snegron
Member
fparnold said:FWIW, I've had an F since 1989 (64xxx serial number, won't mount later Photonic heads), and bought an F2AS when the F's shutter went right before a trip. The F2 has been rebuilt once (before I bought it), and been to the shop twice afterwards to correct some shutter-release issues, and I had the F rebuilt, so they're durable, but not immortal.
When I was in college, both the NYC photographer I worked for and my photographer-boss from the newspaper considered the F2 series to be "hypochondriacs" compared with the F or F3. Therefore, you may wish to consider a late-model F3, or the F5. The original F are a pleasure to use, but they are 40 years old.
I think you nailed my concern right on the head. As your "shutter went before a trip" I am concerned that when I least expect it the shutter will go on any Nikon body I get right when I need it the most. I have plenty of back up cameras in case one or another fails, but my quest is to obtain that one camera model or series that will be there no matter what. Yes, I have plenty of backup cameras at this time, but all are different with controls in different places. When I run out of film on my F3HP, I grab my preloaded F2A and continue shooting. Problem is that there is a momentary readjustment period during that switch from F2A to F3HP that takes time away from capturing the image.
My goal would be to have two camera bodies of the same type that I know would withstand constant daily use. I would like them to be identical so weight, viewfinder, and metering options would be the same no matter which one I would pick up. My concern with older F models is that one might be just several clicks away frome shutter or meter failure. Handheld meters is not an option for me because my style of shooting demands quick action. I can't compose a scene, meter, walk back to my camera, refocus, adjust shutter/aperture, shoot.