From: moreaux@litsun22.epfl.ch (Michel Moreaux)
Newsgroups: rec.photo
Subject: Re: F4s and N8008 (F801 for all the world)
Date: 31 Mar 92 11:25:57 GMT
Reply-To: moreaux@litsun.epfl.ch
Organization: Laboratoire d'informatique technique
In-reply-to: ong@a.cs.okstate.edu's message of 30 Mar 92 14:34:15 GMT


| Also, does anyone has MF21 (for N8008) or MF23 (for F4)?  Can the
| imprint date/time be turned off?  I just want to use the auto-bracketing.
| I assume that auto-bracketing means for example in a 3-shot auto-bracketing
| results in over-exposing one shot and under-exposing one shot, with the
| 3rd one being correctly exposed.  Does the MF23 uses the camera battery?
| What's this MF21 custom power supply? 

I have both cameras (F801 and F4s) and the data back MF21. You can turn off the
imprint of data/time/numbers/... The MF21 needs small flat cylindric batteries.
I plan to buy the MF23 for the F4 because it allows you to print the data
BETWEEN the pictures on the negative (usefull when you do not want to waste
a beautiful picture with digital imprints in a corner of the picture).
The auto-bracketing mode of the MF21 allows you to specify an odd number of
frames and the delta-f between frames. The frame located in the middle of the
range is assumed to be exposed with zero correction. I used very rarely this
MF21 option. You can set the MF21 for printing data in parallel with an other
mode of operation (backeting, long time exposure, focus trigger, time interval).
I have especially used the MF21 for long time exposures (over 10 to 15 minutes).
If you have any question concerning the MF21, just send me an e-mail.

| Does N8008s have something that F4s does not have?  (My hands are kind of
| big and feels more comfortable handling a larger camera, F4s has the 
| MD-like extension; of course, on the other hand my pocket is warning me
| not to do it).

I have bought a second camera in order to be able to use BW films and colour
films at the same time. Usually I use the F4s for colour slides and F801 for
BW negatives. I like very much the F4 althought it is quite expensive. I only
bought one when I made a trip in Japan last year (prices are low compared to
swiss prices). The differences between the F4 and the 801 are subtle :

  - F4 allows matrix measure with non-AF (old system) Nikon lenses.
  - F4 has a faster motor than the 801 (later you could even boost the F4
    with an extra battery pack "s" version or even "e?" version (I don't
    remember exactly this model's number)).
  - F4 has a sensor which determine if you take a portrait or landscape
    picture (I mean horizontal or vertical picture), and adapts the Matrix
    algorithm according to it. F801 could sometimes overexpose portrait
    picture (I have never encountered this problem ...).
  - F4 is heavier.
  - F4 is more ergomomic (to my sense, it feels better in hands).
  - F4 has spot metering unlike F801 (but this has changed with F801S).
  - the F4 databack allows the imprints of data between frames on the
    negative (this is also possible with Contax RTS).
  - as a professional (;-) material the F4 is heavy duty unlike the F801
    (apparent LCD display is not, strickly speaking, something resistant).
  - F4 has a faster auto-focus algorithm unlike the F801 (but this has changed
    with the F801s).

and ... that's all ! If I had money I will change my F801 against a F4 or the
next-coming F5? but this is my opinion. In fact, I recommend the F801s or even
a second hand F801 (quite cheap) when financial argument has to be taken into
account. The F4 costs a lot more than a F801s for finally bringing few extra
features and .... after all ...  the most important thing is the lenses and not
the camera body.

-Michel.


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Michel Moreaux,                           | "Ceux qui ne savent rien en savent
Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne  |  toujours tout autant que ceux qui
Departement d'Informatique                |  n'en savent pas plus qu'eux"
Laboratoire d'Informatique Technique      |                  P. Dac.
EL-Ecublens                               |___________________________________
CH-1015 Lausanne                           
Phone # : (21) 693-46-72,   e-mail : moreaux@litsun.epfl.ch
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