P
PhotoGog
Guest
A recent, sudden attack of GAS (coinciding with an influx of funds from a freelance job on the side of my salaried job) saw me purchase the camera that I always wanted since drooling over its specs on the hard copy brochure back in 2001 when I was at art school: yep, a black FM3a. So I got me a mint body from a Japanese seller (where else but in a country where mint means never touched by ... air?) and it arrived in my hot little hands today.
Now, do not get me wrong, I certainly do not have buyers remorse. And yet ... while the ergonomics seem incredible (I have yet to take it for a serious spin and time will be the ultimate judge whether it works for my hands and shooting style), it seems dinky in terms of build ... like a half stop between a Holga and my other gear.
So it has finally dawned on me: I have a weight problem! Or, more like a weight fixation. Which is to say that the three cameras I own all have serious heft to them which I have come to see as normal: Mamiya C330f, Canon F-1 (1971 model), M6 TTL. Each of these starts at about 800g which means they are pushing well over a kilogram with a lens; the Mamiya almost pushing 2kg (or feels like it), not that it bothered me lugging it over a round the world trip 15 years ago.
Admittedly, not only have I never handled a FM3a, I have never handled a Nikon FM series body at all. So I have been surprised by my own rookie mistake: transposing previous experience onto internet images of gear! I am still very happy with the FM3a for what it is, and certainly it will make for a great travel body when weight is a concern, but I now have a new found respect for my trusty F-1 which, for the record, I have always loved and held in high regard.
For a camera 30 years its senior over the FM3A, the F-1 is phenomenal. I prefer the design on both aesthetics and ergonomics; the prism shape atop the body is a supremely more elegant; the extra height and width of the body fits my large hands better, and more imposing as a brick; the almost spot meter is ideal; but more than anything, I adore what I call its Panzer Division quality - built like the proverbial tank! Whereas the FM3a is disappointing especially for its hollow sounding base plate and the plastic (is it plastic?) around the lens mount.
I know, I know, I accept that I should not expect a 21st century body to compete in the metal department against bodies from the peak year of 1971 (including of course the Nikon F2 and whatever Minolta was issuing at the time), but being my first foray into the Nikon system (I cut my teeth on the AE-1 and FD glass my father bought in the late 70s), I just expected more of a Panzer build, especially since Nikon users are always looking down on the Canon mob.
On the plus side, another first should help add weight to my concern: I have also purchased a Zeiss Planar 50/1.4 ZF.2 (eBay, Japan, again) to go with my new body as my first F mount lens, and first Zeiss for that matter. Crunching the numbers, the body (570g) and this lens (330g) should take me up to a chocolate bar short of a kilo ... but still a featherweight when, so I realise now, I am more comfortable driving tanks!
I shall never complain of a sore neck again! And any stray thought I had of downsizing my gear by liquidating the F-1 with glass in order to justify having three 35mm cameras across three systems, has disappeared. The F-1 stays forever. I will simply have to chalk this experience up to an expensive lesson in rediscovering what I have known: the F-1 suits my play hard or go home approach perfectly. Think Battle of Kursk.
The Planar will take about two weeks to arrive. Out of interest, I am dying to know if any RFF members have this set up (the Planar ZF.2 on a FM series body), and if so how the overall balance feels? I can live with the light weight, but will be concerned if I have made an investment in a combo that might not work for me if the Zeiss makes the set up feel especially front weighted.
Again, no remorse (yet!). Thrilled to start shorting with the FM3A. However, I will be more circumspect about buying gear I have never handled in the future.
Maybe I will just fill the Nikon with sand instead of film.
Now, do not get me wrong, I certainly do not have buyers remorse. And yet ... while the ergonomics seem incredible (I have yet to take it for a serious spin and time will be the ultimate judge whether it works for my hands and shooting style), it seems dinky in terms of build ... like a half stop between a Holga and my other gear.
So it has finally dawned on me: I have a weight problem! Or, more like a weight fixation. Which is to say that the three cameras I own all have serious heft to them which I have come to see as normal: Mamiya C330f, Canon F-1 (1971 model), M6 TTL. Each of these starts at about 800g which means they are pushing well over a kilogram with a lens; the Mamiya almost pushing 2kg (or feels like it), not that it bothered me lugging it over a round the world trip 15 years ago.
Admittedly, not only have I never handled a FM3a, I have never handled a Nikon FM series body at all. So I have been surprised by my own rookie mistake: transposing previous experience onto internet images of gear! I am still very happy with the FM3a for what it is, and certainly it will make for a great travel body when weight is a concern, but I now have a new found respect for my trusty F-1 which, for the record, I have always loved and held in high regard.
For a camera 30 years its senior over the FM3A, the F-1 is phenomenal. I prefer the design on both aesthetics and ergonomics; the prism shape atop the body is a supremely more elegant; the extra height and width of the body fits my large hands better, and more imposing as a brick; the almost spot meter is ideal; but more than anything, I adore what I call its Panzer Division quality - built like the proverbial tank! Whereas the FM3a is disappointing especially for its hollow sounding base plate and the plastic (is it plastic?) around the lens mount.
I know, I know, I accept that I should not expect a 21st century body to compete in the metal department against bodies from the peak year of 1971 (including of course the Nikon F2 and whatever Minolta was issuing at the time), but being my first foray into the Nikon system (I cut my teeth on the AE-1 and FD glass my father bought in the late 70s), I just expected more of a Panzer build, especially since Nikon users are always looking down on the Canon mob.
On the plus side, another first should help add weight to my concern: I have also purchased a Zeiss Planar 50/1.4 ZF.2 (eBay, Japan, again) to go with my new body as my first F mount lens, and first Zeiss for that matter. Crunching the numbers, the body (570g) and this lens (330g) should take me up to a chocolate bar short of a kilo ... but still a featherweight when, so I realise now, I am more comfortable driving tanks!
I shall never complain of a sore neck again! And any stray thought I had of downsizing my gear by liquidating the F-1 with glass in order to justify having three 35mm cameras across three systems, has disappeared. The F-1 stays forever. I will simply have to chalk this experience up to an expensive lesson in rediscovering what I have known: the F-1 suits my play hard or go home approach perfectly. Think Battle of Kursk.
The Planar will take about two weeks to arrive. Out of interest, I am dying to know if any RFF members have this set up (the Planar ZF.2 on a FM series body), and if so how the overall balance feels? I can live with the light weight, but will be concerned if I have made an investment in a combo that might not work for me if the Zeiss makes the set up feel especially front weighted.
Again, no remorse (yet!). Thrilled to start shorting with the FM3A. However, I will be more circumspect about buying gear I have never handled in the future.
Maybe I will just fill the Nikon with sand instead of film.
