Nikon F3 Tribute

I put a couple of rolls of film through my new to me F3 yesterday to make sure everything was working and I immediately realised why so many people complain about the meter read-out its terrible, its like Nikon forgot about it and added it later!
As I said in a previous post I bought the camera cheap to sit on a shelf next to my other Fs but I would urge anyone looking for a user film SLR to have a look at the F4 or F2 or go for the Canon new F1 which is similar vintage and is a far superior camera as a user.
 
In regards to the F3P, I have the original Nikon service manual for the P and the T, both are essentially the same, except for the omitted parts on the P. All sealing and internal mods are the same.
 
I like yhe F2as meter read out however it has a down side! In very bright light I can't read it. I'm using my dp-1 and dp-11 as they are so much easier in these conditions. Of course in dark situations the problem is reversed making the needle finders difficult.
I believe Sover Wong can still service all F2 finders apart from the F2as DP-12 as there are no new ring resistors available anymore.
As a side note, if you want an F2 serviced properly, he is the man. He does a fantastic job and very quick.
 
Calzone said:
Dirk,

I drilled and filed a slot in a AH-2 tripod baseplate so that it could accomadate a AH-4 Nikon handstrap. This makes my F3 non HP even more "Menacing" (your words). The handstrap clearly displays an aggressive potential because a lethal weapon is literally secured to your hand.

Also for shooting there is few great tactical advantages to using the hand strap: first there is a sense of security because the camera is fixed in your hand ready to shoot instead of just tiring your neck; Second is that the rig, although bulky and heavy is counterintuitively balanced (I have no difficulty carrying a F3 with a MD-4 and a big lens all day); and thirdly stratigically the complete rig although big and bulky is more invisable when held stealthfully at your side.

The hand strap just makes the camera ready to shoot in a blink of an eye. The camera literally fits you like a glove, and there is also a provision to intergrate a neck strap when you happen to need both hands free. I find this handy when going to the bathroom in public places. LOL. For a neck strap I use one of those standard Nikon wide straps.....


BTW F2AS meters are very hard and expensive to get repaired or replace. I would not buy any F2AS with a dodgy meter. I had to return a black "Minty" F2AS at Adorama because the meter was off by several stops. It broke my heart because the camera was so clean and it was reasonably priced for its condition. I call that particular camera the "Heartbreaker."

Cal
Click to expand...

I agree completely about handstraps for motor-driven film cameras used for street-shooting. They are absolutely essential. So when I discovered that the only available AH-1 straps for the F2 were "collectible", and therefore merely outrageously priced at around $300.00 or $400.00, I visited Nikon Canada, and after studying a photo of the AH-1 in an old catalogue, I had a baseplate machined for $50.00 and made up a nylon handstrap myself. I've use it on the street for about ten years, and later did the same for my motorized FA and FM bodies.

While the ring resistors for the DP-12 metering prisms are no longer made and difficult to source, working DP-12s come up from time to time on ebay or at KEH. I actually squirreled away a beautiful black F2AS/ MD-2/MB-1 a few years ago against the day that my shooter bites the dust, but now I'm beginning to think that the beater will outlast me and I'm thinking of selling the spare.
 
Cal, thanks for the tip on the hand strap.
Personally, I have an aversion against hand straps, as I prefer, to handle my cameras very loosely- grab it on the grip, shoot, dangle it with three fingers at my side, hold it up to my eye, rest in in my left hand, …

A hand strap really straps the camera to my right hand.

I really like to use my self made Leica wrist straps on lighter (not full size SLR) cameras.
Other than that, I have learned, to love the standard Leica M neck strap with removed plastic pad.

I use this slim strap now on the motorized F3 and it is perfect - it is so slim, it is almost not there, but I can swing the strap over my shoulder, to have hands free anytime, I need - very handy.

I picked up the motor. I got even a better deal from another shop, than the one, that was reserved for me (the reserved shop had closed now two times, I arrived, so I figured it fair, to check out the competition ;-) ).

It indeed is extremely ergonomic, putting also the criticized AE lock button perfectly under my middle finger tip, making it very usable and a quick camera to meter, lock and shoot.

Other than that, the MD-4 is very, very subtile - now extra functions, menus, operational hiccups - it is there and just works.

After using it for one evening though, I think, I prefer the lightweight and compactness of the naked F3.
This resembles much more my M7 with Noctilux, which I use parallel to the F3 at the moment.

A major flaw to me is the coupling cap, that will let light enter the camera, when removed. I don't understand, how Nikon could design it that way.
In the shop yesterday, I fitted the MD-4 to my camera, which was loaded and half through a film and did not spend a thought on that flaw, I have read up on already - darn it.

A nice touch of the safety burst limiter would have been a switch, to have it reset the burst count automatically to the set limit after reaching the burst limit.
That way, one could set, how many frames per burst maximum will be shot during each continues press of the shutter release.

The way it is, it is a redundant feature to me - I don't travel Siberia ;-)

It is a very interesting camera though, but for me, the only reason, to not use the F5 instead of the motorized F3 for my Noct is in fact, that I dont (yet) found a H2 screen for the F5.

I know, I know with certainty, that the day, I get a H2 screen fitted to the F5 will be the day, the F3 ends in a drawer or is used as a compact MF SLR without the MD-4.

Btw - F5 and F3HP + MD-4 go about for the same prices these days and I looooove my F5 ;-)
 
Thanks to this thread I ended up with this beauty! It's in great condition and i'm already looking forward to the results. Another Nikon, thx for the inspiration, j

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menos said:
Cal, thanks for the tip on the hand strap.
Personally, I have an aversion against hand straps, as I prefer, to handle my cameras very loosely- grab it on the grip, shoot, dangle it with three fingers at my side, hold it up to my eye, rest in in my left hand, …

A hand strap really straps the camera to my right hand.

I really like to use my self made Leica wrist straps on lighter (not full size SLR) cameras.
Other than that, I have learned, to love the standard Leica M neck strap with removed plastic pad.

I use this slim strap now on the motorized F3 and it is perfect - it is so slim, it is almost not there, but I can swing the strap over my shoulder, to have hands free anytime, I need - very handy.

I picked up the motor. I got even a better deal from another shop, than the one, that was reserved for me (the reserved shop had closed now two times, I arrived, so I figured it fair, to check out the competition ;-) ).

It indeed is extremely ergonomic, putting also the criticized AE lock button perfectly under my middle finger tip, making it very usable and a quick camera to meter, lock and shoot.

Other than that, the MD-4 is very, very subtile - now extra functions, menus, operational hiccups - it is there and just works.

After using it for one evening though, I think, I prefer the lightweight and compactness of the naked F3.
This resembles much more my M7 with Noctilux, which I use parallel to the F3 at the moment.

A major flaw to me is the coupling cap, that will let light enter the camera, when removed. I don't understand, how Nikon could design it that way.
In the shop yesterday, I fitted the MD-4 to my camera, which was loaded and half through a film and did not spend a thought on that flaw, I have read up on already - darn it.

A nice touch of the safety burst limiter would have been a switch, to have it reset the burst count automatically to the set limit after reaching the burst limit.
That way, one could set, how many frames per burst maximum will be shot during each continues press of the shutter release.

The way it is, it is a redundant feature to me - I don't travel Siberia ;-)

It is a very interesting camera though, but for me, the only reason, to not use the F5 instead of the motorized F3 for my Noct is in fact, that I dont (yet) found a H2 screen for the F5.

I know, I know with certainty, that the day, I get a H2 screen fitted to the F5 will be the day, the F3 ends in a drawer or is used as a compact MF SLR without the MD-4.

Btw - F5 and F3HP + MD-4 go about for the same prices these days and I looooove my F5 ;-)
Click to expand...

Many is the F3 that had a piece of Duct or Gaffer Tape stuck over the motordrive spindle hole in the camera body after the cap was lost.
 
rbsinto said:
Many is the F3 that had a piece of Duct or Gaffer Tape stuck over the motordrive spindle hole in the camera body after the cap was lost.
Click to expand...

Check the drawer on the MD-4 battery pack. There is a coin slot to store the cover. Carelessness is the only excuss for a lost cover.

NEWS: I didn't break or destoy my F3 non HP over the weekend, and I sucsessfully modded the red switch so that the meter comes on whenever the meter is activated. I like the result, but the only thing possibly is a negative is that the window under the meter lights like a "Tally" light on a video camera whenever the meter is actvated adding "menacing factor.".


DISCLAIMER: I am not responsible for breaking your camera if you decide to copy my results. The mod is simple and requires removing 5 screws, but the danger is loss of a brass contact and a small rubber pad that I will describe as very easy to loose. Care should be taken to contain small parts that want to fly away. I recommend laying out white paper to establish a clean area and working under very well lit conditions.

1; Remove the prism.

2: Remove three phillips screws.

3; Gently pry/lift the side that is opposite the red switch. Care should be taken as not to kink the flexible ribbon. As you gain slack the flexible ribbon will migrate to the side. Only move enough to gain access to the underside.

4; Remove two remaining screws from underside, taking note where the long one and the short screws came from.

5; Lift/pry from the side opposite the red switch to remove bottom cover. WARNING: a lip captivates the bottom cover underneath the red switch.

6; Remove 5/64" X 7/64" rubber pad and brass shim. Warning: very easy to loose and diffucult to handle!!! (I lost sight of each twice. Luckily I was able to relocate them because of the white paper and my well illuminated work area.)

7; Cut a rectangular spacer aproximately 5/64" x 7/64" from a cover from a book af matches.

8; Sandwitch matchbook cover spacer, rubber pad and brass shim inbetween red switch button and contacts on flexible circuit board. (Brass shim is against Flexible circuit board for electrical contact.)

9; Reassemble bottom cover with two screws.

10; Slide ribbon over towards front from side as you feed ribbon back into the body.

11; Secure assembly to body with tree screws.

12; Attach prism finder.

13; Acivate meter to test. Light should come on with meter for 15 seconds.

ALERT: It has been reported that this mod should only be done on F3's that will use a MD-4 because battery drain is severe.

Over-all the mod is very simple and can be undone, but there is a very real hazard of loosing screws and parts. Effectively a spacer is added to keep the switch engaged. The fit of the sandwitch is rather snug. I had the best luck when I inserted the brass shim last.

Ok. the F2AS still has stepless shutter speeds, but the F3 has a brighter VF, and an AE that can be utilized for automatic bulb exposures. Since I have a meter that I can read at night, seems like I might not need a F2AS after all. YMMV.

Good Luck.

Cal
 
Calzone said:
…
1; Remove the prism.

2: Remove three phillips screws.

3; Gently pry/lift the side that is opposite the red switch. Care should be taken as not to kink the flexible ribbon. As you gain slack the flexible ribbon will migrate to the side. Only move enough to gain access to the underside.
…
Good Luck.

Cal
Click to expand...

Thanks for this documentation Cal - when back from a trip, I might very well investigate this - first just with standard battery cells (how many rolls will they last me with constant lighted meter), then with MD-4

This is really the only stupid thing together with the ruin film by switching motor drive about the F3.
 
Calzone said:
Check the drawer on the MD-4 battery pack. There is a coin slot to store the cover. Carelessness is the only excuss for a lost cover.

Cal
Click to expand...

Answers like this are like the person who stands on the dock and admonishes the drowning person for jumping in when they couldn't swim, instead of throwing them a life preserver.
It doesn't matter why the cover is missing. it only matters that it is, and what the solution is to that problem.
 
rbsinto said:
Answers like this are like the person who stands on the dock and admonishes the drowning person for jumping in when they couldn't swim, instead of throwing them a life preserver.
It doesn't matter why the cover is missing. it only matters that it is, and what the solution is to that problem.
Click to expand...

Your point is well taken. My two F3's with motor drives came with missing covers, and I didn't loose them.

My apologies for bad communication, but this misunderstanding was not my intent. I just wanted to indicate that storage was engineered and designed to try and prevent the loss of the cover. Unfortunately missing covers are now hard to replace,

Cal
 
menos said:
Thanks for this documentation Cal - when back from a trip, I might very well investigate this - first just with standard battery cells (how many rolls will they last me with constant lighted meter), then with MD-4

This is really the only stupid thing together with the ruin film by switching motor drive about the F3.
Click to expand...

Dirk,

The mod is rather simple, but the rubber pad and brass shim are very easy to loose. Be extra-extra careful.

Also note that my research over the internet indicated some level of difficulty with digital Nikon cameras when using a Noct-Nikkor. It was suggested in the reading that the speed of the Noct-Nikkor was not fully utilized in the VF because the screen is engineered for autofocus and involves some kinda design compromise. The work around involved some expensive modification. I'm not sure if this extends to your F5, but please do further research.

Cal
 
Calzone said:
Your point is well taken. My two F3's with motor drives came with missing covers, and I didn't loose them.

My apologies for bad communication, but this misunderstanding was not my intent. I just wanted to indicate that storage was engineered and designed to try and prevent the loss of the cover. Unfortunately missing covers are now hard to replace,

Cal
Click to expand...

It might cost more than one would like to pay, assuming that the proper cover is simply not available anywhere else, but the local machine shop could probably make one up easily and quickly, if Gaffer/Duct Tape solutions are not to One's liking.
 
rbsinto said:
It might cost more than one would like to pay, assuming that the proper cover is simply not available anywhere else, but the local machine shop could probably make one up easily and quickly, if Gaffer/Duct Tape solutions are not to One's liking.
Click to expand...

I also own a third F3 that is without a MD-4. F3's are so inexpensive that its almost practical to buy one for parts, well maybe not a cover, but the thought did pass through my mind; and not that anyone on this forum needs any excuss to buy gear.

BTW using you analogy about the drowning swimmer, you caught me projecting my anoyance about the missing covers. Its kinda like being that swimmer who is drowning, but in my case I was pushed in by two people. LOL.

Cal
 
I have found them at camera shows, paid $10 or the last one. I also picked up spare take up spools for the M3 at shows, $10 each.

Worth looking for them.
 
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