F2 or F3 and why?

[CMoore]

So unless need interchangeable viewfinders or focusing screens skip the F2 and 3 and get another N90 as backup. I know that the military and AP issued N90s, rugged, pretty good AF, fast motor drive, had the features needed by most pro's, likely cost Nikon F4 and F sales. If you want manual focus body, get a FM2 or 3.

I do not own, or know much about a "Modern Day" 35mm SLR.
Why is it no longer (or maybe it is) a concern to be able to change the Focus Screens.?
How common was it, for the majority of 35mm users, to change the screens circa 1975.?

 

[George Mann]

I do not own, or know much about a "Modern Day" 35mm SLR.
Why is it no longer (or maybe it is) a concern to be able to change the Focus Screens.?
How common was it, for the majority of 35mm users, to change the screens circa 1975.?

Back in the day, different types of photography was aided by different screen types, since none were perfect for everything.

Today, those who wish to use manual lenses with modern cameras may wish to use screens optimized for this purpose

 

[eli griggs]

A F2 (or F), for their 'better' build quality.

If you are going to use an analog camera, the more sturdy/robust the camera, the better it'll serve you in 99% of your analog needs.

IMO.

 

[CMoore]

Back in the day, different types of photography was aided by different screen types, since none were perfect for everything.

Today, those who wish to use manual lenses with modern cameras may wish to use screens optimized for this purpose

Yes....of course, makes sense.
I suppose i was really asking about Modern 35mm cameras
I should have known better...........that is a question for the DSLR Forum.
Thanks Again

 

[Paul Howell]

There are screen with grid patterns, screen optimized for use with long lens, wide lens, Nikon made many screens. Pentax made a couple of different screens for the Pentax SF1, I took a split image screen from a Miranda EE and ground it down to fit the SF1 for use with manual focus K and M42 lens. Minolta made a split image screen for the 9000AF, but as older mf will not work with the AF bodies not sure why anyone wanted one.

 

[BradS]

most importantly, to me, there are screens with different focus aids - plain ground glass, micro-prism, split-image range finder with concentric micro-prism.

...and sometimes, a guy needs a grid pattern!

 

[Jon Buffington]

So unless need interchangeable viewfinders or focusing screens skip the F2 and 3 and get another N90 as backup. I know that the military and AP issued N90s, rugged, pretty good AF, fast motor drive, had the features needed by most pro's, likely cost Nikon F4 and F sales. If you want manual focus body, get a FM2 or 3.

I have an fm2n. I prefer mf bodies for certain styles of shooting, I have a lot of mf glass, and I prefer a smaller body (the f2 and f3 are smaller than the n90s). I go back and forth between af and mf bodies...same for my canon setup as I have a full set of fd and eos lenses. I have thought about another n90 body as I like it so much. I have a 6006 and am not sold on it so probably will sell it.

 

[Jon Buffington]

The sole purpose for my F2 is to be able to use the pre-AI lenses that I still have.
Its sentimental value now exceeds its market value too.

This is probably why I will keep the f2 as well.

 

[abruzzi]

I have one F3 and three F2s. I much prefer the feel and operations of the F2 (which is why I have three.) The secondary reason is I have very few AI lenses, plus non-AI lenses are generally much cheaper than AI.

 

[George Mann]

I will add that I have an F2 currently, as well as 2 Nikkormats (EL, FT2).

I greatly prefer the EL.

 

[Huss]

So unless need interchangeable viewfinders or focusing screens skip the F2 and 3 and get another N90 as backup. I know that the military and AP issued N90s, rugged, pretty good AF, fast motor drive, had the features needed by most pro's, likely cost Nikon F4 and F sales. If you want manual focus body, get a FM2 or 3.

I think that those who are looking at an F2 or F3 have no interest in the technical superiority of cameras like an F90. It's about slowing down, the process blah blah blah..

 

[Jon Buffington]

I think that those who are looking at an F2 or F3 have no interest in the technical superiority of cameras like an F90. It's about slowing down, the process blah blah blah..

Exactly. For quick grab shots and that style of shooting, I prefer the af of my n90s (or 7ne if shooting canon) however often times I want to slow down...why I like shooting my barnack Leica's. That really slows me down.

 

[gone]

I only have an N70 and N8008s, so should probably disqualify myself since the two of them together cost only $67! But I once owned both the cameras the op mentioned and liked them both. MF cameras are fun to shoot, but I prefer the convenience and always superb metering in the AF bodies more. There have been times when the spot meter, AE, AE lock, and rapid motorized film advance were able to get shots that would have been impossible to get any other way. If I wanted the best MF camera, it's already here, a Leicaflex Standard. In the end, it's going to a new home and it's lens is currently on the n70. The AF Nikons just make better tools.

 

[RLangham]

I think you could probably drive nails with an F2 then do a shoot with it.

 

[Huss]

I just sold an FM2n, but before I boxed it up I played around with it and compared it to my F2As.
Frankly the FM2n is a superior camera on paper, but the F2 has a bigger VF, is easier to focus (for me at least) and just feels better - from the film wind on to the shutter release.
I'd use it more, which makes it the better camera for me.

But the F3? I prefer that too over the FM2. And, well, yeah..

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

I have an fm2n. I prefer mf bodies for certain styles of shooting, I have a lot of mf glass, and I prefer a smaller body (the f2 and f3 are smaller than the n90s). I go back and forth between af and mf bodies...same for my canon setup as I have a full set of fd and eos lenses. I have thought about another n90 body as I like it so much. I have a 6006 and am not sold on it so probably will sell it.

My N6006 works perfectly after 30 years. Here are some shots recently with Tmax400.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/alanklein2000/albums/72157716777378896

 

[narsuitus]

As I stated in an earlier post, the F2 is my personal favorite manual/mechanical 35mm SLR and the F4 is my personal favorite automatic/electronic 35mm SLR.

My backup for the manual focus F2 was the manual focus Nikon EM (upper right) and my backup for the auto focus F4 was the auto focus Nikon N70.

If I had kept my auto exposure Nikon F3, the auto exposure Nikon N2000 (lower right) would have been its backup because it closely resembled the F3 in form and function.


Nikon 35mm Manual Focus by Narsuitus, on Flickr

 

[Huss]

N2000 is so under-rated.

 

[abruzzi]

My backup for the manual focus F2 was the manual focus Nikon EM (upper right) and my backup for the auto focus F4 was the auto focus Nikon N70.

the backup to my F2 is another F2.

seriously, I like my Nikkormat FTn as much or maybe a little more then the F2. I prefer the F2s viewfinder, 1/2000 shutter speed, but the FTn has prettier lines, weighs less, and has the shutter in a ring around the lens. Between them, they are two of my three favorite 35mm SLRs (along with the diminutive Pentax MX.)

 

[RLangham]

the backup to my F2 is another F2.

seriously, I like my Nikkormat FTn as much or maybe a little more then the F2. I prefer the F2s viewfinder, 1/2000 shutter speed, but the FTn has prettier lines, weighs less, and has the shutter in a ring around the lens. Between them, they are two of my three favorite 35mm SLRs (along with the diminutive Pentax MX.)

The FTn is good but I dislike the tiny little lever that operates the speed ring. And I don't feel that they improved it for the FT3's that I've handled. Nevertheless it was my main Nikon until my first F2.

My first Nikon was the Nikkorex F made by Mamiya and Copal, which actually seems to be the ancestor of the FT line on both a conceptual level and in terms of the actual styling. Ever come across one?

 

[narsuitus]

the backup to my F2 is another F2.

My backup to my F2 are two other F2 bodies. However, there were times when I had to carry a camera into a situation where the camera was likely to get lost, stolen, or damaged. In those cases, I preferred to carry an expendable backup camera. My F2 was never expendable.



Nikon F2 by Narsuitus, on Flickr

 

[Chan Tran]

I think you could probably drive nails with an F2 then do a shoot with it.

I had the F2 and it's quite delicate instrument and won't survive if you drive nail with it. People like to say that or call it the hockey puck but cameras are all delicate instruments and can't take abuses.

 

[RLangham]

I had the F2 and it's quite delicate instrument and won't survive if you drive nail with it. People like to say that or call it the hockey puck but cameras are all delicate instruments and can't take abuses.

It's hyperbole. But the F2 will survive a lot that lesser cameras won't, as any number of professional photographers who worked under bad conditions in the 70's will tell you.

 

[Chan Tran]

It's hyperbole. But the F2 will survive a lot that lesser cameras won't, as any number of professional photographers who worked under bad conditions in the 70's will tell you.

They had a good number of them destroyed too but it's their job and they could afford it. The F2AS cost me $550 ($700 with the 50mm f/1.4 lens) in 1977 and I was making $5 an hour I wouldn't want to use it to drive nail.

 

[RLangham]

They had a good number of them destroyed too but it's their job and they could afford it. The F2AS cost me $550 ($700 with the 50mm f/1.4 lens) in 1977 and I was making $5 an hour I wouldn't want to use it to drive nail.

It's just an old joke. I was making 20 an hour when I bought the first of my two F2's for 300 bucks last year, and I still would never be anything but gentle to it... you can't deny however that Nikon F-series cameras, especially rhe F2, are built exceptionally ruggedly for a wide variety of professional use cases