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 F-301 (sold as the N2000 in North America) was introduced in 1985 as the companion consumer body alongside the more advanced F-501 (N2020). Where the F-501 offered continuous-servo predictive AF and a motorized film transport for up to 2 fps, the F-301 is a more modest proposition: single-shot AF, manual film advance, and a stripped-down feature set aimed at the price-conscious consumer upgrading from a compact or inheriting a Nikon F-mount lens collection. It shares the F-501's basic body architecture and metering system but omits the motor drive and continuous AF tracking. The flash sync at 1/250s is unusually capable for a consumer-tier body of the period. The F-301 was part of Nikon's strategy to capture the expanding consumer AF SLR market as Canon's T80 and Minolta's Maxxum 7000 had demonstrated strong sales momentum in the early AF era.
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
Nikon's first consumer autofocus SLR: single-shot AF, F-mount, and a 1/250s flash sync in a polycarbonate shell.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Mount | Nikon F (AF coupling) |
| Years | 1985-~1990 |
| Shutter | Electronic vertical metal; 1s - 1/2000s + B |
| Flash sync | 1/250s |
| Metering | Center-weighted silicon (60/40) |
| AF system | Single-shot, single-center area |
| Exposure modes | Program, shutter-priority, aperture-priority, manual |
| Built-in flash | No; hot shoe only |
| Battery | 4x AA |
| Viewfinder | Pentaprism, ~92% coverage |
| Weight | ~490 g body |
The F-301 launched in 1985, the same year as the F-501 and shortly after the Minolta Maxxum 7000 had demonstrated that AF SLR systems could sell to mainstream consumers. Nikon's response was a two-tier strategy: the F-501 at the upper consumer level with continuous AF, and the F-301 at a lower price point with single-shot AF only. The F-301 was designated N2000 in the United States, reflecting Nikon's separate US naming convention for this era. It used the same AF coupling system as the F-501 - a body-mounted screw-drive motor engaging a helicoid in compatible AF Nikkors - and was compatible with AI and AI-S manual lenses in stop-down metering mode. The F-301 was succeeded by the F-401 (N4004) in 1987, which added a built-in flash and multi-program modes while remaining in the entry-level price tier. The F-301 sat in production through approximately 1990.
The F-301, alongside the F-501, represents Nikon's entry into the AF SLR era for the consumer segment. It is historically notable as evidence that Nikon's initial AF response to Minolta was deliberate rather than reactive: by simultaneously releasing two AF body tiers in 1985, Nikon covered multiple price points before Canon had brought its EOS system to market (EOS launched in 1987). The F-301 itself is not a technically distinguished camera - its single-shot AF is pedestrian by later standards and its metering is conventional center-weighted - but it establishes the F-mount AF ecosystem that would carry through to the F-401, F-501, F-601, F-801, and ultimately the professional F4. Its compatibility with the vast AI/AI-S Nikkor library, while limited in metering mode, meant that existing Nikon users could enter the AF era without abandoning their glass.
Nikon F mount with AF coupling. Compatible with:
The F-301 has no built-in flash; a hot shoe accepts any Nikon-compatible Speedlight (SB-series). The camera has no winder coupling port, as film transport is manual lever advance. An MD-N motor winder is not available for the F-301 (unlike the F-501, which accepted the MW-20 motor winder); this is a deliberate product differentiation point. Standard accessories are limited to the hot shoe flash and optional right-angle viewing attachment.
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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