The 元5AD is the same as the AF, with the addition of an autodate back.The 元5AF is the original model, with a 35mm f/2.8 lens.There are a few variations of the Nikon 元5 that you may see if you’re in the market for one. If I had to summarize this camera in as few words as possible, it’d be hard to get more succinct and accurate than “top-notch”. The release of the 元5AF proved to be well worth the wait you may even see this camera referred to as “Pikaichi”, which means “top-notch” in Japanese. Camera models’ names weren’t too creative back then, were they? First released in 1983, it was a little behind the times, as autofocus point and shoot cameras had been around for 5 years (the first being the Konica C35 AF).Īt the time, it could’ve been described as the direct competitor to Canon’s offering, the AF35M. The 元5AF was Nikon’s first compact camera to feature autofocus. While there’s no denying that in 2021, the 元5AF is no longer the hidden secret it was 10 years ago, I still believe that it is an incredible point and shoot camera, especially if you’re turned off by the price point of other comparable models.Ĭheck out the full, hands-on review below. Of the many point and shoot film cameras that have made their way through my collection, the longest lasting and most used would absolutely be the Nikon 元5AF. Some photographers may turn their noses at the simplicity and ease of point and shoots, but I find them an invaluable tool and always try to keep one within arms reach. Not only were compact cameras easier to bring with me, they’ve changed the way I think about photography and certainly impacted my photographic style. I was bitten by the point and shoot bug at a point where I felt completely uninspired to take photos and burdened by my SLR. In the last few years, there’s been a significantly increased interest in point and shoot film cameras, reaching an absolute peak when Kendall Jenner and other celebrities were seen toting Contax T2’s, arguably causing a spike in sales (and price). We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. This site contains affiliate links to products.

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