I purchased this great camera in 1997. My f5 has accompanied me on many desert trips, been exposed in severe dust and sand storms, been wet, dropped and bounced about in the back of my 4wd and on my motor bike. In keeping with my Nikon experience, it has never let me down. My only complaint is its 8AA battery requirement and relatively short battery life. It's also a very heavy little beast.

I once read that the F5 is a bushman's ideal camera. It is so solid it can be used to panel beat your 4wd, drive in your tent pegs, saving the user from having to carry a hammer and then immediately be used to photograph your tent and panel repairs.

From time to time I crank up the F5 and run a film through it, just to remind me how fast and ergonomically suitable for my hands it is.