Fisher F2
Price: $200
Avg. Score: 
4.11
Based on 47 reviews
4.11Based on 47 reviews
Avg. Durability:
4.25
Avg. Ease of use:
4.50
Worst Detector ever rebajed Bounty Hunter
April 06, 2009
I already owned the ace for a while and can say it was an ok detector. The
things that were good about the ace was the acuracy of the id on coins.
Also the depth and quality was good for the price. The things I didnt like
about it were the hard pinpointing and the difficult targetting. So I sold
it. Then I bought the Fisher F2 wich turned out to be a real peace of crap.
It's 100 percent bounty hunter. No depth shaddy pinpointer and eratic ids
with little accuracy. Wouldnt see a Coin past 4 inches. So I got a Tesoro
Compadre and like it better than the Ace 250 and Fisher F2. So the question
is the Ace better than the F2 is sure is no mistake. But the Tesoro
Compadre is better than both for less money.
Overall Rating
Jo from
Ca
1168
I LOVE MY NEW F2
March 26, 2009
Well my verdict on the F2 is in, I got the one with the optional 4 inch
coil, and I love it, this thing is a coin killer!!! I have owned a fisher
1236 and a F4, both of which just went to path of ebay, I currently own a
Nautilus dmcIIb and still learning how to use it lol, and I got a tesoro
cibola with my F2 because I was getting frustrated at my nautilus, I have
all these machines, and the F2 is a blast to use, I'm so amazed how quickly
you can find coins with this machine, it blows my f4 out of the water,
maybe its becuause of the small coil on the f2, but wow, this thing will
sniff out change. Its not the deepest, and today I found 2 mercury dimes
with my Cibola that I'm not sure my F2 would have found, but anyone who
wants a great detector for coins, this is it...WOW 200 bucks, I will say if
your looking for relics, this may not be the set up for you, but if you
like finding coins, this thing will make your back hurt bending over and
digging solid signals, coins range from 1" to 6" Quarters being on the 6"
side, dimes in the 3 to 4 "
Overall Rating
Twofast from
Tn
280
After a full season
December 17, 2008
After a full season using the F2, I'm pleasantly surprised. It was my first
detector and early on I was wondering just what I was missing. Well, I
don't think a whole lot, after scoring some nice pieces down past the 10"
mark.Pros: Good depth. No problem reaching 6 - 10 inches on coin and button sized relics(max measured depth 11" on a tombac button), larger iron down over 22"
Fairly accurate ID(once you get used to it): The F2 can give you surprises, my best find of the season didn't ring in like I'd expect. However, you can start to see the trends in how it reads. I still dig everything however.
Batteries seem to last at least 6 - 10 hours.
Cons: I like to run the F2 at maximum sensitivity when relic hunting. It seems in damp conditions the machine can be chattery, but not impossible to use. Also, even in dry conditions hitting larger stalks can cause a beep on occasion.
Larger iron will give you varying signals. Which can be good, I got a solid nickel signal at max depth which turned out to be a nice cannonball. However, if your like me, you get tired of digging all that scrap iron. At least you pick up the axe heads etc.
It ALWAYS falls over!!!
I'd recommend this machine to any beginner. While I will likely upgrade to another Fisher, this machine will be my backup!
Overall Rating
Dave from
Eastern Canada
323
Dollar for dollar..........impossible to beat
December 11, 2008
I am new to metal detecting and I spent about 2 weeks deciding to get the
F2 or an Ace 250. I went with the F2 just beacuse it does as much as the
Ace yet does it more simple. Less tone differential and target Id's. I too was a bit frustrated when I first fired my machine up. The target id and tones were all over the place. Once I turned my sensitivity down, picking up accurate targets was a breeze. I rarely use the pinpointer on this machine because you really don't have too. It's recovery/seperation time is so fast that once you get a target all you have to do is decrease the size of your swings and it narrows down the targets location all by itself. I'm tellin ya.......accuracy with simplicity makes this machine such a great beginners device. I am so glad I went with a F2.
Overall Rating
Jason M. from
Hershey Pa
410
Pretty good
August 24, 2008
My first detector and had moderate expectations for a 200 dollar detector.
But I was pleasantly surprised how well it works. Very easy to use and
get going. Takes a couple of outings to really get a feel for it. I agree 4-6 inches you will get accurate readings. Below that it can be off. You will get a feel for it after awhile.
For a cheap detector I think its well built and will last a long time.
With headphones batteries last quite long.
I would highly reccomend for a first detector. Lots of fun to use.
Overall Rating
Dwayne from
Canada
261
Great value for money
June 07, 2008
I love this detector, superb value for money. Go easy on the sensitivity if
you are having problems with false signals. Many of the new Fishers are not
ment to be used at highest sensitivity and I think this is the cause of
some negative reviews. People who are used to search with full sensitivity
need to realize that the Fishers are tuned for super sensitivity at this
setting and that you need to tolerate more false signals.
Overall Rating
Severin A Eskeland from
Akershus, Norway
290
Back from repairs and much improved
May 02, 2008
Some time back, I posted a review of the F2 and rated it pretty poorly. I
sent it in to Fisher for evaluation, it has been repaired (Apparently, a
chip had gone bad) and I'm happy to report that performance is much
improved.I put the machine through some routine tests that I use on all of my machine (13 at last count) and here is what I found...
1) Airtests are an inch or two further out than before on most of my test targets (small lead shot, rings, coins etc. I keep charts on all of my machines on disc).
2) Now it will hit that 5.5" buried dime. Target ID is correct. (Before, it would sound like iron and the cursor would jump all over the scale).
3) Will hit pretty much every target in the test plot as well as any other machine. The targets it misses are the ones that only my Explorer can hit.
A couple of cons with what appears to be a 'fix' for one of them...
1) Target depth was still off in pinpoint mode. 5"+ targets would still meter between 3 & 4 with the coil dead-center over the target and touching the ground. This puzzled me, as the machine would accurately gauge distance with a coin on top of the ground and the coil up in the air... just seemed to go south with buried items.
I then found out that the depth readout was much more accurate if I held the coil abt an inch above the ground while pinpointing. In other words, don't touch the ground with the coil. This is a bit different from the way my other Depth-Readout machines work, but I can live with it. Doing this, a 5" deep target meters 5". Success!
2) Target separation seems decent/above average. Let me explain how I test my coinshooters:
I have a test card with two pulltabs glued 7" apart, with a dime centered between them. I'll pass the coil of the machine I'm testing over the 3 items with zero discrimination I will vary the speed and distance if need be and check for the best response... my better machines will give-up three distinct beeps, the F2 gives one beep with the large coil, two beeps with the small.
I will repeat the test at 'pulltab' discrimination (everything up to and including pulltabs disc'ed out).
My better machines will give-up a solid tone on the dime. The F2 makes no sound with the big coil. The tabs completely mask out the dime.
The small coil will give a two-way signal if I scan very slowly. This is superior target separation compared to my 250 with the 'sniper' coil.
Again, repeat at 'zinc-penny' disc. Results are the same with the small coil hitting well with a slow scan.
Now target separation is pretty big for me, as I pull in abt $400 - $500 a year in just clad. This is usually in pretty extreme modern trash. In the past, I sold my GTI 1500 and a Discovery 3300 for poor target separation etc.
I decided to try a couple of hours of hunting 'in the wild' after work yesterday.
I used the larger coil on a site that used to be a road-side rest stop. Plenty of trash there but I know that there should be plenty of coins left too. Long-story-short, I pulled abt a dozen coins to include a '53 wheatie and a Canadian penny. Spent around an hour here and this is the first wheat I've found here. Tall grass made for slow-going or I would likely have done better.
Next stop was the grassy area next to a ball field that I've thumped pretty hard with several machines. I wish I could say that I found a slew of coins that the other machines missed, but it wasn't to be. I found out, however, that I could scan up right next to the chainlink fence, without falsing with the sensitivity set at 4-bars. Tossing a coin next to the fence revealed that I would miss the coin if I walked straight along the fence and scanned perpendicular (as most do), but if I scanned parallel to the fence, it would hit coins much closer to the metal and uncovered a crusty clad quarter that I'd missed before. Knowing this, I reduced sensitivity to 2-bars and proceeded to find another clad quarter practically under the metal fence. One more quarter (which I had to swing short and tight to ID and pinpoint) was found, surprisingly out in the open, and then it was time to quit and head home.
My second 1st impression:
Fisher has attempted to introduce a full-featured for $200 that would be competitive with higher-priced offerings... it looks as though they have succeeded! I'm not too happy about the original performance issues (Dead coil, bad chip, armrest mounted off plane) but those have been corrected satisfactorily.
Garrett may have stolen a little bit of Fisher's thunder with the 250, which came out first, but a $200 machine with so many features is definitely good news for the hobby. Someone looking for an inexpensive first/backup machine could do worse, I'm thinking. Still getting used to that pinpoint-threshold sound that sounds unsettlingly like the Frankenstein Monster being brought to life...
It seems that there are two classes of F2's in the hands of users right now: the ones that work as they should, and the ones with performance problems and need to go back for repairs.
It's a shame that they don't all seem to work as they should, straight from the factory. Fisher has missed an opportunity here to perhaps equal or eclipse the popularity of Garrett's "Ace" machines.
The F2's, all done right from the factory, would have the potential to become 'instant-classics'. Instead, you have posters from both sides and they kinda' cancel each other out.
Mine came with a dead coil, bad chip and armrest mounted crooked. Now it works really well. Because of necessary repairs to a 'factory-fresh' machine, I'm giving only 3 stars.
That's all I'll say because that's all I know (for now). I will be using the F2 more in the future.
Overall Rating
Skillet from
Central Texas
995
A GREAT all around detector
April 17, 2008
As a newbie to the metal detecting world, I did a lot of research of
brands, features etc before settling on a final choice. My budget allowed
for roughly $300, and while the Fisher F2 wasn't recommended, the price was
right ($225 Canadian), it came with a second smaller 4" sniper coil, and
those that cared to review it said positive things.Well, I agree!! While it took a little trial and error to get used to this detector(And detecting at all), the F2 quickly showed me it's potential.
Pros:
1. Good price
2. Good target readout - does take some time to get used to what exactly the machine is telling you.
3. Very easy to use.
Cons:
1. Very sensitive - Wet areas and black sand will drive this machine nuts.
2. While I've only done minor testing, I haven't found a target much below the 5" mark, and self tests using newer coins won't pick up below 6". This was using the smaller sniper coil.
If your looking for a great first detector or a great backup at a good price, this is the one for you!!!
Overall Rating
David Hicks from
Amherst, NS
142
Fisher F2
April 13, 2008
This is one of the best detectors I've ever used. I purchased it as a
backup for my more expensive detector but it is quickly becoming my
detector of choice. It performs like a detector cost hundreds more. I can
only say Fisher has a definite winner with the F2. Just last week
searching areas I've been over before I found a 1912 dime in excellent
condition and a 1916 in fair condition. Depth of detecting appears to be
about the same as my other more expensive detector. Fisher F2 Metal Detector is easy to get acquainted with. It is simple to assemble and uses two (2) Alkaline 9 volt batteries. The F2 comes with a ¼ inch headphone jack conveniently located on the left side of the detector. Operating controls are as follows: Sensitivity control, Discrimination control, Pinpoint control, and Notch control. A four (4) Tone Audio System helps to identify targets along with a Depth and Target display. On the control housing you will see both a two (2) digit display and a target category readout on the top showing items from iron/foil to nickels, to dimes, quarters, etc. An arrow will illuminate under the target category and a two digit number will show specific target value that helps you identify your target. Together with the tone and digital readout this is a great detector to use and it is light enough swing all day!
The detector comes with an eight (8) inch spider type coil and a 4 ½ inch coil with an extra bottom rod. The smaller coil is excellent when working those tight or trashy areas and from what I've see it gets excellent depth. After you have found a target and identified it you can use the pinpoint mode to isolate its location. Press and hold the Pinpoint to activate this feature. This is a static detection; no coil motion is required to detect when pinpoint is depressed.
The Notch feature is one I especially like. This control allows you to selectively include or exclude target categories from detection. The manual is pretty good at describing how this works. By using the notch and discrimination controls you may program any combination of detected and eliminated target categories. This takes some practice but is very helpful when you find yourself working an area with junk items sometimes.
My experience with this detector has been nothing but pure delight. Now I find myself using it more than the more expensive one I own. Depth and sensitivity is equal to detectors costing hundreds more. I have to give this Fisher F2 a rating of five stars. It is excellent in all areas I feel. The F2 is a winner!!!
Overall Rating
Millard from
North Carolina
433
I Have Bought 2 Now...
March 18, 2008
Just leaving this review in hopes it will help someone trying to make a
decision. I hve been using the F2 for about 4 months now. I hadn't detected
in quite a few years so I bought an F2 just to see if I still liked the
hobby. Needless to say I did. The F2 did so well that I thought if I bought
an even more expensive detector then it would have to be even better!
Well... the newer, much more expensive detector maybe had a few more bells
and whistles but the F2 is a solid machine! Let me explain: I have a buddy
that originally made fun of me and my metal detecting. After he dug a few
coins and a silver ring while using my F2 he was hooked! He was so hooked
that he even bought his own. I then bought a Garrett GTP1350 and started
using it while my buddy hunted with the F2. We would "test" each other's
finds before digging and the results were always similar if not the same. I
will say that the GTP1350 may have a little more depth (and I do mean a
little, not a lot) and does ID just a little better but not $500 worth of
better. So in summary let me recap:1)You would be hard pressed to find another detector even close to this price range with this performance.
2)It has a 5 year warranty straight out of the box!
3)It is especially easy to use for beginners.
4)The construction seems very solid- haven't felt any wobbling.
5)At this point, it still comes with a bonus 4 inch coin coil AND shaft (usually about another $50 to purchase.)
6)Can compete with much more expensive detectors- tested and confirmed (by me, anyway.)
7)Has a GREAT pinpoint feature that is very accurate which minimizes digging time.
There are some things this detector does not have just so you know. One of the most useful things it does not have is manual ground balance. I have not found this to be a problem yet as the automatic ground balance has worked very well in my region. Also, the ID is good but can be a little tricky. It does get easier after you learn the detector itself. As always, the best thing is practise and experience with your detector so give it some time.
One last thing... even though I compare this detector to my Garett I still love my Garrett. I must admit that it is still not $500 better then my F2 though.
Overall Rating
Serpent from
Kentucky USA
330