Got the FM3a !

italy74

italy74

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Hi guys

I finally got the FM3a around noon and since I had with me my 50 and a b/w roll, this is my initial impression about this camera.

1) It's a slim metal block, very nice to handle and with a solid and apparently sturdier built than the F6 / D700 which are much heavier (almost double, but less metal touching hands) Those who I showed it confirmed that it looks heavier than expected.

2) Commands. Actually, everything fine. The only one which looks a bit awkward to me is the tiny button for the exposure compensation, which needs you to operate with two hands instead of only one.

3) Film loading - well, THIS is fun, nay, really the "funniest" thing. I found to be the clumsier photographer on the planet needing 15 min to load the camera ! The fact is that, although I looked at the manual ( I shouldnt, I know, but I have no experience at all with that film takeup spool and didn't want to load at the contrary ) when I come to wind the film with the lever, the lever itself locks and the shutter doesnt click, so I have to reopen the camera and retry the operation. :bang: Not something to do under enemy fire, I guess 😀 This is for sure the part where I can improve the most, by the time.

4) Focusing - finally the best part. The standard K3 screen seems very easy to focus, although of course I'll need to look at the prints as they come out ! The exposure index is easy to look at, while the aperture index is a bit less intuitive,on top of the screen, however overall fine.

5) Shooting. Ha ! 😀 Here's another funny thing: it's for sure the loudiest shutter I ever had among Nikon cameras: it's not a "click", it's a "CLOCK" (sorry for the pun); the mirror has also the strongest bump against the camera. When I read "press the button slowly and not abruptly to cause camera shake" I was really confused 😕 But then when I felt the recoil/backlash of the mirror then I understood WHY they wrote so.. 😀😀😀 Only an old Yashica and an even older MF Pentax 67 had a stronger recoil ! However not bad, in the end it's supposed not to be used in theaters, of course !

To make it short.. lots of fun here... really a fancy camera but I really need to shorten loading times !!! 🙄

p.s.: By reading this "review" you might be dissuased to purchase a FM3a. Don't do that, it's my fault being clumsy, not the camera, which fits really nice in hands!
 
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When I had an FM3a I was also surprised by the loudness+vibrations of the shutter. You can forget shooting handheld at 1/15 here....On the other hand the F3 was much nicer....Aaaahhh...and then I discovered Leicas...
 
italy74 said:
3) Film loading - well, THIS is fun, nay, really the "funniest" thing. I found to be the clumsier photographer on the planet needing 15 min to load the camera ! The fact is that, although I looked at the manual ( I shouldnt, I know, but I have no experience at all with that film takeup spool and didn't want to load at the contrary ) when I come to wind the film with the lever, the lever itself locks and the shutter doesnt click, so I have to reopen the camera and retry the operation. :bang: Not something to do under enemy fire, I guess 😀 This is for sure the part where I can improve the most, by the time.
Click to expand...

If you think loading the FM3A takes time, wait until you try loading film into a Leica for the first time 🙄

Seriously though, congrats on a very capable little camera! Happy shooting, Dino 🙂
 
Horosu, PLEASE !!!!
I've enough GAS for Zeiss Ikon without needing also LEICAS !!!! 😀 😀 😀


ps Bill I hope you're not under GAS too... 😀 😀 😀
 
Very fine camera to have. I found the easiest way to load my FM2n, the FM3a should be similar, was to insert the film leader into the slot in the take up spool, put the film cassette into place, wind on partially till the take up sprockets engage the film top and bottom, back wind the film cassette to remove any slack and then close the back. When you wind on you will notice the rewind lever turning so you know that you are advancing the film. Sounds long winded but it is actually fast to do. Have fun.

Bob
 
Dino,

No GAS for the FM3a, though she is very worthy of it. My target-de-jour is a D60. I have a wonderful FTn Apollo and Nikkormat FT3 that do very well for film these days. I'm not much of an auto anything lover so I'm fine with the really old stuff.

I kind of remember using the dial at the bottom of the takeup spool to wind excess slack in the film up (on to the spool) before I close the back on my old FM2.

Surprise on the volume level of her.

B2
 
Well, I think I have tried to remove slack by turning both the dial at the spool base and the rewind crank on the other side, still.. no idea why then the winding lever locks. Probably it's the film which is never fitted in the sprockets, no idea.

ps About the volume lever, keep in mind I come from an F6.... 😉
 
Why is a hard question to pine point. I seem to remember something about the F3 not allowing you to shoot at any speed other than 1/90 until the frame counter reaches 1. That could be cross connects on the neurons from a different camera (say the OM-2). That to me caused me to question why too.

Beware of the Nikon RF bug. The lenses are just as great, handling is wonderful and quility is IMHO as good as Leica. I like to think of it as the darkest of the dark side.

B2 (;->
 
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Enjoy that camera still on my wish list! And dont forget to post the results!
@Bill
" seem to remember something about the F3 not allowing you to shoot at any speed other than 1/90 until the frame counter reaches 1."
It certainly is true with the FG. That was the reason why I bought a2nd hand FM and left Cameras with Auto/Programme mode for good, as it happened to my right in Venice.....that the counter broke and I was able to take pics but only at 1/90's
 
Spider67 said:
... " seem to remember something about the F3 not allowing you to shoot at any speed other than 1/90 until the frame counter reaches 1."
It certainly is true with the FG. ...
Click to expand...
This is true, and the meter/AE doesn't work until frame 1 either. Which is a bummer, because many of my best pictures are the accidental ones when I'm just advancing the film. 🙄

Congrats Dino - I'm glad it finally got there. I know you have been seeking a second camera for a while.
 
Congratulations.
I'm surprised to read that the camera is loud. My FE2 isn't, by any means.
Have you checked the mirror bumper foam? Maybe that needs to be replaced and that might contribute to 'softening' the impact a bit? Check, also, the foam around the seals in the film door.
 
Thanks guys
let me confirm that it's my ear that might be faulty not the camera, because here I meant to say that is for sure more noisy than any other Nikon camera I had but I didnt meant to stress "how much noisy it is", just that's "louder". Plus, the funny "CLOCK" makes me thing of the D3 mirror that I heard once near Milan, a bit louder and for sure a different sound than D700.
 
My FA also has that tiny button to release the exposure compensation and I agree, it is awkward. I guess it's something to get used to.

Have fun with the camera, next thing you know, you'll be looking at ZF and F mount CV lenses like I am.

Cheers
Steven
 
Yes, Steven,
I think I've mentioned somewhere I'd like an Ultron 40 mm on it.
Plus, if I can play my cards, I could trade my F80 for a 200 F/4 AIS (same price here) but first I have to work on it enough to be sure of a such step. By the time, I'll go for a 105 F/2.5 AIS (or keep my Tamron 90 mm, let's see how strong is the lust !)
 
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