Why the Nikon F6?

"S Lee" wrote in message

My gear is Canon, but had a new -1 series film camera been announced
I think I'd have about the same reaction. That being essentially "That's
nice..." and continuing to shoot with my digital gear. For me film pretty
much is dead. I might occasionally miss the pop of a Velvia slide, but
right now I'm happy enough with not having to wait for developing (and
then
scanning) negs--not to mention paying for supplies. I'm doing a lot more
shooting as a result.
The F6 appears to me to be another result of how digital really is
driving the market now--major R&D and new whiz-bang concepts are appearing
first on the Big Two's digital cameras, and for film cameras the (still
beneficial) effect is that they are less expensive and more features are
being put into them. "Them" being SLRs as the 35mm P&S market is fading
fast. The F6 should please its buyers, but its buyers represent less and
less of the target audience...

I often wonder if things were the other way around, ie Nikon having FF + 1.6
+ 1.3, Canon only DX, Canon having manual focus lenses still compatible,
Nikon with only an EOS style lens mount....then all the Canon people would
laud the way Canon does it, and all the Nikon people would like it their
way. You say you miss the pop of Velvia film. What about slides
themselves? Just doesn't seem to be a practical way to do QUALITY
projection with digital. Sometimes I get the feeling that Canon folks think
anything Canon has abandoned (new pro film bodies?) is automatically
worthless. I for one am very pleased Nikon has continued a comittment to
those of us who still appreciate film. After all isn't that what this
newsgroup is about?

"S Lee" wrote in message

My gear is Canon, but had a new -1 series film camera been announced
I think I'd have about the same reaction. That being essentially "That's
nice..." and continuing to shoot with my digital gear. For me film pretty
much is dead. I might occasionally miss the pop of a Velvia slide, but
right now I'm happy enough with not having to wait for developing (and
then
scanning) negs--not to mention paying for supplies. I'm doing a lot more
shooting as a result.
The F6 appears to me to be another result of how digital really is
driving the market now--major R&D and new whiz-bang concepts are appearing
first on the Big Two's digital cameras, and for film cameras the (still
beneficial) effect is that they are less expensive and more features are
being put into them. "Them" being SLRs as the 35mm P&S market is fading
fast. The F6 should please its buyers, but its buyers represent less and
less of the target audience...

I often wonder if things were the other way around, ie Nikon having FF + 1.6
+ 1.3, Canon only DX, Canon having manual focus lenses still compatible,
Nikon with only an EOS style lens mount....then all the Canon people would
laud the way Canon does it, and all the Nikon people would like it their
way. You say you miss the pop of Velvia film. What about slides
themselves? Just doesn't seem to be a practical way to do QUALITY
projection with digital. Sometimes I get the feeling that Canon folks think
anything Canon has abandoned (new pro film bodies?) is automatically
worthless. I for one am very pleased Nikon has continued a comittment to
those of us who still appreciate film. After all isn't that what this
newsgroup is about?

"S Lee" wrote in message

My gear is Canon, but had a new -1 series film camera been announced
I think I'd have about the same reaction. That being essentially "That's
nice..." and continuing to shoot with my digital gear. For me film pretty
much is dead. I might occasionally miss the pop of a Velvia slide, but
right now I'm happy enough with not having to wait for developing (and
then
scanning) negs--not to mention paying for supplies. I'm doing a lot more
shooting as a result.
The F6 appears to me to be another result of how digital really is
driving the market now--major R&D and new whiz-bang concepts are appearing
first on the Big Two's digital cameras, and for film cameras the (still
beneficial) effect is that they are less expensive and more features are
being put into them. "Them" being SLRs as the 35mm P&S market is fading
fast. The F6 should please its buyers, but its buyers represent less and
less of the target audience...

I often wonder if things were the other way around, ie Nikon having FF + 1.6
+ 1.3, Canon only DX, Canon having manual focus lenses still compatible,
Nikon with only an EOS style lens mount....then all the Canon people would
laud the way Canon does it, and all the Nikon people would like it their
way. You say you miss the pop of Velvia film. What about slides
themselves? Just doesn't seem to be a practical way to do QUALITY
projection with digital. Sometimes I get the feeling that Canon folks think
anything Canon has abandoned (new pro film bodies?) is automatically
worthless. I for one am very pleased Nikon has continued a comittment to
those of us who still appreciate film. After all isn't that what this
newsgroup is about?

Alan Browne wrote in
news
Matt Clara wrote:


As a Nikon user, and a person who intends to stick with
film for life (with the addition of digital when I can get
14 megapixel full frame for $1500, which could be awhile)
I find the F6 quite exciting.

I'm not sure that the obsession with full frame is either
healthy or neccesary... the 1/1.5 size sensors do a great
job (witness Bret's full size post from his new cam.)

Cheers,
Alan



Just what will happen when I put my 16 mm Nikkor fisheye on one
of those 1/1.5 sensor equipped digital bodies? I'll tell you.
I get the field of view of a 24 mm wide-angle lens with terrible
distortion. Those of us who have quite a bit invested in wide
and ultra-winde angle lenses take a real bath when we go
digital, unless we can get full-frame sensors. Admittedly,
quite a few folks don't play with wide angle, but some of us do.

Alan Browne wrote in
news
Matt Clara wrote:


As a Nikon user, and a person who intends to stick with
film for life (with the addition of digital when I can get
14 megapixel full frame for $1500, which could be awhile)
I find the F6 quite exciting.

I'm not sure that the obsession with full frame is either
healthy or neccesary... the 1/1.5 size sensors do a great
job (witness Bret's full size post from his new cam.)

Cheers,
Alan



Just what will happen when I put my 16 mm Nikkor fisheye on one
of those 1/1.5 sensor equipped digital bodies? I'll tell you.
I get the field of view of a 24 mm wide-angle lens with terrible
distortion. Those of us who have quite a bit invested in wide
and ultra-winde angle lenses take a real bath when we go
digital, unless we can get full-frame sensors. Admittedly,
quite a few folks don't play with wide angle, but some of us do.

Wesley Jansen choreographed a chorus line of high-kicking electrons to
spell out:


"S Lee" wrote in message

My gear is Canon, but had a new -1 series film camera been announced
I think I'd have about the same reaction. That being essentially
"That's nice..." and continuing to shoot with my digital gear. For
me film pretty much is dead. I might occasionally miss the pop of a
Velvia slide, but right now I'm happy enough with not having to wait
for developing (and
then
scanning) negs--not to mention paying for supplies. I'm doing a lot
more shooting as a result.
The F6 appears to me to be another result of how digital really
is
driving the market now--major R&D and new whiz-bang concepts are
appearing first on the Big Two's digital cameras, and for film
cameras the (still beneficial) effect is that they are less expensive
and more features are being put into them. "Them" being SLRs as the
35mm P&S market is fading fast. The F6 should please its buyers, but
its buyers represent less and less of the target audience...

I often wonder if things were the other way around, ie Nikon having FF
+ 1.6 + 1.3, Canon only DX, Canon having manual focus lenses still
compatible, Nikon with only an EOS style lens mount....then all the
Canon people would laud the way Canon does it, and all the Nikon
people would like it their way.

The main point of my post really was that digital really has
diminished my film interest, system aside. (My first digital was
actually an Olympus C-2000.) If Annika *gave* me his EOS-1v body with
all the associated performance advantages over my 10D I'd probably still
neglect it because I'd wind up spending heaps of cash on film while I
tinkered with my crazy shooting ideas.

You say you miss the pop of Velvia
film. What about slides themselves? Just doesn't seem to be a
practical way to do QUALITY projection with digital. Sometimes I get
the feeling that Canon folks think anything Canon has abandoned (new
pro film bodies?) is automatically worthless. I for one am very
pleased Nikon has continued a comittment to those of us who still
appreciate film. After all isn't that what this newsgroup is about?

I don't dispute that film still has its uses... but my personal
opinions and usages don't have much use for it at the moment. I am not
trying to make this into a brand war--the point is that there isn't all
that much movement on *anyone's* film side, the emphasis is on digital.

--
______________A L L D O N E ! B Y E B Y E !_________________
| __ "The Internet is where lunatics are
| (__ * _ _ _ _ internetworked worldwide at the speed of light.
| __)|| | |(_)| \ *This* is progress?" --J. Shinal

Wesley Jansen choreographed a chorus line of high-kicking electrons to
spell out:


"S Lee" wrote in message

My gear is Canon, but had a new -1 series film camera been announced
I think I'd have about the same reaction. That being essentially
"That's nice..." and continuing to shoot with my digital gear. For
me film pretty much is dead. I might occasionally miss the pop of a
Velvia slide, but right now I'm happy enough with not having to wait
for developing (and
then
scanning) negs--not to mention paying for supplies. I'm doing a lot
more shooting as a result.
The F6 appears to me to be another result of how digital really
is
driving the market now--major R&D and new whiz-bang concepts are
appearing first on the Big Two's digital cameras, and for film
cameras the (still beneficial) effect is that they are less expensive
and more features are being put into them. "Them" being SLRs as the
35mm P&S market is fading fast. The F6 should please its buyers, but
its buyers represent less and less of the target audience...

I often wonder if things were the other way around, ie Nikon having FF
+ 1.6 + 1.3, Canon only DX, Canon having manual focus lenses still
compatible, Nikon with only an EOS style lens mount....then all the
Canon people would laud the way Canon does it, and all the Nikon
people would like it their way.

The main point of my post really was that digital really has
diminished my film interest, system aside. (My first digital was
actually an Olympus C-2000.) If Annika *gave* me his EOS-1v body with
all the associated performance advantages over my 10D I'd probably still
neglect it because I'd wind up spending heaps of cash on film while I
tinkered with my crazy shooting ideas.

You say you miss the pop of Velvia
film. What about slides themselves? Just doesn't seem to be a
practical way to do QUALITY projection with digital. Sometimes I get
the feeling that Canon folks think anything Canon has abandoned (new
pro film bodies?) is automatically worthless. I for one am very
pleased Nikon has continued a comittment to those of us who still
appreciate film. After all isn't that what this newsgroup is about?

I don't dispute that film still has its uses... but my personal
opinions and usages don't have much use for it at the moment. I am not
trying to make this into a brand war--the point is that there isn't all
that much movement on *anyone's* film side, the emphasis is on digital.

--
______________A L L D O N E ! B Y E B Y E !_________________
| __ "The Internet is where lunatics are
| (__ * _ _ _ _ internetworked worldwide at the speed of light.
| __)|| | |(_)| \ *This* is progress?" --J. Shinal

Wesley Jansen choreographed a chorus line of high-kicking electrons to
spell out:


"S Lee" wrote in message

My gear is Canon, but had a new -1 series film camera been announced
I think I'd have about the same reaction. That being essentially
"That's nice..." and continuing to shoot with my digital gear. For
me film pretty much is dead. I might occasionally miss the pop of a
Velvia slide, but right now I'm happy enough with not having to wait
for developing (and
then
scanning) negs--not to mention paying for supplies. I'm doing a lot
more shooting as a result.
The F6 appears to me to be another result of how digital really
is
driving the market now--major R&D and new whiz-bang concepts are
appearing first on the Big Two's digital cameras, and for film
cameras the (still beneficial) effect is that they are less expensive
and more features are being put into them. "Them" being SLRs as the
35mm P&S market is fading fast. The F6 should please its buyers, but
its buyers represent less and less of the target audience...

I often wonder if things were the other way around, ie Nikon having FF
+ 1.6 + 1.3, Canon only DX, Canon having manual focus lenses still
compatible, Nikon with only an EOS style lens mount....then all the
Canon people would laud the way Canon does it, and all the Nikon
people would like it their way.

The main point of my post really was that digital really has
diminished my film interest, system aside. (My first digital was
actually an Olympus C-2000.) If Annika *gave* me his EOS-1v body with
all the associated performance advantages over my 10D I'd probably still
neglect it because I'd wind up spending heaps of cash on film while I
tinkered with my crazy shooting ideas.

You say you miss the pop of Velvia
film. What about slides themselves? Just doesn't seem to be a
practical way to do QUALITY projection with digital. Sometimes I get
the feeling that Canon folks think anything Canon has abandoned (new
pro film bodies?) is automatically worthless. I for one am very
pleased Nikon has continued a comittment to those of us who still
appreciate film. After all isn't that what this newsgroup is about?

I don't dispute that film still has its uses... but my personal
opinions and usages don't have much use for it at the moment. I am not
trying to make this into a brand war--the point is that there isn't all
that much movement on *anyone's* film side, the emphasis is on digital.

--
______________A L L D O N E ! B Y E B Y E !_________________
| __ "The Internet is where lunatics are
| (__ * _ _ _ _ internetworked worldwide at the speed of light.
| __)|| | |(_)| \ *This* is progress?" --J. Shinal

"William Graham" wrote in message
news:gZ43d.214444$Fg5.4327@attbi_s53...

"Scott Chapin" wrote in message
...

"TP" wrote in message
...
"Scott Chapin" wrote:

I'm not trying to be sarcastic, but why would Nikon manufacture the
F6?

Presumably because they expect to sell some, and make a profit in the
process. Having put in all the research and development $$$, it would
be silly not to manufacture the camera, even if it isn't the
film/digital hybrid that Nikon originally intended to make.


Well....that's the obvious answer. Now the inovious is why they expect
to
sell some!

Scott



The only reason they won't sell well, is because their traditional Nikon
audience is switching to digital, and those will be buying the D2x, so
either way, Nikon wins.


Well, that's true overall, but that wouldn't justify the tooling costs on
the F6. Unless we're at a crossroads where they cannot tell which way sales
will go, so they're hedging their bets.

Scptt

"William Graham" wrote in message
news:gZ43d.214444$Fg5.4327@attbi_s53...

"Scott Chapin" wrote in message
...

"TP" wrote in message
...
"Scott Chapin" wrote:

I'm not trying to be sarcastic, but why would Nikon manufacture the
F6?

Presumably because they expect to sell some, and make a profit in the
process. Having put in all the research and development $$$, it would
be silly not to manufacture the camera, even if it isn't the
film/digital hybrid that Nikon originally intended to make.


Well....that's the obvious answer. Now the inovious is why they expect
to
sell some!

Scott



The only reason they won't sell well, is because their traditional Nikon
audience is switching to digital, and those will be buying the D2x, so
either way, Nikon wins.


Well, that's true overall, but that wouldn't justify the tooling costs on
the F6. Unless we're at a crossroads where they cannot tell which way sales
will go, so they're hedging their bets.

Scptt