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)