I have F3 lust

kully

kully

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Was photographing a festival at the weekend and I noticed that I was almost cast as some form of child-molester for daring to take photos with my RFs (too sneaky?).

When I brought out my borrowed D70 and its Sigma 18-50/2.8 zoom people seemed to relax, I never got the looks reserved for a sneaky, vile, voyeur.

Anyway, two paragraphs later and I come to the crux of the post - I want a Nikon F3 to look "like a photographer".

Do you reckon the F3 is OK for this? Would you recommend anything else in the price range (not Canon please!).

cheers,
kully
 
Probably because the RF looks like an oversized P&S.

As an SLR the F3 is hard to beat (I have two), but these days the only thing that's going to make you look like a press photographer is a big, black DSLR with a zoom the size of a coffee can. ;-)
 
What do you mean, look "like a photographer"? The F3 is just a joy to use. The HP version has a really nice VF. The camera feels extremly good ( at least in my hands), especially when a MD4 is attached. There is some nice Nikon AIS glass out there. A used F3 is "cheap" for what you get. If I would go to the jungle I would take the F3HP. Have not used mine for a while, but love this camera a lot. Otherwise I would recommend the Olympus OM system, but never tested it.
 
I think a SpeedGraphic is what you're after. There should be enough room inside to fit an M3/Bessa/etc comfortably, although lens practicalities may be a problem. Think of it as a large, complex lens-hood . . . ?
 
F3 is nice and I like mine but do yourself a favour and check out an FM2n/FE2/FM3a. They just might do it too.

Bob
 
Theres always an F2 or even the old Fe and Fm to get your feet wet you ca pick up an Fe for peanuts I got my second this wk and it cost me something about £25 ic postage from the U.S., look around and you can pick up lenses dirt cheep too, If you need I may have a lens or two you could borrow. Non Nikon theres the Pentax LX that a damn good cam and there was a Minolta but I cant remember the model. If you want the best glass but it costs go Contax or a Yashica body with Ziess glass.
 
Interesting as I am resiisting the urge to sell my pristine , high serial number F3 and MD4 motordrive to someone who would use it more...
 
Why F3HP?

My understanding is that the regular viewfinder has a greater magnification (which I like better) but I figure there must be a reason why every used F3 I see for sale has the HP viewfinder on it. What's the big advantage? I don't wear glasses to shoot so that isn't an issue for me.

I love my OM-1 but I admit that I have a minor hankering for an F3.
 
The F3 is awesome - the only flaw I can find is the lack of a normal hotshoe - otherwise it is way more advanced than the FMs and FEs. Mirror lock up and interchangeable viewfinders are great features for certain kinds of shooting. I love the various focussing screens and most of all the DW-4 6x finder.

I agree with Melanie that the regular finder is better than the HP.

-Anupam
 
At 1/80 sec the F3 flash synch speed is SLOW!

Unless mirror lockup functionality is a requirement, I'd get an FE2 or FM3A! Synch speed is 1/250 sec and they have a normal flash shoe and TTL flash.
 
I think the mag. is .75 for HP, .80 for DE (reg)

I think the mag. is .75 for HP, .80 for DE (reg)

but there are also 4 or more other prisms besides the HP, and the regular DE. Try or get them both, they snap on and off easily, and can easily allow changing of the 21 or so focusing screens out in the field.

The DE regular prism is lighter and looks better to me. AIS lenses are more convenient, but AI work fine with stop down metering.


MelanieC said:
Why F3HP?

My understanding is that the regular viewfinder has a greater magnification (which I like better) but I figure there must be a reason why every used F3 I see for sale has the HP viewfinder on it. What's the big advantage? I don't wear glasses to shoot so that isn't an issue for me.

I love my OM-1 but I admit that I have a minor hankering for an F3.
Click to expand...
 
I have the HP, the DE, and the DW. Put the DW on the F3 and you're almost in TLR-land. Its a big image and I use the grid screen with slanted split. Nice. The mf AI glass also fits my RF m mounts and my EOS mounts. I have 2 old nikkors famed for minimal flare (for gigs) and sharpness -the 20mm f3.5, the 28mm f2. I have a Kiron 105mm macro and want to try the 45mm pancake soon. I have never used a flash on the F3 even though my strobes are all SBs - they are for the EOS as well.
 
MelanieC said:
Why F3HP?

My understanding is that the regular viewfinder has a greater magnification (which I like better) but I figure there must be a reason why every used F3 I see for sale has the HP viewfinder on it. What's the big advantage? I don't wear glasses to shoot so that isn't an issue for me.

I love my OM-1 but I admit that I have a minor hankering for an F3.
Click to expand...


Why the HP ???...it's a status symbol...:cool:
 
MelanieC said:
Why F3HP?

My understanding is that the regular viewfinder has a greater magnification (which I like better) but I figure there must be a reason why every used F3 I see for sale has the HP viewfinder on it. What's the big advantage? I don't wear glasses to shoot so that isn't an issue for me.
Click to expand...
Bingo. You're (apparently) not bespectacled; I am, and I found the non-HP F3 VF a pain. The HP VF (back when I was working with a pair of F3s) was heavenly by comparison, and not an issue in terms of focus acuity. If you're lucky to not require corrective lenses (or if you're cool with contacts), the standard-issue VF is ideal. But for us Harry Potter types, not fun.

I love my OM-1 but I admit that I have a minor hankering for an F3.
Click to expand...
All I can say is: the OM is Neat, the F3 is Keen. If you can see yourself needing 100% VF accuracy and waist-level viewing as useful once in a while, the F3 is awfully good (I've been thinking over this myself, so don't shoot me if this post gets your GAS meter swaying). OTOH, an Olymous VariMagni Finder can help with the waist-level/right-angle level stuff almost (but, of course), but not quite as well, for less cash. Then, too, with the F3, you'll have a body with the same lens mount as your D70...


- Barrett
 
The F3 with a MD-4 attached is just a thing of beauty...but alas the slow sync speed...

I almost got one but went with the F2A...black body w/MD-2...
People will ask if it's a digital camera...so I stuck a photo in the Film Reminder...
That'll teach 'em...
 
I have a second F4s with the DW-20 (Waist-Level) View Finder and I LOVE IT!!!
People hardly notice you're shooting...
 
Well, first of all, let's clarify that the F3 CAN meter with an open aperture with AI-S lenses AND the regular AI lenses. The whole Nikon lens compatibility thing is kinda confusing, so you often read F'd up info on these. Anyway, they do have a moveable tab to allow the older non-AI lenses to mount up, and THESE are the lenses which require stop-down metering. Just to let ya know, this is a pain with the F3 since it wasn't ever really designed with the intention of working this way. You have to hold down the DOF preview button, and then somehow operate the aperture and shutter dial with your fingers in some crazy awkward way to adjust the exposure. Your fingers might feel a bit like an Olympic gymnist, but at least you won't have to wear one of those tightly, brightly colored little outfits! =-) Then again, this kinda goes along with all of the camera bodies Nikon made for AI type lenses.

Now that that's out of the way, let's get to specifics. The F3 is a great little machine, but not perfect. The meter display isn't as intuitive for manual metering as the match needle setup of the F, F2, FE, FE2, FM, FM2, etc. Personally, I find it easiest just to stick the thing on Aperture priority and use the exposure lock for when I want to adjust the exposure. Then again, I probably smell to many paint fumes at work, so I wouldn't doubt if my opinion is rather skewed. The backlight for the LCD is a joke... seriously, it's ridiculous enough to make you laugh! The slow flash-sync speed has been mentioned before, so if you DO use flash, keep that in mind. Otherwise, the camera can't be faulted in any other way. Extremely solid alloy body, the smoothest film advance you will EVER find (yes, even better than a freshly serviced Leica M), large shutter dial, accurate meter, gorgeous finder, and the ability to use just about any Nikon F-mount lens ever made. If anyone wants to argue about the fluidity of the film advance on the F3 versus the M3, that's great. It's good to have some irrational passion every now and then. Unfortunately, I don't really care one way or the other, just so long as I don't feel like I'm wrenching on a 3/4 ton GMC pickup with a 1/2" drive Craftsman ratchet. Oh, and the MD-4 motor is a fantastic attachment, giving a fairly high frame rate and good ergonomics to the camera.

Still, from my experience, I believe the FE, FE2, FM, and FM2 are nice, easy to use Nikon SLRs with motor capability. These cameras seem a bit more intuitive to me, are easier to use when you are metering manually without any sort of aperture or shutter automation, smaller and lighter, and seem to hold up pretty well. Of course, after stating that I remember went the other way and got a Nikon F and a F3, using the F for most of the work, and keeping the F3 for when I need a motor and some automation. Like I said, my brain is intoxicated with paint fumes, and the little remaining nerve and brain cell function seems to be hampered by sleep withdrawal.

If you have any more questions, write 'em down so somebody can answer them. Otherwise, I'm gone so I can get braindead for a few a hours. Take care, and try not to get sent to jail for your photographic ventures!
 
If mirror lock up is important to you, you can set the self timer on the FM/FE series cameras and when the self timer cycle starts the mirror moves up and the camera fires after the delay.

Bob
 
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