menos
Veteran
It's the viewfinder man, the viewfinder ;-)
Mister E
Well-known
With a normal lens. I'd think the last people to argue about getting 100% of what they see would be anyone on RFF. People who shoot rangefinders make all kinds of sacrifices in framing and finder accuracy for smaller sized systems. The FE2/FM3A is the same thing to me. I don't need a 100% finder. I wear glasses and my FE2 has always been spectacular. The F3 is especially hard to use in dark light when it is just impossible to see the LED shutter speed display. If I want something as heavy and big as the F3 I'd rather have the more handsome F2.
presspass
filmshooter
I went from Nikon autofocus to the manual focus cameras nearly 20 years ago. The reason - the F3. I still have three of them, and after this thread, have gotten them back out. The meter display is good in bright light, and the illuminators have never worked in any of my F3s, so it's not much good when the light goes. Other than that, a durable, works every time, camera. If you don't need depth of field showing in the finder, try an H screen with full microprism - it's a revelation.
sevo
Fokutorendaburando
The SL was not that rough - indeed it was smooth-winding by comparison with the F. It was outrageously heavy and clumsy for what it did deliver, though, and adding more ball bearings would have moved it even more in that (then) unpopular direction. The Minolta'ized R series doing away with the smooth mechanics for a lighter, cheaper more electronic camera WAS the game changer - the R3 did put them back on the market.
Sevo
mynikonf2
OEM
Man, I couldn't agree with you more. Back in 1980 I traded a F2AS for the "latest & greatest" Nikon to hit the block, the F3. I was swayed by the ads & had to be one of the first kids on the block with Nikon's newest flag ship. What a mistake!!! After a year of trying to fall in love with it, I traded it back for a minty F2SB & have never made that mistake again (like having a GAS attack from a thread like this
). I know that there are many, many F3 users who swear by their F3's but for me, it's the F2 (in it's various configurations, especially the F2SB) & the original F, that is my ideal camera. septembre30
Member
I recently purchased an F3 with non HP finder for ~$40 and it was in near perfect condition. The finder had a little dent on it which was easily punched out. I enjoy using it for my casual low light shots with my cheap 50mm 1.8 af lens.
Taken recently.
Taken recently.
Fraser
Well-known
All this talk about F3s, just made me buy one a couple of days ago. F3p with drive and the auto stop back but came with the standard HP prism £100 not bad.
Its a nice camera but I must say its not as nice as the other Fs. The wind on has been mentioned a lot how smooth it is, well its not a patch on the Canon New F1.
If I had to choose as a user camera (manual focus) I would still go for the Canon New F1, if it had to be a Nikon it would be the F4.
My Nikon F rating would be (best to worse)
1. F4
2. F
3. F2
4. F5
5. F3
I don't have the F6 so couldn't tell you about them.
Its a nice camera but I must say its not as nice as the other Fs. The wind on has been mentioned a lot how smooth it is, well its not a patch on the Canon New F1.
If I had to choose as a user camera (manual focus) I would still go for the Canon New F1, if it had to be a Nikon it would be the F4.
My Nikon F rating would be (best to worse)
1. F4
2. F
3. F2
4. F5
5. F3
I don't have the F6 so couldn't tell you about them.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
The F2AS and F2SB are better bodies for night stalking because of their meters. I also appreciate the severity of the overbuild on F2's, and they are very pretty cameras. I also would say being able to infinately vary the shutter speed makes it ideal for use with my 58/1.2 Noct-Nikkor. One day when I'm not so broke I'll be getting another F2AS.
Today is my first day back in New York, after five days in Portland Oregon. On this trip I took only my F3 non Hp and Noct-Nikkor and I'm glad I did because I did a lot of fast shooting of a tug moving a large ship by a grain silo just north of the "Steel Bridge." I performed a lot of running around to adjust my FOV, had to reload the camera several times, and the fast shooting that this rig provided was unbeatable. The motorized rewind sped up the process. This is the F3's element.
I modded a AH-2 base plate so I could use a AH-4 hand strap with my MD-4. Although its a big rig, its comfortable, and the weight is not objectionable.
Didn't do a lot of street shooting and concentrated on mostly urban landscape, but I did capture some interesting night shots of two young girls posing with a life size bronze statue. They were using a digital camera and taking turns posing; but, when I joined in with my F3, the sound of the motor drive encouraged the girls to get more sexual and lewd in this publuc park downtown. My girlfriend was not as amused as I was. LOL.
I could of brought a long/short Leica kit, but I am glad I didn't. As obnoxious and loud as a F3 with motor drive can be, it provided the most fun.
Cal
DennisPT
Well-known
I'm F3 intoxicated. Thanks for the thread.
migtex
Don't eXchange Freedom!
So, what's next?
a F2 thread? ;-)
a F2 thread? ;-)
kdemas
Enjoy Life.
OK... I read this thread one too many times. F3HP is on the way!
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
The only thing this thread has done for me is make me remove my OM-1 from the cupboard and gaze in awe through the finder. I've read some indifferent descriptions here of the various Nikon F finders which hasn't helped me at all.
Which Nikon finder comes closest to the quality of an OM-1 finder?
It's a simple question and one I need to know before I buy a Nikon body for my ZF lenses and so far there has been no definitive answer IMO!
Which Nikon finder comes closest to the quality of an OM-1 finder?
It's a simple question and one I need to know before I buy a Nikon body for my ZF lenses and so far there has been no definitive answer IMO!
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
semilog
curmudgeonly optimist
And going to the nikonians site to get a review of an F3 is a little like asking the rabbits what they think of the lettuces.
Sorry ... I couldn't resist that!
Dante Stella's pieces on the F3 are a bit more introspective.
menos
Veteran
Keith, this is right - I was also looking for "proper reviews" or "battle stories" of the F3.
Most, you hear is raving of amateur users and the occasional comment of ex users as press and sports shooters. They all though come in the same tone: indestructible, just goes, best Nikon body ever, etc…
This thread has made 3 people buy a F3, as I counted (myself included).
I used my scarred new F3HP without MD-4 now for the last 2 or three days (mostly around the house and in the night during traffic - no time for real fun shooting, as time permits).
It is indeed a very fine camera.
The HP finder in combination with the H2 full, clear prism screen is the best, I have ever experienced in manual focus SLR and fast glass - it feels like a 24x36mm rangefinder patch and just pops into the eye, where focus is spot on - best screen ever!
It finally made home for one of my new favorite lenses.
The main weaknesses, I have found about the F3 for me is:
- first and foremost the horrific meter display in lowlight - you really have to revert in low light to standard procedure with a meter less camera - there is nothing, you could ever see, even if you force yourself, that could indicate over or under exposure.
This is a big one.
I shoot in this condition back after feel and expose, as I think would be right.
The shutter speed dial is great - it feels precise and locks into the A position, if you turn it CW.
From there, you can unlock it and click 1000, 1000, 500, 250, … until you have the shutter, you want, without looking - pretty much, like my Leica M6 - I love that.
The film advance lever is nowhere as good, as any Leica variant, I tried. I suppose, it is the smoothest of all kinds Nikon, but any Leica advance is a lot more refined - I would give raving about this a second thought, when reading a review.
It is a nice advance though with short, fast throw and the possibility of multi stroking, which I mostly prefer, despite the short throw.
The camera itself is very light actually (without motor), it just looks menacing and huuge.
The exposure lock is very awkward to reach without using the motor.
I leave the camera on all the time, as the on/off switch is useless and fiddly anyway.
You have to wake up the camera regularly, while shooting, as I lost quite a few frames, as the camera was asleep, and pressing the electronic shutter button did nothing for a moment, that seemed eternal to me. I thought at first, I ran out of juice or the camera is damaged otherwise - no, it is just a sleepy little creature.
The camera at a whole really gives the impression, to be made, to survive a nuclear bombing - I doubt, anything could brake due to physical stress (my FM3a feels as sturdy and battle proof as well, but as it is smaller and lighter, feels more like a toy, compared to the F3).
In fact, this thread also made me interested into the OM cameras ;-)
The OM-1 + 50 1.2 + 21 f2 combo looks very, very desirable to me.
I will look out, if at some time, I can get one of these.
The bodies seem fairly affordable these days (it it the battery/meter issue as of today?).
As of what finder comes closest to the OM (without ever looking through one), I guess the answer is - none.
The standard, non HP finder has the highest magnification and might be the one, you are looking for (the F3 bodies with standard finder and without motor are also the cheapest, to buy).
The F3 is slightly smaller and lighter to handle, than a D700.
The finder (HP) is pretty similar to the Nikon D3 finder (don't nail me on magnification, but it is the same feel) - great finder - easy to see everything.
I always preferred the D3 over the D700 because of the nicer finder.
You would love the HP finder, when having used the D700. You will surely hate the strange meter, if shooting in the dark.
Oh, and film loading and rewind is just flawless. I prefer the loading of my M6 or M7, as I don't have to fiddle the leader into those darn take up spool slots, but for a SLR it's great.
Only the F5 improved on that (open back, take out old film, put film can inside, pull leader to mark, close and shoot ;-) ).
Film rewind is great - much better as with my M6 or M7 (similarly great as on the FM3a) - very light touch to the rewind - no force, no "getting tighter" at the end of the roll, perfect feel for leaving the leader out.
The spool is silky smooth and has no rattle or play.
The ISO dial and exposure comp dial is much better than the similar styled plastic dials on the FM3a - super smooth, very precise.
The camera feels loud - both in appearance and in actual noise and feel.
It is indeed the complete opposite of a Leica M - shooting both side by side is fun.
The F3 seems, to turn over by itself, when the mirror slaps at low speeds, while it makes a loud "chunk!".
Any modern DSLR sounds more refined and precise.
I like the F3.
I will get a motor in a few days also.
I will look for a second one (the dream one - F3P with HP finder, no stop back and no motor).
Most, you hear is raving of amateur users and the occasional comment of ex users as press and sports shooters. They all though come in the same tone: indestructible, just goes, best Nikon body ever, etc…
This thread has made 3 people buy a F3, as I counted (myself included).
I used my scarred new F3HP without MD-4 now for the last 2 or three days (mostly around the house and in the night during traffic - no time for real fun shooting, as time permits).
It is indeed a very fine camera.
The HP finder in combination with the H2 full, clear prism screen is the best, I have ever experienced in manual focus SLR and fast glass - it feels like a 24x36mm rangefinder patch and just pops into the eye, where focus is spot on - best screen ever!
It finally made home for one of my new favorite lenses.
The main weaknesses, I have found about the F3 for me is:
- first and foremost the horrific meter display in lowlight - you really have to revert in low light to standard procedure with a meter less camera - there is nothing, you could ever see, even if you force yourself, that could indicate over or under exposure.
This is a big one.
I shoot in this condition back after feel and expose, as I think would be right.
The shutter speed dial is great - it feels precise and locks into the A position, if you turn it CW.
From there, you can unlock it and click 1000, 1000, 500, 250, … until you have the shutter, you want, without looking - pretty much, like my Leica M6 - I love that.
The film advance lever is nowhere as good, as any Leica variant, I tried. I suppose, it is the smoothest of all kinds Nikon, but any Leica advance is a lot more refined - I would give raving about this a second thought, when reading a review.
It is a nice advance though with short, fast throw and the possibility of multi stroking, which I mostly prefer, despite the short throw.
The camera itself is very light actually (without motor), it just looks menacing and huuge.
The exposure lock is very awkward to reach without using the motor.
I leave the camera on all the time, as the on/off switch is useless and fiddly anyway.
You have to wake up the camera regularly, while shooting, as I lost quite a few frames, as the camera was asleep, and pressing the electronic shutter button did nothing for a moment, that seemed eternal to me. I thought at first, I ran out of juice or the camera is damaged otherwise - no, it is just a sleepy little creature.
The camera at a whole really gives the impression, to be made, to survive a nuclear bombing - I doubt, anything could brake due to physical stress (my FM3a feels as sturdy and battle proof as well, but as it is smaller and lighter, feels more like a toy, compared to the F3).
In fact, this thread also made me interested into the OM cameras ;-)
The OM-1 + 50 1.2 + 21 f2 combo looks very, very desirable to me.
I will look out, if at some time, I can get one of these.
The bodies seem fairly affordable these days (it it the battery/meter issue as of today?).
As of what finder comes closest to the OM (without ever looking through one), I guess the answer is - none.
The standard, non HP finder has the highest magnification and might be the one, you are looking for (the F3 bodies with standard finder and without motor are also the cheapest, to buy).
The F3 is slightly smaller and lighter to handle, than a D700.
The finder (HP) is pretty similar to the Nikon D3 finder (don't nail me on magnification, but it is the same feel) - great finder - easy to see everything.
I always preferred the D3 over the D700 because of the nicer finder.
You would love the HP finder, when having used the D700. You will surely hate the strange meter, if shooting in the dark.
Oh, and film loading and rewind is just flawless. I prefer the loading of my M6 or M7, as I don't have to fiddle the leader into those darn take up spool slots, but for a SLR it's great.
Only the F5 improved on that (open back, take out old film, put film can inside, pull leader to mark, close and shoot ;-) ).
Film rewind is great - much better as with my M6 or M7 (similarly great as on the FM3a) - very light touch to the rewind - no force, no "getting tighter" at the end of the roll, perfect feel for leaving the leader out.
The spool is silky smooth and has no rattle or play.
The ISO dial and exposure comp dial is much better than the similar styled plastic dials on the FM3a - super smooth, very precise.
The camera feels loud - both in appearance and in actual noise and feel.
It is indeed the complete opposite of a Leica M - shooting both side by side is fun.
The F3 seems, to turn over by itself, when the mirror slaps at low speeds, while it makes a loud "chunk!".
Any modern DSLR sounds more refined and precise.
I like the F3.
I will get a motor in a few days also.
I will look for a second one (the dream one - F3P with HP finder, no stop back and no motor).
maddoc
... likes film again.
I brought mine back from Germany this time, a F3HP bought new in 1985 and an FM bought new in 1982.
F3HP / 24Ais2.8 / RXP
F3HP / 24Ais2.8 / RXP
rbsinto
Well-known
I remember thinking when the F3 came out, that despite being Nikon's flagship professional grade camera, it had so many flaws that I'd never consider buying one. I was leery of its then radical all-electronic shutter, with only one mechanical shutter speed, and the stupidly designed manner in which it was engaged. Additionally I detested the placement of the hot-shoe over the rewind lever (perhaps Nikon's greatest design mistake ever) and I didn't feel that the viewfinder information was particularly well laid out or more important, well illuminated.
Finally, (and this is merely a personal affectation) I could not stand that the shutter button was placed in the center of the film advance lever, rather than being on a separate pylon (as in the F and F2 for example). For me it was (and still is) asthetically unpleasing.
Except that I was a committed Nikon user, I likely would have purchased the brilliant Canon New F1, which I always considered to be all the camera the F3 was supposed to be, but wasn't.
And when Nikon released the FA, I felt that had it been built to the Industrial-Strength specifications of the F3, it would have been a better camera than the F3 in virtually every way, and in fact could have been the Nikon professional camera of its era.
Having said all that, I never bothered with the F3, but instead bought a used, motorized F2 in 1988, and eventually got a motorized, meterless F and motorized FA, and continue to use all three to this day.
Finally, (and this is merely a personal affectation) I could not stand that the shutter button was placed in the center of the film advance lever, rather than being on a separate pylon (as in the F and F2 for example). For me it was (and still is) asthetically unpleasing.
Except that I was a committed Nikon user, I likely would have purchased the brilliant Canon New F1, which I always considered to be all the camera the F3 was supposed to be, but wasn't.
And when Nikon released the FA, I felt that had it been built to the Industrial-Strength specifications of the F3, it would have been a better camera than the F3 in virtually every way, and in fact could have been the Nikon professional camera of its era.
Having said all that, I never bothered with the F3, but instead bought a used, motorized F2 in 1988, and eventually got a motorized, meterless F and motorized FA, and continue to use all three to this day.
semilog
curmudgeonly optimist
Had an FA back in the day. Despised it. Sold it. Disgusting camera. Everything about it was not-quite-right. It was much, much less than the sum of its parts. Only good thing about the FA was that selling it helped finance my M6.
Dante Stella has a nice piece comparing the FA and F3. He doesn't hate the FA as much as I do.
I like the FE2 better than the F3, the F3 a bit more than the FM, and the FA a LOT less than any of them.
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