This is a beautiful little jewel of a mechanical camera with just the right amount of automation. The Nikon FM3A can function perfectly without batteries, mechanically timing shutter speeds right out to its maximum of 1/4000th of a second, and its all-metal body is engineered to last a lifetime.
What makes the FM3A better than the handful of other high-grade mostly-manual 35mm SLRs still in production is that it taps into the extremely popular Nikon autofocus lens system. Thus you can indulge your Luddite tendencies while still being able to purchase the most modern lens designs at mass-market prices.
The FM3A offers aperture-priority autoexposure and through-the-lens flash exposure control. Film speed can be set via the DX codes on the film canisters. That's pretty much it for automation. Controls are a very traditional "two-dial" classic manual camera setup. You turn the lens aperture ring (Dial 1) to adjust aperture. You turn the shutter speed dial (Dial 2) on the top deck to adjust shutter speed. You turn the lens focus ring to focus (this doesn't rate a dial number in the autofocus world).
The viewfinder shows you aperture, shutter speed, camera exposure recommendation, and flash ready. In metered-manual you use a classic match-needle method: one needle shows the shutter speed you've set and the other the camera's recommendation. This makes it very easy to intentionally overexpose or underexpose by a fraction of an f-stop. You don't have to think, you can just look at the relative needle positions on the analog scale.
Viewfinder coverage is 93 percent and eye relief is poor. This is a small and light body with a small and light pentaprism. With my eyeglasses on I had trouble seeing the entire frame and the aperture/shutter speed displays. If you do wear eyeglasses, before buying the FM3A, make sure to check out "high-eyepoint" Nikon bodies such as the F-3HP, the F4, the F5, the N90, and the N100.
Despite its manual look, the FM3A includes modern through-the-lens flash metering and control of Nikon flashes. The camera does not take into account focussed distance when figuring flash exposure, i.e., it does not use the Nikon "D" system incorporated into the newest AF bodies. Flash duration is determined by a sensor reading the amount of light reflected by the film during exposure. When that light has become sufficient, the flash is shut down by a pin in the hot shoe.
Sync speed is a thoroughly modern 1/250th of a second.
The slickest flash feature on the FM3A is a clever little button next to the lens mount. This reduces flash output by 1 f-stop for fill flash in sunlight.
Depth of field preview is ideally-placed to fall underneath the middle finger when your index finger is on the shutter release.
Nikon figured out how to provide maximum utility with a minimum of controls. For example, the FM3A has no on-off switch. As with earlier Nikon bodies, you pull the film advance lever out to turn on the meter and unlock the shutter release.
Nikon does not include a strap with this camera.
We tested the FM3A with the 45/2.8P lens that Nikon introduced along with this camera. This lens is designed for maximum compactness and for cosmetic appeal when mounted on a traditional-style body like the FM3A. The great things about this lens:
The compactness of the lens works against usability at times. It takes an extra split second to find the focusing ring. And if you have clumsy fingers it is easy to nudge the aperture dial out of position as you're focusing.
The Nikon FM3A is a great camera that you could use very happily for the rest of your life and then hand down to your children. Until that day when you turn the camera over to your kids, you can throw it into a tote bag or backpack with the 45/2.8P lens and always be ready to capture the moment.
We think that the aperture-priority autoexposure feature is essential for anyone using negative film, where fine-tuning exposure is usually a waste of time. But if you don't need it or don't want it, you can save some money by purchasing a Nikon FM2.