Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
09-12-2020, 09:20 PM   #16
dms
Site Supporter
Site Supporter




Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: New York, NY
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 2,192
QuoteOriginally posted by LesDMess Quote
The Nikon FM3A is the only aperture priority camera today that has all shutter speeds available when batteries die. There have been some attempts at this capability - such as the Canon New F-1 and the Pentax LX but these two only had sync to max speed available when batteries expire. I suppose being the only camera with this capability makes it desirable but on top of that it was also a merger of features from two other very successful Nikon cameras - the FM2 and FE2.
To say a little more:
-- The FM/FM2 is possibly the most reliable camera made, FM2 is certainly so IMO. It is what I take unless submerging in water in which case it is NIkonos III (which is very robust--but not as much as FM2--which has never failed me.**
-- If I was going into the wilds for months and it had to work in all conditions w/ or w/o battery, I would take FM3A, and FM2n as back up.
-- It has everything one needs and nothing more.
-- The FE had a great indicated vs taking exposure indication, and the FM/FM2 had not so good system--the FM3A adopts the FE/FE2 system.
-- And as Stevebrot said, "very cool"
-- Personally I prefer to pay more to leave of features I don't want, can break, or end up getting turned on and screwing thing up.
-- If FM2n is going for 300+ for BGN at KEH, then FM3A for 600+ for BGN, is not unreasonable, and by no means expensive IMO.
_____
** Likely the same is true of the FM3A, but there is no very real experience spoken of, so one always worries whether there are some new fault(s) possible, hence I would take the FM2n as back up, not a second FM3A.


Last edited by dms; 09-12-2020 at 09:33 PM.
09-13-2020, 02:50 AM   #17
Veteran Member
Astro-Baby's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Reigate, Surrey
Posts: 764
When I trawl eBay its always interesting that AF cameras and digitals seem to go for next to nothing compared to their new price. There are a few exceptions like late Nikons and the Minolta Alphas but by and large its a manual focus market.
My Nikon F came at a premium price, its a very early one with the Nippon Kogaku engraving and its cost a bit to have it CLA’d and calibrated and have the lens serviced to relube it.....I didnt want to mess with it.
09-13-2020, 05:38 AM - 1 Like   #18
Pentaxian




Join Date: May 2007
Location: WW community of Pentax users
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 2,644
QuoteOriginally posted by LesDMess Quote
...BTW, that pancake 40mm lens shown in the magazine cover - released with the FM3A, is also very desirable and commands a hefty price tag. Kills me when I see Pentaxians complain about the Pentax pancake lens price which is usually available for much less . . .
That's a 45mm if I'm not mistaken. Oh so close in focal length to a famous 43mm lens
Only f/2.8 though
09-13-2020, 06:50 AM   #19
Pentaxian




Join Date: May 2011
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Photos: Albums
Posts: 3,234
QuoteOriginally posted by dms Quote
** Likely the same is true of the FM3A, but there is no very real experience spoken of, so one always worries whether there are some new fault(s) possible, hence I would take the FM2n as back up, not a second FM3A.
The FM2 has almost a twenty year record on the FM3A so there will be some catching up to do to prove it's reliability.

BTW, the K3 finder released with the FM3A is a split prism-image microprism type that never blacks out regardless of how slow the lens is. In fact, I have used it on my autobellows and it stays perfectly clear and bright all the time. Of course you can use it on it's older brethren too so it is not specific to the FM3A only. But as perfect as that sounds, if you are using a wide angle lens in a dark setting, it is impossible to tell if you are critically focused because everything looks in focus!

---------- Post added 09-13-20 at 08:57 AM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by Bart Quote
That's a 45mm if I'm not mistaken. Oh so close in focal length to a famous 43mm lens
Only f/2.8 though
You're absolutely right of course which makes it even closer in perspective to the much much cheaper 50mm lens!

Looking at sold listings on ebay, it seems to currently fetch as much as what I paid for my Nikon 50mm f1.2.



There is probably not a brighter view as a FM3A with a K3 screen and a 1.2 lens . . .


Last edited by LesDMess; 09-13-2020 at 07:00 AM.
09-13-2020, 09:04 AM   #20
Veteran Member
Astro-Baby's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Reigate, Surrey
Posts: 764
On reliability my 'F' is a 62 and as far as I can tell its probably never had a service in its life until I got it. When I ran the first test film through it the meter was a bit ditzy at times but the camera worked spot on. I just had it CLA'd and the meter calibrated for modern batteries - they aren't supposed to need messing with with modern batteries but I found mine was a bit wibbly wobbly so had it serviced, cleaned and adjusted and she works just fine now. I'd consider 58 years worth to be pretty reliable Just wish I had never sold my original pair during the dark days of the digital revolution. Lord knows what the lenses would cost now to replace. The search for an FM2N for a fiver goes on
09-13-2020, 11:26 AM - 1 Like   #21
Pentaxian




Join Date: May 2011
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Photos: Albums
Posts: 3,234
The Nikon F and F2 are really nice looking - but only when wearing their non-metered finders. And even though Nikon commissioned famous Italian car and industrial designer Giorgetto Giugiaro to design the exterior of the third generation F3, I don't think it improved on the looks. Worst, Nikon had the gall to restrict metering in the F3 until you've advanced a newly installed roll of film to position 1. They did this to all Nikon cameras with aperture priority.



Fortunately, Nikon realized the error of their ways when they designed the FM3A by restoring it's pointy viewfinder and not incorporating the meter restriction.



No doubt the short production cycle of the FM3A - as well as lower number and featureset, keeps it's price high.
09-13-2020, 12:02 PM   #22
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
RedRuff's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Midlands, UK
Posts: 145
QuoteOriginally posted by LesDMess Quote
Nikon had the gall to restrict metering in the F3 until you've advanced a newly installed roll of film to position 1
I was playing around with my FG last night with no film in and wondered why it was so fussy when it came to actually giving meter readings... thanks!

09-13-2020, 04:04 PM   #23
Site Supporter
Site Supporter




Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Toledo, OR
Posts: 851
Reading this article made me go dig out the Nikon kit I picked up. Could not remember the model. Turned out it is not an F anything. It is an EM. It came with a Nikon 1:1.8, Nikon E series zoom 70-210 1:4, Nikon speedlight sb-15 flash, Imado 2x teleconverter, and Imado 135mm 1:2.8. Have not researched any of it, but it is all in great condition and came to life with new batteries. I just received the seal kit for it. Looking forward to film testing it after that. Reason why I purchased it? It looked good, came with all the extras, was about half the price as comparable ones on ebay...and I had no Nikons. :-)

Don't mind me, carry on with your discussion now. lol
09-13-2020, 04:46 PM   #24
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
boriscleto's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: North Syracuse, NY
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 16,464
QuoteOriginally posted by Sam_I_am Quote
Reading this article made me go dig out the Nikon kit I picked up. Could not remember the model. Turned out it is not an F anything. It is an EM. It came with a Nikon 1:1.8, Nikon E series zoom 70-210 1:4, Nikon speedlight sb-15 flash, Imado 2x teleconverter, and Imado 135mm 1:2.8. Have not researched any of it, but it is all in great condition and came to life with new batteries. I just received the seal kit for it. Looking forward to film testing it after that. Reason why I purchased it? It looked good, came with all the extras, was about half the price as comparable ones on ebay...and I had no Nikons. :-)

Don't mind me, carry on with your discussion now. lol
The EM is a beginners level SLR kind of like the Pentax MV...In the sexist culture of 1970s Japan it was intended to be marketed to new women photographers.

Asahi was marketing the Spotmatic to hip girls in the 60s

09-13-2020, 05:01 PM   #25
Site Supporter
Site Supporter




Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Toledo, OR
Posts: 851
QuoteOriginally posted by boriscleto Quote
The EM is a beginners level SLR kind of like the Pentax MV...In the sexist culture of 1970s Japan it was intended to be marketed to new women photographers.
Maybe Astro-Baby would like it then....(as I duck and run before a brick in the shape of an XG-M gets chucked across the pond at me.)

09-13-2020, 07:52 PM   #26
Pentaxian




Join Date: May 2011
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Photos: Albums
Posts: 3,234
QuoteOriginally posted by RedRuff Quote
I was playing around with my FG last night with no film in and wondered why it was so fussy when it came to actually giving meter readings... thanks!
I know what you mean, with these older cameras you're never sure if that's how they function or it's just malfunctioning!
The Nikon FG was the most feature packed of the trio including the EM, FG & FG20.
09-13-2020, 08:03 PM   #27
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
pres589's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Wichita, KS
Photos: Albums
Posts: 4,506
There's no Nikon manual focus camera that can control the aperture of a lens in the body, right? Like how a Super Program can control lenses that do not have aperture rings. It seems like there are some late AF bodies like the F6 or F100 that can work with the latest "G" type lenses but nothing like an F3 or FG etc. Correct?
09-13-2020, 11:17 PM   #28
Veteran Member
Astro-Baby's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Reigate, Surrey
Posts: 764
QuoteOriginally posted by Sam_I_am Quote
Maybe Astro-Baby would like it then....(as I duck and run before a brick in the shape of an XG-M gets chucked across the pond at me.)

I will pass, the FG is known to be a hazard with reliability. It wasnt around long before the F301 booted it out of Nikons catalog.
The F301 is a funny old thing, most Nikonites hate it and it gets a slamming very often but I happen to like. The VF is just about the best you will ever see for brightness and contrast, speeds up to 2000th, AP and two program modes, autowinder/motor drive built in which is fast enough for most stuff.

Cheap as chips as runners, mines mint and came with a Nikon 35-105 zoom which performs well......paid £40 for it and well happy.

Its all electronic so no power means you are dead but it does use AAA batteries so easy to spare up and the batteries last ages anyway.

Its an ugly duckling on looks for sure with its scary plastic cyberdroid style but it does work well, used to be my carry camera back in the day.
09-14-2020, 07:14 AM   #29
dms
Site Supporter
Site Supporter




Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: New York, NY
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 2,192
QuoteOriginally posted by pres589 Quote
There's no Nikon manual focus camera that can control the aperture of a lens in the body, right? Like how a Super Program can control lenses that do not have aperture rings. It seems like there are some late AF bodies like the F6 or F100 that can work with the latest "G" type lenses but nothing like an F3 or FG etc. Correct?
I believe that is correct.

Also as in another post I believe the FM3A allows full control w/o restriction on advancing film, so one should be able to shoot 39 images that way. (Ken Rockwell says this is also the case w/ the FE. BTW many don't like his style but his comments on [for example] some of the older Pentax medium format cameras are well informed/useful.)

These posts are "problematic"--I always planned to add a working FE** with my FM2n, but now ...

_____
** I have a broken FE I use to check my pre AI lenses--so far all the Vivitar pre AI (including Vivitar T4 adapter) work on AI mounts w/o issues. But do check/be careful if doing so.

Last edited by dms; 09-14-2020 at 07:46 AM.
09-14-2020, 02:31 PM   #30
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
RedRuff's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Midlands, UK
Posts: 145
QuoteOriginally posted by Astro-Baby Quote
I will pass, the FG is known to be a hazard with reliability.
I heard that too, and the build quality is apparently a particular disservice to the Nikon brand. It certainly feels and definitely sounds like a cheap toy. I went through a phase of buying broken ME Supers on eBay and one of the auctions I won came with an FG. I was able to resurrect the FG but sadly not the Pentax.

I'm not sure how long it'll last and I don't use it very often but mine is "the little camera that could*"




*I've resurrected a few ME Supers but as backups for my good one, whereas the FG has had a good few rolls of film through it as its own "system"
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
50mm, camera, cameras, course, film, fm3a, lens, nikon, pm, post, quality
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Why are Used Wide Angle Lenses so Expensive? Lord Lucan Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 66 04-25-2020 07:47 PM
Why are the Q's so expensive?? EFats Pentax Q 81 11-04-2019 08:04 AM
So, why are new pentax lenses so expensive? texandrews Pentax Medium Format 63 08-20-2014 03:13 AM
Why is Q So Expensive? Micro 4/3? alstauffer Pentax Q 5 03-11-2012 12:53 PM
Why is the FA*28-70 so expensive? Clinton Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 56 08-25-2011 11:31 PM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 01:44 PM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top