Nikon F2 or F3?

[Paul Jenkin]

I've owned, F, F2, F3, F5 and F6, FE, FM(2n) and FM3A. I still have My F5 and F6, an FE and an FM3A. If I had to choose between an F3 and an F2 it would be the F3 with an HP head as I use spectacles and the viewfinders for earlier models don't seem to suit my strong, long-sighted prescription.

Mechanically, take your pick. If I was going for the F2, I'd be after a good F2AS as I found the metering to be exceptional and a cut above the F2 photomic (F2 with a DP1 head). The F3 was ultra-reliable and equally well built to the F2, IMO. These days, I like the availability of auto-focus.

If I want manual focus, I have an FM3A which, again in my opinion, is the best manual focus camera Nikon made - light, superb shutter, excellent meter, relatively quiet, takes all the lenses, can take a motor wind, portable / not too big.

 

[leicapixie]

Nothing personal, mine was a reflection on a certain attitude I've read around that basically states it's impossible to take "action pictures" with a manual camera and you need af, autoexposure, auto-everything. And IMO one important part of film photography that makes you a better photographer is that indeed you have just one chances to take your shoot and you won't know it if you nail it until you see the negatives...it's like going hunting wild boars: You just have one shot and you have to score it, or you fail.

That's IMO, of course.

Both sides are right!
i am with shooting less because i hate editing my digital work!
Case in point, "The Zombie Walk" was 600 images!
If i had shot film, i may have missed some shots but had caught the exact moment with my M3. One must still anticipate the moment with any SLR.
Truth tell when there was only Film, Fashion shoots, i poured the film thru the cameras..
When i moved to cover a Nation in Transition, i shot more carefully and clearer.

I use my old Nikon-F's and a F3.
i skipped the F2 and all the following Nikons.
The F3 was a only bought, about 6 years ago, when my remaining Photomic head stopped working..

 

[Huss]

You can say that about any camera, analog or digital.

Most digital cameras do not have manual focus, manual film winder and no light meter..

😉

 

[GarageBoy]

I understand wanting a challenge and all, but at the end of the day, all I care about is making images
Modern cameras help me get more shots in focus (try chasing your friends working behind the bar with a MF camera), and spot metering helps expose slides in crap conditions

I love the F2AS, but if I had to choose, it'd be the F3

Wonderful handling, lightweight, SOLID, reliable, smooooth shutter advance
The F2 feels like an axe to the F3 scalpel

 

[Timmyjoe]

If I make a picture that I think is of an important subject, I prefer to have that image on photographic film. I can scan that image and work with it digitally if I'd like, but I can also put that image in an enlarger and make a beautiful silver print. And there is something about having valuable images stored as negatives in a negative safe that feels much more permanent to me than having a digital file sitting on a hard drive somewhere, one electrical mishap from oblivion.

Probably because I'm old school, and old.

Best,
-Tim

 

[FrankS]

If I make a picture that I think is of an important subject, I prefer to have that image on photographic film. I can scan that image and work with it digitally if I'd like, but I can also put that image in an enlarger and make a beautiful silver print. And there is something about having valuable images stored as negatives in a negative safe that feels much more permanent to me than having a digital file sitting on a hard drive somewhere, one electrical mishap from oblivion.

Probably because I'm old school, and old.

Best,
-Tim

Same here!

 

[FrankS]

All this back and forth between F2 and F3. Get both and decide for yourself. If you need to, sell the one that wasn't the best for you. Keep both if you can.

 

[DominikDUK]

The only way to decide is to try the cameras whichever you feel more comfortable with is the right camera.

 

[Corran]

I just took delivery of a beautiful black F2 with matching plain prism.

Gotta say (again) that (IMO of course) the F2 blows the F3 out of the water in terms of form, function, handling, and every other metric you can think of. The F3 stays on the shelf for the most part.

Now I just need to find a matching SB-type meter head and a motor drive...

I'd probably prefer the F save for the terrible MLU mechanic. I like my 2.1cm lens!

 

[Vics]

Hi

This thread is just too addictive. Could anyone tell me where I can find the viewfinder for the F2? Want the ones with the sharp top and no meter

Thanks!

Check with KEH.com. The chrome ones are fairly plentiful. It's called DE-1. The cool thing about the DE-1 is that it also fits the F.

 

[Huss]

The handling of the F2 is great apart from rewinding with the Dp12 head. There isn't enough clearance between the rewind lever/knob and the head. My fingers graze the head
once every turn.
No issues with the DE1 head.

 

[Highway 61]

The handling of the F2 is great apart from rewinding with the Dp12 head. There isn't enough clearance between the rewind lever/knob and the head. My fingers graze the head
once every turn.
No issues with the DE1 head.

The rewind lever shaft is collapsible, just to avoid this problem.

Do you uncollapse it fully before rewinding ?

With having the lever shaft fully uncollapsed and grabbing the camera with the winding lever side upwards with your left hand, then rewinding with your right hand, you won't touch the Photomic head with your fingers.

 

[VertovSvilova]

....at the end of the day, all I care about is making images

If people would concentrate on the actual images they are making, the world would be a better place. 🙂

imho, there's way too much attention going on with the camera themselves; I'm seeing a lot of poor images being made here with cameras that "feel good" to use. Pretty much any camera is going to be competent enough. The rest is just subjective nitpicking. And it gets redundant very quickly (and I'm to blame too, as I get caught up in it all and have to tell myself to back off and go back to concentrating on the image itself.)

 

[Huss]

If people would concentrate on the actual images they are making, the world would be a better place. 🙂

imho, there's way too much attention going on with the camera themselves; I'm seeing a lot of poor images being made here with cameras that "feel good" to use.

To be fair this is a discussion about the camera. Not about the talent behind the camera.

 

[nobbylon]

I know some rave about the F but having owned and used 3 I found them uncomfortable ( too many sharp edges) a pain to load and that wobbly film advance annoying. The meterless prism that's so coveted is very prone to denting and prism cracking. The F2 turned it into the camera it could have been.

 

[Wulfthari]

The handling of the F2 is great apart from rewinding with the Dp12 head. There isn't enough clearance between the rewind lever/knob and the head. My fingers graze the head
once every turn.
No issues with the DE1 head.

The only problem I apparently have with the DP-12 is that the F2AS doesn't seem to fit inside my "new" FB-5 case...anybody else had this problem?

 

[nobbylon]

If people would concentrate on the actual images they are making, the world would be a better place. 🙂

imho, there's way too much attention going on with the camera themselves; I'm seeing a lot of poor images being made here with cameras that "feel good" to use. Pretty much any camera is going to be competent enough. The rest is just subjective nitpicking. And it gets redundant very quickly (and I'm to blame too, as I get caught up in it all and have to tell myself to back off and go back to concentrating on the image itself.)

You seem to be under the misguided impression that this site is about picture taking! It's not 😀

 

[DominikDUK]

Nobbylon wobbly film advance on an F never had that problem as for your second post I fully agree.

Also People love the F because it is a near indestructible classic it also more or less an RF camera with a SLR attachment. The F2 has the metering circuit in the camera whereas the F has no electrical System save for the flash Trigger. The F has a sublime finder image Photomic FTN and prism finder the F2 is nearly as good in that regard. But honestly the F is a classic the F2 the child of classic and the F3 the grandchild of a classic with some weird stuff mixed into the gene pool 🙂 But then I also love the feel of an Exacta.

That's why I wrote the op should fondle/try the cameras to decide which one would suit him the best

 

[GarageBoy]

If people would concentrate on the actual images they are making, the world would be a better place. 🙂

imho, there's way too much attention going on with the camera themselves; I'm seeing a lot of poor images being made here with cameras that "feel good" to use. Pretty much any camera is going to be competent enough. The rest is just subjective nitpicking. And it gets redundant very quickly (and I'm to blame too, as I get caught up in it all and have to tell myself to back off and go back to concentrating on the image itself.)

I mean, I get it, it's fun for me to whip out the F2AS and play 1970s/1980s documentary photographerm, it's fun to bring out the F3P and MD4 combo and play 1980s press photographer

I can understand why someone wants to be "challenged" by using a meterless camera

I've tried it and occasionally, I look at my negatives and think "if I had the F100 and AF lens, I would not have missed the focus that badly"

 

[Calzone]

Nobbylon wobbly film advance on an F never had that problem as for your second post I fully agree.

Also People love the F because it is a near indestructible classic it also more or less an RF camera with a SLR attachment. The F2 has the metering circuit in the camera whereas the F has no electrical System save for the flash Trigger. The F has a sublime finder image Photomic FTN and prism finder the F2 is nearly as good in that regard. But honestly the F is a classic the F2 the child of classic and the F3 the grandchild of a classic with some weird stuff mixed into the gene pool 🙂 But then I also love the feel of an Exacta.

That's why I wrote the op should fondle/try the cameras to decide which one would suit him the best

You are incorrect: The metering system on a F2 is in the prisim. The only electrical parts in a F2 body are the battery compartment, the meter switch built into the film advance, and the electrical contacts to the metered prism if used. None of the above are used with a DE-1.

The Nikon F3 is the first Pro body with the electronics built into the body BTW.

Cal