Sell the flash, buy the F3?

Markok765 · Jul 8, 2009

I've been having battery problems with my F5. I put new batteries in a week ago, and only shot a roll or two, and its saying that my battery is too low to shoot. Therefore I'm thinking sell the flash [SB600] to my friend that shoots digital, as it works wirelessly with his D200, and get a nice reliable, not too battery dependent Nikon F3. Good course of action?

Ektagraphic · Jul 8, 2009

How often do you use that flash? If you can totally live without it I think it sound like a pretty good idea.

Markok765 · Jul 8, 2009

I've used it for some indoor stuff, but I could certainly get by without it, as I also have a Metz flash with PC cord adapter.

Thomas Wilson · Jul 8, 2009

Marko,

I have the F5 and F3 w/MD4. To be honest, I have not used the F3 in years (I barely use the F5 either). That said, I have never experienced any battery problems in the F5.

I would have a look at your "Custom settings" to see if by chance your F5 is staying on too long. I think there's a setting for that. I have a pdf cheat-sheet of the settings and codes somewhere. If need be, I can dig it up and send it to you.

As for the SB 600, dump it. Over-rated, under-powered piece of @%#**! Almost any Metz will out perform that flash. To be gentler, I should say it might perform ok as a secondary or low-powered slave unit, but as a primary, I would not consider it.

naeroscatu · Jul 8, 2009

Go for the F3. I recently got one in very good condition from KEH for $109 (body only) - marked as bargain but little brassing around corners is the only sign it was used. Can't go wrong with that.

Markok765 · Jul 8, 2009

Thomas Wilson said:
Marko,

I have the F5 and F3 w/MD4. To be honest, I have not used the F3 in years (I barely use the F5 either). That said, I have never experienced any battery problems in the F5.

I would have a look at your "Custom settings" to see if by chance your F5 is staying on too long. I think there's a setting for that. I have a pdf cheat-sheet of the settings and codes somewhere. If need be, I can dig it up and send it to you.

As for the SB 600, dump it. Over-rated, under-powered piece of @%#**! Almost any Metz will out perform that flash. To be gentler, I should say it might perform ok as a secondary or low-powered slave unit, but as a primary, I would not consider it.

Thomas, I think the battery problem is caused by water damage, as before it got soaked, wouldn't turn on, so i left it for a week or so, and tried again, and it mostly worked. Now I see this battery problem.

The 600 was good enough for almost everything I did, but now I'm going back to fast film and natural light.

archphoto · Jul 8, 2009

If you have had a water problem before: clean tha battery contacts first and see what happens.
Coroded or dirty battery contacts give resistance and therefore a low battery level warning.
Soaking a camera is seldom good for it (exept for the Nikonos ofcourse )

Peter

Markok765 · Jul 8, 2009

Cleaned it, still the same problem. Water got into the focus motor though the mount and screwed up focusing and battery.

Paul Sorensen · Jul 8, 2009

You might be able to get a Vivitar 283 or 285 and an F3 with the money from the flash, those things are really expensive. If you do that you will need the hot shoe adapter for the F3. I got a Nikon handle flash, probably from eBay but I am not sure, that I use with my F3 and it is fantastic. Actually, I also have a standard cable for it and use it with my RB67 too!

Mike Kennedy · Jul 8, 2009

Go with the F3HP Marko.......a few dollars more and you've got a fantastic finder. (I have 2)

Markok765 · Jul 8, 2009

I'm selling it for $200[CDN], probably used 15 times, with box and 2 year warranty. Good price?

Chaplain Jeff · Jul 10, 2009

Hey Marko,

I've got a user F3HP I'd sell you for an affordable price if you're interested.

Let me know.

Marcus S · Jul 10, 2009

Hello Marko,

I am with Mike, the F3 is a great camera. I used it many times with a large Metz and sometimes with a Vivitar 385. The Vivitar comes with a very sturdy spiral cord but you have to use a hotshoe. The sensor stays on the hotshoe and you can move the flash freely away from the camera. The hot shoe for the F3 is the AS-4. It slides and locks on the rewind.

Marcus

Soeren · Jul 10, 2009

Hmm I wonder why nobody suggested a Nikonos yet Sorry couldn't resist.
I have a F100, F90X, F3, FE2, a mirrorless FM and a FT3. The two that gets the most use are the F100 and the F3. The F3 and 3 lenses make a very compact kit IMHO, at least compared to the F100 and F90X. I'd consider a FM2n too if I were you. The finder is very good for lowlight shooting compared to the FE line and the F3 due to the +/- leds. I really miss shooting with my FM and consider getting it fixed or replaced by a FM2n. That said I find the F3 a very good camera, just remember to keep some extra batteries around.
Best regards

clayne · Jul 11, 2009

Can't go wrong with the F3. I have 3 of them. Either prism is fine (DE-2 or DE-3) and take whatever you can get. By the end of the year I'll be back down to 2 (I'll probably gift one to a photographer friend).

F3 represents a damn good era of photography and equipment in general.

darkosaric · Jul 11, 2009

Another thumb up for F3. I have 2 of them, perfect work, never failed.

John_Nikon_F · Jul 11, 2009

I recently got rid of my F3, partly due to the financial issues I've been having, and partly because I didn't like the meter readout. Unlike the F, F2, F4, F5, and F6, there's very little information given by the "+-" indication in the viewfinder that signifies correct exposure in manual mode. The only other F series body that's this way, is the Nikon F2S with the DP-2 finder. Personally, if you're looking for something more reliable, maybe look at an F2A. But, don't let water get inside it, otherwise, you might corrode the internal mechanical parts. Same with the F3.

I'm actually a bit happier now that I don't have the F3. Instead of replacing the F3, once I'm financially solvent again, I'm going to pick up a motor drive and a DP-12 F2AS prism for my F2, to replace the temporary DP-1 prism that replaced the original F2A DP-11 prism.

-J

bdial · Jul 11, 2009

I'm not sure what you mean by "not too battery dependant". Unless you want to use a shutter speed of 1/60, the F3 is completely battery dependant.
But, they are great cameras, and more than worth the 109 USD quoted earlier. If you want pure mechanical operation in an F series you'd need to drop back to the F2 realm.
If interchangeable finders aren't a priority then there are many newer choices.

Markok765 · Jul 11, 2009

By 'not too battery dependent' I mean, I won't have to change batteries often

bdial · Jul 11, 2009

OK, in that case, "not too battery dependant", applies. The internal battery is either a 3 v Lithium, or 2 1.5v's and will last pretty well. If you have a motor on it, then power comes from the 8 AA's in the motor. If you use the Energizer lithium AA's you'll cut down substantially on the weight, and get very good battery life, although those batteries cost a small fortune.
FWIW, Nikon claims the motor drives improve the camera's mechanical life since the motor delivers constant, pre-set torque, as opposed to a manual advance which varies.
I've never had a reason to try and verify that, but I've heard it from multiple Nikon reps.

Paul VanAudenhove · Jul 12, 2009

I'll second John's comment about the meter readout in the F3, I've not found it as useful as the meter display in the F2. The F3 doesn't show how much your exposure is out the way the F2 does. With the F2, I can see exactly how much over or under I am. But if you don't mind shooting in the auto mode, it's a lighter and easier to handle camera, and exposure compensation is easily dialed in.

After that, I must admit that my F2 is my preferred go-to camera!

Rick A · Jul 12, 2009

Marko-If you want to be less battery dependent, then dump ALL your Nikon gear and invest in an Olympus OM-3 or 3T The battery only operates the meter-the OM-3 shutter is totally mechanical, and manual exposure setting. Do some research and you might crave one.
BTW- did you shoot the band with the XA? If so - how did it go?
Rick

Iwagoshi · Jul 12, 2009

marcus schluschen said:
Hello Marko,

I am with Mike, the F3 is a great camera. I used it many times with a large Metz and sometimes with a Vivitar 385. The Vivitar comes with a very sturdy spiral cord but you have to use a hotshoe. The sensor stays on the hotshoe and you can move the flash freely away from the camera. The hot shoe for the F3 is the AS-4. It slides and locks on the rewind.

Marcus

Ditto:

A workhorse, I won't talk about the batteries on this rig.

Markok765 · Jul 12, 2009

ralnphot said:
Marko-If you want to be less battery dependent, then dump ALL your Nikon gear and invest in an Olympus OM-3 or 3T The battery only operates the meter-the OM-3 shutter is totally mechanical, and manual exposure setting. Do some research and you might crave one.
BTW- did you shoot the band with the XA? If so - how did it go?
Rick

Rick,

I'm considering dumping all of my Nikon gear and buying a Vogitlander 15mm f4.5 screwmount with finder for my Barnack[screwmount] Leica III.

Regarding the band shoot, here's the thread: (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

mikebarger · Jul 12, 2009

If I were backing up from an f3 I'd have to go to a Nikkormat or F, never liked the balance of the F2 with motor.

Mike

Sell the flash, buy the F3?

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