Even with this, in 1992 Nikon released the F90. The 501 ceased production in 1990 and the 801 in 1991 updating it to the F-801s with improved specs surrounding the autofocus system. Despite the release of the 801, Nikon continued to produce the 501.
The F-801 also shifted to a design that looked much like its professional cousin, the F4. In 1988 alongside the Nikon F4, Nikon released the F-801 (N8008), in addition to improved autofocus performance Nikon included a 2D Matrix Metering system into the F-801. These hard angles made it look like a VCR than a camera, but certainly in line with similar cameras of the era, namely the F3, but in a single polycarbonate shell than metal. The F-501 also matched much of the design ethos of the time. The system worked, but proved slow and could be inaccurate. A simple CCD provided passive TTL Phase-Detection to drive an internal motor that mechanically coupled to the lens’s focusing elements. Despite having developed matrix metering in 1983, such a function did not make it into the F-501. Nikon did not lag far behind, they had attempted to modify an F3 to support autofocus, and took the lessons learned and released in 1986 the Nikon F-501 (N2020). Minolta hit the ground running with their Maxxum 7000 line of cameras with the first commercially successful autofocus camera system. But the 1980s brought a second disruption that forced Nikon to adapt much as they did when the OM-1 came in the 1970s. Nikon rode high among photographers who desired a quality camera built to near exacting standards. From the FE/FM line of cameras came the simpler Nikon EM. The image of the F90 starts with one of the last cameras of the Nikkormat line, the EL2, which merged to become the FE. Now I won’t go into the whole history of the Nikkormat line of cameras if you want to read over that, I recommend reading my review on the Nikkormat FT3. Starting in the 1960s with the Nikkormat line. Nikon F90 – AF Nikkor 35mm 1:2D (Yellow-15) – Kosmo Foto Mono 100 ASA-100 – Kodak D-76 (1+1) 9:00 20C Nikon F90 – AF Nikkor 35mm 1:2D (Yellow-15) – Kosmo Foto Mono 100 ASA-100 – Kodak D-76 (1+1) 9:00 20CĪs I mentioned in my first paragraph, the Nikon F90 comes from a long line of solid consumer cameras from Nikon.
Meter: 3x Silicon Photo Diode TTL Meter arranged in 8 segments, EV -1 ~ EV 21 ASA-100, ASA-6 – ASA-6400 Shutter: Electromagnetic Vertical Travel Metal Focal Plane Shutter, 30″ – 1/8000″ + Bulb And while I no longer own one, it served me well for many years, and now lives with a deserving photographer who both uses and loves the camera as I did. The F90 can be had for a song these days and yet performs well both on its own and when paired with one of those bodies. While often overlooked against such professional bodies like the Nikon F4 and Nikon F5 which the production of the F90 overlaps. The Nikon F90 (N90 for you American readers) is one such camera, one from a proud line of SLRs that stretch back to the 1960s with the original Nikkormat.
Nikon has an uncanny ability to build amazing cameras, not always but sometimes they get one just right, but then it just slides through the cracks.