Brute Force

Noserider

Noserider

Christiaan Phleger
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Feb 7, 2007
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Ah, the stories it could tell.

F-3, DA-2, MD-4, MF-6b, MK-1, MN-2, Ai'd 28mm f2 N, HN-3, Domke strap.

Just wanted to share, its heavy.
 

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I like the finder. Wasn't that known as a "speed finder?" What was the eye relief on that?

Nice system, but I would feel sorry for your back after a long day !
 
Ever carry a Hasselblad EL with a 250 Sonnar and a 70mm back?

Or a 4x5 Speed Graphic with an electronic flash head and a shoulder pack for it containing two 497 batteries? Then the two dozen film holders?
 
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Yes on the speed graphic, with Metz 402 or Norman 200b, no on the the Hassie but Rollei 6008i and 120 which *might* be heavier. I normally carry 2 F4s, F2 or F3p or N8008s if I want the bag to be light (ha!).
 
The F3 was the top Nikon pro model when I was first getting into photography as a little kid in the mid 1980s (I got my first 35mm SLR, an Olympus, at age 11). I remember wanting one because it looked so cool and ALL the pros had them, complete with that bigass motor drive.

Now, I don;t see the point. Something that big defeats the purpose of 35mm photography. As Al mentions, a Hasselblad isn't much different in weight or size and it gives a LOT better image quality. I like small 35mm slrs, like the Olympus OM-4T bodies I now use. The F3 all alone, sans motor and action finder is actually not that huge and I wouldn't mind owning one though the OM bodies are still my favs...very tiny and light! Back in high school, my dad bought me an F4s, the top model of the day and I felt so cool carrying that gigantic expensive camera around school! I never use it anymore, just too danged big and heavy for a 35.
 
the f3hp is probably my favorite 35mm camera. Just absolute gear porn to me, I love it's big chunky metal body. I had a mint one and sold it, have regretted it ever since. A nice one teamed with some ZF primes would be a pretty amazing kit. I'm not really a fan of nikkors though..
 
Chriscrawfordphoto said:
... I don;t see the point. Something that big defeats the purpose of 35mm photography. ...
Click to expand...

I don't have anything quite that big, but a lot of it is because F3 electronics were bigger than they needed to be. I still find use for my F5 though. This is while I feel much more comfortable with (film) cameras the size of a Leica, OM or Nikon FG.
 
Chriscrawfordphoto said:
Now, I don;t see the point. Something that big defeats the purpose of 35mm photography.
Click to expand...

Yep. Which is why in a digital world someone like David Burnett started using a Speed with an Aero-Ektar - none of those insane early electronic flashes but I'll bet the glass in that monster Kodak lens made up a big chunk of the wieght!

He also did some interesting things with a Holga that made his Nikon's blush but we won't go into that here... 😉

William
 
As an aside, for a big but usable 35mm camera, there is still nothing that beats The Tank - the Canon T90. Stick a 50/1.4 SSC on that and you've got a world beater & and a self defense weapon all in one... 😉

William
 
wlewisiii said:
As an aside, for a big but usable 35mm camera, there is still nothing that beats The Tank - the Canon T90. Stick a 50/1.4 SSC on that and you've got a world beater & and a self defense weapon all in one... 😉

William
Click to expand...

The Nikon F4s deserves recognition for that too. Despite its size and weight, it handholds easily and offers, if you need it, autofocus and a faster motor drive.

Still, I like my OM's and my Leica. Nice and small, though the Leica is huge compared to my OM-4T
 
It's just like my F2a w/MD-2...you can kill a bear with it and then take a few pictures of the dead bear...
My F4s w/MF-23 doesn't feel as heavy as the F2a and I'm not too sure about it's bear killing abilities...but I could be wrong...
 
I had an F3HP in the early nineties, and I loved it at the time - but compared to the OMs I now use, it was huge and clunky.

Although I sometimes feel I'd like to get another F3 for old times sake, I wouldn't switch back - I like my OM gear too much, especially the OM4T, which is a much better camera.

Best,
 
Chriscrawfordphoto said:
Now, I don;t see the point. Something that big defeats the purpose of 35mm photography.
Click to expand...
It's all about speed, ease of use and reliability in the field. You can't really compare it to a Hasselblad, which is a completely different beast. You won't find many - if any - photo journalists using a Hasselblad (for "normal" press work).

Jarle
 
nikon_sam said:
It's just like my F2a w/MD-2...you can kill a bear with it and then take a few pictures of the dead bear...
My F4s w/MF-23 doesn't feel as heavy as the F2a and I'm not too sure about it's bear killing abilities...but I could be wrong...
Click to expand...
I've a P5100 point & shoot that can also kill a bear.. but in a different way; the knack is to try to explain ad nauseam the logic behind when to use the command wheel and when to use the arrow buttons.. 😀
 
I used to take pictures at an Airshow with a Nikon F2a, MD-2 with MB-1 (10 AA Cells), and a 300/4.5 Nikkor-H. Put a Nikon 72mm Polarizer with the appropriate nikon hood.

Tim Allen probably would have used a 28v supply on the motor and worn it in a battery belt.
 
fdigital said:
the f3hp is probably my favorite 35mm camera. Just absolute gear porn to me, I love it's big chunky metal body. I had a mint one and sold it, have regretted it ever since. A nice one teamed with some ZF primes would be a pretty amazing kit. I'm not really a fan of nikkors though..
Click to expand...

I'm a big fan of the F3, I only own three: F3 nonHP; F3 HP; and F3P.

The non HP is best for use with telephotos and for low light levels. I like the MD-4 on this camera. I feel the added weight helps steady the camera and also keeps my eye in the veiwfinder. A motor drive can also help you capture that decisive moment, but this rig is big, loud and heavy. I modified an AH-2 baseplate to acommodate an AH-4 hand strap. This rig weighs 5-7 pounds and is a lethal weapon. I'm surprised the NYPD allows me to carry this rig around the city.

The F3P with another MD-4 is a second rig for use with telephotos. I bought this camera after it returned from Operation Desert Storm. It was owned by the Long Island newspaper "Newsday." It had just been serviced. I shoot primes, so having two similar rigs serves a purpose. 85/1.4 or 105/1.8 with a 180/2.8.

My third F3 has the DA-2, another AH-4 hand strap and a 24mm/2.0. Most of the time, (98%) I shoot this camera like a point and shoot/rangefinder. I meter off the back of my hand with the aperature set at 5.6. The distance scale is used for focus.


Calzone
 
When I sold my diminutive Pentax MX to my brother back in 1979, I bought into the Nikon system: F2A and FE. Great cameras, and I still have and use them today.

Last year, I bought the MD-12 for the FE, because I always wanted a camera with a motor drive. As it turns out, my svelte FE is now a much-too-heavy camera.

I used the F2A over the summer with 50mm and 20mm Nikkors. It was like going back home.

In the past year or so, I bought another Pentax MX and then I bought into the Olympus OM series. Nice cameras, although almost too small.
 
The F3's are great cameras. I still have an F3HP and a regular F3 from back in the day. Just about perfect size for my hands. Love the OM's, but I have to have a winder on them for them to really feel comfortable in my hands.
 
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