The Nikon F3 is the best 35mm ever!

[Tach]

I learnt photography with a F3 (not HP), so I have a soft spot for it. It is a rock-solid unbreakable chunk of photographic precision.

My favourite features/thingies:
a) Metering pattern. I use it as a fat spot meter.
b) 100% viewfinder.
c) AE exposure that works flawlessly with negative EVs.
d) Mirror lockup.
e) Policemen, security guards and busybodies tend to associate it automatically with 'press'. I have gotten access to places I shouldn't have just by having it hanging from my neck. Something about a black blob of metal with 'NIKON' in white letters...

My not so favourite features:
a) +/- over/underexposure signals. You do not know how much you are over/underexposing, unlike a metering needle. If I want to place a shadow in Zone III, I must first place it in zone V with the meter, to fix exposure, and then close aperture or adjust shutter speed. A metering needle would let me fix exposure 2 stops under in one step.

b) The lcd panel is unreadable in low light, and the red button is not a high point of ergonomics/design/function.

c) The AE lock button is quite unresponsive. I am never sure if I pressed it enough, so I tend to press too hard, and this affects the natural flow of handling of the camera, making it stiff and mechanical.

d) Mirror slap/shutter. KA-CHACK! I remember shooting in a funeral that was held in our parlament. Everybody was silent, and the shutter sounded like rifle fire in the burning chapel. I finally went with mirror lockup (composing before locking the mirror!) in order to tame it a little.

e) Not true spot meter.

f) No shutter priority. It would be nice for shooting rock concerts, with changing light by the second, low overall light, and the slow speeds associated.

g) A bit too big. Takes a lot of space in my backpack; right now I use it for planned shoots, but my carrying camera right now is a Canonet QL-L.

 

[Tach]

Ops... forgot one point. It's subjective, but I find it the best looking SLR ever made.

 

[bjorke]

Oops, read the "3" sideways and thought you were saying "Nikon FM is the best..." which I would have at least put in the top five. F3? Not in ROI terms.

My top 5 35mm list would be dominated by 80's cameras:

• Contax RTS (glass - who cares about the body, tho they're tanks)
• Canon A-1 and variants (light, fast, cheap, what's not to like?)
• FM and variants (likewise)
• OM-1 and variants (light, not cheap, quiet, nice 21mm lenses - the f3.5 is tiny, and the f/2 is fast)
• LeicaM/ContaxG (endless wars related to the value of individual features, both with glass that are head and shoulders above any SLR)

...which sadly leaves out some good RF compacts like the Oly RC, Canon G-III or the little Rollei 35, as well as the Great Titan of Old, the Nikon F2.

I had an EOS for a while around 1992, kept going back to my A-1 and F-1. Sold it & bought a 20mm and a 135 f/2 Now I'm back on EOS for the digi, but still prefer to focus by hand. Call me regressive, it works with what my hands and brain are used to.

 

[Flotsam]

I like my Contax S2, the over-priced, esoteric, protest 35mm SLR body against the plastic, auto-focus, auto-exposure, auto-wind, multi-function, LCD Screened film exposing devices that dominate the market. Reasons beyond pure, heel-planting, luddite, pig-headedness? The Glass, the Glass and the glass and the narrow hard-edged TTL spot meter compliments my handheld incident to cover just about any subject and light.

 

[Stan. L-B]

To get back on track: I have been using my two F3s since their purchase in the late l970s. I have not encountered any problems with the cameras. The 105mm Nikkor needed attention on the auto/iris which was attended to after twenty years hard use - free of charge!
I do however, get the cameras serviced by Nikon every two years or so.

I still think they are the best cameras in their class, and have justification to be just a tad biased.

 

[sparx]

I have tried a couple of Nikons (F80 & F90x) and a couple of EOS's (100 & 300v) and am still more than happy with my OM40(PC). Its small, light yet solid and has Zukio lenses. I do want an OM2sp or an OM4ti though.

 

[MSchuler]

I've been using an F3 for a couple of years (other cameras: N60 [crap],FM2 and Mamiya C330s) and am relatively happy with it: the viewfinder is essentially full-frame; I can replace the screen and finder (often using a waist-level finder for street photography); it has mirror lock-up; and it will take any f-mount lens Nikon has made. Down sides: non-standard hot-shoe and slow sync speed (not a problem as I mostly do available light), only has aperture-priority and manual modes. If I had the money, I might have a FM3 instead - assuming that I want to stay with Nikon.

 

[Lee Shively]

My original post saying the F3 sucks is likely colored by my experience with only one sample of the camera. It was an early model--pre-HP. And it truly was wretched. The only worse experience I ever had with any Nikon was with the motors for the first model FM. The entire staff at the newspaper where I worked bought FM's with motors and none of us could keep the motors working. I finally removed the motor from mine and smashed it in the street while on an assignment at which both the F3 with motordrive and the FM motordrive froze. I never regretted that impulsive, destructive moment because the FM camera body worked from that point on. The lesson is never buy the first year model of anything. I ended up buying used F2 bodies from then on. Never a failure and never a problem with an F2 motor despite lots of rough treatment and heavy use.

 

[Ara Ghajanian]

Thanks to everyone for their responses both positive and negative. I can always count on APUGers to be highly opinionated. Keep the comments coming and look for my next post "Why Leicas Suck" (my reason: I can't afford one).

By the way, one positive people didn't mention: the motor drive sounds like the beginning of Duran Duran's "Girls on Film". Think about it, that song is going to sound really obsolete in a few years when film is outlawed and digital is welcomed by the photographic community as the standard (sarcasm... don't get your panties in a bind).

 

[lensworker]

I would say that the Nikon F3 is one of the two finest 35mm SLRs ever made; the other one is the Nikon FM2n. I have done alot of shooting with the F3 and FM2n and have found both to be extremely durable and reliable. The F3 has a true system built around it - motor drive, interchangable viewfinders and focusing screens, etc. F3 bodies are very affordable on the used market - one real benefit of the digital hysteria.

If you know how to work a camera and don't need or want automatic everything, you can't go wrong with an F3 or FM2n, IMO.

 

[Edwin]

For 20 years, I have depended upon Nikon's professional cameras -- particularly the F3 -- and have never once been disappointed. Not one failure of any kind. Most other photojournalists I have known also used F3's -- until digital became the norm for newspapers -- and they also expressed the same confidence in their equipment. I am sorry to hear that some may have had a bad experience with the F3, but I am sure such incidents are rare.

The F3 was, and (IMHO) still is, the finest small format SLR ever made. As for the "non-standard" hotshoe, I never cared for Nikon's Speedlights anyway (I prefer Metz or Sunpak handlemounts).

Having said that, I must ad that I am not too trusting of anything -- no matter how confident one is in it's dependability -- thus a backup camera is essential. When I was in the trenches, mine was an Nikon F2 -- it also performed flawlessly and is still in use today.

 

[modafoto]

My second opinion on this:

I think the Contax RTS and the Canon EOS 1 VHS are better.

If I was to choose a Nikon I would go with F5 (or F6). I don't like the ealier F's, especially not F4.

 

[Andy K]

What about the Nikon FA? I have heard good things about that camera.

 

[Soeren]

I have tried a couple of Nikons (F80 & F90x) and a couple of EOS's (100 & 300v) and am still more than happy with my OM40(PC). Its small, light yet solid and has Zukio lenses. I do want an OM2sp or an OM4ti though.

You wouldn't want a OM 2 SP if you knew how fast it drains the battery. I had one back then when it was new and I couldn't afford film cause of the ammount of money used on battereries
The OM 1 and OM 2n in good condition must be in top five with FE, FE 2, FM2n, F100 and F90X. Eeh top five ? Hmm counting never was my strong point
Regards Søren

 

[modafoto]

The OM 1 and OM 2n in good condition must be in top five with FE, FE 2, FM2n, F100 and F90X.

I have a GREAT OM1 laying around with a motor winder and a 50 mm f/1.8, sadly I never use it as I only have this one lens...

 

[Andy K]

Nothing wrong with only having a 50mm lens Morten... I have a Praktica with six lenses and an OM 10 with only one. I like to use the OM10 because it encourages me to think more carefully about each shot.

 

[Soeren]

I have a GREAT OM1 laying around with a motor winder and a 50 mm f/1.8, sadly I never use it as I only have this one lens...

My last Olympus outfit before I switched to Nikon was the OM1 and OM2n
a 28mm f/2,8; 50mm f/1,8; 135mm f/3,5 and a 300mm f/4,5. One body and the first three lenses made a very light and compact traveloutfit. The only thing missing on the OM1 was a true multiexposure button.
Use it and consider one lens only a challenge.
Regards Søren

 

[modafoto]

Nothing wrong with only having a 50mm lens Morten... I have a Praktica with six lenses and an OM 10 with only one. I like to use the OM10 because it encourages me to think more carefully about each shot.

I know. But I have a 50 mm for my Canon EOS as well and the meter in the Canon is SO precise. So I rarely take it out...I may put it up for sale on APUG soon....

 

[Soeren]

I know. But I have a 50 mm for my Canon EOS as well and the meter in the Canon is SO precise. So I rarely take it out...I may put it up for sale on APUG soon....

Is this slide over- or underexposed, OM1 with 135mm, 25mm extensionring on, I think, fuji provia 100.

 

[titrisol]

Nicely exposed Soeren!

 

[modafoto]

Is this slide over- or underexposed, OM1 with 135mm, 25mm extensionring on, I think, fuji provia 100.

I like it!

 

[Soeren]

Thanks both
Søren

 

[lkorell]

I have (2) F4s, (2) FM2N, and an F3T. I love them all for their qualities and durability. I will say that there is no best camera since there is only a best camera for a particular situation. For all around greatest 35mm though you can't beat the FM2N. It is built to take a beating, is mechanically very sound, and with the older fantastic Nikon optics, is an unbeatable combination. The only feature it has is me. I decide what it should do. If I make a good picture, it's because of what I saw and did, same for when I make a bad picture. The camera is only a tool in the process with zero participation of its own.
In trickier situations the F4 or F3 might have a few needed extras to produce the right elements you are looking for.
I have only had one Leica, the IIIf. It was a work of art but a very inconvenient camera for my lack of rangefinder knowledge.
I also own Hasselblad equipment and no matter what other cameras can do, the Hasselblad never disappoints.
For digital - of course - I use Canon.

If I was to comment on the F3 for quality, it is an awesome camera to use and to hold. The flash features are not its strong point but with the right gear, flash is not an issue. It is a great available light camera though and packed with features for adjusting exposure. I'll never sell mine.

Lou

 

[roteague]

If I was to comment on the F3 for quality, it is an awesome camera to use and to hold.

I had an early model F3. It was a nightmare - I replaced the circuit board 3 times in the first 10 or so years. It hasn't worked for the last 6 years, so it has now become a paperweight.

 

[Ara Ghajanian]

I had an early model F3. It was a nightmare - I replaced the circuit board 3 times in the first 10 or so years. It hasn't worked for the last 6 years, so it has now become a paperweight.

After reading Roteague's reply I've decided to sell my F3.