I was surprised to find the Nikon F100 trending on Google, but the more I think about this ‘modern’ film camera the more I understand why.
The Nikon F100 was released in 1999 and discontinued in 2006, making it a relatively recent example of the format. It was launched as a more affordable alternative to the Big N’s range-topping Nikon F5, making it an incredibly capable body for 35mm film photography.
But what makes the Nikon F100 such an attractive prospect is that it represents a sweet spot between specs and affordability. If you’re looking for what is technically the very best film camera Nikon ever made, look no further than the Nikon F6, which was released in 2004 and remained in production right up until 2020.
Because the F6 was never surpassed, it still commands extremely high prices on the used market. I’m seeing them priced in and around the $1,700 / £1,400 mark. The Nikon F100, on the other hand, goes for around $300 / £300. That’s a big difference.
Ultimately, the Nikon F100 gets you close enough to the Nikon F6’s specs that all but the very hardcore of film photographers would benefit from the difference. Don’t get me wrong, the F6 is the more advanced and better camera – but for most film uses, the Nikon F100 will do the job.
Nikon F100 vs Nikon F6
Using both the Nikon F100 and Nikon F6 will feel somewhat familiar to Nikon DSLR users. They’re not a manual film camera like the Nikon FM; they feature a variety of automatic modes, making them more complicated initially but overall easier to operate.
When it comes to the two cameras stacked up against each other side by side, there are a few big differences. Firstly, the Nikon F100’s 3D Matrix Metering is inferior to the F6’s 3D Color Matrix Metering and autofocus is a similar story.
The Nikon F100 featured Nikon’s Multi-CAM1300 5-area AF module, while the F6 debuted the more advanced Multi-CAM2000 11-area AF system.
Both cameras are well made, but the Nikon F6 comes out on top with extensive weather sealing and an all-metal body, compared to the Nikon F100’s largely metal build and only partial weather sealing. The Nikon F100 can also suffer from Nikon’s infamous sticky rubber/leatherette, much like the Nikon D70.
Lens compatibility is another win for the F6 over the Nikon F100. Make sure you look up exact lens compatibility before buying any film camera. While both cameras can accommodate most Nikon F-mount lenses, the F6 boasts better all-around compatibility. For example, the F6 can retain Matrix Metering when using manual F-mount lenses; the Nikon F100 cannot.
The viewfinders are slightly different, too, with the Nikon F100 featuring 96% coverage to the Nikon F6’s 100%. And while it won’t matter to most users, and could even be seen as a plus to some, the Nikon F100’s shutter is much louder than the Nikon F6.
If that seems like a lot of differences, it most certainly is. The Nikon F6 isn’t regarded by many as the greatest film camera ever made for nothing. But when it comes to film photography as a hobby, the vast majority of film photographers will get by with the Nikon F100 just fine.
If you’ve got the money then, by all means, pick up a fine piece of film photography history. For everyone else, the Nikon F100 is all the film camera you could ever need and provided you can find a good example, you cannot beat current used prices.
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