On Mon, 12 May 2003 18:39:58 +0000 (UTC), "Wayne Youngman" <Big.Wayne@wardofpower.bigfoot.com> wrote:

>thanks for replies. Yes I forgot to mention that I would need to buy a

>newer AF/AP metering lens. I wasn't expecting to be able to use my older

>lenses, but as you guys pointed out there is options to still use them, good

>to know. Yes I saw the FM3a on the Nikon site, looks interesting, nice

>price (£599). The F5 looks really nice but I just can't get my head around

>paying £1.899-00 for a film SLR? 1900 nicker! phew that's major wonga, how

>can Nikon charge that amount of money? what the heck is this thing made out

>of?. Last time I was in the camera shop the F4 was ruling the roost with a

>tidy price of about £1000. I will have to read up more on the F5. The F100

>looks like a £300 pound beginners camera, what does it bring to the table

>over an FM3a?.

An F100 costs more than L300 - you must have it confused

with something else. The F100 is what I would choose for

best size/weight/price/features/quality combination, and

it can be used as an excellent full-manual camera when desired, a full-auto (with lots of interesting "presets",

or a combination...

>If I didn't make it clear the Flash system is what I am looking to get some

>computer assistance with, a real nice TTL fill flash is what's required, 90%

>of my work involves *Drag Shutter* where I shoot at about 1/8th-1/16th

>shutter speed and use the flash to freeze my subject. It's taken me years

>to fine tune this manually but I still can't get it right all the time.

The F100 flash-capabilities are extensive (rear-curtain synch, with selectable TTL fill-ratio - available on a remote cord). BTW, I would look into the new 24-120mm

f3.5-5.6 stabilized Nikkor ("VR") for what you do...

(or a 24mm f2.8, 35mm f2, and 85mm f1.8 - all good,

fast lenses).

>Lastly something that I didn't mention is the need to be able to *hand-hold*

>my flashgun, I don't like the light to be projected from near the lens, I

>normally hold it in my left hand high up but pointing down towards my

>subject (like one of those original plate photographers that covered his

>subjects with soot!). I looked into this set-up years ago and it wasn't

>possible to have the TTL flash *off* camera.

No problem now - and there are some nice tall brackets

available that flip for vertical photos. Look into

bounce flash, also, with a bit of near-lens front-fill...

>The auto-focus I need because as I hold my flash in my left hand and SLR in

>the right it means I have to focus with just my two index fingers, also

>sometimes I can't see my subjects as it can be very dark, not an easy task,

>most times I have to preset focus using the distance scale on the lens

>barrel.

I use prefocus with my 20mm and shorter lenses (works

well with lenses up to about 35mm), but the AF can focus

in the dark, with a red focus-assist beam on the flash

(almost any Nikkor flash SB-24 and after works fine).

>If I could set up this new camera on a tripod in a night-club and get 99%

>perfect exposure I would be a very happy camper, at the moment it is trial

>and error, and I have to resort sometimes to counting out '1000 - 2000 -

>3000' etc while using the shutter on bulb - lol!

There is some appeal to the use of simple means...;-)

>Belive it or not I haven't owned a long lens since my rock concert days, in

>my current field I rarely use anything over 24mm, ha the 50mm is my portrait

>lens (would love a 105mm). Nikkor lenses are damn expensive, but there are

>quality! I remember when I was younger and using my Pentax MX I used to see

>some other photographers using the then new FM2, I always wanted to own one,

>and finally I got ot together to buy a 2nd hand kit back in 1993 (I'm poor),

>it has really served me well and has paid for itself 1000 of times over,

>best investment I made and it is still going strong, had maybe 2 services in

>10 years.

I drooled over the first Nikon F when it appeared - it took

a couple of years, but I got one, then another, then....;-)

BTW, for Nikkor lens evaluations, you might find this

interesting: www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/slemn.html.

>I have been living in the dark ages of modern photography and I feel that

>now I can indulge myself in some state of the art (ish) Nikon SLRs. . I'm

>not sure I can afford this but where there is a will, there is a way! I

>gues I will have to keep reading. . . .

Good luck!