The Nikon F3 is the best 35mm ever!

Film Noir · Apr 17, 2017

Best film camera ever produced buy Nikon or anyone really, was the F3 and all it's variations especially the F3p Press. They made it to NASA specs and was made to take the worst abuse in the field, It was the standard and still is to this day really, many F3's are really to roll. The F3 was specifically made to work in unison with the MD-4 motor drive. it could shoot 6fps without locking up the mirror and rewind a 36 exposure cassette in about 8 seconds. It was designed for Space Shutter missions with the Big camera 270expoure back an the little camera with 72 exposure back for space walks. camera electronics were guaranteed to function for over 20 years and the electronics themselves had to have a parts supply for 20 years, unheard of even in 2017. The camera was kept in production from 1979-80 up until 2002, it even was sold the along side the F4 and F5. The shutter is lifetime! The best of the best. It was even the first digital camera go to the link.

https://nikonrumors.com/2014/04/16/...ic-stills-cameras-used-by-nasa-in-space.aspx/

So there you have it. Hey I own Leica's Nikon's and Hasselblad's. I've used them all professionally for over the years, If I had to pick a film camera to take with me on a film assignment, it would be the F3p (press) mounted to my MD-4 no questions asked. Canon never really made or came close to the level of durability and reliability as Nikon did since the introduction of the original F, The F and the Nikkor glass is what sealed the fate of rangefinders, especially when motor drives were introduced. Canon F1 was good but not the same seamless function with the drive. Back then Canon lenses FD mount were average. Nikkors were far better and made more lens types for professionals. The F2 was better still to the F-1, F2 was full mechanical with variable shutter speeds from 1/125 to 1/2000 of a second. that's why they are green on the shutter speed dial. So if you needed an exposure of lets say f 8 at 1/700 of a second, it would do it, you just set the shutter dial between 1/500 and 1/1000. Unheard of from Canon. Olympus, Leica, Contax etc. Competitors move to electronically controlled shutters, The Canon AE-1 and A-1 were Canons response to the F3,not even close in durability and the glass, Nikkors AiS ruled and still do. Sorry it to those who don't agree, the facts are the facts, sales are sales and The F3 was the standard professional film Slr from 1980 to 2000. It is in the history books.

Sirius Glass · Apr 17, 2017

I like the Nikon F100 but it is controlled by batteries so one electronic failure and it will be out of business. Nikon no longer has the parts and does not support the camera.

TheRook · Apr 17, 2017

Sirius Glass said:
I like the Nikon F100 but it is controlled by batteries so one electronic failure and it will be out of business. Nikon no longer has the parts and does not support the camera.

Don't worry too much about it. Just shoot and shoot until it is dead.
Then give it a good funeral and buy another one!

ronnies · Apr 17, 2017

Film Noir said:
The Canon AE-1 and A-1 were Canons response to the F3

Great how Canon managed to get their responses out (1976 and 1978) before the F3 (1980) came out then.

Ronnie

Chris Livsey · Apr 17, 2017

Simply the Best

Perhaps?

BrianShaw · Apr 17, 2017

ronnies said:
Great how Canon managed to get their responses out (1976 and 1978) before the F3 (1980) came out then.

Ronnie

Apparently Canon needed a bit of a head start in their attempt to keep up with Nikon.

Paul Howell · Apr 17, 2017

https://nikonrumors.com/2014/04/16/...ic-stills-cameras-used-by-nasa-in-space.aspx/

So there you have it. Hey I own Leica's Nikon's and Hasselblad's. I've used them all professionally for over the years, If I had to pick a film camera to take with me on a film assignment, it would be the F3p (press) mounted to my MD-4 no questions asked.

I shot with a F3P for a few years before I retired as a PJ, I liked the F3P, easy to use, as mentioned a very good motor drive, after mine was ripped off at LAX I shot with all things a Sigma SA 9 and 7, today Minolta 9, 800, 600 and 9000, but if I was to shoot for money, film, F6 and F5, F5 is as rugged as the F3P, the F6 is still in production and supported by Nikon. In terms of rugged, I favor the F2, many and I many PJ keep shooting with F2s long after the F3 came out, it was in co production the F3 for many years. Not that the F3 was a bad camera, it wasn't, it was great camera in it's day.

flavio81 · Apr 17, 2017

Film Noir said:
Best film camera ever produced buy Nikon or anyone really, was the F3 (...)

That's your opinion. Perhaps you need to use more Nikon cameras like the F2 and the F4, both of which i would consider superior to the F3.

Film Noir said:
Canon never really made or came close to the level of durability and reliability as Nikon did

Perhaps you need to use more Canon cameras.

Film Noir said:
Back then Canon lenses FD mount were average.

Perhaps you need to use more Canon lenses. Like for example the Canon FD 85/1.2L, of f1.2 speed (Nikon does not offer a f1.2 85mm lens, not even today), and perfect optical performance, even wide open.

Film Noir said:
So if you needed an exposure of lets say f 8 at 1/700 of a second, it would do it, you just set the shutter dial between 1/500 and 1/1000. Unheard of from Canon. Olympus, Leica, Contax etc.

1. I own two Nikon F2 and i never had the need to use intermediate shutter speeds.
2. Leicaflex (all models) also have this feature
3. Yashica TL-Electro X also have this feature
4. The Nikon F3, if it's the ultimate or "best" Nikon, as you say, does not let you select intermediate speeds, so i guess this feature is not important according to you, as well.

Film Noir said:
Competitors move to electronically controlled shutters, The Canon AE-1 and A-1 were Canons response to the F3

1976 Canon AE-1
1978 Canon A-1
1980 Nikon F3
Yes, I guess Canon have a "Canon Crystal Ball" that lets them know in advance the release of future Nikon cameras.
Perhaps you need to read more camera history.

By the way, Canon's response to the F3 was the Canon New F-1. Which i guess you have not tried, otherwise you wouldn't make amazing statements like "Canon never really made or came close to the level of durability and reliability as Nikon did". My opinon is that the Canon New F-1 is a better camera than the Nikon F3 and i've owned both. In fact i sold my F3 to finance a Canon New F-1.

Film Noir said:
Sorry it to those who don't agree, the facts are the facts, sales are sales

Pentax Spotmatic and Pentax K-cameras, together, sold more than ALL Nikon F/F2/F3. I guess the Pentaxes are the real ultimate cameras then.

flavio81 · Apr 17, 2017

Film Noir said:
Hey I own Leica's Nikon's and Hasselblad's.

I did not know Leica purchased Nikon. And that Leica purchased Hasselblad.

Now i wonder why Leica had to ask Minolta for help in the 70s? They could have just used their own Nikon engineers!!

But this explains the high quality of Nikon cameras. They were supported by Leica!

Now I am happy that I own many of Leica's Nikon cameras. Now i don't have any urge to buy any Leica camera.

Leigh B · Apr 17, 2017

flavio81 said:
That's your opinion. Perhaps you need to use more Nikon cameras like the F2 and the F4, both of which i would consider superior to the F3.

I would agree with you about the F2. a real tank.
But not about the F4.

I was repairing Nikon cameras for the Washington DC press corps when the F4 came out.

The Nikon regional sales manager brought one in for us to dissect and evaluate. It was nowhere close to the build quality of either the F2 or F3. I did not like it then, and don't like it now.

flavio81 said:
Pentax Spotmatic and Pentax K-cameras, together, sold more than ALL Nikon F/F2/F3. I guess the Pentaxes are the real ultimate cameras then.

Chevy sold more cars than BMW. SO ? ? ?

Sales volume is determined 20% by product quality and 80% by consumer gullibility.

- Leigh

Sirius Glass · Apr 17, 2017

Sirius Glass said:
I like the Nikon F100 but it is controlled by batteries so one electronic failure and it will be out of business. Nikon no longer has the parts and does not support the camera.

TheRook said:
Don't worry too much about it. Just shoot and shoot until it is dead.
Then give it a good funeral and buy another one!

That is my plan.

Les Sarile · Apr 17, 2017

The Nikon F3 is a fine camera and system.

Qualities that I don't like:

Light switch not easy to operate
Meter preset until frame 1
Two controls to open back
I would have liked a larger VF magnification option

It has many qualities that I like:

Build quality
Smooth shutter advance
Will operate with the batteries in the motordrive when body cels die
Databack
Viewfinders
Flash support

mshchem · Apr 18, 2017

I have to say, my prettiest, Apollo F with plain prism, 2nd place F2A, for manual cameras. I love my F5, auto bracketing with Fujichrome is sweet. I have a mint F3, beautiful camera, but never fit my giant paw like a F2 or F5.

CMoore · Apr 18, 2017

Les Sarile said:
The Nikon F3 is a fine camera and system.

Qualities that I don't like:

Light switch not easy to operate

Meter preset until frame 1

Why does the F3 meter not function until the frame counter hits #1.?
What was the reason Nikon did that.?
Thank You

mshchem · Apr 18, 2017

CMoore said:
Why does the F3 meter not function until the frame counter hits #1.?
What was the reason Nikon did that.?
Thank You

I think they wanted to make sure you wound it far enough. The F3P didn’t do this. If I would load a roll of film in my original F3 it would show an 80th of a second and no light meter until I got to 1. Was always confusing. I ruined more slide film with my F3 . Tried shooting auto, the center weighting of the meter was so great. You had to grab a reading and push the AE hold button, then compose and shoot.

Theo Sulphate · Apr 18, 2017

CMoore said:
Why does the F3 meter not function until the frame counter hits #1.?
What was the reason Nikon did that.?
Thank You

What Nikon did was to have the camera fire at a fixed shutter speed prior to frame 1. Ostensibly this was to avoid accidental long exposure times if the shutter was set to a slow speed.

I wonder how many people were like me, who read the instruction manual carefully page by page but first pointed the camera around the room and were worried when the indicated speed didn't change. The manual didn't mention it till later.

My F3/T's:

(yes, I've added a strap to the other camera)

I have all the Nikons from the S2 rangefinder to the F4s. I don't consider the F3 to be the best Nikon for me. Also, having many Nikon, Canon, Leica, Minolta, Pentax, Olympus, Hasselblad, Rollei, Mamiya, etc., cameras, I don't think Nikon is necessarily the best for me, either.

Leigh B · Apr 18, 2017

Theo Sulphate said:
What Nikon did was to have the camera fire at a fixed shutter speed prior to frame 1. Ostensibly this was to avoid accidental long exposure times if the shutter was set to a slow speed.

If the camera is in A mode and the lens cap is on, the selected shutter speed can be quite long indeed.
This could be a real serious problem for professional shooters under time pressure.

This was easily avoided by using fixed shutter speed for the leader.

- Leigh

Les Sarile · Apr 18, 2017

CMoore said:
Why does the F3 meter not function until the frame counter hits #1.?
What was the reason Nikon did that.?
Thank You

When you put a new roll of film in, Nikon encourages you to ignore the earliest frames until frame 1. To get their promptly, you press the shutter and advance the film but they figure if you were in 'A' mode with the lenscap on (or otherwise dark setting) you might get stuck with a long exposure unwittingly so they preset the shutter to sync speed till then. Of course if you did get stuck with a long autoexposure, you can simply move the control off 'A' mode and it's done.

Nikon incorporated this feature in all it's 'A' mode capable cameras at that time such as the FG, FE2 and FA.

BTW, you can still use the early frames (loaded in darkness) if you can set the aperture - and/or light the scene, appropriately.

Chan Tran · Apr 18, 2017

I like the feature that the F3 stays on x sync speed when in A until it gets to frame 1. The only time I don't like it is when I want to test the shutter with the back open then I have to stick something in the little switch so that it can get pass frame 1.
Les! Of all the millions cameras in your collection you don't have an SB-16A so that you have to use an SB-16B with the very expensive AS-17?

Les Sarile · Apr 18, 2017

But Chan, what would be the point of getting the AS17 if I had the appropriate flashes . . .

carlostaiwan · Apr 18, 2017

People love the F3, I had one for several years and I ended up quite tired because of the LCD and the hot shoe.
The viewfinder is great, is fast, not too heavy, A mode and really soft crank mechanism
However: The lcd with the speeds, is too difficult to read, making too hard to shoot in Manual. I really like to use a flash, especially indoors, i adjust for the ambiance light, and shoot at f5.6-8 with a soft flash.

I ended up changing for an FM. I love to have the lightmeter with bright LEDs, I can shoot in complete darkness that I will get accurate metering. It has a hot shoe. It's lighter than the F3. They both look equally good.
If the Aperture mode is really important for you, you can consider the FE series.

The F4,F5,F6 and F100 technically are the best film cameras in my opinion. But... is like comparing apples with oranges.

flavio81 · Apr 18, 2017

filmconquistador said:
However: The lcd with the speeds, is too difficult to read, making too hard to shoot in Manual.

Exactly. This was my main problem with my F3. The F2 is really easy with the display, in particular the early photomics which clearly, brightly show the aperture and shutter speed, plus the bright, clear, meter needle. Nikon wanted to "go advanced" with the LCD display but they should have made it bigger...

The other problem is that here in my city*, so far, i've found 3 Nikon F3 cameras where the metering went dead, one of them being my camera. It worked just fine, i stored it on my camera bag unused for about 3 months, and when I picked up again, metering totally dead, declared unrepairable by my camera man (who doesn't give up easily...) It is sad, because when it works it's a very good meter.

There are other tiny annoyances with the F3, such as the LCD illuminator and the tiny LCD illuminator button. Also i didn't like the feel of the shutter button, because i can't easily feel where the trigger point is. The F2 is excellent in this regard, perhaps one of the best shutter button feels of any camera, any brand.

Other one is the AE lock button falling down (mine came already with this problem, found another F3 with the same problem). I mean, it's a minor problem, but... buttons falling down on a professional Nikon?

Then the achilles' heel, a design failure of the F3, is that the FRE (functional resistance element), one of the 'key' pieces in the metering system, a glass disc serving as a variable resistance, is located under the flash shoe, where the ASA dial is. So you fit a big, nice flash on it, then the camera gets knocked or the flash gets knocked really heavily, and this damages the FRE, then metering is dead. On the F2 the equivalent part is inside the Photomic. Of course, the F3 had a very long production run, so I guess they reinforced that section later.

* my city is a very humid city

Chan Tran · Apr 18, 2017

Les Sarile said:
But Chan, what would be the point of getting the AS17 if I had the appropriate flashes . . .

Well you can get the SB-16A and then the AS-17 to use with something like the SB-800 or a good number of third party flashes that were compatible with Nikon TTL.

Chan Tran · Apr 18, 2017

I think the light switch is a decorative element like the red stripe. I think it works very well for that function.

destroya · Apr 18, 2017

I really like my F3. I have the noraml prism, not the HP, which I prefer. THe thing I love about it is how dense it feels for its size. like its made of lead or something. its just feels more solid than other cameras its size. Im not saying other cameras are light....

I have not used mine in quite a qhile though, it might be time to take it out and give it a run. I just prefer these days to shoot my FE2 or FM3a for the reason that I really prefer the match needle meter. it just makes it a lot easier for me to quickly scan a scene and get a good idea of the range of tones and how much if any i need to adjust to get the shot the way I want it. IF the LCD on the F3 read the actual speed in the display, not just to the nearest shutter speed, that would be a great help. Too bad the T or P model didn't have a match needle readout. For me that would make the F3 the ultimate camera, again FOR ME

The Nikon F3 is the best 35mm ever!

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