Fisher F4 question

[HouliSR]

Can anyone tell me at what point the F4 was changed from a 3 digit version VDI ( 0-199 ), to the present 2 digit version ( 0-99 ) ?? And, were any other changes made in the version history that would effect the overall performance +/- ??
I haven't had much chance to use the one I purchased in the 2nd half of last year, but I started reading everything I could find on the F4 to keep my mind in it. I couldn't help notice that the earlier testers all mentioned the 3 digit meter, and a lot of the pictures I found in advertising literature showed the 3 digit.
I can't help wondering if they dumbed it down or made it better... Who knows the answers ???
"Always searching for knowledge...never too smart...."

HouliSr

 

[REVIER]

Hey, you're right, they used to come with a 3 digit display.
In 2007 the F4 was the first model that came out of this company after First Texas Holdings Co. and Fisher Research combined.
First Texas does not have a track record of "dumbing down" their models so I am probably safe to assume that the change over was for a specific reason and if they tweaked anything else while doing this it probably would be counted as an improvement or an upgrade.
Don't know the answer to your question but I can tell you the 2 digit models can find the good stuff for sure.
I have tons of experience with the F2 which is the F4 without the manual ground balance you can do in all metal, and I can tell you that 2 numbers is quite enough to find just about anything you want once you learn a bit of the Fisher language.
My F2 paid for itself more than 10 times over in the clad, silver and gold it has found me, as far as all the other unique finds and regarding the fun and great times I had finding it all that stuff is just priceless.