Let's say you're a Nikon engineer.  You and your company have created some of the most iconic 35mm cameras imaginable. You've got one of the most loyal customer bases and your latest film camera, the F3, is beloved by anyone who owns one and desired by anybody who doesn't.  Now it's the mid-1980s and time to release your next camera.  What are the features you're going to use?  Your loyal fans will expect and accept nothing but the best.  Okay?  Let's get to work.

First of all, call your designer Giorgetto Giugiaro.  In addition to some of the world's super-cars and high-end motorcycles, Giorgetto designed the Nikon EM and F3, so stick with a proven winner.  As a result, the F4 has the sweeping lines and a functionality that makes it as much of a joy to look at as it is to use.

Next, engineer the first fully auto-focus Nikon camera.  While you're at it, add in tracking auto-focus so that moving objects will remain in focus.  Is that all for your auto-focus system?  No.  The F4 has focus confirmation, so that all of your old, manual focus F-mount lenses are even easier to use.

Speaking of lenses, which lenses are you going to let the F4 use?  Why all of them, of course!  The metal meter coupling tab can be folded up and out of the way so that all of those pre-1977 non-AI Nikon lenses will work just fine, at least in stop-down metering mode.  To get the full experience of what the F4's metering can do, your customers will need to use the most recent lenses, but there no reason to have them buy all new lenses just for the new camera.  You place a high value on backwards- compatibility, after all.  

While you're at it, give your new camera the ability to put on new battery packs and grips.  These grips will not only extend the number of shots between changing batteries, it will increase the maximum frames per second to a little over 5.5 fps because you never know when you'll need to fire through a roll of 36 exposure film in under 7 seconds.

As it turns out, the F4 will be the last real Nikon camera with a shutter speed dial (in 1995, the FM10 came with a shutter speed dial, but that was a camera manufactured by Cosina).  With the advancements made in getting shutter speeds to go faster and faster, actual shutter speed dials would soon become too crowded and cumbersome.  You'll design thumb and finger dials for future cameras.

Okay, you've created a good looking and great feeling camera that has the premier auto-focus system, unequaled lens compatibility.  Have you come up with a catchy name for it yet?  How about the "Nikon '88 Clickmaster" or the "Nikon Zephyr"?  It really doesn't matter.  In the Nikon tradition, this is going to be the F4.  Oh well, you can't change everything at once.

ar/js