Nikon FM3A - the Good SLR

[gilpen123]

FM3a will definitely be a collector's item in the not so distant future not to mention it's capability to use manual exposure without meter at all speeds and of course it looks good too.

 

[sevo]

Overpriced compared to a Leica body or overpriced because it's the only mechanical Nikon with automatic exposure (i.e. you choose the aperture and it chooses the speed)?
Pete

Well, if you insist on aperture priority AE, ok. With shutter priority, the F2S/SB/AS equipped with the corresponding DS-1/2/12 gizmo could also do AE in a all-mechanical Nikon, almost thirty years earlier. Not that I've ever seen a DS-x in the field - the thing was often too slow for moving subjects, heavy and ate batteries...

 

[Keith]

I can't agree that the FM3A will become a collector's camera ... to me it's more of a functional camera than it is a collectable. I agree it has some unique features with the hybrid shutter but I don't think it has a particularly nice feel to it compared to say an F or an OM.

Prices for the camera peaked a while ago IMO and are unlikely to reach those levels again.

YMMV of course. 🙂

 

[gilpen123]

Useability is relative, I can only refer to the quantity produced in a 5 year run and the title of being the "last Nikon manual camera." Cheers!

 

[Keith]

Useability is relative, I can only refer to the quantity produced in a 5 year run and the title of being the "last Nikon manual camera." Cheers!

What were the production numbers incidentally gilpen?

I liked the one I had but ultimately I returned to my OMs. I did like the fact that you could do double exposures with it!

 

[gilpen123]

Quite a good film box indeed

 

[jonmanjiro]

FM3a will definitely be a collector's item in the not so distant future not to mention it's capability to use manual exposure without meter at all speeds and of course it looks good too.

I can't agree that the FM3A will become a collector's camera ... to me it's more of a functional camera than it is a collectable. I agree it has some unique features with the hybrid shutter but I don't think it has a particularly nice feel to it compared to say an F or an OM.

Prices for the camera peaked a while ago IMO and are unlikely to reach those levels again.

YMMV of course. 🙂

Have to agree with Keith on this one, Gil. At least 100,000 FM3As were made, so its never going to be a rare sought after camera.

Today was the last day of the Matsuya Camera Fair in Ginza, Tokyo and I dropped by to scout for closing day bargains. I saw half a dozen FM3As priced from around $350 to $450. They were all there on Saturday too. Not selling even at those prices. The price bubble of a few years ago is gone forever I think.

 

[gilpen123]

keith, I don't know the production numbers but I know it was produced in 2001 and ends in 2006 with a not so many produced year on year due to the shift in digital during the period causing low demand I believe Nikon produced the FM3a just to make a statement. This is when I got my 1st good digicam the Nikon D70.

 

[jonmanjiro]

The FM3A became as much of a collectors' item as ever it will be when it was first understood it would be Nikon's last mechanical film body.

That honour actually goes to the Nikon SP Limited Edition (a.k.a. SP 2005) 🙂

 

[jonmanjiro]

keith, I don't know the production numbers but I know it was produced in 2001 and ends in 2006 with a not so many produced year on year due to the shift in digital during the period causing low demand I believe Nikon produced the FM3a just to make a statement. This is when I got my 1st good digicam the Nikon D70.

Gil, the reissue rangefinders were a statement. The FM3A... not really.

FM3A serial numbers started at 200001 and went up to 312xxx so that indicates a production run of 112,000 cameras. Allowing for a few gaps, I'd say 100,000 cameras. Hardly a rare collectible.

 

[gilpen123]

IMO all film cameras are suffering more or less with low demand, well not a big point to argue anyway. At least in some parts of the world it is quite rare to see them.

 

[jonmanjiro]

Is this really worth splitting hairs over?

If the SP 2005 was only built in 2005 and the FM3A was last built in 2006, doesn't 2006 come after 2005?

FM3A production had already stopped in early 2005. Don't ask me how i know 😉

Also, the FM3A was announced on 5th February 2001 and sales started on 7th July 2001. The SP Limited Edition was announced on 14th January 2005 and sales started on 18th March 2005. The F6 announcement (16th September 2004) and sales start (22nd October 2004) was also before the SP 2005.

Edited to add: I don't mean to disparage the FM3A. I actually like it a lot. So much so that its the only film SLR I own now. I sold one recently here in the RFF classifieds, and have one left that I will keep even of it doesn't get the use it should.

 

[gilpen123]

Nothing becomes a real collector's item in 10 or so years anyway. let's see in 50+ years time if we're still around.....:angel:

 

[dogberryjr]

I'm okay if they aren't increasing in value. I got mine for a nice price and I'm happy to avoid the temptation to sell it for a profit.

 

[gilpen123]

In the meantime I'll enjoy using it. I've had some very nice portraits from my previous FM3as with the 105 2.5, may be worth reliving that again.

 

[rbsinto]

Overpriced compared to a Leica body or overpriced because it's the only mechanical Nikon with automatic exposure (i.e. you choose the aperture and it chooses the speed)?
Pete

No, overpriced because one can buy an FE-2( for example), plus two spare Duracell 1.5 volt button batteries for an additional $10.00, have everything the FM3a gives you and be a small pile of money to the good.

 

[Pete B]

No, overpriced because one can buy an FE-2( for example), plus two spare Duracell 1.5 volt button batteries for an additional $10.00, have everything the FM3a gives you and be a small pile of money to the good.

He he. I think you've got a point there 😀
Pete

 

[valdas]

No, overpriced because one can buy an FE-2( for example), plus two spare Duracell 1.5 volt button batteries for an additional $10.00, have everything the FM3a gives you and be a small pile of money to the good.

No, actually you don't have everything FM3a gives... Are you willing to pay the price difference for FM3a "improvements" (over FE2) or not is a different question and the answer lies in the personal preferences. In theory, in the free market economy there is no such thing as an overpriced good 🙂

 

[rbsinto]

You too are entitled to your opinion.
In my world, it is, and has always been overpriced. And there is nothing that it offers in the way of features that I either want or don't already have in the cameras I use on a regular basis.

 

[valdas]

You too are entitled to your opinion.
In my world, it is, and has always been overpriced. And there is nothing that it offers in the way of features that I either want or don't already have in the cameras I use on a regular basis.

That is exatly what I said - everything is relative, thus generalizations should not be used because what is overpriced for one is just what the other is willing to pay.