Just a few days ago I compared back and forth between an FE2 and F3HP using the same lens and there is a noticeable difference. You are right, there does appear to be a bit of a wide angle affect, I believe it does have a bit of a negative magnification built in as part of it's ability to show 100% of the view. The F3HP does show a bit more of the view than the FE2, and to me seemed a bit brighter.
Keep in mind that professional level Nikons (F2 to F6) all show 100% of the image in the viewfinder. Consumer Nikons don't (it is only around 90% if I remember correctly). This means the viewfinders for this camera tend to be bigger than the consumer cameras.
It's only a wideangle effect when you consider that, yes - you ARE seeing a wider angle of view - when compared to an FE2 which is fairly constrictive. The difference is nearly as much as a 24mm vs 28mm lens. You're just seeing the full angle that the lens offers. It is not technically possible for the prism system and associated optics to give you a wider angle of view than the film sees. Otherwise you'd have a focus error. Make notes for one of your next shots -as to exactly what's included/not included through the finder. The film should show you exactly that.
Snegron,
From the Nikon Compendium:
"For those photographers who wear glasses seeing into the extreme corners of the image area in the viewfinder is often a problem since they cannot position their eye close enough to the eyepiece. Normal viewfinders are designed for an eye relief distance of about 15mm between the eyepiece and eye. As this distance increases the corners of the finder image begin to be obscured. In order to solve this problem Nikon developed a special viewfinder for the F3, the High-eyepoint (HP) finder, which has an eye relief distance of 25mm allowing a complete view of the finder image that suffices for most glass wearers.
"The HP viewfinder, known as the DE-3, turns a normal F3 into an F3 HP increasing the camera's weight from 700 to 745 grams. It is not just those with glasses who have come to apperciate the F3 HP, photographers with normal vision can benefit from the more comfortable viewing afforded by this finder, so much so that in the latter years of its production the F3 was invariably delivered as the HP version."
Perhaps they accomplished the effect with a bit of wide-angling?
I have to be honest, I was so intrigued by this I checked out my F3HP.
I had a 50mm mounted on it (i.e. "normal" lens) and did not see any wide angling at the edges.
I then mounted a 28mm on it. Still do not see any "wide angling" at the edges.
But I must say, I was reminded of how wide open the F3HP viewfinder is versus my F5/F100 gear.
I'm not 100% certain, but I think that the F5 and F100 incorporated the HP viewfinder in their design. You would probably notice the difference on an older Nikon F, F2 or any of the compact series (FM, FE, etc.)
I wonder if the field of view is affected when using a wide angle lens then? For example, when I use a 24mm lens I will notice a bit of distortion in the image (wide angle effect). Will I see this effect increased through an HP finder vs. a regular finder? If so, then it won't be possible to obtain a truely accurate view of an image (what it will look like on print) when using a wide angle lens with an F3HP. In other words, the only way to know for sure what the image is going to look like with a wide angle lens while using an F3HP is after the image is printed.
Intersting theory especially because in all the years I have used an F3HP, the widest lens I have used has been a 35mm lens! For the most part the lenses I have used with the F3 have been a 35mm, a 50mm and a 105mm. Only recently (last year) did I purchase a 24mm lens, but I have mostly used it with an old F with Ftn Photomic head.
The HP finder is one of my main beefs with the F3 (apart from the horrid LCD). While it's great for eyeglass wearers, the lower magnification and higher eyepoint make it distinctly inferior to the F2's finders for non-eyeglass wearers.
And finding a non-HP finder for an F3 is difficult these days.
Note that while all the post-F3 pro bodies have a high eyepoint finder, they do not have as much eye relief as the F3HP's 25mm, typically the newer bodies are in the 22-23mm range. This makes for a better finder for those not wearing glasses.
Hi. What on EARTH are you talking about?? The F3 has no LCD. Are you thinking of the F4??? I'm not an eyeglass wearer and I find the F3HP to be VASTLY superior (brighter, bigger, easier to see, etc) than the F2s that I've tried.
Hmmm... can't recall - I thought it was an LED display. Could it be that some were LED (early ones)? It's been 7 years since I've had one though (F3/T).
Nope. They all had tiny LCD displays on the front edge of the mirror box. These LCD displays have been considered by many as one of the flaws of the F3 due to its sensitivity to extreme temperatures, poor visibility, etc.
Nope. They all had tiny LCD displays on the front edge of the mirror box. These LCD displays have been considered by many as one of the flaws of the F3 due to its sensitivity to extreme temperatures, poor visibility, etc.
For my money - the F3HP HAD no flaws.
Eh? A camera with no flaws? Even my MP isn't perfect, but I'd much rather use it than an F3.
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