Ugly Hedgehog - Photography Forum
Home Active Topics Newest Pictures Search Login Register ☰
Film Photography
Anyone own a Nikon F5 with 300XXXX serial?
Page <prev 2 of 2
Dec 4, 2021 00:52:47   #
Bob58 Loc: Kansas
 
wide2tele wrote:
Yes, they were different. Here is a quick history:

The Nikon F5 was in incredibly high demand pre-release. The F4 was severely outdated and Canon were taking the pro market away from Nikon with their new EOS line. Nikon tried to combat this market loss by releasing the gap filling F90x/n to hold on to the pro market till the F5 was ready for release.

Due to the high F5 pre-release demand, unlike other cameras, the F5 wasn't immediately available to all photographers amateur and professional. It was first released to professional photographers only. Professional photographers around the world had to put in orders for the F5. Nikon first filled these orders before releasing the F5 to the general public.

These early F5's that went out to pros had the 300XXXX serials. These cameras were the very first Nikon F5's. Due to the need for a proper professional Nikon camera at the time, these F5's were all almost certainly put to immediate professional use. They were not purchased to sit around and be lightly used. The very first F5's would've been used, abused, worn out or resold at a later time. To find one of the very first/original F5's today in good condition, I imagine they simply do not exist.

Nikon also released the Nikon F5 as a special collectors 50th anniversary model. The 50th fetches high prices. However, there are likely still many of these sitting completely new and untouched in their boxes by collectors. The F5 that is today likely to be around in the smallest numbers, the most unique, and the rarest of them all is the F5 with 300XXXX serial.

These were the cameras that created the Nikon F5 legend.

Worth checking your serials.
Yes, they were different. Here is a quick history:... (show quote)


I have an F5, S/N 3003789. I bought it a few years ago on eBay from someone in Canada. It's in pristine condition, not a scratch on it and functions perfectly.

Reply
Dec 4, 2021 09:06:47   #
wide2tele Loc: Australia
 
Bob58 wrote:
I have an F5, S/N 3003789. I bought it a few years ago on eBay from someone in Canada. It's in pristine condition, not a scratch on it and functions perfectly.

Box and original contents all there?
Might’ve been a backup that was hardly ever used. Photo Secretary software can tell you how many rolls have been through it but you need the software and connecting cord.

Reply
Dec 4, 2021 09:41:57   #
Bob58 Loc: Kansas
 
No box or documentation, body only. I might try to find the data cord for it.

Reply
 
 
Dec 4, 2021 19:48:08   #
wide2tele Loc: Australia
 
Bob58 wrote:
No box or documentation, body only. I might try to find the data cord for it.

Still a great find! I saw one not long ago on eBay and while the body looked ok, the base screamed "professional use." It wasn't cheap either!
They will be very rare. Maybe not worth a fortune yet but when you have possibly 9,999 of anything and collectors realize there are only a handful left, they become very valuable!
Then you still have to add in the history of the F5 and that these were the bodies used by pros to create many of the final outstanding professional film images, there is plenty to sell with.

Reply
May 18, 2022 05:54:52   #
BebuLamar
 
wide2tele wrote:
Box and original contents all there?
Might’ve been a backup that was hardly ever used. Photo Secretary software can tell you how many rolls have been through it but you need the software and connecting cord.


No photosecretary won't. The F5 only hold data for 100 rolls and I use photoscretary just to delete the data.

Reply
Apr 9, 2023 21:32:53   #
Bruiser Loc: NSW, Australia
 
Hi, I just picked up a very early F5 with serial number 3004310 and it's in lovely condition! Definitely the earliest number I have actually seen. Cheers, Bruce



Reply
Apr 13, 2023 18:42:28   #
ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore
 
wide2tele wrote:
If you do, how would you describe it's condition?
Just curious if there are any left in anything close to very good condition or better.
I think it's very unlikely that there are.


3061872: No scuffs on the body. Everything works, meter is dead accurate, I would call it good to very good condition. I would not call it mint; but I have absolutely no complaints about how it works. My wife bought it for a Christmas Present and I think she paid about $250. The one I have does not look like it was dragged through Jurassic Park. lol
Erich

Reply
 
 
Apr 13, 2023 18:47:10   #
ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore
 
wide2tele wrote:
Yes, they were different. Here is a quick history:

The Nikon F5 was in incredibly high demand pre-release. The F4 was severely outdated and Canon were taking the pro market away from Nikon with their new EOS line. Nikon tried to combat this market loss by releasing the gap filling F90x/n to hold on to the pro market till the F5 was ready for release.

Due to the high F5 pre-release demand, unlike other cameras, the F5 wasn't immediately available to all photographers amateur and professional. It was first released to professional photographers only. Professional photographers around the world had to put in orders for the F5. Nikon first filled these orders before releasing the F5 to the general public.

These early F5's that went out to pros had the 300XXXX serials. These cameras were the very first Nikon F5's. Due to the need for a proper professional Nikon camera at the time, these F5's were all almost certainly put to immediate professional use. They were not purchased to sit around and be lightly used. The very first F5's would've been used, abused, worn out or resold at a later time. To find one of the very first/original F5's today in good condition, I imagine they simply do not exist.

Nikon also released the Nikon F5 as a special collectors 50th anniversary model. The 50th fetches high prices. However, there are likely still many of these sitting completely new and untouched in their boxes by collectors. The F5 that is today likely to be around in the smallest numbers, the most unique, and the rarest of them all is the F5 with 300XXXX serial.

These were the cameras that created the Nikon F5 legend.

Worth checking your serials.
Yes, they were different. Here is a quick history:... (show quote)


Thanks for the history lesson. Since mine was after 300XXX it may have had a charmed life before I got it. Anyway, rare or not, I love the camera.
Erich

Reply
Apr 13, 2023 19:13:27   #
ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore
 
wide2tele wrote:
If you do, how would you describe it's condition?
Just curious if there are any left in anything close to very good condition or better.
I think it's very unlikely that there are.


Mine is 306XXXX so not one of the early ones sold only to pros. Thanks for the history lesson. I had no idea about the history of this camera as far as whom it was sold to. Very interesting.
Erich

Reply
May 4, 2023 03:17:44   #
Bruiser Loc: NSW, Australia
 
Bruiser wrote:
Hi, I just picked up a very early F5 with serial number 3004310 and it's in lovely condition! Definitely the earliest number I have actually seen. Cheers, Bruce


EDIT: Actually the seller reneged on the sale and wouldn't ship it. HOWEVER I found #3008244 which is also in excellent fully working condition and it has safely arrived!!







Reply
Jul 7, 2023 19:06:52   #
Bruiser Loc: NSW, Australia
 
Hi all, this is the seller's photo but I managed to find this one out of Japan with the very early serial number of 3001194. Apparently fully working it also has a Nikon Professional Services modified larger R1 button which peeks through the folding cover. Will post more pics when it arrives.



Reply
Page <prev 2 of 2
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.
Film Photography
Home | Latest Digest | Back to Top | All Sections
Contact us | Privacy policy | Terms of use | DMCA
UglyHedgehog.com - Forum
Copyright 2011-2024 Ugly Hedgehog, Inc.