Which Nikon F3?

kshapero

kshapero

South Florida Man
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Parse out the different F3's for me. The pro's and con's. Looks like a very nice film shooter. But which one for a geezer that wears glasses?
 
That's easy: Permitting a view of the entire screen through glasses was the original intention behind the HP finder (press photographers later picked it up as the ability to use the finder at a slight distance also is convenient in chaotic press-pit situations).
 
Glasses > HP-finder, no glasses you have to try, I prefer the normal one which has a slightly higher magnification than the HP-finder (0,8 to 0,75).

Yogi
 
I wear glasses and find the HP finder works very well. The original, non-high-eyepoint finder also works. If you have trouble focusing, the DK-17 (better check this number) magnifier works very well. It does not limit the amount of screen you can see. It fits the HP finder but not the original one. I keep them permanently on the HP finders.
 
A non-abused F3P would be my preference if money was no object.

Otherwise, a good HP with a P screen and AR-10.

Not sure I would call any of them less than Most Excellent.

B2
 
I have an F3 and wear glasses. I also have the HP and regular finders. I find that for me, I prefer the regular finder when wearing glasses for 3 reasons. 1) I can still see the whole image easily. 2) the image magnification is higher than with the HP. 3) the HP finder digs into my face while the regular doesn't.
What I'd suggest is buy an HP body - they are more readily available, then pick up a regular prism from KEH (they are cheap) and see which you prefer.
I'm assuming you don't want to use dioptres.
They are great cameras whichever finder you choose
 
For an alte Yid mit briln, the high eyepoint finders (including the Titanium-covered DE-5, the finder on the F3P and F3 Limited models) are the best ones to use.
And because the finders are interchangeable, they can be used on any of the body models.
The F3P (which is a PJ or Press photographer's camera) differs from the F3 in that its shutter speed pylon is taller, it lacks the selftimer & eyepiece shutter blind, has no cable release port in the shutter button, has a round rather than triangular window to view exposed frames with exposed frames numbers in white rather than blue, and has no double lock to open the film back. It also comes standard with a "B" focusing screen and the MF-6b stopback. It also has better weather-sealing than the standard F3.
With the exception of the Stopback, the F3 Limited is the same as the F3P.
Farshtanen?
 
rbsinto said:
For an alte Yid mit briln, the high eyepoint finders (including the Titanium-covered DE-5, the finder on the F3P and F3 Limited models) are the best ones to use.
And because the finders are interchangeable, they can be used on any of the body models.
The F3P (which is a PJ or Press photographer's camera) differs from the F3 in that its shutter speed pylon is taller, it lacks the selftimer & eyepiece shutter blind, has no cable release port in the shutter button, has a round rather than triangular window to view exposed frames with exposed frames numbers in white rather than blue, and has no double lock to open the film back. It also comes standard with a "B" focusing screen and the MF-6b stopback. It also has better weather-sealing than the standard F3.
With the exception of the Stopback, the F3 Limited is the same as the F3P.
Farshtanen?
Click to expand...
Gezundtahat my friend. Translation: Best of health;)
 
Eh, the P features are nice- but not necessary
The HP has better eye relief, the regular is higher magnification and smaller
I like the Titanium bodied models- (I like the epoxy paint and the (lack of) weight)
 
Nikon F3 HP and you're set. The T is nice but the champagne version is just cosmetic and the limited edition P model you will be paying a bit more for a very heavily used pro body.
 
kshapero said:
Parse out the different F3's for me. The pro's and con's. Looks like a very nice film shooter. But which one for a geezer that wears glasses?
Click to expand...

A "real" F3HP would be the choice.

The earliest F3 bodies have their issues. They can be spotted by:
  • red LCD illuminater button is almost flush where the newer bodies extend more and are easier to press.
  • The exposure hold button is flatter and less domed than the later models.
The latter can be, and has often been, updated. The early button tended to pop out and the replacement with the higher dome had a better latch.



The big issue with the earliest F3 bodies is that the clock circuit on the main circuit board was prone to failure. My old F3 had it's main circuit board replaced (read: expensive) by its previous owner. When it acquired another quirk, he replaced it with a new one and sold me the old one cheap. The new quirk was mechanical which I fixed it myself and I got over 15 years use before I sold it.



You will occasionally find Franken-cameras where an early F3 has a HP finder making it look like a real HP.
 
My favorite F3 was a Nikon F3/T with hp finder, black finish, that I purchased sometime in the middle 1990s and used until I sold out of all my Nikon film gear in 2002. I had one before that, probably an early one from about 1982, with the standard finder. I think I sold that one in 1990 for some reason or another.

The standard finder was a little difficult to see the whole frame with given my glasses; the HP finder was excellent. No worse than the FM/FM2/etc.

Both of mine were rock solid, reliable cameras to work with. They never needed any service at all.

G
 
I have a high + magnification (+6.75 for normal use and +8.0 for reading) and I can only get best use out of the F3HP (high eye point) version.
 
As one who also wears glasses I like using a Waist Level Finder...it's so much more easier to focus and see what you're shooting...
I have an F3 and F4 with the WLF and an F3 and F4 with the normal prisms.
I also have the Mamiya m645 and a Yashicamat 124...they both have WLF and I love using both...
 
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