I don't need another camera, I don't need another camera...

[Huss]

F-MOUNT Zeiss LENSES?! WHAT?!

How can you dare insult the wisdom of Nippon Kogaku lens designers like Saburo Murakami or Zenji Wakimoto, by fitting a traditionless thing?

Sell those "Zeiss" lenses to DSRL users. You need to buy more true Nikkor glass. BUYBUYBUYBUYBUYBUYBUYBUY

I prefer my F mount Zeiss/Cosina lenses to my Nikkor glass... Surprised how much I like the 50 1.4 Planar..

 

[George Mann]

I prefer my F mount Zeiss/Cosina lenses to my Nikkor glass... Surprised how much I like the 50 1.4 Planar..

In the end, it is all subjective.

 

[trick]

F-MOUNT Zeiss LENSES?! WHAT?!

How can you dare insult the wisdom of Nippon Kogaku lens designers like Saburo Murakami or Zenji Wakimoto, by fitting a traditionless thing?

Sell those "Zeiss" lenses to DSRL users. You need to buy more true Nikkor glass. BUYBUYBUYBUYBUYBUYBUYBUY

Wow, I touched a nerve here clearly. I "dared to insult them" by having the audacity to already own these lenses before I bought a Nikon camera. I know, how terrible of me!

 

[trick]

I prefer my F mount Zeiss/Cosina lenses to my Nikkor glass... Surprised how much I like the 50 1.4 Planar..

+1 on the 50mm 1.4 Planar. Lovely lens.

 

[flavio81]

Too many to count. But I can tell you that some of the best ones have been made by less known makers, as well as Minolta and Yashica.

I believe you, i believe you.

 

[Huss]

Wow, I touched a nerve here clearly. I "dared to insult them" by having the audacity to already own these lenses before I bought a Nikon camera. I know, how terrible of me!

I bought mine after I got into Nikon, because I was looking for something better ..

 

[BrianShaw]

+1 on the 5mm 1.4 Planar. Lovely lens.

Wow... that’s really wide...

 

[trick]

Wow... that’s really wide...

LMAO - imagine!

 

[NB23]

120 and especially Rolleiflex, is where the magic is.

 

[logan2z]

Quick follow-up: The FT-3 arrived on Wednesday but I just got a chance to check it out today. The camera body and lens are in superb condition and the meter seems to be working correctly. A little different ergonomically than the FM but adapting to the differences shouldn't be too difficult.

I'll hopefully have a chance to shoot a test roll over the next week and see how things work out.

 

[George Mann]

Pick up some Ektachrome, shoot it at F8, and meter in the middle value zone.

Look at the film thru a good loupe using the sun as a light source.

 

[trick]

Quick follow-up: The FT-3 arrived on Wednesday but I just got a chance to check it out today. The camera body and lens are in superb condition and the meter seems to be working correctly. A little different ergonomically than the FM but adapting to the differences shouldn't be too difficult.

I'll hopefully have a chance to shoot a test roll over the next week and see how things work out.

Congrats - it's such a great feeling when things arrive in such great condition! Mine is arriving tomorrow according to FedEx. Very excited!

 

[logan2z]

Congrats - it's such a great feeling when things arrive in such great condition! Mine is arriving tomorrow according to FedEx. Very excited!

Thanks, post a follow-up when yours arrives.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Yo

Four years ago, I didn't even own a camera other than a cheap Sony digital P&S. Now I have two Leica M bodies (and four lenses), a Nikon FM (and a couple of lenses) and a Hasseblad 500C/M (and a couple of lenses). So, clearly, I have no need for another camera . But I stumbled upon this one today and it's so darn pretty I'm tempted. Hard to say 'no' given how cheap these things are now.

Somebody help me...

u don't need itYour FM is just as good.

 

[logan2z]

Quick addendum to this:

I finally shot a roll of Tri-X with the FT-3 and had it developed and more than half of the shots are way overexposed. The shop I bought it from checked the shutter speeds and said they were accurate up to 1/500 but 1/1000 was a bit slow. I tested the 50/2 lens that came with it on my FM and it seems to stop down correctly when the shutter is fired. Perhaps there is an intermittent issue somewhere. But rather than waste more film and time debugging this, I've decided to return the camera.

The good news is I really liked the feel of the FT-3 (it's a tank!) and will seek out another. I still don't need it but I can't help myself

 

[BSP]

Psssttttt... Minolta's are Nice too....and cheap

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Four years ago, I didn't even own a camera other than a cheap Sony digital P&S. Now I have two Leica M bodies (and four lenses), a Nikon FM (and a couple of lenses) and a Hasseblad 500C/M (and a couple of lenses). So, clearly, I have no need for another camera . But I stumbled upon this one today and it's so darn pretty I'm tempted. Hard to say 'no' given how cheap these things are now.

Somebody help me...

Oh, cone on. You only live once And the last shirt doesn't have any pockets anyway. Where is all the money is for Just go for it!

 

[Les Sarile]

I beg to differ. I have (for example) two Nikon F2 - one silver and one black . I carry them both with one set of lenses that they can (obviously) share. This allows me to...
1) load one with color (the silver one) and one with B&W (the black one) or,
2) load both with the same film and mount the 28mm lens on one and the 50mm (or 50mm and 105mm) on the other.

When traveling this is very handy and I find it comforting, if not entirely necessary, to have a ready backup.

I never unravelled the mystery of why I wanted a silver and black bodied camera. Learn something everyday!

 

[logan2z]

Just bought another one. Recently serviced, wish me luck!

 

[Huss]

Quick addendum to this:

I finally shot a roll of Tri-X with the FT-3 and had it developed and more than half of the shots are way overexposed. The shop I bought it from checked the shutter speeds and said they were accurate up to 1/500 but 1/1000 was a bit slow. I tested the 50/2 lens that came with it on my FM and it seems to stop down correctly when the shutter is fired. Perhaps there is an intermittent issue somewhere. But rather than waste more film and time debugging this, I've decided to return the camera.

The good news is I really liked the feel of the FT-3 (it's a tank!) and will seek out another. I still don't need it but I can't help myself

There may have not been anything wrong with the shutter. But the meter.

 

[Huss]

Just bought another one. Recently serviced, wish me luck!

Before you load film into it, make sure the meter readings from the camera match an external meter (hand held light meter, meter ap on your smart phone, another camera you know has a good meter).
Check it out over a varied set of lighting conditions. If it doesn't match up, then the camera's meter is defective.
If all looks good, then load film and shoot. If the exposures are not good, then something is wrong with the shutter timing, or the aperture stopping down.
But with Nikkormats normally there are no mechanical issues, but meter issues.

 

[logan2z]

Before you load film into it, make sure the meter readings from the camera match an external meter (hand held light meter, meter ap on your smart phone, another camera you know has a good meter).
Check it out over a varied set of lighting conditions. If it doesn't match up, then the camera's meter is defective.
If all looks good, then load film and shoot. If the exposures are not good, then something is wrong with the shutter timing, or the aperture stopping down.
But with Nikkormats normally there are no mechanical issues, but meter issues.

I compared the meter with the one in my FM and my handheld Seikonic and it seemed accurate. I'm used to metering with my handheld Seikonic so I didn't really rely on the internal meter much anyway.

The aperture in the lens seemed to stop down fine when it was on my FM. I asked the shop to test the body with another Nikon Ai lens and they said it stopped down correctly when they tried it. Not sure where the problem was, but I didn't feel like wasting more time/money to find out.

I'll run through the same set of tests when the new camera arrives.

 

[GRHazelton]

Logan, I am a gearhead too, but in this case I don't quite understand the point of owning two versions of the same concept: a manual 35mm SLR. I would have sold one of your Leicas too and look for a TLR to add to your collection. Basically, I wanted to have one of each for:

• 35mm RF
• 35mm SLR + two lenses
  
• MF TLR
• MF SLR + two lenses
  
• MF RF

In other words, look for a Rolleiflex!

Or, look for a Minolta Autocord. Dan Daniel on PhotoTrio "restores" these beauties to their full glory....

 

[logan2z]

Or, look for a Minolta Autocord. Dan Daniel on PhotoTrio "restores" these beauties to their full glory....

I may add a TLR at some point in the future.

To address Вormental_old's comment, I wasn't into photography during the heyday of film so I'm taking this opportunity to play with a bunch of different film cameras. I may not keep both the FM and FT-3, but given how inexpensive they are to buy I'm not sure I see much point in selling one. I like mechanical things and, even if some cameras are redundant, it's nice to own a bit of film camera history.

Oh, and rather than selling a Leica I'm hoping to pick up an M3 at some point too

 

[Huss]

Oh, and rather than selling a Leica I'm hoping to pick up an M3 at some point too

Let me know, I have a re-skinned (Aki Asahi tan leather) M3 DS just sitting around..