I have more F3HPs than a person should be allowed to have. None of them has given me any trouble.
F2 or F3 and why?
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I think people are thinking of the Pentax LX when they think of electronic issues. Guess one camera was the real pro camera after all.
This just arrived, thanks in no small part to this thread. I think I could grow to like the F3.
Thanks.
Q: F2 or F3 ?
A: Yes, please.
Thanks.
Q: F2 or F3 ?
A: Yes, please.
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The proper lens hood seems to be absent.
Proper? It is neither proper nor suitable, sir. It is not acceptable, nor adequate. It is, in obvious fact, an abomination.
--Capt. Jack Sparrow
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I just happened upon this blog post that goes into some depth on the subject...
https://www.678vintagecameras.ca/blog/nikon-f2-or-f3-more-decisions
It's kinda interesting.
https://www.678vintagecameras.ca/blog/nikon-f2-or-f3-more-decisions
It's kinda interesting.
F2 is overall a better camera: Better viewfinder, better metering display, better built, more versatile with metering options (you can get full aperture metering with rabbit-ears pre-AI or with AI lenses).
The F3 is more ergonomic and lighter. Balances better. Has TTL flash too. But it has a lot of downsides, and for me #1 was the viewfinder. I tried the regular finder, also the HP finder (even the titanium HP finder for the F3P); i even tried other focusing screens -- it's no match for the quality of the F2 viewfinder. And the metering display on the F3 (tiny "+" and "-" symbols on the LED display) is a sick joke worthy of a sadist. For me the F3 is a great autoexposure camera. Of course, it is, until your little "AE lock" button decides to fall down.
And of course, the viewfinder illuminator is likely already broken in most F3 cameras out there. Also watch out for the film counter getting seized -- far too common.
And what about the glass FRE (functional resistance element) located just below the hot shoe, prone to get damaged if you knock the flash shoe? (which is possible if you have a dedicated flash attached...). On the F2 you can just change your prism head if metering fails.
Paradoxically the F3 shutter, mechanically, is better than the one on the F2. Smoother.
And what about the tiny viewfinder illuminator, the hard to move shutter lock and the tiny LCD display? Nikon should have NEVER EVER let a car design firm dictate how a film camera should be.
I prefer the F2 (some months ago I sold my F3, this is the 2nd F3 i'm letting go). But I prefer even more the Canon F-1 and New F-1. Canon did the viewfinder thing perfectly on the New F-1 -- excellent for manual metering and for AE too.
The F3 is more ergonomic and lighter. Balances better. Has TTL flash too. But it has a lot of downsides, and for me #1 was the viewfinder. I tried the regular finder, also the HP finder (even the titanium HP finder for the F3P); i even tried other focusing screens -- it's no match for the quality of the F2 viewfinder. And the metering display on the F3 (tiny "+" and "-" symbols on the LED display) is a sick joke worthy of a sadist. For me the F3 is a great autoexposure camera. Of course, it is, until your little "AE lock" button decides to fall down.
And of course, the viewfinder illuminator is likely already broken in most F3 cameras out there. Also watch out for the film counter getting seized -- far too common.
And what about the glass FRE (functional resistance element) located just below the hot shoe, prone to get damaged if you knock the flash shoe? (which is possible if you have a dedicated flash attached...). On the F2 you can just change your prism head if metering fails.
Paradoxically the F3 shutter, mechanically, is better than the one on the F2. Smoother.
And what about the tiny viewfinder illuminator, the hard to move shutter lock and the tiny LCD display? Nikon should have NEVER EVER let a car design firm dictate how a film camera should be.
I prefer the F2 (some months ago I sold my F3, this is the 2nd F3 i'm letting go). But I prefer even more the Canon F-1 and New F-1. Canon did the viewfinder thing perfectly on the New F-1 -- excellent for manual metering and for AE too.
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This.
Exactly my experience. And i have the F2SB so I get SPD meter cells and LED display.
Display in the viewfinder.
That was my biggest complaint with the F3 and why i sold it.
Surely somebody at Nikon mentioned it.?
..........."It is kind of small, hard to see. Can we improve it".
Did Nikon think it was no big deal, i guess.?
The triumph of FORM over FUNCTION. The downfall of Nikon.
Alex, I'll take hyperbole for $100 please.
I hate to think it was as simple as that.
But it could have been.
I am just a consumer, not a camera designer, but it is hard for me to think that Nikon thought their new, flag-ship, "Pro Cameras Body" had a Viewfinder Display that was pleasing to look at.
I hate to think it was as simple as that.
But it could have been.
I am just a consumer, not a camera designer, but it is hard for me to think that Nikon thought their new, flag-ship, "Pro Cameras Body" had a Viewfinder Display that was pleasing to look at.
No, i'm using hyperbole.
But I really don't understand why Nikon went with that viewfinder, having had a really good viewfinder on the F2. And subsequent machines (i.e. N8008) had good viewfinders as well.
A really bright viewfinder with a large apparent size (i.e., how big the subjective optics make it look) is one of the most expensive parts of any SLR. Maybe the F3 simply could not have been made profitable with the per unit cost of a better viewfinder.
But it must have been disappointing at a time when viewfinder quality was a key point of competition between the big makers. I remember thst this was one area where Pentax actually did well against Canon et al., and Minolta's SR-T'S were famous for the double jointed mirror that allowed a very bright (though not large) finder. But Nikon and Olympus would have been the kings of viewfinder in the 70's.
The F2 focusing screens were of extreme quality and the prism finders had as high an apparent magnification as the chimney finders of a few generations before.
I'm not sure what you're talking about.
The DW-2 and DW-4 chimney finders each have 6x magnification. The standard F2 finders (DP-1, DP-2, Dp-3, DP-11, DP-12) all have 0.80 magnification.
..and If I remember correctly, the early, non-HP, Nikon F3 finder (DE-2) magnification is something like 0.90 ? and the F3HP finder (DE-3) magnification is something like 0.75
Nikon apparently heard the complaints about F3 finder brightness and increased the F3 focus screen brightness. These brighter screens have a red dot on them and they do make a non-trivial difference.
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I meant earlier chimney finders for other cameras. I have the rare chimney finder for Exakta Varex for one thing.
Some of these reactions to the F3 are funny, as if it was a disaster for Nikon.
Nikon produced the F2 from 1971 to 1980, 9 years, selling 816,000 units.
Nikon produces the F3 from 1980 to 2001, 21 years, selling 751,000 units. It has to be noted that when the F2 was being sold, it was the only professional Nikon offered, whereas the Nikon F3 was sold later concurrently with the F4, and then the F5. It was so good that Nikon kept it in production through those other cameras production runs!
Yeah, the F3 sux.
I use both. They are different, and really what it comes down to is if you want to use an AE camera, then it is the F3. But if you prefer just manual exposure, get the F2.
Nikon produced the F2 from 1971 to 1980, 9 years, selling 816,000 units.
Nikon produces the F3 from 1980 to 2001, 21 years, selling 751,000 units. It has to be noted that when the F2 was being sold, it was the only professional Nikon offered, whereas the Nikon F3 was sold later concurrently with the F4, and then the F5. It was so good that Nikon kept it in production through those other cameras production runs!
Yeah, the F3 sux.
I use both. They are different, and really what it comes down to is if you want to use an AE camera, then it is the F3. But if you prefer just manual exposure, get the F2.
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- Old Gregg
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I am no Nikon expert.Some of these reactions to the F3 are funny, as if it was a disaster for Nikon.
Nikon produced the F2 from 1971 to 1980, 9 years, selling 816,000 units.
Nikon produces the F3 from 1980 to 2001, 21 years, selling 751,000 units. It has to be noted that when the F2 was being sold, it was the only professional Nikon offered, whereas the Nikon F3 was sold later concurrently with the F4, and then the F5. It was so good that Nikon kept it in production through those other cameras production runs!
Yeah, the F3 sux.
I use both. They are different, and really what it comes down to is if you want to use an AE camera, then it is the F3. But if you prefer just manual exposure, get the F2.
But i have Heard/Read many photographers complain about the VF and LCD, meter read-out.
I sold mine for the same reason. Not saying it was a disaster for Nikon, but i always wondered why they thought it was fine.
Wkiki says the F was made concurrent with the F2 for two years.
I have no knowledge of production, but if your numbers are correct, they made 50 thousand more F2 than F3... and in Ten Years less time.
Care to explain more of the double jointed mirror? I once serviced a SR-7S and the mirror appear to have a swingback mechanism. This allows larger mirrors. The Pentax 6x7 has a swingback mirror too, the K2 too.
It's not a comparable figure. The "6x magnification" is the loupe's power. The "0.80" figure is relative to the life-size subject you're looking through the finder.
Some of these reactions to the F3 are funny, as if it was a disaster for Nikon.
Nikon produced the F2 from 1971 to 1980, 9 years, selling 816,000 units.
Nikon produces the F3 from 1980 to 2001, 21 years, selling 751,000 units. It has to be noted that when the F2 was being sold, it was the only professional Nikon offered, whereas the Nikon F3 was sold later concurrently with the F4, and then the F5. It was so good that Nikon kept it in production through those other cameras production runs!
Yeah, the F3 sux.
I use both. They are different, and really what it comes down to is if you want to use an AE camera, then it is the F3. But if you prefer just manual exposure, get the F2.
I would say the F3 succeeded despite its shortcomings. You also forgot to mention that the F4 was a much more expensive camera. In 1989, a F3 with 50/1.4 costed $1602. A F4 with the 50/1.4 costed $2735. Source: Pop Photo Dec. 1989 guide.
So the F3 had good sales for two decades because it also was a "budget" way to get a truly professional Nikon.
Pffft.
Nikon F3HP for the win, hands down.
It's a picture window for you if you wear glasses.
The ergonomics of an F3HP/MD-4/50mm- 85mm lens can not be argued against.
In a street fight, you will win.
Case closed.
Nikon F3HP for the win, hands down.
It's a picture window for you if you wear glasses.
The ergonomics of an F3HP/MD-4/50mm- 85mm lens can not be argued against.
In a street fight, you will win.
Case closed.
I'd say it's the only Nikon manual focus era SLR with a tolerable photo taking sound. Although I like how a good Nikkormat sounds.
The FM, FM2, FE, FE2 all have an ugly sound.
How about a Pentax MX? I like its sound. Leicaflex?
But I don't. I have good vision. And I can focus in low light easily with my F2, Canon New F-1, Pentax MX, KX, ME... however the F3 was much harder to focus on the exact same subject using the same 35/2 Nikkor I like so much to use. Unless I fit the special G2 screen, which then only works fine with some lenses and force you to focus on the center -- plus it doesn't give you depth of field preview.
I did many tests comparing between my cameras, until I convinced myself of selling my F3. I kept the focusing screens though; i can easily adapt them to my F2.
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