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.
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The Nikon F4P is a press-oriented variant of the F4 professional SLR, introduced around 1989 for supply through press and agency channels. Mechanically it shares its core specification with the F4s - the AM200 single-point autofocus system, matrix/center-weighted/spot metering, 1/8000s electronic shutter, and interchangeable finder system - but the F4P adds improved sealing at body joints, control dials, and the film door to offer greater resistance to moisture and dust ingress compared to the standard F4 or F4s. The configuration was paired with the MB-21 grip as standard, delivering the same 5.7 fps continuous rate. The F4P was not sold through normal retail channels in most markets; it was supplied directly to news agencies, wire services, and press photographers on account, making it considerably rarer than the equivalent F4s on the used market.
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.
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Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
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Kodak Gold 200 is a daylight-balanced C-41 color negative film with warm color, moderate grain, and a classic consumer-film look.
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Before you buy used
About this camera
The F4 hardened for deadline work: weather sealing and a press-ready configuration for wire-service photographers.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Mount | Nikon F (pre-AI flip tab, AI, AI-S, AF, AF-D) |
| Years | ~1989-1996 |
| 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-21) |
| Weather sealing | Improved sealing at joints, dials, film door |
| Battery | 6x AA in MB-21 |
The F4P follows a pattern established by the F3P: a weather-sealed and press-configured variant of the flagship professional body, supplied to working photojournalists through direct or agency channels rather than retail. Nikon launched the F4 in July 1988 with the standard F4 (MB-20) and F4s (MB-21) configurations; the F4P followed in 1989 as press and wire organizations began adopting the F4 for daily use. The F3P - which had emerged in 1983 as the weather-sealed F3 variant used by AP, UPI, and other services - established the template. Like the F3P, the F4P used no viewfinder window cover and was configured for the DA-2 eye-level prism as standard. Production of all F4 variants ended in 1996 with the introduction of the F5.
For working photographers in the late 1980s and early 1990s, weather resistance was a practical requirement in daily photojournalism that the standard F4s did not fully address. The F4P filled that gap in the same way the F3P had for the prior generation. The rarity of the F4P on the used market - a consequence of its press-channel distribution - makes it disproportionately interesting to collectors relative to its practical difference from the F4s. Functionally, the autofocus, metering, and frame rate are identical to the F4s; the F4P's value is its sealing, its press provenance, and its comparative scarcity. Buyers prepared to pay a premium over an equivalent F4s acquire a more durable tool for wet-weather or dusty-environment work on film.
Identical lens compatibility to the F4s. The F4 mount retains the AI-coupling indexing tab, allowing un-modified pre-AI lenses to mount and meter with appropriate finders. AI and AI-S, AF and AF-D lenses cover full function; AF-S and AF-P lenses mount but operate manual-focus only. Interchangeable finders: DA-2 (standard press fit), DA-20 (waist-level/sports), DW-20 and DW-21 (magnifying). Interchangeable focusing screens. SB-24 and SB-28 flashes with matrix-balanced TTL fill. Data backs MF-24 and MF-25. The MB-21 grip ships as standard; MB-23 NiMH rechargeable grip is an alternative.
BW
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
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Kodak Ektar 100 is a fine-grain C-41 color negative film with saturated color and high sharpness.
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