F4...where are they now?

[Old Katz]

Dang!

Doesn't ANYONE ever use their F4 anymore?
It's always the F5 or the F70 or F75.

Old Katz

 

[Cal_Cobra]

Planning to use mine with either the 11" DD or the 10" concentric for a competition hunt soon....doesn't need to be super deep, just light, fast and accurate, and from 6" up it's excels at that, especially with the 10" concentric, or the DD is even better (except in bottle caps). The 11" DD is a coin rake. I think Fisher released too many new detectors in a short time frame and the F4 is widely over looked, although in reality it's a great detector, has several features the new crop doesn't have (like four factory coils and static all-metal mode). Although it has fixed GB, it's stable and the TID is accurate.

 

[Dan-Pa.]

In the hands of someone getting the goodies with a fat wallet...F-4 or even the F-2 are a nice detector with medium depth, tone ID, accurate meter at an affordable price in this economy and may be Fishers best kept secret as seems like all the attention is on the bigger bucks F-models...Certainly may be the best bang for the buck in the industry...

 

[Shambler]

I sold mine but loved it while I had it. I couldn't handle that there were more expensive supposedly better detectors out there....

 

[Mr.Bill]

The F4 is a heck of a nice unit for the money. I still have the original F4 I tested for Fisher, although it's been a while since it's been used. Gee, it's only 39 deg. outside now.

I found the F4 to be a real good salt beach hunter as long as you don't run it in the all metal mode, or try to use pinpoint. In the discriminate mode with a little discrimination dialed in to cancel the salt, one can go right into the water with the coil getting good results. Don't worry about not using pinpoint, it's not needed for beach use. Just X the target.

With the small coil it does a good job in the school yards.

I read a bit here about the numbers jumping around, but that is normally caused by the wrong sweep speed, combined with not so optimized settings.

The detector sells for just under $400., and they still may be some in stock with the extra small coil.

 

[blacktoe]

Mr. Bill

Funny you mentioned the jumping numbers on the F4. I was one of those that mentioned it and figured out earlier today what the problem was. I had my rod too long which tended to make my swing too fast. I shortened up a notch on length and before I started detecting I pulled the batteries and reinstalled them to reset the detector. I also put a foam disc under the ground balance knob to keep it from turning acciddently. I slowed down my sweep and it was like a totally different detector. ID was right on and depth was a lot closer to what it said. I like my F4 again.

Someone on a different forum mentioned the rod length thing as causing fatigue and too fast sweep.

I also like that I got all 3 coils with it but find myself using the DD most. It is a coin rake

blacktoe

 

[Mr.Bill]

Your correct, I had forgotten about the rod length. It not only causes improper sweep speed, but it does a job at fatiguing the user.

 

[blacktoe]

Oh! I guess I should add that I would recommend a F4 as a good mid detector.

If you look at the F series lineup only 2 come with a DD coil and the F4 is one of them. I have seen where people say the F2 is just as good as the F4 for half the money. It probably is if you like a concentric coil. Add a DD to a F2 and you are $50 under a F4 with a lot more features. You can get a basic F4 and add a 4" coil for a total of about $430.

I have looked at the F70 and F5. Everyone says the F70 is close to the F75 WHEN you spend another $150 for a DD coil. You then have $800 in the F70 without a small coil. So far the F5 doesn't have a DD but when it does it will probably be about $150 =$650 in detector. Then you will be close to the price of the F70. If you get the coils for the F70 you could have bought a F75. Even tho the F4 isn't in the league of the F70 or F75 where can you get as much as you do for about $430 including small coil?

I really look the looks of the F5 but wonder if I want to put over $650 ($500 + $150 for DD) into it not counting a small coil.

From my experience using the DD and concentric coil in S.E. Ga. I gotta go with a DD. My F4 ground balances right at 6 o'clock and there isn't much turn left. I love the seperation and can live with bottlecaps.

blacktoe