jusxusfanatic
Well-known
Nikon FM VS Nikon F2A VS F3
It's gonna be my 3rd / last camera for street shots for a while. Which one's better in your opinion? I'm leaning towards the FM since it's more mechanical and it's cheaper haha. Thanks
It's gonna be my 3rd / last camera for street shots for a while. Which one's better in your opinion? I'm leaning towards the FM since it's more mechanical and it's cheaper haha. Thanks
Fraser
Well-known
The only downside to the fm is the top shutter speed of 1/1000 sometimes 1/2000 is handy on sunny days with fast lenses.
narsuitus
Well-known
I have used the F3 and an F2 but not the F2A or the FM. However, if I had to pick one for street shots, I would pick the FM.
On the other hand, based on your equipment list, the Leica M3 would be my first choice for street shots. Therefore, the others are not necessary.
On the other hand, based on your equipment list, the Leica M3 would be my first choice for street shots. Therefore, the others are not necessary.
jusxusfanatic
Well-known
Yea I agree with you guys
Yea the M3 is already enough, but I wanna try an slr for street shots
Yea the M3 is already enough, but I wanna try an slr for street shots
Paulbe
Well-known
The F3 has the auto exposure feature which I find to be a real convenience.
It is a smoother camera to use--at least for me. Can't beat the feel of the F3's winding lever.
Paul
It is a smoother camera to use--at least for me. Can't beat the feel of the F3's winding lever.
Paul
James24
Well-known
For sheer ruggedness, I would always choose an F2. Ideally with an eye level finder, but an 'A' will do.
zightx
Member
It sounds like you should buy the FM, cheap and excellent manual focus SLR camera. If you're already used to manual exposure and 1/1000 top shutter speed with your M3 I wouldn't pay the extra cash for a F3.
jusxusfanatic
Well-known
Yep Thanks for the suggestion guys!
Thanks for the suggestion guys!
brennanphotoguy
Well-known
FM for sure.
besk
Well-known
I love the FM and own one. However, I don't feel that the mirror damping is as good as the other two at slow speeds. The F2 with waistlevel finder would be my top choice.
lawrence
Veteran
So why not go for an FM2 with 1/4000th top speed?
lawrence
Veteran
No doubt that, for me at least, auto exposure is great for street shots where lighting conditions can change rapidly.
presspass
filmshooter
The F3 is a wonderful camera with one major drawback - the meter readout. It gives the shutter speed using LCD numbers. The LCD fades with age and can be very difficult/impossible to see if the light's not good. The FM2n has leds and is easy to use. The F2 is probably the most desirable. If I was to rate them for street shooting, assuming you don't want to use the F3's auto exposure, it would be F2, FM, F3.
jusxusfanatic
Well-known
Hearing a lot of good things about the F3
SaveKodak
Well-known
The F2 (at least with a meter prism) can feel heavy. The F3 is nice but may have features you don't need at the expense of size and batteries. The FM (series*) is like Nikon's M3. They strike a lot of boxes. I'll say that the real champ is the FM2N though. That's when they hit it out of the park in terms of even reliability. The FM2Ns shutters last and last, not so with the FM or at least to the same extent. And yes 1/4000th is nice to have. I'd say get an FM2N in great shape. You'll have it for life, or until you convince yourself you want an FM3a.
kshapero
South Florida Man
My thinking also. Don't be pushed into an F2 or F3 concerning ruggedness. My long gone FM went thru hell and back and never missed a lick.
kshapero
South Florida Man
BTW if aperture preferred is your preference then may I suggest the FE. Cheap and reliable. See Ken Rockwell's review. It is spot on.
jusxusfanatic
Well-known
Alright thanks guys
Dogman
Veteran
I've owned all three. I never liked the FM, especially when saddled with its unreliable motor drive. It was the least "Nikon-like" Nikon I had ever used (I started using Nikons with the original F/FTn models). I believe the FM2 was an improvement but I had no experience with it.
I had an early F3--before the F3HP was introduced--and I truly despised that camera. The electronics were so poorly sealed it would quit working under even slightly damp circumstances. When it worked, it was great--light and very ergonomic. But I couldn't rely on a camera that would stop working in the middle of an assignment. Later models were much better sealed and better built but the early F3 was the camera that caused me to buy my first Leica.
The F2A is a different story. Tough as a hockey puck, smooth as butter, reliable to the extreme. I still have two favorite F2 bodies from those days that I will cherish forever even though neither have been used in nearly 25 years. I loved all the F2 models and still consider the F2 to be the best 35mm SLR ever made.
I have to point out that I worked for a daily newspaper during the time I used these cameras. The cameras were used heavily, often under extremely harsh conditions--conditions to which most normal everyday shooters would never subject their equipment. If used more conservatively, I'm sure any of the mentioned cameras would be more than adequate.
I had an early F3--before the F3HP was introduced--and I truly despised that camera. The electronics were so poorly sealed it would quit working under even slightly damp circumstances. When it worked, it was great--light and very ergonomic. But I couldn't rely on a camera that would stop working in the middle of an assignment. Later models were much better sealed and better built but the early F3 was the camera that caused me to buy my first Leica.
The F2A is a different story. Tough as a hockey puck, smooth as butter, reliable to the extreme. I still have two favorite F2 bodies from those days that I will cherish forever even though neither have been used in nearly 25 years. I loved all the F2 models and still consider the F2 to be the best 35mm SLR ever made.
I have to point out that I worked for a daily newspaper during the time I used these cameras. The cameras were used heavily, often under extremely harsh conditions--conditions to which most normal everyday shooters would never subject their equipment. If used more conservatively, I'm sure any of the mentioned cameras would be more than adequate.
shimokita
白黒
I have been shooting an F3P for some years now... it's worth every penny. The Ai-S 50 mm f/1.2 might not be the best 50, but it's on the camera about 85% of the time. No problem with the shutter speed display, and to be honest I don't even look any more. Just set it once and listen to the sound of the shutter for indications of changing light. The 'P' version is the way to go...