Nikon F3 Tribute

ChrisLivsey said:
I am missing an F3 so can I have some advice from the experience in the thread please?

I am looking at the P version, just like something a bit different. I note several listed as P version and with the correct P prefix serial shown but they have a threaded release. Other features are "right".
I know the original release was rubber covered but is now likely to be worn or perished and indeed I have seen them with the release showing through with no thread. I am confused :D as all sources say they had a non threaded release.
I also am confused about the backs. I see some with the motor drive bump for want of a better description, that stops at the base plate and others that extend down. Googling has not produced the desired answer, again input please.

( I already have F2,F4,F100, in SLR and three bodies in the rangefinders BTW )
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Chris,

I can't tell you what is under the rubber boot on my F3P because my boot remains intact. Is your shutter release taller than a regulat/standard F3?

F3P's came standard with a back that has a tongue that stops the film leader from winding back into the cassette when electrically rewinding the film using a MD-4 motor-drive. This tongue provides electrical contacts that stops the rewind by opening a circuit and is nothing more than a switch.

Backs are easily changed, but a F3P came equipt with a back for intended use with a MD-4. I question why a boot may be torn or missing, unless the F3P was not used with a motor drive. Hmmm why would anyone buy a F3P and not use a MD-4?

BTW I use a rare MF-18 that prints the date in-between frames. The hump is rather wide and pronounced, but I love that I can use my F3P like a visual journal.

Cal
 
Calzone said:
Chris,

I can't tell you what is under the rubber boot on my F3P because my boot remains intact.
Click to expand...
:D
Cal
It is hard to judge height on some of the sellers pictures.
Calzone said:
F3P's came standard with a back that has a tongue that stops the film leader from winding back into the cassette when electrically rewinding the film using a MD-4 motor-drive. This tongue provides electrical contacts that stops the rewind by opening a circuit and is nothing more than a switch.
I see how that works on those pictured with a drive, but one has the tongue but it is not long enough.

BTW I use a rare MF-18 that prints the date in-between frames. The hump is rather wide and pronounced, but I love that I can use my F3P like a visual journal.
Click to expand...

I have the data back alternative for the F4, the manual is the only camera manual I have to refer back to each time I use it :eek:

Let me see if I can link some of the pictures I am looking at.

http://www.ffordes.com/product/14032017322231

Clearly a P but a threaded release and a plain back.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281284148407?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT


Has rubber cover and tongue extends.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Exc-Nikon...212719?pt=UK_Film_Cameras&hash=item35d44efbaf

Has threaded release and non extended tongue.
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ChrisLivsey said:
:D
Cal
It is hard to judge height on some of the sellers pictures.
Calzone said:
F3P's came standard with a back that has a tongue that stops the film leader from winding back into the cassette when electrically rewinding the film using a MD-4 motor-drive. This tongue provides electrical contacts that stops the rewind by opening a circuit and is nothing more than a switch.

I have the data back alternative for the F4, the manual is the only camera manual I have to refer back to each time I use it :eek:

Let me see if I can link some of the pictures I am looking at.

http://www.ffordes.com/product/14032017322231

Clearly a P but a threaded release and a plain back.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281284148407?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT


Has rubber cover and tongue extends.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Exc-Nikon...212719?pt=UK_Film_Cameras&hash=item35d44efbaf

Has threaded release and non extended tongue.
Click to expand...

Chris,

I think your eye for detail has stumbled into something. My F3P was a real press camera that was once owned by the newspaper "Newsday" and actually participated in covering "Operation Desert Storm," the first Gulf War.

My camera resembles your second link. If you take a very close look there is another layer stacked a bove the film advance and the shutter release is extra high when compared to the other two cameras. It is clear to see that the camera that has a rubber boot has an obviously much taller shutter releas than the other two. You will also notice that there is this T-style button by the red dot in that overhead shot. This is the shutter lock in the locked position.

I see that the top plates show the letter "P" as a pre-fix on the serial number, so I do not doublt that they are F3P's, and I also see the absence of the double exposure levers, and the round window for the frame counter, but realize that initially the F3P was exclusively only offered to and was only available to the press who had credentials, and only later was the F3P available to the general public. My only explaination is that the F3P's that lack the extra tall shutter of my camera were consumer versions that were later offered to the general public. Anyways, I might be wrong, but I cant explain the differences otherwise.

For me the real F3P are the ones that feature the taller shutter release with the T-style shutter lock.

BTW the stripped down features (no double exposure, and especially the lack of a safety lock on the back door release) will spoil you. I particularly find annoying the extra step required when loading or unloading film that I have to perform an extra step by having to release the safety lock to open the back door on a standard F3.

Cal
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Cal
Maybe an answer to the release.
Look at the parts list, which lists all the extra protection given, page 11 shows the shutter with the rubber "boot". If you remove the boot and top part that leaves part 5346 which looks threaded to me. Have owners removed the top part to clean up the rubber when it has worn? If then the top release was loose without the rubber forming a gasket it would make sense to strip back perhaps.

http://www.nikonf3.com/f3t.pdf
 
ChrisLivsey said:
Cal
Maybe an answer to the release.
Look at the parts list, which lists all the extra protection given, page 11 shows the shutter with the rubber "boot". If you remove the boot and top part that leaves part 5346 which looks threaded to me. Have owners removed the top part to clean up the rubber when it has worn? If then the top release was loose without the rubber forming a gasket it would make sense to strip back perhaps.

http://www.nikonf3.com/f3t.pdf
Click to expand...

Chris,

At this point anything is plausible.

Cal
 
Good evening Chris,

The IAPP sounds like a fantastic organisation/organization.

I would very much like to join up....

I'll ask for an application later...

David
 
Montag006 said:
Good evening Chris,

The IAPP sounds like a fantastic organisation/organization.

I would very much like to join up....

I'll ask for an application later...

David
Click to expand...

Anyone wanting to join should be warned that the membership application form is still under development and the voting procedure is a problem because we haven't got around to listing the existing members yet. Should we list them alphabetically by first or second name, (and what about middle names, not all members have one and some that do will not use them) by date of joining, and if so what date format convention. Then we have a faction still arguing about accepting the Gregorian calendar and insisting the Julian was perfectly fine as it was but can see both sides of the argument for change, most of these are Greek as they were the last in 1923 to change over. They still find it hard to accept the loss of 3 leap days every 400 years.

I think I recall a decision, on a narrow disputed majority, on the annual general meeting being held on the last day of February each year as this will occur on the same day of the week in any given year , a different weekday in Gregorian than Julian but nonetheless the same actual date. ( One of the annual doomsdays, go on Google it you know you want to) ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doomsday_rule)
 
I have an F3p gotten from a working Japan news photog in 1993 and i've used it extensively first during my time as a working staff news photog in the 90's and a wedding photog thru the 00's. The silicone rubber boot over the shutter release does wear and tear, parts are No Longer Available. Underneath is not; I repeat Not threaded, just a solid piece. It very well could be replaced with a stock F3 threaded piece. Great camera, very durable; I have more than a quarter million frames thru mine.
 
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About to develop the first roll out of this beast. This camera is a whole different kind of experience, nothing else I've shot with even comes close. I'm seriously considering selling all my M42/Canon/etc gear to finance some Nikon lenses.
 
I would recommend you get one all day long, man. I've had an F, F2, F4 and now I'm left with the F3 and an FM10. The F3 is my favorite of the lot by far. The viewfinder is a religious experience, I prefer it to my OM's.
 
Hi, got these two with inop metering.. is it still repairable, I know that CL still does but wonder about the F3\T.. and is it worth for repair?

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Got my viewfinder DE-2 for my F3 today.

Wow, compared to the HP finder, it makes the F3 44g lighter! (DE-2 = 115g, DE-3 = 159g)

Don't know yet which of the two I like better. Though I wear glasses I can just see the complete frame with the DE-2
 
MRohlfing said:
Got my viewfinder DE-2 for my F3 today.

Wow, compared to the HP finder, it makes the F3 44g lighter! (DE-2 = 115g, DE-3 = 159g)

Don't know yet which of the two I like better. Though I wear glasses I can just see the complete frame with the DE-2
Click to expand...

The DE-2 has a slightly more magnification than the DE-3 and also slightly more contrast making it easier to perform critical focus, but for me the DE-3 with a DK-17 is the best due to even more magnification. I suggest A-B'ing the two finders under dim lighting to enhance the comparision.

I wear glasses BTW. Note that the DE-3 with DK-17 gets really close to a 100% VF'er. Also know that my eyes are 56 years old.

Cal
 
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