C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
View profile →slr-35mm
The Nikon F4e (1991) is the NiMH rechargeable-grip configuration of the F4 professional SLR - the F4 body paired with the **MB-23** motor-drive grip instead of the AA-cell MB-21 used in the F4s. The camera body, electronics, optics compatibility, and performance are identical to the F4s in every respect: single-point AM200 autofocus, 3D matrix metering, 1/8000s electronic vertical shutter, full-aperture TTL flash, and interchangeable finder prisms. The distinction is entirely in the power system. The MB-23 holds a proprietary NiMH rechargeable pack rather than six AA cells, delivering the same 5.7 fps continuous rate as the F4s but requiring a dedicated charger (Nikon MC-23 or equivalent).
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the 35mm format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
View profile →BW
Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
View profile →C41
Kodak Gold 200 is a daylight-balanced C-41 color negative film with warm color, moderate grain, and a classic consumer-film look.
Develop 35mm film
Labs in our directory that process 35mm film.
Before you buy used
About this camera
The rechargeable-grip F4: same professional platform, NiMH MB-23 battery pack for studio and press workflows.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Mount | Nikon F (pre-AI, AI, AI-S, AF, AF-D) |
| Years | 1991–1996 |
| Shutter | 30s – 1/8000s + Bulb, electronic vertical aluminum |
| Flash sync | 1/250s |
| Meter | TTL matrix, center-weighted, 5mm spot |
| Modes | P, A, S, M |
| AF | Single-point AM200 |
| Frame rate | ~5.7 fps (MB-23) |
| Battery | MB-23 NiMH rechargeable pack |
| Viewfinder coverage | 1.0 (100%) |
Nikon launched the F4 in 1988 with two grip options: the MB-20 (4 fps, 4× AA) and MB-21 (5.7 fps, 6× AA). The MB-23 rechargeable grip and the F4e configuration were introduced in 1991, targeting studio photographers, portrait and wedding shooters, and staff press photographers who maintained charging infrastructure and wanted to avoid the recurring cost and environmental burden of disposable AA cells. The F4e was produced until the F4 line was discontinued in 1996, when the F5 succeeded the entire F4 family.
The F4e occupies a narrow niche: it trades the global availability of AA batteries for the operational convenience of rechargeable NiMH packs. For a studio where chargers are always plugged in and spare packs are on rotation, this is a practical advantage. For field work or travel, the F4s with AA cells is more flexible.
The practical consequence for 2026 buyers is that the MB-23 NiMH packs are often dead or degraded. A working F4e requires either a functioning original pack or a rebuilt/replacement cell - both available from specialist suppliers but adding complexity and cost. Bodies with dead MB-23 packs sell for less than clean F4s configurations; a rebuilt pack brings the F4e back to full F4s-equivalent performance at a lower total cost than buying a clean F4s outright, which gives budget-conscious buyers a reason to seek them out.
The camera itself is otherwise identical to the F4s in every testable way. All the F4's core merits - Giugiaro design language, 100% finder coverage, 3D matrix metering, AI-coupling for pre-AI lenses, interchangeable prisms, full PSAM exposure modes - apply without reservation.
Full Nikon F-mount compatibility across generations, identical to the F4 and F4s. The AI-coupling tab allows un-modified pre-AI lenses to mount and meter correctly. AI and AI-S lenses operate fully. AF and AF-D lenses autofocus. AF-S and AF-P lenses mount but operate manual-focus only.
Interchangeable finders: DA-2, DA-20, DW-20, DW-21. Interchangeable focusing screens (Type A through E). Flash: SB-24, SB-28 with matrix-balanced TTL. Data backs MF-24 and MF-25.
MB-23 specifics: The grip requires the MH-23 charger or equivalent compatible NiMH charger. Replacement NiMH cells for dead MB-23 packs are available from battery rebuild services and some camera-repair specialists. Confirm polarity and cell count before any rebuild.
BW
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
View profile →C41
Kodak Ektar 100 is a fine-grain C-41 color negative film with saturated color and high sharpness.
View profile →Nikon F4e
Image coming soon