Always prefer silver oxide (SR44) batteries where they are available, over alkaline (LR44) for cameras and meters. Alkalines loose voltage over time and will slowly begin to give you incrementally greater metering errors. Silver Oxide hold their voltage steady until they are ready to fail, then fail all at once, so you know right away the battery needs replacing.
Apart from the fact that SR44 may no longer be available for environmental reasons, I have had no problems with alkaline batteries. I use 1/3N 3 volt batteries in the F3:
Duracell Specialty 1/3N High Power Lithium Battery 3V
Rely on Duracell's Specialty 1/3N lithium batteries, ideal for your digital cameras, portable lights, medical devices, security devices and others.www.duracell.co.uk
Lithiums are also good. It's interesting you're worried about silver oxide as an environmental issue but not lithium ... just sayin' ...
In my opinion, the F3 is only complete with its exclusive Motor Drive MD-4. This means it fits perfectly in the hand and you no longer have to remember to cock the shutter.
The MD-4 is also a technically high-quality masterpiece that can withstand the highest loads.
Nikon MD-4 Motor Drive: A dissection
I wanted to know exactly and dismantled my practice MD-4. Actually, at first I was only interested in how I could remove the battery contact plate in the battery compartment. Another MD-4 has traces of corrosion at this point that I cannot satisfactorily remove from the outside. And then I...www.photrio.com
Yes, but you then have no/no complete control over the exposure times. And controlling an SLR with a handheld exposure meter requires a particularly high level of motivation
… and it alleviates that pesky decision of silver oxide vs lithium batteries in the camera as the MD-4 fully powers both motor drive and body.
If something doesn't work on an electronic SLR, the batteries or contact problems are always the first suspects. Electronics cleaner ensures perfect contacts.
Have fun with your F3!
The F3 has no known weak points apart from the LCD in the viewfinder. The LCD may fade or individual digits may fail. The cause is probably corrosion of the LCD contacts.
LCDs are no longer available as spare parts, but a display block from a donor F3 can be used.
The usual answer from the workshops is „no spare parts“, then you just do it yourself, it’s not too difficult.
The reason I say this is because an LCD that no longer works is a death sentence for the camera, at least it has very limited use. That doesn't have to be the case
Nikon F3/T: LCD replaced
A project that has occupied me for years without being able to tackle it - for lack of a replacement display and know-how. Now it's implemented 😀 With my most beautiful F3/T (never used before), I had to watch the LCD display in the viewfinder slowly but steadily disappear. At first, only...www.photrio.com
Yes, but you then have no/no complete control over the exposure times. And controlling an SLR with a handheld exposure meter requires a particularly high level of motivation
So an elegant solution - which adds some weight to the scales …
Yes, but you then have no/no complete control over the exposure times. And controlling an SLR with a handheld exposure meter requires a particularly high level of motivation
Given the exceedingly generous overexposure latitude of most all color negative and b&w film . . . who really needs a meter for daylight shooting . . .
So an elegant solution - which adds some weight to the scales …
Nikon did that because at the time the F3 was released so many people a skeptical with battery powered camera. They said your camera will be dead when you need it the most.
And it's more fun shooting without a meter. So I really never care for the Wein cell and stuff with cameras that need mercury battery. I simply use them without the meter.
But the MD-4 has eight batteries so the F3 still depends on electricity.
What does this make better?
The reason I shoot with an SLR is to have as much control as possible over the result. This also includes fitting the subject contrast into the gradation curve of the film as best as possible. This requires controllable exposure measurement and this is only precise with a light meter.
With the AA cells you're unlikely running out of battery power. Also in the cold you can use the MN-2 NiCad which can take the cold well. That's their argument.
I have the Nikon DB-2 Anti Cold Battery Pack container. It is designed to operate the F3 in temperatures well below zero ºC in preference to any motor drive being used, this is to stop or at least reduce the possibility of static electrical lines on the film as the fast movement of film in ultra dry conditions that are often associated with extreme cold.
One limiting factor of the DB-2 is the cord is only 800mm long, which, when you run the lead up your sleeve and into an inner pocket, isn't quite long enough to allow you to place the camera body inside your centrally zippered jacket opening in-between exposures to keep it somewhat marginally warmer to use. This was the only minor limitation I've encountered in my few times using an F3 body in very cold weather; -30ºC and a bit lower, plus howling wind.
Some friends went to Antarctica with at least one F3 body equipped with a modified DB-2 unit. They re-made the lead to around 1150mm in length, as that seemed to work for the clothing they were wearing. Another downside of the design, is that the hole for the batteries, and consequentially where the DB-2 goes into, is right alongside the tripod hole in the base of the camera. I understand that at least on of their dogsleds was equipped with a very quick release tripod like mount, as any tripod, unless built like a brick outhouse, would be blown away.
The rechargeable battery pack for the MD4 Motor Drive, was mainly bought for the extra speed it could drive the camera at. Six frames per second with a fully charged rechargeable battery pack was possible; just.... But; you couldn't see or focus what you were pointing at, because you needed to lock the mirror up to attain that high frame exposure rate.
The DB-4 is responsible for the DX-1 viewfinder of the Nikon F3 AF, which, like the DB-2, supplies the autofocus drive with two AA cells.
The reason I shoot with an SLR is to have as much control as possible over the result. This also includes fitting the subject contrast into the gradation curve of the film as best as possible. This requires controllable exposure measurement and this is only precise with a light meter.
Anyway, film is about the shadows, which must have enough drawing. And I prefer not to rely on reserves, but to measure specifically.
Your examples seem to have a relatively small overall contrast ratio, so shadows and highlights are not critical.
I take photos in the city, where I get very high contrast ratios in the sun, which requires reliable exposure measurement.
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