Hi--

>Thank you for responding to me on the 35's the other day...but you only
>compounded the problem! I'm looking at jumping into an N90s, and it sounds like
>I'm going to have less than stellar expectations. (BTW, I still don't see how i
>can meter with the 35PC, as there's no aperture interface on the base of the
>lens).

The N90 is an excellent camera except for one VERY important thing - the
viewfinder is not very sharp for me, making quick and easy MF (what I
prefer to use under all conditions) difficult. BTW, all AI bodies will
meter properly any non-coupled lenses that don't interfer with the AI
tab on the body. Ones without diaphragms are metered without doing
anything; ones with auto diaphragms require the DOF preview to be pressed
while metering; ones with preset diaphragms (PC's...) require metering
with the diaphragm stopped down on the lens while metering (and shooting),
and the lens cannot be shifted during metering (except with the F3).

>The comments about N90s shutter problems & SB28 fritzing is scary,
>especially combined with supposed indifferent service from Nikon USA. I work in
>the field and want something dead reliable. The problem is that i work in low
>light & would like the added security of autofocus (&advanced flash). I find
>the N series ergonomically OK, but I can't say it has that same Je ne se qua
>when I heft a venerable F2 or F3HP. Help, oh benevolent one!
> jklopman@aol.com (JKlopman)

Ah, I would also not use the electronic cameras near water, though the N90,
F4, and F5 may be OK (the 8008 with low batteries tends to lock-up when in
damp conditions, though dropping the battery pack briefly clears it). The
newer cameras have the advantage of 1/250th flash sync (the manual FM2 does
also...) and fancy TTL flash with selectable fill-ratio, but an auto flash
can be used on the FM2 (or others) to do the same thing, and the AS-7 shoe
on the F3 permits setting fill-ratios with TTL, though the sync speed is
low and the ASA uncompensated is 400 max (and lower with the fill-compensation).
For durability and great VF image, the F3; for fancy flash and passable AF, the
N90; for both, maybe the F4 (or the F5, if you can stand those icky-feeling AF
lenses and can afford the body...). I use the FA, F3, and 8008 in my work, but
except for flash, the F3 is my clear preference. (The FA is a good travel camera.
The 8008-SB24 just does too many flash tricks that I need for some work. I never
could like the F4. The N90 has that major flaw. The FM has its advantages, but
no TTL flash. The F5 is great, but all but one of my 25 or so lenses are MF, so
the advantages of the F5 over most other bodies are lost, in addition to being
unacceptably expensive.) I keep meaning to try an 8008 screen in the N90 to see
if it fits and cures the VF softness, but I haven't done it. I would probably
look for an SB-24/5/6 instead of the SB-28, though the SB-27 is interesting for
lower-power uses... Good luck!.