Is the Nikon FM3A the best MF film camera?

Vsanzbajo · Jul 31, 2011

Being the most modern and so greatly built, do you guys think is the best MF Nikon body? Opinions....
Thanks

Richard S. (rich815) · Jul 31, 2011

It's a great camera but based on the amazing price you can get such cameras as an FM2 or F3 it may not be the best value.

slumry · Jul 31, 2011

Yes, turned on the camera yesterday and found out the battery was dead and just keep on shooting on shooting in guess mode. Not the best value but a heck of a camera. Always fun to shot, especially with a motor drive.

Christiaan Phleger · Jul 31, 2011

Nope. F4 all the way, followed by the F2as. Matrix metering with Ai lenses, built in spot and center weighted metering, smaller body size with MB-20, built in motordrive, silent mode, ability to use non-Ai lenses Standard, extended shutter speed range, 1/250 sync, multiple finders and wide variety of screens to match lenses, legendary F series construction, able to find for 10-20% of new cost, AA battery use, umm, did I forget anything? Oh yeah, swing it around as a weapon.

Bob-D659 · Jul 31, 2011

Except the F4 is an AF body.

F3 is the most modern manual focus and really nice to use, but the best is the F, unless you need TTL-OTF flash metering.

lxdude · Jul 31, 2011

For me, the best MF Nikon body is the F2, especially with the plain prism, though I've never handled an FM3A

Carl V · Jul 31, 2011

rich815 said:
It's a great camera but based on the amazing price you can get such cameras as an FM2 or F3 it may not be the best value.

That's certainly true here in the UK at camera dealers, where a 'mint' condition body can actually cost more than when they were available new.

I have both FM2's and FM3's and the latter is basically a cross between the old FE2 and FM2. The advantage with the FM3 is the ability to use it at all shutter speeds in the event of battery failure. You only lose the auto function and the metering, otherwise you just carry on shooting. Personally I'd be happy with either of the above two models as I don't like cameras which are totally dependent on battery power.

benjiboy · Jul 31, 2011

No, but it's one of the best.

hoffy · Jul 31, 2011

I kind of expect this talk on a DSLR forum. It's a pretty damn good camera, but as for being the best, that's objective.

Pumalite · Jul 31, 2011

I prefer the F ( 2 CLA) and the F2 ( 1 CLA). I have the FM3A and is a great camera. I prefer the oldies though.

Steve Smith · Jul 31, 2011

It's just a box to keep the darkness in. The real deciding factors are the lens and the film..... and the operator!

EDIT: It is quite a nice box though!

Steve.

Mackinaw · Jul 31, 2011

To answer your question, no, the Nikon FM3A is not the best MF film camera.

Jim B.

Chan Tran · Jul 31, 2011

Let not counting other brand as other brands like Pentax, Canon, Olympus and Minolta and many more did make some great cameras. But within the Nikon alone, the FM3a isn't the best. It's the replacement of the FM/FE series camera. It's a 1 camera that takes the place of 2. But it's never the best. The best has to be one of the top line camera namely F, F2 or F3...

fstop · Jul 31, 2011

rich815 said:
It's a great camera but based on the amazing price you can get such cameras as an FM2 or F3 it may not be the best value.

True, you can get a either with lenses for the same money. the FM3 is the last on my list of Nikons to aquire because of the price.
But if you get a good deal and its what you want then go for it.

semi-ambivalent · Jul 31, 2011

Bob-D659 said:
Except the F4 is an AF body.

F3 is the most modern manual focus and really nice to use, but the best is the F, unless you need TTL-OTF flash metering.

The price of an F- is ridiculous, especially if you want the plain prism. The metering heads are as heavy as all get out. If you already have an F or F2 consider yourself pretty lucky, I do.

Last night I was stumbling through Ken Rockwell's pages and came across a piece where Nikon apparently re-released the SP rangefinder in 2005(?) as an instant collectible. Like Leica does all the time. The F was pretty much an SP with a prism and mirror box so if Nikon still has the tooling for one...

Judging from the looks I get when I'm out shooting film, I'm just waiting for the (imagined) eventual consumer revolt against digital camera obsolescence. I'd buy an F-redux in a heartbeat if volumes kept the price in line, and it was purely mechanical, solely film and had the F's build quality. (It could also help the folks in Sensei if Nikon didn't farm it out to China.)

Vilk · Jul 31, 2011

no, of course not

BradS · Jul 31, 2011

Yes. The FM3A is unquestionably the very best Nikon manual focus SLR.

Les Sarile · Jul 31, 2011

The FM3A's full hybrid design is unprecedented and unequaled as there are no other. Since it's release there have been no issues identified with it so time will tell if it is as well made as it's predecessors. It is no doubt a very good light tight box but best Nikon MF is highly subjective.

CGW · Jul 31, 2011

Vsanzbajo said:
Being the most modern and so greatly built, do you guys think is the best MF Nikon body? Opinions....
Thanks

Why do the Mods tolerate these "best/greatest/sharpest" posts? Pointless.

Pumalite · Jul 31, 2011

It is better to have 2 Nikon F with Motor, 2 Nkon F2AS with motor and the FM3A

Aja B · Jul 31, 2011

Buy an FM3a and definitively answer the question for yourself. Better get an F2 and F3 for a thorough comparison. What is the point of this poll-taking?

Chan Tran · Jul 31, 2011

I am quite sure that the OP has an FM3a. Not so sure about the OP familarity with other cameras in the Nikon lineup.

Richard S. (rich815) · Jul 31, 2011

CGW said:
Why do the Mods tolerate these "best/greatest/sharpest" posts? Pointless.

"best" of course is subjective and everyone takes it that way. It's a way for those with these and similar to give opinions as to what they like and why and so far there's been some decent posts with such. Is the site short on bandwidth or something. If you see no value ignore it.

slumry · Jul 31, 2011

We have the best mods in the business

Vsanzbajo · Jul 31, 2011

I am just taking opinions. If you do not like the question, do not answer. Grow up people. Go and bitch somewhere else. I am just asking for some opinions.

Is the Nikon FM3A the best MF film camera?

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