Nikon F5 "The Peak", Episode V of Nikon F Series

In this Episode 5 we look at Nikon F5, widely regarded as the last professional Nikon SLR Film camera produced by Nikon. It was the last Emperor at the Peak of power, holding onto a vast empire. Under steady and confident hands, Industrial Design and Beauty were skillfully combined with Mechanical perfection and advances in electronics.

This is a re-upload of a video with the same name. YouTube did not like the use of the music from Chariots of Fire. I was asked to change all the music. This time the actual copyright permission has been copied below. Also one of you pointed out that the design of F5 started in 1992. That correction has been included in this version.

In 1985, 3 years before Nikon F4, Minolta introduced serous autofocus in the Maxxum 7000 and the professional grade Maxxum 9000. The user interface also had many new ideas. A little later the same year, Canon introduced its T80 SLR with limited autofocus with the old FD lens mount. It only lasted one year.

In 1986, 2 Years before Nikon F4, Canon introduced T90. T90 substantially improved some of the new user interface ideas from the Minolta Maxxum 7000 and 9000 and created a virtual revolution which lasted for decades and were copied by many others.

But it was too little, to late for T90. Minolta had changed the game with serious professional grade Autofocus and T90 did not have autofocus. So, after just one year Canon introduced its new EOS cameras, named after the Greek Goddess of Dawn EEos, suggesting a whole new beginning.

Nikon’s own response to Minolta Maxxum Autofocus cameras started with F501 in 1986 and F401 in 1987, followed by F4 in 1988.

Canon EOS 1 was the first professional version from 1989 to 1994, which seriously challenged Nikon F4. In 1994, it was updated to EOS 1N which continued to the year 2000.

Nikon F5 was the response to that environment. Nikon started the design of Nikon F5 as early as 1992 (the video incorrectly mentions 2002- sorry about that). It was a do or die period. Nikon had to do something truly spectacular. They had to match and surpass Canon in every area to regain the title of the top professional brand, especially for Press photographers.

With F5, Nikon looked far into the future. It was not entirely a joke when they used the motto “Imported from the Future”. The Future historians may even think Nikon first designed the D1 Professional Digital camera, then inserted a film chamber inside to form the perfect film camera. But in fact it is the other way around. D1 is substantially F5 with digital interiors.

The F5 design peaked like a star athlete after years of training and just before the Olympic games. It broke all records with quality, features and competent execution whilst disarming the opposition by embracing, absorbing, and extending every good idea regardless of its origin. Nikon F5 was and still is the Peak, and the un-rivalled Apex of SLR film camera design.

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