Nikon F5 professional 35mm SLR camera
Nikon is changing the way professional photographers approach their craft with the introduction of the new Nikon F5 professional 35mm SLR camera. The camera offers many technological advances and breakthroughs in every major 35mm SLR feature-category, making it the most advanced 35mm SLR camera available.
The Nikon F5 takes photos at an unprecedented 8 frames per second (fps) with focus tracking, which is 60% faster than any current 35mm camera. This allows photographers, even those in the most fast-paced situations, to capture the images they desire.
The new camera also features the world's most advanced metering system. The 3D Color Matrix Meter is a 1,005-pixel RGB (red green blue) exposure sensor that evaluates scene brightness, contrast, and now even adds color evaluation to its exposure calculations. Exclusive Nikon technology allows the new metering system to incorporate distance and, for the first time, color into the exposure equation.
The Nikon F5 stores exposure information from more than 30,000 actual photographic scenes in its memory. When a photo is taken, the camera's on-board computer compares the new scene to those in its memory. When the computer finds a match, it incorporates optimal exposure information from the scene in memory in calculating the suggested aperture and shutter speed. Photographers thus achieve the best exposure for each individual image.
"The F5 was designed with the professional photographer in mind, and will become an essential tool for sports, news, nature and location photographers, said Richard LoPinto, vice president of Nikon's Photo Marketing Group. "While pros will immediately understand and embrace all that the F5 has to offer, the avid advanced photographer and anyone who seeks top-of-the-line technology will also recognize the F5 as a "must have" camera."
The new camera also offers photographers the choice of two additional meters, including the world's first flexible center-weighted meter. The flexible center-weighted meter allows photographers to concentrate 75 percent of the metering on a center 12mm circle. Thanks to Nikon's exclusive technology, photographers can customize the size of this center circle, with a choice of 8mm, 12mm, 15mm, 20mm, or a simple averaging meter. The spot meter, when used in single servo AF mode, provides a choice of five, 4mm diameter sensors for very specific metering situations.
Another exclusive F5 advantage is the exclusive Multi-Cam 1300 Autofocus (AF) Sensor with the world's first Wide-Area Cross-Type Array. The Nikon F5's autofocusing system covers more area, giving more focusing coverage than any other camera. With the exclusive Wide-Area Cross-type Array of CCDs, photographers can track subjects as they move in both vertical and horizontal compositions. Subjects that might elude other autofocusing systems produce sharp images when photographed with the F5.
The AF system includes five focus area sensors, three of which are full-time cross-type sensors. The five sensors operate in two AF modes -- Dynamic Mode and Single Area Mode. With Single Area Mode, you choose the sensor to operate as a spot autofocus sensor. Your selection corresponds to the composition of the scene. When shooting action, you can choose Dynamic Mode. After you designate a primary sensor, if the subject moves, Dynamic Mode will lock-on it and track it as it moves among the sensors. This ensures fast and reliable autofocus operation. Even when view of the subject is momentarily interrupted, the F5's Lock-on feature will keep sharp focus on the moving subject.
The Nikon F5 has up to 24 custom settings, many with multiple options, built in. The optional MF-28 Multi-Control Back can be used to take interval exposures (for the opening of a flower or the building progress of a backyard deck). The multi-control back can also imprint time and date, and can even individually label a film between frames with a copyright notice, to help secure the photographer's picture rights. Photographers can also use the optional back to freeze focus, which fires the camera when a subject enters a pre-set plane of focus.
There is also custom software, called Photo Manager, that enables the Nikon F5 to be controlled by a personal computer -- either a Mac or a PC -- to store shooting data and add 17 additional Custom Settings.
"The F5 is designed to bring photographers, both experienced and emerging professionals, into the future of photography and their profession," said LoPinto. "That's why it will also appeal to anyone who wants to work with the best tool available; Nikon's reputation of defying obsolescence is further defined by the performance and compatibility of the F5."
The Nikon F5 is built with Nikon precision and integrity; it has the traditional Nikon F-type lens mount, and is compatible with virtually every Nikkor lens and a large assortment of Nikon accessories. Extensive compatibility is an integral part of Nikon's plans for now and into the future.
The Nikon F5 is scheduled for delivery in Fall 1996. Price will be announced at time of delivery.
