Going Retro?

68Caddy · Sep 17, 2013

Hi, this is my first post in film cameras section, these are the cameras I can use at this point. The two digital ones is my girlfriends but I can use them any time I want.
Little bit of me I'm a slotcar racer in Southern California and every thing I do seems to turn retro??? I guess its called getting old? lol

Any way the first camera I bough was the Canon A-1 in December of( 1979 flying in to New York from Goteborg Sweden (Hasselblad plant). lol
Haven't touched a film camera for thirty years until recently after my girlfriend deciaded to buy a Nikon D7100, sadly it woke up my guilt with my Canon.
Back to learn shooting film and bought a used Nikon F100 and I got caught up in the frenzy of cameras on Youtube.
The issue I have at this time setting up the F100 gig is the MF-29 data back, it did not come with a user manual. Second thing is what type of lenses can I use with the Nikon F100?
Any help that you can offer me would be appreciated.
I could go total digi but I don't want to do that at this point.

Nesta

limr · Sep 17, 2013

I know next to nothing about the Nikon system, but spending about a minute with Google search results, I found:

The Nikon F100 website

F100 Concise Instructions | byThom Filmbodies | Thom Hogan

Clueless!!! Nikon MF-29 Data-Back for the F100

Nikon F100 instruction manual, user manual, PDF manual, free manuals

I'm sure there's a lot more out there.

68Caddy · Sep 17, 2013

Thanks Leonore, have to say I spend about hour and half to get a site that had a manual to show me what I need to do! I did not get nothing to help me out? lol

Nesta

68Caddy · Sep 18, 2013

Sure would like to get some help about the MF-29 and where to find a manual? What type of modern lenses can I use with a F100?
Any help would be appreciated.

Nesta

cgw · Sep 18, 2013

Try this:

Nikon SLR Camera and Lens Compatibility

Google Nikon MF-29 manual. There are a few pdf download sites that seem to have it.

cgipson1 · Sep 18, 2013

68Caddy said:
Sure would like to get some help about the MF-29 and where to find a manual? What type of modern lenses can I use with a F100?
Any help would be appreciated.

Nesta

Lenses? Page 32 of the manual here: http://www.nikonf100.com/files/F100_UserManual.pdf

Couldn't find the MF-29... but here is the MF-28 for some ideas.... Nikon MF-28 Multi-Control Function Data Back - Instruction Manual Index Page

I take it GOOGLE is not your friend?

limr · Sep 18, 2013

cgipson1 said:
68Caddy said:

Sure would like to get some help about the MF-29 and where to find a manual? What type of modern lenses can I use with a F100?
Any help would be appreciated.

Nesta

Click to expand...

Lenses? Page 32 of the manual here: http://www.nikonf100.com/files/F100_UserManual.pdf

Couldn't find the MF-29... but here is the MF-28 for some ideas.... Nikon MF-28 Multi-Control Function Data Back - Instruction Manual Index Page

I take it GOOGLE is not your friend?

Apparently it isn't.

68Caddy · Sep 19, 2013

I did use Googles but all I came up with was links that wanted to load stuff up on my putter or the good old $$$$$.
No thanks.
I guess the MF-29 was not a popular gadget?:scratch:

Thanks for the reply.

Nesta

djacobox372 · Sep 19, 2013

F100 can use any modern full frame Nikon lens as well AI manual focus lenses, basically the.same.lens.selection as a d800

cgw · Sep 20, 2013

You could always sign up at Nikonians and ask.
Try going thru the MF-28 manual. Nothing explodes if you make a mistake.

68Caddy · Sep 20, 2013

First of all I would like to say Thank You to you who is helping me out in the venture. The only lens I got for this camera is a Nikkor 35mm and its a 1:2 but I thing I need a another lens that is more flexible like in the range of 24 or smaller that goes up to 50mm's or more, kind of lost here honestly what would be a good lens for me?
Any help to find a lens that would give me a bigger field of range would be helpful.

Nesta

cgw · Sep 21, 2013

The Nikon 28-70/3.5-4.5 AFD is very affordable and delivers great image quality for the $$$. Anything wider than 28mm in a zoom or prime will get pricey fast.

gsgary · Sep 21, 2013

68Caddy said:
I did use Googles but all I came up with was links that wanted to load stuff up on my putter or the good old $$$$$.
No thanks.
I guess the MF-29 was not a popular gadget?:scratch:

Thanks for the reply.

Nesta

From what i have read it is a waste of time it prints date/day/time in the frame, the police used them for evidence of when a shot was taken

vintagesnaps · Sep 21, 2013

I'm not that familiar with Nikon F cameras but you could try Camera Store - Buy & Sell New & Used Cameras - Canon, Nikon, Hasselblad, Leica & More - KEH.com to take a look at lenses - look under 35mm and you'll see Nikon autofocus which is where the F100 is listed. Most of their listings have pictures of the actual lens - that might give you an idea of what lenses might work for you, and if you buy used from them they are a reputable dealer.

http://www.cameramanuals.org/nikon_pdf/nikon_f100.pdf Here's the manual from Mike Butkus' site.

marenmcgowan · Sep 26, 2013

I'm not an expert on this, but I do shoot an F100...I love my F100, and it rocks for 35mm format shooting...but, I manually meter and focus most of the time. It is helpful to have autofocus when shooting fast moving kids... You will find that most lenses are compatible, it mostly matters what features you want (i.e. some lens features/capabilities will not work with the F100...look at the Nikonians link below). Personally, I shoot only primes, so I can have fast lenses... You should also consider what you like to shoot. For instance, I have a 16mm fisheye, a 50mm f1.8 (this is a really good inexpensive lens, by the way), and a 85mm f1.4. I don't have the need for long lenses...that's me. I think you said you have a 35, so maybe you should just get a 50 and an 85 or 105...that's a good combo.

You should look at all the links that Leonore posted...I, too, found those quickly with Google searches. The Mike Butkus site is excellent for manuals, and the F100 site is completely dedicated to F100 users, etc. The APUG thread basically says that the MF-29 is not a good investment, and it also gives details on its functionality. Look at the link below for Nikonians to see their list of compatible lenses:

Here is the link to the Nikonians site that lists compatibility info on the F100:
Nikon SLR Camera and Lens Compatibility