Gone for a FM3a

[Prosaic]

Pull the batteries out of an FM3A and you're just as "electronic gizmo" free as an FM2, plus you get the brighter K3 focus screen (can be installed in an FM2 as well).

I am not sure the FM3As hybrid shutter can be as easily serviced as the mechanical FM2. If I dont want automation, why chose a camera that supports it? The FM2 is almost unbreakable, meter aside. Is this true for the FM3A too? Perhaps not.

 

[jonmanjiro]

I am not sure the FM3As hybrid shutter can be as easily serviced as the mechanical FM2. If I dont want automation, why chose a camera that supports it? The FM2 is almost unbreakable, meter aside. Is this true for the FM3A too? Perhaps not.

If you don't want automation, you need not choose a camera that supports it 😉

As for servicing an FM3A or FM2 shutter, I think you'll find that if a part of the shutter requires replacement, its more cost effective and simpler to just replace the complete shutter unit. In that respect, the FM3A and FM2 are the same, except that Nikon only discontinued the FM3A in January 2006 so there will a reliable supply of spare parts for a few more years to come.

 

[Jan Van Laethem]

Great camera. I bought mine new in 2002 and like it so much I will pobably buy another one soon. Unfortunately Nikon discontinued it way too soon.

The 45mm AIP is a great lens and absolutely perfect to go with the FM3a, makes for a great combo that is easy to carry around for everyday shooting.

Enjoy it when you get the camera.

 

[shadowfox]

Always. Shame about the lack of NOS AI aperture rings but one can make do.

Now I'm curious, what's NOS AI aperture rings?

I have both of my pre-AI lenses converted to AI so I can use it normally on my F3.

 

[Prosaic]

If you don't want automation, you need not choose a camera that supports it 😉

Yeah, thats what I said.

As for servicing an FM3A or FM2 shutter, I think you'll find that if a part of the shutter requires replacement, its more cost effective and simpler to just replace the complete shutter unit. In that respect, the FM3A and FM2 are the same, except that Nikon only discontinued the FM3A in January 2006 so there will a reliable supply of spare parts for a few more years to come.

Which is the point. The simpler the camera, the less likely is failure and the less hard, at the same time, is it to fix. A mechanical shutter will always be simpler to repair than an electronic shutter. The FMs are a repairmans dream in this respect. The FEs are not. The FM3A sits in the middle, construction-wise.

 

[jonmanjiro]

Which is the point. The simpler the camera, the less likely is failure and the less hard, at the same time, is it to fix. A mechanical shutter will always be simpler to repair than an electronic shutter. The FMs are a repairmans dream in this respect. The FEs are not. The FM3A sits in the middle, construction-wise.

Just relaying what the Nikon Service Center in Tokyo told me. These FE/FM series cameras are all basically the same in that if the shutter needs replacement, the old shutter comes out and the new one goes in - pretty much the same procedure for all. Whether or not they have spare parts is the key question. The FE/FE2 were discontinued long ago i.e. no more spare parts. The FM2 was discontinued in 2000 i.e. still some spare parts. The FM3A was discontinued in 2006 i.e. spare parts still available.

 

[jonmanjiro]

Just found these images of the FM3A shutter unit and FM2 shutter unit on the Nikon Imaging website (look very similar, don't they 😉).

FM3A shutter

FM2 shutter

Links to Nikon website are here and here.

If there's a problem with an FM3A or FM2 shutter, its neither a simple task nor cost effective to disassemble the shutter unit to fix the problem. Instead, the old shutter unit comes out, and a new shutter unit goes in.

Its a different story with horizontally traveling shutters that use cloth (i.e. Leicas etc.) or titanium (i.e. Nikon F and F2 etc.) for the shutter curtains though, as its fairly basic repair work to replace only the shutter curtains or do other work on the shutters of these cameras.

 

[kshapero]

Just found these images of the FM3A shutter unit and FM2 shutter unit on the Nikon Imaging website (look very similar, don't they 😉).

FM3A shutter

FM2 shutter

Links to Nikon website are here and here.

If there's a problem with an FM3A or FM2 shutter, its neither a simple task nor cost effective to disassemble the shutter unit to fix the problem. Instead, the old shutter unit comes out, and a new shutter unit goes in.

Its a different story with horizontally traveling shutters that use cloth (i.e. Leicas etc.) or titanium (i.e. Nikon F and F2 etc.) for the shutter curtains though, as its fairly basic repair work to replace only the shutter curtains or do other work on the shutters of these cameras.

2 points for Leicas and old Nikons.

 

[chippy]

very interesting, thanks for posting that jonmanjiro, made by copal by the looks, i wonder how much they cost as a spare part?



kashapero, probably 2 points for the OM's as well <shrugs>

 

[jonmanjiro]

i've never heard of an FM2 or FM3A shutter needing to be replaced because of a mechanical failure. someone sticking the film leader or their fingers through the curtains is of course another matter.

all the japanese manufacturers use sub-contractors to manufacture components. OM's probably use a copal shutter as well.

 

[chippy]

Sure, i didnt intend for it sound critical! just curious to what they might cost on there own (or what other parts are worth keeping), or whether it works out cheaper just to buy a spare parts camera for years down the track, incase of a problem for what ever reason. its just a thought...i did the same thing with my ATL film processing machine as the parts are hard to get here in Aust now or no longer available, so i have new spare parts (in boxes), motors etc etc for if they ever do go wrong, which is inevitable given enough time and use

 

[jonmanjiro]

I was just sayin' 😉 Shutters manufactured by Copal have been used by pretty much every camera manufacturer in Japan over the years including Olympus (Olympus Pen etc.). Copal shutters have even been used by Leica.

As for the cost of a replacement FM3A shutter, I have no idea. I'm not sure you could get Nikon to sell you one as they don't normally sell replacement parts over the counter.