The F4 has an all metal setting and you have a ground balance feature which is usually on higher end units but the GB only works in all metal where you will get signals on everything because well, it's all metal.
If you are going to use discrimination, which most do especially at the beginning, that GB setting won't transfer over so you will be hunting with a way overpriced F2.
The F2 is discontinued in favor of the F22, the F44 will be around long after they decide making the F4 is not good business anymore.
If you go that route remember the newer F22 is only about $30 more...if that.
The F44 is also great but costs more, some think the extra features are well worth it though.
As a beginner unit I would consider both new Fishers good values depending on how much you want to spend.
The F22 is a 21st century machine with many nice features the F2 doesn't have, uses two cheaper AA batteries vs. two 9 volts on the F2 and it can be rained on...hard.
A new F2 might still be around for $199 if you look, you can still get a 5 year warranty on a new one while on that used one you will get no warranty at all...if you are into that stuff.
The F2 was used by many as a first detector and others like me bought it as a backup but ended up using it all the time because it worked so well and we all found a ton.
My $200 purchase paid me back in over $2000 worth of coins, silver, gold and a whole lot of other great stuff so there is no bigger fan of this great unit than me and I wrote volumes about what I learned and how I used it to find more than many thought possible.
However to be honest if I had to do it all over again today I would probably go with the F22 which you can definitely get for less than $250 from most dealers and you get the warranty and upgraded features if money isn't a life and death issue.
Just this week Fisher announced they are now selling a small sniper coil for the F22 that is $49...or less if someone discounts or bundles it in with a new unit.
Works great around trash and easier for newbies to lean a new detector with a small coil.
On the F2 that one's cheap sniper was a favorite of many owners and something that made that one an extreme value and I rarely used anything else when I realized how well that one worked.
Till now a sniper for the F22 was over $100 but that has changed and evened out the playing field...a lot.
Forget the F4, get the F2 only if the savings is extremely important to you and remember there is always a risk when buying used.
Many here that's all they do and most times everything is great but I would hate for you to be that rare exception and with a new F22 you will be protected by the factory and have that new warranty.
