Nikon F3 vs F2 (My thoughts so far...)

90s Photog · Jul 21, 2022

So I recently purchased an F2 that had been recently CLAed and had new foam installed. I've shot an F3HP for years now- it is intuitive to the FE2 that I first started my Nikon journey with in 1993. There are many changes from the 2 to the 3. A lot of which I see as good changes. The screen on my F2 is very clean, but not as bright as my F3. So far I have had to slow my work flow process down a lot. (Granted I'm only through half of my first roll.) I know that a lot of people consider the F2 the pentacle of the Nikon F series, but so far I'm not seeing it as that. It may be a generational thing... I don't know. lol! So far I can say that I prefer using my F3 over the F2. But I do plan on running quite a few rolls through the F2 before I give up on it.

Huss · Jul 21, 2022

I have 2 F2s (AS and plain prism), F3P etc. Those who say the F2 is the pinnacle are of the same type that say Nikon had perfection with the original F...

I dig my F2s. But there is a reason Nikon made the F3. Then the F4 etc.

Christiaan Phleger · Jul 21, 2022

Enjoy using them both! Quick tip; Brighter F3 screens can be used in the F2, you have to flip the screen orientation. Don't use an F4 screen, nor use an F4 screen in the F3 or focus errors will appear (especially wide angles).

Les Sarile · Jul 22, 2022

I find the best thing about the F3 is that it was in production forever and accessories are readily available. The AS-17 maybe not so much . . .

F3HP SB-16B AS-17 by Les DMess, on Flickr

I can overlook the awful LCD light switch. What I find unforgivable though is that Nikon overstepped and crippled the meter until the film counter reaches 1. I can understand them doing this for the non-pro FG and maybe even on the FE2 and FA. No doubt this became standard on all subsequent autoloading cameras as they all advance to position 1 when loading a new roll. But at least as a sign of contrition, Nikon corrected this in their last manual camera . . .

Agfa Ultra 100-21-34D by Les DMess, on Flickr

Huss · Jul 22, 2022

Les Sarile said:
What I find unforgivable though is that Nikon overstepped and crippled the meter until the film counter reaches 1. I can understand them doing this for the non-pro FG and maybe even on the FE2 and FA. No doubt this became standard on all subsequent autoloading cameras as they all advance to position 1 when loading a new roll. But at least as a sign of contrition, Nikon corrected this in their last manual camera . . .

Agfa Ultra 100-21-34D by Les DMess, on Flickr

Akshully they corrected it with the F3P, F3 Ltd, maybe some others too.

Les Sarile · Jul 22, 2022

Huss said:
Akshully they corrected it with the F3P, F3 Ltd, maybe some others too.

I seem to recall someone stating this before already. I will have to get one of those models just to reinforce that . . .

However, it is still an outrage that they didn't add TTL on the F3P hotshoe. And why would they center the flash on a pro camera!

Huss · Jul 22, 2022

Les Sarile said:
I seem to recall someone stating this before already. I will have to get one of those models just to reinforce that . . .

However, it is still an outrage that they didn't add TTL on the F3P hotshoe. And why would they center the flash on a pro camera!

Pretty sure it was me..

The P has the centered hot shoe - like every pro camera after it until present time - as well as the flash attachment over the rewind knob. It is so pro it has two hot shoes!

nikkormat · Jul 22, 2022

I have an F2AS (and have just bought a DE-1 finder to try) and an F3HP. I work differently with each: slowly and methodically with the F2; faster with the F3, and almost always in aperture-priority. Defining which is better or which represents the pinnacle of design between these two comes down, I think, to personal preference and the type of work one does. No doubt a photojournalist 40 year ago would find the F3 and MD-4 an improvement, but today I think that is probably less of a concern for most of us.

I'll never sell the F2; I bought it initially because that was the camera my father had in the 1980s when I was growing up, and I like to use it with his 55mm macro lens. Sometimes I consider selling the F3HP, then I pick it up and remember what a great camera it is to use.

Paul Howell · Jul 22, 2022

I shot for the wires with the F, F2 and last F3P, a lot of PJ held off upgrading the F3 as they were distrustful of the electronic shutter and thought the F2 was more rugged. While I liked the feel of the F2, the F3P was much more functional in the field, weather sealed, auto exposure if needed, and a faster motor drive. For those who used the waist level finder having the meter in body was a plus.

flavio81 · Jul 22, 2022

90s Photog said:
So I recently purchased an F2 that had been recently CLAed and had new foam installed. I've shot an F3HP for years now- it is intuitive to the FE2 that I first started my Nikon journey with in 1993. There are many changes from the 2 to the 3. A lot of which I see as good changes. The screen on my F2 is very clean, but not as bright as my F3. So far I have had to slow my work flow process down a lot. (Granted I'm only through half of my first roll.) I know that a lot of people consider the F2 the pentacle of the Nikon F series, but so far I'm not seeing it as that. It may be a generational thing... I don't know. lol! So far I can say that I prefer using my F3 over the F2. But I do plan on running quite a few rolls through the F2 before I give up on it.

My F2S with upgraded screen has a brighter, clearer viewfinder than the F3 (regular finder) and F3P (with titanium HP finder) i had. The finder on the F2SB and AS is superior to the aforementioned F3 finders.

The need for a semi-transparent mirror on the F3 impairs the potential for viewfinder clarity.

While the F2S and F2AS had the most ideally placed and clearest meter display, the F3 display is a step backwards. And good luck in low light -- I haven't found a F3 with a working illuminator yet. And yes, i've read the user manual on how to activate it.

Sincerely, for me the F3 was a failed effort by Nikon. They could have improved on the F2 completely. In practice, they improved some things (ergonomics, TTL flash, better motor), but in others it's a step backwards. Many things i don't like about the F3, that's why I sold the ones i have including the coveted F3P. This time Canon almost completely won the battle with the New F-1 which is superior in all regards except for the lack of TTL flash meter, which might or might not matter to you. And maybe Pentax LX superior to all of them.

Also, car designers should never mess with cameras.

Nitroplait · Jul 22, 2022

The best Nikon of the 70’s/80’s era was the FE/FE2 - IMO.
Don’t get me wrong, I adore both the F2 and F3 (and F for that matter- I own them all), but the FE series are just better on all counts as a user camera, unless you need a camera for driving in nails.

flavio81 · Jul 22, 2022

Les Sarile said:
What I find unforgivable though is that Nikon overstepped and crippled the meter until the film counter reaches 1.

The list of things that are crippled on the F3 cs F2 can be very long...

- Awful "+/-" tiny meter display (instead of extremely clear LEDs or needles)
- Tiny, awful LED display (instead of clear numbers)
- Only two mechanical speeds. No battery tester to see how much you've left (unlike Canon F-1 and even Nikon's FE)
- Mushy shutter button, you never know where the trigger point is (unlike the precise F2 button)
- Viewfinder not as clear
- Finder Illuminator never works (it never fails on the F2SB and F2AS)
- You can have high eyepoint or good magnification but not both. F2 gives you both.
- Memory lock button often falls down with age
- Tiny, fragile multiple-exposure lever on akward location
- Confusing control placement, it's hard to remember which one is the self timer switch versus shutter button lock switch (they're identical). If the shutter is locked you might be confused and think the batteries are gone, since the behavior is exactly the same. The F2P fixed this with a mechanical shutter button lock.

and the worst of all...

- Meter relies on glass FRE resistor, which is placed exactly below the flash hot shoe. So if your flash bumps into a wall or somebody bumps with your flash, there's your chance for your meter to be gone because of breakage of glass FRE disc. This has happened before. So the most delicate part is placed where it can be knocked out.

flavio81 · Jul 22, 2022

Nitroplait said:
The best Nikon of the 70’s/80’s era was the FE/FE2 - IMO.

Yes, and I'd say the FE due to the ability to mount pre-AI lenses. The FE is my Nikon of choice these days.

If the FE was as well built as the F2... well, it would be the Nikon EL2, but the FE has some improvements over the EL2 despite using the same circuitry.

flavio81 · Jul 22, 2022

Now compared to the direct competitor, the Canon New F-1:

- No weather sealing vs extensive weather sealing on the Canon. Source: Comparing both service manuals. Canon not only uses extensive silicone aprons throughout the camera, it has a section dedicated on how to re-apply sealant for weather sealings. Niko's service manual, and parts diagrams, have zero such protection devices and zero mention of weather sealing.
- Awful "+/-" tiny meter display (instead of wonderful needle which shows actual aperture vs suggested aperture)
- Tiny, awful LED display (see above) Plus, on the Canon F-1N the auto speeds are shown on a different display layout, letting you easily know you're in the auto mode.
- Only two mechanical speeds (instead of 2000, 1000, 500, 250, 125, 90, and B being mechanical)
- No battery tester to see how much you've left (instead of a needle-driven battery tester that is great to check batts)
- Viewfinder not as clear (F-1N has amazing laser-matte viewfinder screens)
- Finder Illuminator never works (it never fails on the Canon, and stays lit automatically for seconds)
- Tiny, fragile multiple-exposure lever on awkward location (Canon has a very rugged R button on the top which doubles as multiple-exposure switch)
- Overall, clear control placement, almost identical to the one on the previous F-1 (why Nikon didn't keep the shutter lock and self timer activation on the same location than in the F2?!)
- Hot shoe on prisms (versus only available for the F3 on the ultra expensive prism of the F3P)
- Meter relies on glass FRE resistor (versus bomb-proof meter system on the F-1N)
- No button or switch falls down on the Canon. Ever.
- Only one metering pattern (vs three available metering patterns)
- Only aperture-priority auto mode (vs Aperture, and Shutter-priority if any winder or motor is fitted.)
- Can't lock the aperture in stop down mode (vs lockable on the Canon)
- No rotating speed finder (Canon has an awesome one)

Now, to be fair, the F3 has some significant pros over the New F-1:

- Better, lighter motor system
- TTL flash (!)
- Memory lock
- Lighter/better balanced
- Mirror lock up
- Shutter, IMO, requires little or no maintenance. Canon's shutter, being higher tension, requires periodic maintenance otherwise it will make a slightly squeaky sound (this has nothing to do with the Canon A-series squeack). Mirror, on the Canon, can suffer from sticky lubricants if not serviced.

Things that both models need but lack:

- Exposure compensation warning on the viewfinder display (as in the Nikon FA and FE2)
- Lighter and smaller (Pentax LX)

Cholentpot · Jul 22, 2022

Wow Flav, that's some harshness on what many consider the pinnacle of manual focus SLRs.

I have an F3HP and aside from the puny meter readout and location of the hotshoe, the thing is near perfect compared to my many other SLRs. Closest camera that feels as nice aside from the F is my Spotmatic II.

Chan Tran · Jul 22, 2022

flavio81 said:
Now compared to the direct competitor, the Canon New F-1:

- No weather sealing vs extensive weather sealing on the Canon. Source: Comparing both service manuals. Canon not only uses extensive silicone aprons throughout the camera, it has a section dedicated on how to re-apply sealant for weather sealings. Niko's service manual, and parts diagrams, have zero such protection devices and zero mention of weather sealing.
- Awful "+/-" tiny meter display (instead of wonderful needle which shows actual aperture vs suggested aperture)
- Tiny, awful LED display (see above) Plus, on the Canon F-1N the auto speeds are shown on a different display layout, letting you easily know you're in the auto mode.
- Only two mechanical speeds (instead of 2000, 1000, 500, 250, 125, 90, and B being mechanical)
- No battery tester to see how much you've left (instead of a needle-driven battery tester that is great to check batts)
- Viewfinder not as clear (F-1N has amazing laser-matte viewfinder screens)
- Finder Illuminator never works (it never fails on the Canon, and stays lit automatically for seconds)
- Tiny, fragile multiple-exposure lever on awkward location (Canon has a very rugged R button on the top which doubles as multiple-exposure switch)
- Overall, clear control placement, almost identical to the one on the previous F-1 (why Nikon didn't keep the shutter lock and self timer activation on the same location than in the F2?!)
- Hot shoe on prisms (versus only available for the F3 on the ultra expensive prism of the F3P)
- Meter relies on glass FRE resistor (versus bomb-proof meter system on the F-1N)
- No button or switch falls down on the Canon. Ever.
- Only one metering pattern (vs three available metering patterns)
- Only aperture-priority auto mode (vs Aperture, and Shutter-priority if any winder or motor is fitted.)
- Can't lock the aperture in stop down mode (vs lockable on the Canon)
- No rotating speed finder (Canon has an awesome one)

Now, to be fair, the F3 has some significant pros over the New F-1:

- Better, lighter motor system
- TTL flash (!)
- Memory lock
- Lighter/better balanced
- Mirror lock up
- Shutter, IMO, requires little or no maintenance. Canon's shutter, being higher tension, requires periodic maintenance otherwise it will make a slightly squeaky sound (this has nothing to do with the Canon A-series squeack). Mirror, on the Canon, can suffer from sticky lubricants if not serviced.

Things that both models need but lack:

- Exposure compensation warning on the viewfinder display (as in the Nikon FA and FE2)
- Lighter and smaller (Pentax LX)

You forgot the motor drive. How many F1 motor drive can still be used today?

Chan Tran · Jul 22, 2022

The F2AS was my first camera I bought in 1977. I later bought the plain prism as it was dirt cheap. I only had the camera for a number of years as someone stole it in 1984. I bought the F2HP in 82 with the MD-4 because the combo price is slightly less than the price of the MD-2 and the MB-1 battery pack. At the time I prefered the F2 but only bought the F3 for its motor drive.
As time goes by the F3 is my favorite camera. It have grown on me. I have F4S and F5. I don't like the F4 and like the F5 well but the F3 is still my favorite camera.
With both the F2 and F3 I actually like their special hot shoe rather than the ISO hot shoe on the newer camera. They were actually hot shoes designed to hold a flash. The hot shoe we have now started its liffe as the viewfinder shoe.
The F3 meter still works before frame 1 (or no film) in manual mode.

BrianShaw · Jul 22, 2022

Cholentpot said:
Wow Flav, that's some harshness on what many consider the pinnacle of manual focus SLRs.

It may be worst than Flavio describes... mine only has one mechanical speed.

Ko.Fe. · Jul 22, 2022

I got F2 as is for under $50 as source for curtains. But it came fully working and just needed quick mirror adjustment.
Been RF shooter from very beginning it never got under my skin, all mechanical SLR or something semi as F3.
But F2. It is build like Japanese heavy tractors they are using in Arctic, serviceable like nothing else, with simple tools. If I want photo camera which I could trust 100% in the middle of nowhere and -28 C, this is the one.
But in real life I let go to all of my Nikon gear and keeping couple of flimsy Leicas and two electronics only EOS.

Cholentpot · Jul 22, 2022

BrianShaw said:
It may be worst than Flavio describes... mine only has one mechanical speed.

I was wondering about there. Where did he find the second mechanical speed? Poking around online I think you can use T mode with the mechanical switch.

One time I was shooting an airshow and my batteries died and I forgot backup. I shot the whole thing at 1/90th or whatever the backup is. It worked well enough.

BradS · Jul 22, 2022

I've had the Nikon F2 for quite a while and am new to the Nikon F3. I absolutely love the Nikon F2 but the F3 is a better camera in every respect....ergonomics, features and functionality, screen brightness, shutter accuracy, meter accuracy and reliability, auto winder...everything about the F3 is better. Like the F2, the F3 is completely intuitive in use (except that I always forget to "turn it on") - I love how the light meter tells you which way to turn the aperture ring or shutter shutter speed dial. Oh, and I'm especially pleased with the fabulous TTL flash integration of the F3.

Nikon comparison

BradS · Jul 22, 2022

Cholentpot said:
One time I was shooting an airshow and my batteries died and I forgot backup. I shot the whole thing at 1/90th or whatever the backup is. It worked well enough.

Happened to me the last time I was in Peru (2006, when used Nikon FE were dirt cheap). I was carrying two Nikon FE...the film advance mechanism jammed on one...no problem, I still have the other....a few days later, the shutter speed selector mechanism on the other fell apart. The light meter failed and the camera appeared dead. I still had two weeks left in country! After a bit of futzing with it and creative application of packaging tape, I was able to set it to the 1/90 position and finish the trip.

When we got back to Lima, I found a jewlery store that was able to get the first one un-jammmed but it was the last two days before we flew home.

GregY · Jul 22, 2022

Nitroplait said:
The best Nikon of the 70’s/80’s era was the FE/FE2 - IMO.
Don’t get me wrong, I adore both the F2 and F3 (and F for that matter- I own them all), but the FE series are just better on all counts as a user camera, unless you need a camera for driving in nails.

Well they're really good cameras, but if you were used to the 100% viewfinder of the pro models...they didn't quite cut it.

Cholentpot · Jul 22, 2022

BradS said:
Happened to me the last time I was in Peru. I was carrying two Nikon FE...the film advance mechanism failed on one...no problem, I still have the other....a few days later, the shutter speed selector mechanism on the other on fell apart. The light meter failed and the camera appeared dead. I still had two weeks left in country! After several hours of carreful futzing with it and creative application of packaging tape, I was able to get it into the 1/90 position and finish the trip.

When we got back to Lima, I found a jewlery store that was able to get the first one un-jammmed but it was the last two days before we flew home.

Nightmare stories. I always bring a backup to my backup. Even if it's an XA. At the very very worst scraping the bottom of the photography barrel, I know I have my phone on me.

Chuck1 · Jul 22, 2022

Beattie intenscreen for the f2 is pretty nice

Nikon F3 vs F2 (My thoughts so far...)

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