Gumby
Veteran
... and because many were used very heavily. They are just like buying old Hasselblad equipment. Sometimes you'll find one that was used "gently" but a lot of them were used quite heavily.
nobbylon
Veteran
I think if you look around patiently that there are plenty of nice ones coming out of the woodwork now with very little use on them. The first one I bought has some tiny marks but no brassing and I paid £90 on bay.
The second one I bought was out of a collection and looks like it was used once and put on a shelf, to all intents new, £150
Gumby
Veteran
Yes, that is basically a universal truth. Given the access to huge amounts of products offered on ebay and other "consolidation" sites for old stuff, patience will get a nice "whatever" most of the time.
But WRT F-3's, most of the really cheap ones are beaters... which doesn't make them bad, just a risk of needing overhaul service, etc.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
True I have seen many F3's that are have been hammered, but still work, but at B&H and Adorama there seems to be a steady supply of clean cameras for around $200.00- $250.00 that seem to only have modest wear. Although you will pay a premium extreamly clean ones are readily available.
Cal
paulfish4570
Veteran
if i don't go FM2, i am leaning right toward an F2 with DE-1 (that is the plain prism, right?). i like the simple lines.
Gumby
Veteran
p.s. For the palsy I find motor driives actually help the situation. I keep a MD-4 on the F3 and a MD-11 on the FE. When that and a tight strap stop workign I suppose I'll go digital and take advantage of the IS options!
nobbylon
Veteran
I managed to find a beater for a friend for £35 ! The only thing that doesn't work on it is the LCD back light which is useless anyway. I just haven't had time to fix it yet, probably just a bad contact on the little red button. No dents at all, just some brassing. A bargain!
nobbylon
Veteran
I have to say that I've hardly seen any de1's for sale. I don't think Nikon made many and they are probably going to be more expensive than a decent F2 metered body.
sevo
Fokutorendaburando
The DE-1 has grown into the most expensive F2 finder short of the sports finder - due the migration away from Photomics finders with dead electronics to a supposedly eternal solution and the DE-1 itself getting more scarce, being rather vulnerable to prism damage.
However, the DE-1 has no significant merits beyond looks and weight. Personally I'd get a dead pre-AI Photomic if I were in the market for a unmetered F2 finder - these are dirt cheap, and even broken or without a battery they'll display the aperture (in a much more legible form than the AI direct readout scale) and time in finder.
N
Nikon Bob
Guest
If you already have an FE2 and really then get an FM2n to match it. You can probably have less money invested in have both than buying an FM3a, unless something has happened and the bottom has fallen outof the FM3a market. If the FE2 does evrything you want/need then the FM2n will be the fully mechanical counter part.
Bob
Bob
rlouzan
Well-known
And yet another point in favor of the Nikon F3 and FM models is the amount of spare parts available 
and the fact that they can be fixed almost anywhere .
and the fact that they can be fixed almost anywhere .
venchka
Veteran
Paul,
Does your FM2n have the titanium shutter blades? I assume you like it. Just wonderin. In case I wake up one morning and do something silly.
OOPS! You are contemplating an FM2n.
Does your FM2n have the titanium shutter blades? I assume you like it. Just wonderin. In case I wake up one morning and do something silly.
OOPS! You are contemplating an FM2n.
kshapero
South Florida Man
my love, yes.
N
Nikon Bob
Guest
I don't know why you are asking about titanium shutter blades. I can tell you I have two FM2ns, one with and one without titanium bldes, and can not tell any difference between the two in use.
Bob
mwooten
light user
Paul, I'll bring my FM2n to the ATL meet-up.
healyzh
Well-known
I bought my F3HP from Adorama in early 2008 for $95. It is a serious beater, in fact it looks like it's been through a warzone, with major brassing and dents. It is smooth as silk, and functions beautifully! The only thing I don't like about it is the LCD readout for the light meter. I much prefer the solution used on my FM2, and my Leica M6 TTL.
venchka
Veteran
Thanks! I'll remember that & not pay extra for the titanium shutter. If I wake up one morning and do something silly.
