Just got a Nikon FM3a

[kivis]

kind of the perfect analog camera to me. manual and aperture preferred at the same time.

 

[johnnywalker]

Congratulations. Great camera. Of all the film cameras made by Nikon, that is the one I felt they should have kept going. Also the F100.

 

[xtolsniffer]

Congratulations, my FM3a is the only camera I've ever bought new as it was just what I wanted. To me it feels only very slightly less robust than an FM2n, but you get aperture priority and TTL flash added and in a very light and portable package. Mirror lock-up would have been nice, but hey you can't have everything! I've no idea how many were made, but I always felt that the production run must have been a bit more limited than others as it was stopped short by the emergence of d***tal.

 

[Marc Leest]

Congratulations. Great camera. Of all the film cameras made by Nikon, that is the one I felt they should have kept going. Also the F100.

Couldn't agree more. Needed almost 2 years to find one in decent shape and it came with an 85mm1.8, my preferred combo for 35mm now.


-M-

 

[sunny16]

congratulations mate!

i've just started using my FM2+35mm again having stopped photography for 10years

 

[AutumnJazz]

I really want one as a supplement to my F100, but I don't have the money because I will eventually have to pay Ole, lol.

 

[budrichard]

I purchased mine just after they stopped production and my dealer was able to have the Nikon Rep find one. I started with Nikon F's in the 1960's and this camera and an MD12 performs as good as my orignal F's but with both a completely manual(no batt's needed) shutter and AUTO shutter, it beats the Ftn in operation. My only criticism is that unlike my Fm2, there are no LED's fo manual exposure control and in dim light the match needle can't be seen but I suppose that saves battery power.
In any event its my last Nikon film camera.-Dick

 

[jgjbowen]

The FM3A is a wonderful camera. Enjoy! I am very happy with mine.

 

[Rob Skeoch]

The whole FM family of cameras were great.... I always wanted one of the Fm2t versions.

-Rob

 

[kivis]

Any suggestions on lenses? I have a Nikkor-S 50mm/f1.4 AI'D for start.

 

[johnnywalker]

There are so many. I have the 105mm f2.5 and a 28 mm f2.8 I'm very happy with, but Nikon didn't make too many dogs. There are some real experts here who will chime in I'm sure.

 

[BradS]

I love the FM3A. It was one of only two 35mm cameras I ever bought brand new. I bought mine just a short time before they announced that they'd cease production.

Favorite lenses...28/2.8 and 105/2.5 AIS Nikkors. The 180/2.8 is right behind those two. Would be happy with only these three.

 

[AutumnJazz]

I'm really liking my "new" 85/2 AI-S, but I really want an 85/1.4 and a 24/2.

 

[rpsawin]

I keep the 45mm 2.8 P AIS on my FM3A most of the time. It's a great combination. The FM3A really is a wonderful camera.

Best regards,

Bob

 

[jgjbowen]

I have 3 FM3A bodies, one has an 85/1.4 AIS Nikkor permanently attached, another has a 35/2.0 AIS Nikkor permanently atrached, the third could have anything from a 24mm, to a 55mm macro, to a 50mm/1.2 to a 300mm.

Since used Nikon glass has gotten very reasonable in price, I decided that if I was going to shoot 35mm (I prefer 8x10) it would likely be for speed, so I might as well purchase the fastest lenses I could get my hands on......

 

[Rob Skeoch]

I had a 135mm that was great.... fast and sharp and a great length for me.
-Rob

 

[denmark.yuzon]

wow.. this is my dream camera.. just recently i got a near mint Nikon Fm2n, and its a joy to use one.. i burned 5 test rolls already and i just couldnt stop.. but aperture priority just makes life easier out in the street where moments have to be captured at an instant and ables me to shoot faster.. since i love street photography, i wont stop til i find one in excellent condition...

congratulations on your Fm3a!

 

[kivis]

Got a 28mm/f3.5 for free and I am looking to add either the 105mm/f2.5 or the 85mm/f1.8.

 

[katphood]

There are so many great Nikon lenses and very few dogs. Many refer to some of the Series E lenses as dogs, but some got pretty high marks, two of which were the 100mm Series E and the 75-150 Series E. Many of the early zooms were not all that great.

I can highly recommend the 20mm 3.5 AI, the 28 2.8 AIS, 50mm 1.8 AIS (with a serial number starting with 3), the 55 3.5 Micro AI, the 135mm 2.8 AIS, and the 200mm f4 AI. In particular, you could get the 55, the 135, and the 28 3.5 kivis mentioned all for probably under $100 at KEH.

 

[PKM-25]

Best Nikon body ever made and I have owned darn near all of them at one time or another. I bought my black one the year they came out, it is brassed and beautiful now. I love the -1 flash comp button, it works killer w/ TTL.

However, it has been relegated to mountaineering only duty ever since I got Leica M's. But I will never sell it, we have seen too much together and will continue to do so..

 

[PKM-25]

By the way, does anyone know how the shutter works?

You have a fully mechanical shutter that will do step less aperture priority, how did they do that?

 

[johnnywalker]

I believe it has two shutters: a mechanical and an electronic. Somebody will no doubt correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[budrichard]

One shutter, two control systems. http://imaging.nikon.com/products/imaging/technology/d-archives/history-fm3a/index.htm#6 -Dick

 

[nyoung]

Basic kit - 28/2.8, 105/2.5, and 180/2.8 - if you can afford it. If you can't swing the 180 (they are still the most highly prized Nikon teles other than the 300/2.8) the 200/4 is cheap and very good - the old Nikkor Q models AI converted often trade for under $100.

BTW All of these lenses can be found in AI converted Pre-AI versions. IMHO you lose nothing and sometimes gain in build quality with the older lenses. Plus, they tend to be very cheap

 

[fatmoon]

Awesome! Enjoy! I have a black one myself and shoot with it regularly. I have an MD-12 mounted to the bottom of it and use it for fast stuff. This is truly one of the best Nikon ever produced. I like it so much more than the FM2ns I have owned over the years. It actually seems more robust IMO. The shutter speed dial is now all metal instead of plastic. Maybe this is why I feel that. For daylight I LOVE the match needle. Its very accurate and although not great in low light, I can use aperture priority or the LED of my F2AS for low light stuff.
All in all the FM3a is a winner! Its such a shame Nikon discontinued this fine camera. Truly the end of an era being the last mechanical shutter film camera Nikon ever made.