Gone for a FM3a

[italy74]

Hi guys

Just to share with you some excitement.. A few days ago a stumbled upon a CANON (!) user from Rome who wanted to sell an used FM3a (but apparently very well kept and with local warranty card) for a reasonable price, so today I sent him money and in the next few days I should get the camera.

Honestly FM3a is the 3rd camera I have always wanted to have (after F6 and D700) so now only the Zeiss Ikon is still out there !

I hope to get soon a 200 F/4 AIS in excellent condition from a neighbour who neither knows how to use it.

This should be the incoming baby.... (link to the sale thread)

http://www.canonclubitalia.com/publi...t-t153838.html

 

[kshapero]

A sweet ride:

 

[italy74]

Ciao Akiva
probably the 40 F/2 could be the 2nd lens I'll go for (but one thing at a time for now!)

 

[historicist]

FM3a is a great camera, I had one briefly. Get the 45mm aip pancake lens!!!! It has an amazing look, my favourite 35mm lens above anything, including Leica. Plus it's very small and handles well.

I used to have a Voigtlander 40mm as well, I prefer the Nikkor 45mm but the Voigtlander has a vintage look to it.

Some examples:

45mm aip

45mm aip

40mm Voigtlander

40mm Voigtlander

 

[amateriat]

Sounds like a good buy in the making. Save for the lack of viewfinder eye-relief for my purposes, I've long admired the FM/FE series, solid and no (or few) frills.


- Barrett

 

[historicist]

btw, more examples here:

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=45mmf28pais&w=22377923@N00&m=tags&s=int&z=t

for 45mm aip

and:

http://www.flickr.com/search/?s=int&z=t&w=22377923@N00&q=lens40mmf2pancake&m=tags

for the Voigtlander. The Voigtlander is a bit soft wide open and flares, which I guess gives it the vintage look - to me it could really be a lens from the 1950s. But it is a stop faster...

I had the first version and found it to be too big for a pancake lens, I don't know how much better the second version is, but the 45mm Nikkor is the perfect size.

 

[Chris101]

Hey - cool Dino. Of course now you will need to get used to manual focusing! 😱

 

[italy74]

Thanks guys
I have to admit that I'm honestly thrilled by the manual focusing thing (of course done with some lens with good focusing ring): I hope to be as good as I'd like to. I wear glasses. Any hint on its field use? Things to check or just to keep in mind for a faster use? I see the camera has also a nice flash "button" which reduces flash power of 1 EV for backlit shots.

Actually I could use with the Tamron 90 which has a large focusing ring and then with the AIS 200 F/4 for long candid / head shots. Then we'll see.

For Chris.. hehehe! Passing from superfast F6 to eye-driven FM3a will be really something funny !!! I guess I'll think, Oh, boy I've never thought to be so CLUMSY !!! 😀 😀 😀

 

[Chris101]

I wear glasses too. I often take them off when shooting cameras that I don't need to look at a LCD on top to determine what the settings are.

 

[kshapero]

Either way, have a ball.

 

[HarryW]

Dino,
Great to hear about your new acquisition.
I got a black FM3a about two months ago. The seller stated that he didn't want to describe it as mint in case I found a small blemish. When it arrived and I took it out the box - - good god it was brand new - perfect - I don't think that it had been used.
It's a wonderful camera and I hope that you have as much fun with yours as I am having
The 45mm f2.8 AIp looks good - need to start saving up for that.
Regards

Harry

 

[mfogiel]

Dino, un affarone ! .... It is simply a great camera to use. It is also very versatile late in the evening, as you can put it on some support and use the self release, as it locks up the mirror before the shutter goes off..., here's an example: Mendrisiotto seen from Lugano...

 

[Tuolumne]

^^ Wow!! Do you have the film and exposure details?

/T

 

[CK Dexter Haven]

I have the FE2 instead of the FM3a, but also have two of your other "dream cameras" —*F6 and Ikon....

If the FM3a feels anything like the FE2, you'll love it. The FE2's viewfinder is fantastic.... Nikon made some truly great bodies.

If you want a wonderful 50mm, get the Series E 50/1.8. Small, almost like a pancake, and the bokeh at f2.8 is glorious.

 

[shadowfox]

Good deal, Dino.

Now you just need some "real" Nikon glasses, pre-AI heavy ones 😉

 

[Uncle Bill]

Congrats on the FM3a, it's on the list of I wants.

 

[italy74]

Thanks guys
tonight I even had another good news. A few weeks ago I found a camera (little Olympus p/s) in Bolzano (Bozen, northern Italy) and was able to find the owner (an austrian woman) due to the pictures of her hotel shot just the same morning she lost it, I contacted her and then sent to Austria. Today I found her reply with a postcard and a few money in it, so you're all virtually invited to have a beer, a wine or whatever you like with me. So nice having so many friends to share good news ! 🙂

 

[Prosaic]

Congrats! I like the FM2👎 better because it´s absolutely free of electronic gizmo but the FM3A is still pretty cool. 😉 Bet it will easily outlive both your F6 and D700.

Manual focusing is good with the split screen (K2) which comes as standard.

Enjoy the camera!

 

[kshapero]

Good deal, Dino.

Now you just need some "real" Nikon glasses, pre-AI heavy ones 😉

Ya like my pre-AI 50mm/f1.4 and my 28mm/f3.5 (which is actually sharp as hell on my D200)

 

[Benjamin]

Now you just need some "real" Nikon glasses, pre-AI heavy ones 😉

Always. Shame about the lack of NOS AI aperture rings but one can make do. The 45mm f/2.8 is also brilliant, especially seeing as the front of the lens sits flush with the front of the prism.
With the lens, it's almost as pocketable as a Leica. Well in a coat anyway.

The FM3a is awesome, and the hybrid shutter is such a brilliant idea. I'd get one if it wasn't for the A setting being where it is on the shutter dial. Being that I've always used an FM2 I'm so used to the dial having 1/4000th at the top.

Hope that you enjoy the camera anyway Dino.