roger_cantwell1

<p>The 50mm 1.4 AF-S is noticeably soft to my eyes...it's not that different to my old 50mm 1.4 AI-S. I'd still prefer it to the 1.8, though, just because it has that very shallow DOF when you want it, Yes, I used Leicas for years...</p>

<p>It's not terribly expensive to have an F3 overhauled (OK, it might cost what you paid for it, but that's still not much). The meters on them stay within tolerance for longer than the one on an FM2 but they're not infallible.</p> <p>Incidentally, the F3 meter is more heavily centre-weighted than most cameras.</p>

<p>I've had mediocre lenses in the past from all manufacturers except (ha!) Leica. Bronica E 60mm was really poor*, so were Minolta MD 70-210 zoom and Nikon Series E 28mm (the Series E 35mm and 100mm are excellent, though, as are all the other Nikon AIS and AF lenses I've used). Other lenses in the range were fine, some stunning.<br> *annoyingly so, since it's the equivalent of a 35mm lens on 35mm film and is therefore very useful for weddings etc.</p>

<p>You probably want the FM2. Much lighter than the F series, fully mechanical shutter and you have that 1/4000 sec if you want it.</p>

<p>Spares don't seem to be a problem in the UK. Ive just sent an F3 off for a new LCD (yes, they CAN go dim eventually) and replacement of a missing AE lock button and it wasn't a problem. The parts are cheap, too. I'm surprised Nikon have stopped supporting it as production of the F3 only stopped in the last 15 years.</p>

<p>If you can focus manually (and for portraits, I wouldn't trust AF to find the eyes 100% of the time) there is nothing whatsoever wrong with the Series E 100mm. A good 100mm lens is so easy to make that even the Series E is as sharp as a tack. It will obviously be longer on a DX body, but that's no bad thing; pros often use 300mm lenses for face shots.</p>

<p>I don't think you read my sunbsequent post, Doug. They are not normally cheap in the UK. Anyway, it turned out that the "prism housing" I bought was actually the complete item, just bizarrely described, (which is why no-one else had bought it) so I don't have to swap the prism at all. Now I just have to do something about the usual missing AE lock button, which is unavailable everywhere I've tried (remaining stocks seemed to run out a few years ago at most of the usual places). It will probably have to be the new-style button and a stripdown.</p>

<p>Well yes, I thought of that first. Unfortunately cosmetically good prisms (i.e. not bashed-in) are fairly expensive on fleaBay in the UK, with few available. There are more around at reasonable prices in the US but shipping is prohibitive, as are customs and taxes. A prism for the equivalent of 25 GBP becomes 60-70 GBP by the time it turns up at my door. Same goes for complete F3 bodies; a nice one is usually pushing 200 GBP although I got this one for 40 GBP because the seller thought it was faulty. So I'll be fixing the prism I have. </p>

<p>I bought an F3 from eBay for a ridiculously small sum because the seller didn't realise the shutter needed batteries to work except at its single mechanical speed. It's actually fully functional except for the usual missing AE lock button, which is another project. Anyway, as is common with F3s, this one has had a hard life and at some point has had a whack on the prism housing which has dented it severely. The glass prism itself works OK and I have managed to find a replaccement housing in good condition (complete with viewfinder blind lever and eyepiece, which the original is missing), so need to do a swap. I know there are no electronics inside so it should just be a case of unscrewing the housing and removing the prism, but does anyone have any tips?<br> It's an original F3, not an F3HP. Thanks.</p>