Nikon F3 Press - did press photographers actually buy and use this?

[rbsinto]

Hockey "tough guy"?
No, not at all.
I've got endurance, not toughness, and truly, had I not been a goaltender, I wouldn't have been able to play with many of the people I did or in the calibre of games I have, just because I'm not all that big and the physical contact would have killed me.
As is, I've had four knee operations, (torn cartilage removals), torn ligaments, broken ribs twice, and more bumps, bruises sprains and strains than I can count.
I guess I do have a high pain threshold though, as I've never been off skates for more than 8 days after a surgery, and when I tore a knee cartilage and MCL in the same game, I finished the game. Similarly with the broken ribs (which both happened within the last three years), I finished the game each time.
I'm almost 67, and still playing. And most of the people I play with are 15 to 50 years younger than I am.
If I'm anything its a survivor.

 

[Calzone]

Hockey "tough guy"?
No, not at all.
I've got endurance, not toughness, and truly, had I not been a goaltender, I wouldn't have been able to play with many of the people I did or in the calibre of games I have, just because I'm not all that big and the physical contact would have killed me.
As is, I've had four knee operations, (torn cartilage removals), torn ligaments, broken ribs twice, and more bumps, bruises sprains and strains than I can count.
I guess I do have a high pain threshold though, as I've never been off skates for more than 8 days after a surgery, and when I tore a knee cartilage and MCL in the same game, I finished the game. Similarly with the broken ribs (which both happened within the last three years), I finished the game each time.
I'm almost 67, and still playing. And most of the people I play with are 15 to 50 years younger than I am.
If I'm anything its a survivor.

To me being a goaltender requires a certain fearlessness and toughness. Much respect. Also know your posts display a lot of character. Life can be brutal, and you seem more alive than many people I know because of your youthfulness.

As far as endurance goes, currently I'm 56, but when I was 49 I had the opportunity to run the NYC Marathon because my friend overtrained, became sick, and offered me his bib so I could run in his place. I only had a full day to get ready, and understand that I did not train for this event. Anyways I ended up finishing in under 5 hours. When I was younger I raced bicycles (both mountain and road) and I raced with and against younger people. Basically I took a beating like a man and developed a very high threshold of pain.

Cal

 

[Frontman]

The F3P is my all-time favorite camera, I have three of them, all were previously owned by newspapers and magazines,

 

[Calzone]

The F3P is my all-time favorite camera, I have three of them, all were previously owned by newspapers and magazines,

Very nice. Although I own 5 Leicas, a Whiteface Rollie 3.5F, A Plaubel 69W Proshift, Fuji GM670, Fuji GL690, and a Pentax 67II with AE prism, my F3P remains a special camera. For me it is like coming home.

The most foolish thing I ever did was trade away my Noct-Nikkor. Right now my primary lens for my F3P is an Olympus 24/3.5 shift lens that has been modified to Nikon F-mount.

I think one reason I love my F3P so much is because it is such a fast shooter, the rewind and film advance is motorized, and it is a very stable platform. The use of a DK-17 magnifier on a HP finder optimizes the focus for me and for use with a Noct-Nokkor.

I also have gotten use to the heft and balance of a fully rigged F3P. Also something about the camera that gives it Mojo.

Cal

 

[Dan]

When I was younger I raced bicycles (both mountain and road) and I raced with and against younger people. Basically I took a beating like a man and developed a very high threshold of pain.

Cal

Cal,

Did being bow-legged and racing trash your knees? I've never raced against such an opponent.

 

[Calzone]

Cal,

Did being bow-legged and racing trash your knees? I've never raced against such an opponent.

Saul,

On a bike I was described as "squirelly." Compounding this one of my mountain bikes is a very hyper and agile "IBIS Mountain Trials" that features a 26 inch front wheel and a 24 inch rear wheel to make a very aggressive bike with only a 40 inch wheelbase. One friend liked to ride behind me because he enjoyed seeing me turning the bike sideways all the time skirting on the hairy edge of control, and also it was a great vantage point to see some great crashes.

My level of bow leggedness is about a loss of about an inch in height if we use Michael Angelo's model of a man with extented arms within a square. I've seen many people with bowed legs as a serious handicap. Mine is less so where skating a rollerblading is very awkward lacking grace.

I wear orthodics to prevent aching feet to help carry my weight more properly. The forensics are that I developed rickets when I was a toddler due to malnutrician (poverty). If this happened earlier in life when I was only crawling I would have been deformed with a hunched back.

My knees are fine, but my feet get killed because I pronate (walk on the outside of my feet instead of properly on the inside). Interesting to note that in high school I was a sprinter and have the physiology of lightning speed. Bicycles allowed me to train as an endurance athlete without hurting my feet which is my weakness. Also know that I have a great propensity to sprain my ankles.

Cal

POSTSCRIPT: BTW In racing I mostly got my butt kicked by younger guys. I mostly developed a very high threshold of pain. I was widely known and famous though for my style. LOL.

 

[Frontman]

Very nice. Although I own 5 Leicas, a Whiteface Rollie 3.5F, A Plaubel 69W Proshift, Fuji GM670, Fuji GL690, and a Pentax 67II with AE prism, my F3P remains a special camera. For me it is like coming home.

The most foolish thing I ever did was trade away my Noct-Nikkor. Right now my primary lens for my F3P is an Olympus 24/3.5 shift lens that has been modified to Nikon F-mount.

I think one reason I love my F3P so much is because it is such a fast shooter, the rewind and film advance is motorized, and it is a very stable platform. The use of a DK-17 magnifier on a HP finder optimizes the focus for me and for use with a Noct-Nokkor.

I also have gotten use to the heft and balance of a fully rigged F3P. Also something about the camera that gives it Mojo.

Cal

I have more cameras than I can honestly recall, I opened an old camera shop a couple years ago. I like to shoot with old TLR's, and even a little large format. But since I got my first Nikon back in the 80's, I have always had a soft spot for them.

I like the other old Pro cameras as well. Hard to beleive I have only one Canon SLR,

And then there is Nikon's first "P", pr professional camera, the SP...

 

[Calzone]

Frontman,

All I can say is WOW.

My problem is I can't pass a good deal, especially on clean gear, but then again I love bassed in gear like yours.

Thanks for sharing your gear. Please show more. I love it.

Cal

 

[GarageBoy]

Anyone know how much more this cost when new?

 

[Godfrey]

Never had an F3P but remember them from back in the day. I liked my F3 quite a lot.

Just looked them up on Ebay and saw that they tend to go for a healthy price, with several listed at more than I paid for the F6 I bought a couple of months ago.

I'd rather have the F6 now; my F3 days are long ago.

G

 

[Thud]

Mostly the F3P was given to us to use and abuse. And still have 1 left.

 

[GarageBoy]

I like the other old Pro cameras as well. Hard to beleive I have only one Canon SLR,

I love that the F2 T was not a shelf queen

 

[ronvol]

I own a F3P that was a real "Press" camera owned by the Long Island newspaper "Newsday." It recieved an overhaul from Nikon and was sold to me after the camera had just returned from covering "Operation Desert Storm."

My serial number is low. I understand that the first 4K F3P's were only sold to pro's with credentials. It was only later that the F3P was available to the general public.

Cal

Hi Cal,

Does your NewsDay F3P look anything like this one?

[/url]Nikon F3P NewsDay by Ron Volmershausen, on Flickr[/IMG]

[/url]Nikon F3P NewsDay by Ron Volmershausen, on Flickr[/IMG]

[/url]Nikon F3P NewsDay by Ron Volmershausen, on Flickr[/IMG]

[/url]Nikon F3P NewsDay by Ron Volmershausen, on Flickr[/IMG]

[/url]Nikon F3P NewsDay by Ron Volmershausen, on Flickr[/IMG]

 

[ronvol]

The F3P is my all-time favorite camera, I have three of them, all were previously owned by newspapers and magazines,

Nice set up you have there.
That's no ordinary MD-4, she has some special modifications.

 

[Calzone]

Hi Cal,

Does your NewsDay F3P look anything like this one?

[/url]Nikon F3P NewsDay by Ron Volmershausen, on Flickr[/IMG]

[/url]Nikon F3P NewsDay by Ron Volmershausen, on Flickr[/IMG]

[/url]Nikon F3P NewsDay by Ron Volmershausen, on Flickr[/IMG]

[/url]Nikon F3P NewsDay by Ron Volmershausen, on Flickr[/IMG]

[/url]Nikon F3P NewsDay by Ron Volmershausen, on Flickr[/IMG]

Ron,

My F3P is brassed a moderate amount, lacks the "Newsday 90" engraving and does not feature that mod by the rewind lever. The right strap lug swivels a bit and is loose.

I bought my F3P from Cameta Camera in Amityville. My friend Lou behind the counter told me that when repairs exceed the purchase price of the camera that "Newsday" sells the camera. Lou told me that the entire camera had just come back from an overhaul performed by Nikon in Melville. Inside my film compartment are some penciled in numbers that I suspect are Nikon's work order numbers.

This was right after Operation Desert Storm, and I suspect the camera might of gotten contaminated with sand. It came with an "E" screen. As I remember I paid close to $800.00 which was a lot back then. Also it came with a Nicad so I had to secure a AA battery pack separately for additional cash.

Lou told me the Newsday Pros would throw their cameras into an unpadded Domke which horrified Lou. LOL. Lou was told by the photographer, "The camera still takes good pictures." LOL.

BTW I ended up reversing the trade with my friend and got my Noct-Nikkor back.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Noticed this thread is still active, and still wondering how one gets 39 frames on a proof sheet? 🙂

Fred,

When I develop film I put the "bonus" frames into my straggler print file sheet so that they are herded together.

Also know that at this point I can evaluate negatives very well so proof sheets are a waste and are not needed.

This is the slacker's way.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Although would the true slacker even develop the film?

Fred,

Rich slackers pay labs to develop their films: Poor slackers develop their own film for economic reasons.

Also for economic reasons I am a B&W photographer. Another reason why I am a B&W photographer is that color is more complicated and true to spirit B&W is easier. LOL.

Go slacker-go.

BTW one reason I own so many cameras is that I don't like changing lenses. It does not get any lazier than me. Pro photographers often carry multiple cameras to get the shot. I do it because I'm lazy.

Cal

 

[rybolt]

I didn't see this mentioned in the thread but in the US F3P cameras had to be ordered through NPS. They were sold directly to the news agency that ordered them and a dealer that was named by the agency on the purchase order received a small commission.
I was a dealer and brokered quite a few of these sales. To me, the most useful mod was the weatherproofing on the release button. That was definitely the weakest part of a very stout camera. The solution to making a regular F3 or F3HP more likely to survive rain was to add an AR-9 button to the threads. I've still got about ten of those buttons in a drawer and one currently on a Sony Rx1.

 

[GarageBoy]

What were the press lenses of the day?

 

[rybolt]

it varied from paper to paper but most of the medium to large size dailies had pool lenses in addition to kits. A kit would be a 24 or 28, a 50, an 85 or a 105. Pool lenses would be the ultra wides and the teles. The sports guys had totally different kits, of course. Not many papers issued kits that had high speed lenses. Papers could also borrow lenses from NPS for certain special purposes or events.