f3hp: auto AND manual?

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paulfish4570

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i have noticed on ebay that F3hp bodies typically bring lower prices than FM2n bodies. i want a manual Nikon body to go with my FE2. i very much like the FE2; it fits me like it was made for me, as would an FM.
so, here is one question: if the F3's batteries go out, does it keep all of its shutter speeds in manual operation?
and another question: i know the F3 is 6 ounces or so heavier than the FM, which is a good thing for my vibrating hands. is it close to the same size as the FE/FM?
thanks.
 
Paul,

If the battery goes south only one shutter speed will work (1/80 sec. I believe). The F3 features an electronic shutter so this one fixed speed is offered as a backup on this Nikon "Pro" camera.

I find that the F3 has better mirror dampening than a Nikon F2 and that the electronic shutter is an asset for stabilizing the camera.

For extensive discussion, criticism and debate you should check out the "F3 Tribute" in the Evil SLR section for its pluses and minises.

I will just state that as a Nikon Pro camera you get 100% of what will get recorded on the negative. On non-Pro Nikon SLR's you only get about 90%. To me the idea of a SLR is to have accurate framing so I own/shoot three F3's.

As far as being a stable platform for hand held and low light, a MD-4 motordrive balances the rather small F3 body, offers a electronic soft release and a handgrip. I bought my last MD-4 for $17.00 at B&H.

The LCD readout is not held in high regard, but the meter in Auto mode will accurately do bulb exposures at night on a tripod. In the above mentioned F3 Tribute I outline a Mod that activates the built in light so that the LCD can be read in darkness, but utilizing a MD-4 as a source of power is highly recomended because battery drain can be an issue.

Good Luck,

Cal
 
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The F3 becomes a wonderful manual camera with one shutter speed. If you want something like you FE and manual any of the FMs would work. The FM3a would work really well as it's automatic with a fully manual shutter (all speeds work) if the battery goes out. One of the best of all worlds camera ever built.

I've known folks to not realize their battery is dead on the F3 very often, not a lot of warning from what I've heard. In reality all you need to do is carry a backup battery and when you hit a bump, swap it.

B2 (;->
 
I could never get used to the size and subjective feel of the FM/FE series, so I stayed with the F series (F2, F3HP, F4). The F3's 1/80 emergency manual speed is accessed by a mechanical release lever on the front of the body. The shutter release only triggers the electronic shutter mechanism when there is battery power. However, the electronic shutter release is one of the smoothest in the business. In practice, I've never had a set of batteries go out in my F3 bodies, and in case they ever did, I always carry a spare set because the tiny ms76 batteries don't take up very much space.

If you use the MD4 motor on the F3, the camera runs off the MD4 batteries.

F3 pluses:

- accurate electronically timed shutter
- one of the smoothest shutter releases and manual film advance mechanisms
- solid, stable body with well damped mirror and shutter
- 100% viewfinder coverage
- well balanced with the MD4 motor drive
- removable prism, metering in body
- rugged, professional build-quality, and heavy duty shutter

minuses:

- tiny LCD shutter speed window
- only one manual speed if batteries fail (1/80)
- non-standard hot-shoe (goes over the rewind knob)

plus or minus depending on who you ask:

- semi-spot metering (80% in center, as opposed to the more traditional 60/40 center weighed). Personally, I like it, but others may think it's goofy.

Hope this helps :)

--Warren
 
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Paul, the F3 is bigger and heavier than the FM and/or FM2n. They are both lovely cameras to use - the up side of the F3 as far as handling is the shaped hand-hold (which is a part of the casing). The FM2n on the other hand can benefit from a MD-12 motor drive as it makes gripping easier (as well as it drive benefits)

I was out yesterday with the F3 in a local city and the size/weight never gave me any problems.

Oh yes, I use a 3v lithium battery that lasts & lasts (I always carry a spare in the bag)

Good luck

Al
 
If you want a camera with auto + manual if the battery goes out, the only one out there is the FM3a, all shutter speeds are mechanical.
 
"Just for the sake of completeness"- if the DS EE-servo battery on the F2 goes out, you can still set the aperture manually. Or just take the DS servo motor off if one was installed...
 
Paul...
why not a FM3A ? Is it out of your budget ? It works with all times even with dead batteries and synchro flash is 1/250s.
 
F3's make FM's feel like toys. I really don't get why they are so cheap, probably because so many were made but I'm happy Cal started the other thread otherwise I probably would not have bothered. I've ended up with 2! I've added a motor to one of them however without it the camera is pretty compact. I like the viewfinder including the LCD readout of speed however it's unreadable in low light even with the silly nightlight. I prefer the viewfinder to the F4 though which I find cluttered. The nicest thing about the FM2n is I think the LED meter hence the reason my favorite finder is my F2AS.
If you are looking for a camera to use in manual mode ie setting speeds and apertures yourself whilst relying on the viewfinder meter I'd say give the F3 a miss. In A mode though, which is how I use mine they are fantastic.
If you like the FE i'd stick to an FM2n if you like the feel of them, I never did and sold mine after 2 rolls. If you would like a beefier camera get an F2 with the AS head and you have it all, mechanical backup of speeds, LED metering of FM series and build feel of the pro F cameras.
The battery issue I never get. I always have spares in my bags and i've never had a camera not usable because of battery failure.
 
If adding a little weight is helpful, and adding a motor drive adds the weight, I'd choose the F3 in a heartbeat. The F3 motor (MD-4) is sublime. The FM/FE series motors (MD-12 etc) are functional but nothing to write home about IMHO.
 
Pretty sure there's a thread here about transplanting modern focusing screen glass into F/F2 focusing screen frames, making some brighter options available, but finder brightness wasn't a particular strength of the F2 in its heyday.
 
The finders on my F2's are lovely and bright. I've never had cause for complaint with them.
The original prism on the F3 is the nicest as it has the bigger view IMHO. No functionality gain with the HP other than the ability to wear glasses while looking through.
 
dbarnes said:
Pretty sure there's a thread here about transplanting modern focusing screen glass into F/F2 focusing screen frames, making some brighter options available, but finder brightness wasn't a particular strength of the F2 in its heyday.
Click to expand...

Finder brightness by focusing screen is a somewhat double-edged sword on manual focus cameras - what you gain in brightness is lost in OOF control and focusing accuracy.
 
Paul,

If you are considering a F2AS, I would just let you know that it is a great camera for hand held and low light. It has a very-very sensitive meter (-2EV) that has easy to read LED's, but I have to warn you that it is severely overbuilt to the extent that a F2AS weighs about the same as a F3 with a motordrive WITHOUT the batteries. The F2AS is a great "Night Stalker" and has an amazing build.

Eronomically the F3 was designed to be fully intergrated with a MD-4. The film advance even features bearings for a high frame rate.

One of the reasons why F3's are inexpensive is that they have proven to be durable; and another is that Nikon made lots and lots of them. Simple supply and demand: a flooded market equals cheap prices. I paid $185.00 for a clean F3 at Adorama and it came with a MD-4. Although the F2 is severely/savagely overbuilt the F3 IMHO is Nikon's most durable camera.

Cal
 
I just did some checking on viewfinder size and brightness, here is the info,
Nikon F / Ftn finder, Nikon F2 /DP1, Nikon F2A /DP11, Nikon F2AS /DP12 ALL equally bright.
Nikon F3 /DE2 (original finder) same brightness but slightly smaller view.
Nikon F4s /DP20 (standard finder) smallest out of all views but same brightness.
Nikon D700 / DK17m eyepiece has same size viewfinder as F/F2's and same brightness as all.

Brightness, all the above with a 50 1.4 are the same or atleast to me, I can't see any difference at all.
Size of view, Original F, F2's and D700 w/ dk17m are the largest, then it's the F3 /DE2 and the smallest finder is the F4 due to being HP no doubt.

I don't really notice that big a difference in weight or bulk between the F2AS and an F3, certainly not an F3 with an HP finder attached.
 
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