimensions of 89.5 millimetres (3.52 in) height, 142 mm (5.6 in) width, 57.5 mm (2.26 in) depth and 590 grams (21 oz) weight. It was available in two colors: black with chrome trim and all black. As on the FM, its model designation did not appear on the front of the camera, but was engraved as a small "FE" preceding the serial number on the rear of the housing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikon F3</span> Camera model

The Nikon F3 was Nikon's third professional single-lens reflex camera body, preceded by the F and F2. Introduced in March 1980, it had manual and semi-automatic exposure control whereby the camera would select the correct shutter speed. The Nikon F3 series cameras had the most model variations of any Nikon F camera. It was also the first of numerous Nikon F-series cameras to be styled by Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro, and to include a red stripe on the handgrip – a feature that would later become a signature feature of many Nikon cameras.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikon EM</span> Camera model

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikon D1</span> Digital single-lens reflex camera

The Nikon D1 is a digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR) that was made by Nikon Corporation introduced on June 15, 1999. It features a 2.7-megapixel image sensor, 4.5-frames-per-second continuous shooting, and accepts the full range of Nikon F-mount lenses. The camera body strongly resembles the F5 and has the same general layout of controls, allowing users of Nikon film SLR cameras to quickly become proficient in using the camera. Autofocus speed on the D1 series bodies is extremely fast, even with "screw-driven" AF lenses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikon F-mount</span> Lens mount

The Nikon F-mount is a type of interchangeable lens mount developed by Nikon for its 35mm format single-lens reflex cameras. The F-mount was first introduced on the Nikon F camera in 1959, and features a three-lug bayonet mount with a 44 mm throat and a flange to focal plane distance of 46.5 mm. The company continues, with the 2020 D6 model, to use variations of the same lens mount specification for its film and digital SLR cameras.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikon F2</span> Camera model

The Nikon F2 is a professional-level, interchangeable lens, 35 mm film, single-lens reflex (SLR) camera. It was manufactured by the Japanese optics company Nippon Kogaku K. K. in Japan from September 1971 to 1980. It used a horizontal-travel focal plane shutter with titanium shutter curtains and a speed range of 1 to 1/2000 second plus Bulb and Time, and flash X-sync of 1/80 second. It had dimensions of 98 mm height, 152.5 mm width, 65 mm depth and 730 g weight. It was available in two colors: black with chrome trim and all black. The F2 was adopted by both casual photographers and professional photographers, the latter of those especially photojournalists covering the later half of the Vietnam War.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikonos</span> Brand of 35mm film amphibious cameras

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikon D90</span> Digital single-lens reflex camera

The Nikon D90 is a 12.3 megapixel digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR) model announced by Nikon on August 27, 2008. It is a prosumer model that replaces the Nikon D80, fitting between the company's entry-level and professional DSLR models. It has a Nikon DX format crop sensor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kodak DCS</span>

The Kodak Digital Camera System is a series of digital single-lens reflex cameras and digital camera backs that were released by Kodak in the 1990s and 2000s, and discontinued in 2005. They are all based on existing 35mm film SLRs from Nikon, Canon and Sigma. The range includes the original Kodak DCS, the first commercially available digital SLR.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikon E series</span> Series of digital SLR camera models

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References

  1. "Nikon F5". www.kenrockwell.com. Retrieved 2016-07-05.
  2. David Brooks, September 1999, "Digital Cameras At PhotoPlus Expo West '99", Shutterbug.com Archived 2005-08-13 at the Wayback Machine
  3. Digital Photography Review: Kodak DCS 760 Review, July 2001

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