Nikon F100 (1999–2006)

Name: Nikon F100
Brand: Nikon

A magnesium-bodied pro-grade SLR that weighs 878 grams, fires to 1/8000, and goes through AA batteries fast. Owners keep buying them anyway.

Overview

The F100 weighs 878 grams. Anyone who has handled the lighter F80/N80 notices the difference right away. The weight comes from the magnesium body, and that is the first thing separating this camera from the consumer film SLRs it resembles. Nikon introduced the F100 in 1999 as a professional 35mm film-based single-lens reflex body, an autofocus SLR on the Nikon F mount. It stayed in production until 2006, when it was discontinued along with most of the company's remaining film cameras.

The sources repeat the same framing: the F100 is a scaled-down Nikon F5 and a precursor to the Nikon F6. That matches what Nikon actually did. It took the F5's Multi-Cam 1300 AF system and put it in a smaller, lighter, cheaper body. Photographers who used the F5 as their main body often picked up an F100 as a lighter backup, and the AF performance didn't suffer for it. Same autofocus module, same professional-grade metering, but a camera you could carry on a neck strap all day.

What you give up is battery life. The F100 runs on four AA cells, alkaline in most cases, and it goes through them fast. Owners report getting roughly ten rolls out of a set, and the consensus among people who've lived with the camera is that this is normal, not a fault. It's the price of the big top-plate LCD, the fast film transport, and the AF system. Buy rechargeables or budget for alkalines.

Key Features

Multi-Cam 1300 Autofocus, Shared with the F5

The headline feature is the autofocus module. The F100 uses the same Multi-Cam 1300 AF system found in the F5, which is the single most important reason this camera still commands attention decades after it was discontinued. The F5 was Nikon's 1996 flagship, and putting its AF system in a smaller body was the whole point of the F100. According to available documentation, the F100 was born directly of the F5 and inherited that system wholesale.

30 Seconds to 1/8000, with 1/250 Flash Sync

The shutter runs from 30 seconds to 1/8000th of a second, and flash syncs at 1/250. Compare that to the cheaper F80/N80, which tops out at 1/4000 with a slower sync speed. That is one of the concrete differences behind the "poor man's Nikon F100" label the N80 carries. Five flash sync modes are available, selected by rotating the Main-Command Dial while pressing the flash sync mode button. The high sync speed lets you blend flash with ambient light outdoors without resorting to slow-shutter tricks.

3D Matrix, Center-Weighted, and Spot Metering

Exposure control covers 3D Matrix, Center-Weighted, and Spot, with a metering range of EV 0 to 21 at ISO 100 with an f/1.4 lens, narrowing to EV 3 to 21 in spot mode. That is wide enough for most available-light work. The matrix mode draws on the same scene-database approach Nikon was using across its professional bodies. The camera is electronically controlled throughout, which makes the custom functions and the data features possible.

Magnesium Body with Curved Lines and Textured Surfaces

The chassis is magnesium. The curved lines and textured panels give the F100 a look distinct from the boxier bodies around it. It's described as having a rock-solid feel, and owners who have compared it directly to the F80 note the difference immediately. It's a good-sized SLR, comfortable on a neck strap for a full day, with enough heft that it doesn't feel like a toy. The eyepiece takes a slip-on cover, and at least one owner admitted to simply shading it by hand on a tripod rather than bothering with the cover.

Nikon F Mount: AI-S Through AF-D and Beyond

The F mount means the F100 accepts old Nikon AI-S manual-focus glass alongside AF-D autofocus lenses and more. That backward compatibility is a large part of the camera's lasting appeal. The F100 combines professional-grade autofocus, matrix metering, and build quality with modern ergonomics and compatibility with decades of Nikon glass. There are limits. Pre-AI lenses cannot be mounted safely, and the camera cannot use AF-P lenses or electronic aperture lenses. Check your glass against those two exclusions before assuming everything F-mount will work.

Large Top-Plate LCD and Data Connectivity

All settings and main information show on the large LCD screen up top, which is the operational center of the camera in daily use. The F100 also supports a PC connection and download of data. That mattered more in 1999 than it does now, but it shows how Nikon positioned the body: as a professional instrument, not a consumer point-and-shoot.

Viewfinder: 21mm Eyepoint, 96% Coverage

The F100's eyepoint is 21mm with 96% frame coverage. The long eyepoint is useful for glasses wearers, and it compares favorably against the F6's 18mm. At least one owner who moved between the two found the F6's finder comparatively strained after years on the F100. The trade is coverage: 96% rather than the F5's 100%, so a sliver of what you see won't land on the film.

Historical Context

Nikon introduced the F100 in 1999 and discontinued it in 2006, alongside most of its other film cameras. In the eight years following the F5's 1996 launch, Nikon brought out five additional professional bodies - the F100, D1, D1h, D1x, and D2h - so the F100 sits right at the hinge between the film era and the digital transition. It's routinely described as a scaled-down F5 and a precursor to the F6.

Its closest relative in the consumer tier is the F80/N80, often called the poor man's Nikon F100. The N80 shares a lot of the same features and specifications, but without the F100's weight - 515 grams against the F100's 878 - and with a slower maximum shutter speed of 1/4000 versus 1/8000, plus a slower flash sync. The F100's flash sync is the faster of the two at 1/250. Film transport is quick as well. Rewind takes roughly nine seconds, slightly more than half the time of the comparison body it's usually measured against.

Collectibility & Value

The F100 is widely described as an amazingly affordable camera for what it offers. Former flagship models are, in the view of many buyers, either too expensive or pretty much worn out by their earlier professional owners. The F100 sidesteps both problems by sitting a tier below the F5 while sharing its AF system. Listings commonly carry cosmetic ratings around 9, with condition descriptors like Near MINT, Top MINT with box, Excellent, and Near New Condition.

Two practical notes for shoppers. First, the battery drain is real and normal, roughly ten rolls per set of four AA alkalines, so factor it into the cost of ownership. Second, the original Nikon MS-12 AA battery holder tray is a genuine Nikon part and a perfect fit. Third-party trays exist, but the original is the one to look for if you want the camera to behave the way it was designed to. A reported fault worth knowing about is a body that will only fire in self-timer mode. Beyond that, published repair information for the F100 is thin, and no specific market pricing or parts-availability guidance turned up in the available documentation.

Market Value

┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ NIKON F100                                                      Nov 2026 │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ High      $700                                    Latest            $360 │
│ Median    $425                                    Trend                — │
│ Low       $213                                    Volume          ~45/mo │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│   $700 ┤                                                          .      │
│        │                                    .   . . .  . . . . .    . .. │
│        │                               .  . ... .  .   ..... ........... │
│   $486 ┤            .                     ........... ... ...... ....... │
│        │                           .     . ............................. │
│        │.             ..             .    ........................... . .│
│        │             .    .     .        .  ......... .. ... ...... . ...│
│   $200 ┤          .                           . ..  . . .. .       .  .  │
│        ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────│
│    vol │▁         ▁ ▁▁▁▁  ▁     ▁  ▁ ▁ ▁ ▁▁▁▇▅▄▄▅▅▃▄▇▁▄▄▆▅▅▆▄▃▃▃▃▄█▂▄▂▄▄▁│
│        └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────│
│         2025-11                      2026-03                      2026-07│
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘