Nikon 28Ti | Guide + For Sale In Mint Condition [Best Deals]

I haven't used a better point-and-shoot film camera than the Nikon 28Ti. However, it may be the most intriguing. It has a fast and wide lens. It is constructed of titanium. It has a panorama mode, exposure adjustment, and just enough user controls to keep things interesting. To many people's delight, it contains a set of analog dials on top designed by Seiko, the renowned Japanese watchmaker. Finally (and this is significant for Nikon enthusiasts), it is the only premium point-and-shoot with a wide-angle lens that bears the Nikon logo.

With all of these unusual features and high-end buzzwords in mind, there are a few more premium point-and-shoot cameras that I'd prefer to use over the 28Ti. The Ricoh GR1 series provides everything that this Nikon does, but it is much smaller. The same is true of the Minolta TC-1. The lens of the Fuji Natura Black F1.9 is much quicker and slightly broader. Surprisingly, each of these allegedly superior cameras is less expensive than the Nikon is now!

That's not to say the Nikon isn't a good option for a point-and-shoot fan seeking for a fast, wide-angle, premium small camera. It's an excellent photographic tool, and I thoroughly enjoyed using it during a recent family holiday. Many film photographers regard it as a dream camera, and with reason. However, it is not my first pick.

Nikon 28Ti Camera Specifications

Camera Type: Premium point and shoot for 35mm film
Full frame image area Normal mode: 24 x 36mm; panorama mode: 13 x 36mm
Nikon Nikkor 28mm F/2.8 lens with 7 elements in 5 groups
Shutter: Electronic shutter with aperture-priority semi-automatic mode; speeds ranging from 1/500th of a second to 2 seconds; extended exposure mode lasting up to 10 minutes.
ISO DX-code reader for ISO 25 to ISO 5000 films is set automatically; non-DX-coded films are set to ISO 100.
At ISO 100, the auto exposure range is EV2 to EV17.
+ or - 2 EV in 1/3 stop increments for exposure compensation
Automatic flash built-in for low-light and backlit scenes; Flash Cancel and Anytime Flash modes are available. There is a Red Eye Reduction feature available.
Illuminated optical viewfinder with 0.35x magnification; 82% coverage
Viewfinder Shutter speed (or aperture depending on mode), flash ready light, exposure compensation active indicator, picture area frame lines, parallax correction frame lines, autofocus spot are all displayed as information.
Analogue Needle Display: Displays the focus distance for each shot, the aperture, the frame counter, the film rewind, the self-timer, and the exposure compensation data, as well as the seconds for lengthy exposure times.
Imprint data, frame counter, and battery status are displayed on the top LCD display.
Focusing technology includes autofocus, infinity focus preset setting, and focus lock. 0.4 meter is the minimum focus distance (1.3 feet)
Additional features include: Automatic lens cover; self-timer; low-light illuminated viewfinder; illuminated analogue needle display; data imprint capability
3 volt lithium battery (DL123A or CR123A type)
Weight: 310 grams Dimensions: 119 x 66 x 36mm (without battery)

Finishing Touches

I don't buy an antique camera until I can convince myself that it was shipped from the factory on the day it was purchased. The Nikon 28Ti had been on my film camera wish list for seven years before I eventually purchased one, and when I did, I followed my usual procedure. I made certain that it was in like-new, rarely used condition, with its original box, packaging, paperwork, and so on. In cases like mine, where the camera I'm buying is decades old, finding one in the required condition can be difficult. But I conquered the obstacle. It was simple to do so. All it took was opening my wallet a little wider than usual.

I pondered my expectations as I anticipated the delivery of my like-new (almost) thirty-year-old premium point-and-shoot Nikon. I expected the 28Ti to be well-crafted and precise. With electro-mechanical certainty, the mechanisms would whirr, hiss, and break. The fit and finish would be top notch for the money I spent. And, for the most part, these expectations were met.

I say mostly satisfied because, while the Nikon 28Ti is a high-end point-and-shoot camera, it's still a point-and-shoot camera.

Premium point and shoot cameras have been pushed and marketed as more than they are by teams of smarties working in the most prestigious camera firms in Europe and Japan since their conception. The Contax T series, the Leica Minilux and its predecessor, the Leica CM, and Minolta's TC-1 are all examples; camera companies quickly realized that if they took their standard point and shoot camera tech and stuffed it into a titanium shell, people would pay a lot more money than they would on, say, a standard Canon Sure Shot. However, none of these luxury point-and-shoot cameras are as unique as marketers would have us believe, nor are they particularly expensive. Not at all.

This is to say that there is just no comparison between what I consider to be a true premium camera (say, a new Leica M, a Nikon SP, a Hasselblad or Rolleiflex) and a 'luxury' point and shoot. I've purchased and utilized (without exaggeration) every luxury point and shoot camera available, and none of them were as impressive as the zeitgeist claims.

The body panels do not properly line up. The film doors, or the battery covers, are weak. Screws that keep items in place are typically visible rather than flush or recessed. The viewfinders are inadequate. The knobs are internally connected by plastic, causing wiggle in their actuation. All of these premium point and shoot cameras are basically point and shoot cameras with fancy clothes and upgraded optics inside that titanium shell (and only some of them have improved lenses).

People on the internet mostly exclaim or write about high-end point-and-shoot cameras with theatrical exclamations or veneration. They're titanium wonder-boxes with otherworldly lenses that will revolutionize your photography and your life. But they will not. They will cost you a month or more of disposable cash and provide photographs comparable to a $100 Pentax IQ Zoom.

Let's talk about the Nikon 28Ti now that I've removed our collective rose-tinted glasses, dropped them on the ground, steam-rolled them, gathered the dust into a vacuum sealed canister, and launched that canister out of our atmosphere, through space, and into the fusion reactions occurring at the core of our Sun.

The brick-like device is as sturdy as any other high-end point-and-shoot. The paint (this model is only available in black coated titanium) has a beautiful silky shine that is ideal for my tastes. The leather (or leatherette?) grip material is delightfully textured, and while it does not completely fit against the higher edging that surrounds it, it looks good. The lens is stunning, and the automatic lens cover opens with lightning speed. The Nikon logo is attractive. Nikon appeals to me. The analog gauges... I'll take care of them.

However, the numerous body pieces do not fit together perfectly. There are a few edges that stick out from their matching edges here and there. The On/Off button does not click solidly like a metal mechanical switch, leading me to suspect that the insides are plastic. The same can be true for the control dial, which is wiggly and light in feel. The film door, as expected, concerns me; it opens freely and doesn't feel particularly solid. The battery cover seals nicely, but it feels too much like the countless plastic point-and-shoot battery covers I've used in the past, which have inevitably become peeled with time.

Don't be alarmed by my examination of the Nikon. All of these gripes come from the mind of a microscopically attentive camera fanatic, and they can be raised against any high-end point-and-shoot film camera. Other camera enthusiasts don't mention these things, perhaps because they don't want to acknowledge to themselves that they spent $1,200 on a point and shoot? But it doesn't bother me. This is the best point-and-shoot camera money can buy. Just don't expect it (or any other high-end point-and-shoot camera) to feel like a Leica M.

It is critical to push cameras to their limits while testing them. We're looking for flaws that are frequently highlighted by stress, such as tough lighting, strain, and weariness. It's even better if the photographer conducting the testing is also in pain. Walt Disney World is, in my opinion, the best spot to test a camera. This is where I spent four days and nights with the Nikon 28Ti.

Anyone who has used a point-and-shoot film camera will be at ease with the 28Ti. We load the film, switch it on, and point and shoot. The degree of creative freedom that the 28Ti provides sets it apart from many other affordable point-and-shoot cameras. This is most noticeable when using the camera's aperture priority mode. By turning the mode dial to A, we can now use the control wheel to modify the aperture. Close the aperture to increase depth of field or open it for low-light shooting or subject isolation. This is my fave shooting mode with any camera, point and shoot or otherwise, and it works just as well on the 28Ti as it does anywhere else. Even wide open, don't anticipate bokeh.

We can also use the exposure compensation mode. This adjustment isn't as simple as the aperture adjustment because we have to press the exposure compensation dial on the top of the camera, but it works well enough, especially when we want toover-or under-expose an entire roll of film (for example, in the name of push/pull processing or when shooting expired film and want to over-expose).

In addition to these exposure options, we have access to focus and flash adjustments.

We can change the focus mode by pressing the AF button on the top of the camera. Most of us will leave the camera in auto-focus mode, but we can also lock the focus to infinity (useful for landscape or touristy shots). Manual focus is also an option. When in this mode, we can alter our focus by scrolling the wheel from infinity to the lowest focus distance. The set focus distance is then shown on one of the camera's two bigger analogue gauge needles on the top. This is handy for scale focusing or reducing the time required to capture an image in scenarios such as street photography or where the AF system may struggle, such as while shooting in low light or via extremely shiny surfaces. On paper, this is fantastic. In practice? Eh. I tried manual focus a couple of times. The rest of the time, I use auto-focus.

The flash adjustment is on the front of the camera and, thankfully, is a firm switch. This means that the camera will not reset its flash mode every time it is turned off and on, which is a common irritation with point and shoot cameras. Set the switch to Flash Off and it will remain turned off. We can then set the flash to automatic or red-eye mitigation mode. These function as intended. People who dislike the look of direct point-and-shoot flash will be disappointed. Of course, this means that those who adore the look of a direct-flash portrait from the 1990s would prefer the Nikon.

The analogue gauges on the camera's top are attractive. If you prefer mechanical timepieces, you'll probably like the fact that Seiko developed them and that the needles click mechanically between increments. They display important information that "lesser" point-and-shoot cameras with primitive LCDs and lights do not. How many images we've taken, our set aperture and focus distance, whether or not we're utilizing exposure compensation, and how long we've been exposing long exposures are all displayed in gorgeous needle displays.

But they aren't all that terrific. They're difficult to understand for the first few days and never really become second nature. They perform the job, but they are overly complicated and may be a liability. Who, I wonder, will be able to repair these when they break?

The viewfinder is adequate. Nothing noteworthy. Small, but it shines in low light and displays enough information to be useful at the critical moment.

Shooting the Nikon 28Ti as its makers most likely intended, as a point and shoot, requires almost no effort. If we trust all of those premium point and shoot marketers from thirty years ago (as well as today's YouTubers and bloggers), this zero effort experience will provide images that rival those produced by the Canon EOS1v and a L lens (or a Fuji X Pro 3 in film simulation mode).

If we operate within the capabilities of the Nikon 28Ti and its Nikon Nikkor 28mmF/2.8 fast prime lens, the assertion is generally true. The Nikkor is a fantastic lens that, when combined with Nikon's capable metering system and rather well-specced shutter, produces images that are punchy, sharp, and stunning. In general, the camera performs admirably in simple shooting situations (bright, soft light with the appropriate film loaded).

However, this premium point and shoot struggles in all of the same situations that far less costly point and shoot cameras do. It struggles to take clear, well-exposed photographs when the light is low. It is incapable of freezing fast-moving subjects. The auto-focus system is quite simple. The lens creates vignettes. The flash is harsh and lacks nuance, and it is sensitive to subject distance.

Despite the camera's aperture-priority mode, exposure compensation adjustment, user-selectable flash settings, and analogue gauges, the Nikon 28Ti failed to impress me. Its wide angle lens is unusual in the class, and sure, it's as high-end as a point-and-shoot camera goes. But it's still a point-and-shoot camera.

At the end of the day, the 28Ti didn't provide me with anything that a Nikon AF600 or a Nikon Lite Touch Zoom 70W couldn't provide for a quarter of the price (that last one, by the way, is a total sleeper right now). Stretching the budget a little further, to roughly $600, we could acquire the Ricoh GR1 or Fuji Natura Black, two of my favorite wide angle prime lens point and shoots. That is far less than the price of the 28Ti.