A great system overall

Nikon appears to have a problem in the area of quality-vs-quantity. I think that it''s a fair statement to say that a $2,000. camera should not have a body peeling problem. It should also be more dust resistant.

I finally went over to Canon after using the F5. No, this is not one of those Nikon-vs-Canon reviews. Nikon products have been good to me for many years, and I still have a few bodies and some lenses (I LOVE the N90s and 17-35 2.8). But for my livelihood I''m now a Canon pro. (See review on Canon 1v). I had 3 issues with the F5. 1- I use exposure compensation a lot and the positioning of the compensation "button" and wheel were extremely cumbersome. 2- The covering of the camera body, particularly near the grip, began to peel off. Absolutely rediculous!! 3- I seemed to always have a dirty view finder. I believed that if so much dust was always finding its way in, what about moisture??! A major concern for an outdoor/sports photographer. And there is a fourth, but it has nothing to do with the F5 body. The Canon super telephotos (400-500-600) blow the Nikons out of the water. These are my tools of the trade. If you are not into the super telephotos, Nikon will certainly serve your purpose. Maybe Nikon will come out with an F6 that will be more moisture/dust resistant and some of the controls re-designed (ESPECIALLY THAT CRAZY EXPOSURE COMPENSATION SITUATION). I do find the 1v much easier to use.

Customer Service

It was unfortunate that they had to be used on 2 different occassions in less that 6 months. Decent service however.

Similar Products Used:

N90s

Solid build, Fast AF and frame advance, well designed and laid out - comfortable. Best?xD;?xA;exposure meter available. Dynamic AF is awesome.

Would have appreciated auto film rewind at end of roll,?xD;?xA;easier to open camera back. These are extremely minor details. High price?xD;?xA;but worth it and not really that much more than F100 with MB-15 considering what you get.

After shooting with an F100 for almost 3 years, I finally bought an F5 and I can''''t?xD;?xA;Imagine going back. Although I wish some of the minor controls - camera back latch, rewind switch, ?xD;?xA;and power on switch safety button - were simpler and easier to use, there are no little quirks on this camera?xD;?xA;that drive me nuts like other cameras. It just plain works great and feels great - feels more like an extension of?xD;?xA;my vision than a clumsy tool. AF is fast and locks on precisely - especially with AF lenses. I though it would be hard to believe that?xD;?xA;the F5''''s meter could be that much better than the F100 - IT IS! I find that I still want to rate my film to underexpose 1/3 in general but this?xD;?xA;is largely personal taste. Most casual shooters will find the F100 more than adequate but, if your looking for the ultimate performance?xD;?xA;in a rugged, comfortable, and well designed body then bypass he F100 and buy the F5. You won''''t be dissapointed

Customer Service

None Needed with this camera though Nikon service has been very helpful in the past.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon N90s?xD;?xA;Nikon F100?xD;?xA;Nikon N70

A super camera! I like the feel, the operation, features and controls, and everything else. It is truely a professional camera. The AF is FAST and quiet! No hunting at all! Very quiet operations! I cannot feel any slight shake when the mirror flips during firing. The sound of it is also solid, compared to N90s or F100 and the F4. I thought the F100''''''''s shutter is quiet, but the F5 feels much better. It has to do with the massive body itself. The F100 is light and you can feel a slight mirror movement---but still quiet, much better than the N90s. 8 fps is awesome; not that I use it often, but it''''''''s good to have it. Variable center-weighted metering is superb---no other camera in the world has this feature. I appreciate this feature a lot because I often shoot portraits. 3D color matrix metering is also superb! Manual rewind capability is a BIG plus for me (a sole reason I decided to get rid of my F100). The list goes on and on.

One minor complaint rather than "weakness" is the direct aperture readout: It doesn''''''''t make sense that the top LCD cannot provide aperture setting information when controlled by the aperture ring of the lens (via custom setting: CSM 22-1), which shows "F--". And you have to look through the aperture direct readout to get that information. Of course, the direct readout window would be a logical reserve for using a manual focus lens (without the CPU chip). In dim light situation this is very difficult to see anyway. If the N6006, N8008/s, N90/s and F100 have this standard capability why not the F5? I like to look at the LCD than the direct readout; plus with a variable-aperture zoom lens, the direct read-out is useless. This is when the F100 has its advantage (via its CSM 22-1). I thought that with the MF-28 attached the f-stop would show up, but to my surprise it didn''''''''t. (In contrast, the F4 with MF-23 did better. The F4s with it''''''''s MF-23 attached has this nice capability---it shows the aperture setting, even with a variable-aperture zoom, when zooming!). Those of you very familiar with the F5 may ask why not use the front dial to set the aperture? But I believe s

After trying all the Nikon SLR''''''''s I am convinced that the F5 is the undisputed king of the AF SLR''''''''s. You have to use it to believe it. Try it for yourself before reading or listening to all the debates on the web site about the F5 vs other SLR''''''''s. Like the F4, this one will be my keeper. In fact, I sold my F100 and F3 to get this camera. I must admit I like to hold this camera more than I shoot.

Similar Products Used:

N90s, F100, F4s, N8008s, N6006, F3HP, N65; Canon AE-1 Program, Canon A-1, EOS-3

Solid feel..Ease of use for vertical shooting..Build quality....Many more!!!

Yes, the Nikon battery acc''s are pricey, so buy Maha''s or Radio Shacks rechargeable NiMHs..

This camera is a monster!! I have tried a few at different stores, but once my own F5 was in my hands, it was totally different. I love the way the camera feels, whether shooting normally, or shooting vertically. To me, the controls are all easy to work, and are fairly intuitive!!! I shot an entire roll of Velvia ISO 50 at a sunset in far west Texas the other night, without a tripod. The RGB Matrix was dead on and I alternated between manual and Program, and the slides are all stunning, with the exception of the last few slides having the foreground underexposed. And that was my fault for not even trying to dial in exposure compensation!!! With a Tokina 28-80mm and a Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D, I am taking some outstanding shots. This camera is rugged, and so far, I do not mind the weight. However, the weight makes the camera feels rock solid, and this makes it feel much better than the EOS 1v that I also tried. I considered the F100 (F5 Lite), but as I am planning on getting into UW photography, the optional (but VERY expensive) DA-30 Action Finder made the decision to buy the F5 an easy one. If you want a great camera and can afford the extra $$$, and if you want a camera that will last you a LONG time, then this is it...period. This baby will last me until the Nikon digital SLR''s become more affordable!! What a camera!!

Customer Service

None yet!!!

Similar Products Used:

Canon AE-1P for many years.

Read the Nikon publication. Its all true. Metering, flash, lock on dynamic focus, ergonomics, build quality, accessories, on and on. Just added an AFS F17-35 and this combination is the outer limits of fine photographic equipment.

Would be nice to have red focus indicators like the F100.

After five years of production, its still the one.

Customer Service

Never had to use it.

Similar Products Used:

Canon FTb(excellent old manual), Nikon F2S(simply the best manual), F100(superb light weight pro level)

To many to list!!

Not really a weakness, but I do wish it had a built in flash,(handy for fill purpose''s, doing macro, etc.)

Wow, What an awesome and inspiring piece of equipment. Having owned several Nikon''s in the past, including an F2AS and F3, I was familer with thier attributes and quality. This one has the others beat hands down!! The color matrix metering is incredible!! I have done outdoor shots early Am while employing the use of this cam and a 24-120, and have been thrilled with the accuracy of the RGB metering, and the overall feel of this cam. I sold a Minolta 7, which I was quite dissapointed with. For the price I paid,( the camera was brand new, never seen a role of film, with USA warranty), $1450, Who could pass it up!!!

Customer Service

Have not needed

Similar Products Used:

F3,F2as, Minolta 700,800si,"7" & "9"

Metering, versatility, build quality. There is nothing I can''t do with this camera.

Optional rubber eyecup interferes with camera back which slows film loading and unloading. The sports photogs I''ve shot with won''t use it. Plastic plugs for items such as remote release are easy to loose, should have lanyards. Vertical shutter release should have a lock out. Doesn''t default back to program mode when turned off then back on (makes you have to pay attention!) Difficult to pick up AF sensor in low light (though illuminated arrows in viewfinder indicate active AF sensor once again you have to pay attention)

Argued with myself for two years as to whether I should by the F5 or F100, finally decided to spend the cash on the F5 and I''ve never looked back. 6 months and 1500 frames later I''m as thrilled with this camera as when I first pulled it out of the box. Most of the complaints I read about this camera, I feel are rediculous. It''s heavy? It''s lighter with a prime 300 and monopod than the average womans purse. It chews batteries? I''ve averaged 20 to 25 rolls even with a Sigma 170-500 on it. Get an extra holder and buy batteries at Cosco, comes out to 17 cents a roll. If you can afford a $2000 camera you can afford 17 cents a roll for batteries. If your shooting more than 40 rolls a day chances are the paper your working for pays for the batteries anyway.

Customer Service

Not needed yet.

Similar Products Used:

Canon T-70, Nikon N90

Too many to mention.

- The rubber grip keeps coming off my camera - I had it totally replaced once already but it is peeling off again. The same problem occurs with my F100 AND my very expensive 28-70mm AF-S lens. CHANGE THE GLUE NIKON - The little plugs that cover the synch sockets are fiddly and always get lost - I think a non removable , spring loaded variant would be better. - Battery consumption is a joke. carrying barrowloads of batteries is no fun but neccessary. The rechargeable battery can catch you out as well.....beware.

Whilst not hesitating to award the F5 a "5" rating I would point out the following flaws (as I see them).

Customer Service

Good - but I haveneeded it too often.

Similar Products Used:

F100

Flash metering, RGB meter, Rugged build and feel, Cs silent drive mode, silent rewind - so fast! Much quieter than EOS 1v - you can''t argue about this one...go to any store and try it for yourself.

A little on the heavy side. Lighter than Canon EOS 1v with booster but Canon''s booster can be removed. Price is a little steep but at this level you have to pay to play. Accesories are too expensive - MN-30, MF-28, etc.

Bought this in June to use in China this past summer. The metering is incredible. Especially dead-on for night and low light shots. The only time your exposures come up bad with this thing is when you try to record a scene which the film you''re using doesn''t have latitude for. Otherwise like I said the metering is perfect especially with flash shots. I got some incredible shots in Beijing when they won the bid for the 2008 Olympics. This camera really lets me capture exactly what I see and the instant that I see it. The F5 continues to amaze me with how accurately the TTL flash meters. I also tried an Eos 1v just to see what Canon was offering. 1v build is not bad but I don''t like the 45 point focusing scheme which is all centered in the middle. E-TTL is still not as good as Nikon 3-D matrix flash metering. The F5 is a beast - got really heavy at times. It wasn''t that bad though and the balance is great with large fast nikon glass. My favorites are the 85 f1.4 and the 17-35 AFS. My advice is to try both cameras and see which you like better. You can''t go wrong with either one. For my taste I just preferred the way the Nikon felt and handled. I don''t particularly like the layout of the Canon''s controls. The Nikon F5 is a fun and able "tool" for the professional and serious amateur. The rest is up to you.

Customer Service

Never had to use...in 10+ years.

Similar Products Used:

Canon EOS 1v, Nikon F100, Nikon N90s, Nikon 8008

Build, ease fo operation, auto focus.

Expensive lithium batteries at twenty bucks a pop to fill the power pack. I will difinately purchase the Nikon charger and pack time permitting. (Also not cheap). The expense of lithiums will pay for the charger and power pack qucikly over time. Expensive camera! But Hey, what do you expect for the latest technology in a pro camera?

Wow! I am totally impressed with this camera. This camera is definately remarkable. Just returned from a shoot in east Texas, and the F-5 performed great. This is my first auto focus camera after upgrading from a pro manual focus. At first I was a little intimidated with all of the bells and whistles, but after learning more about the camera, I was amazed at the ease of the operation of it. The auto focus is extremly fast and the build of the camera is SOLID. If you are looking for a pro line camera, look no further. This one is it!

Customer Service

Not yet.

Similar Products Used:

Canon F-1N, AE-1.