F3, FE2, FM2, FM3a

My choice would be

1. F3

2. FE2 and FM2 they are even

3. FM3a

I think the F3 belongs at the top of that list. I don't recall owning an FM2 or FM3a. The F2 and F4 are my favorite film bodies. I liked the FA a lot, too.

Stay sharp,

Bob

No 4K TV??? Wow I thought you're ready for 8K

Oh, I've had a 4k monitor since 2004. But my PVR is full of stuff I've had no time to watch, which delays my enthusiasm for upgrading it to a 4k one. Sometime. My employers are selling 8k TVs, and I've had my eye on the Dell monitor, but whether that translates to a living room update is another matter. When Apple get around to making a 4K MacBook I'll be a little more enthusiastic.

Andrew, don't hold back yet - tell us what you really think;)

I am the model of restraint, but I don't want BeBu to think I've stopped being an early adopter just because I'm not. :-)

Advantages I see (comparing Z7 to D850) are a) bigger viewfinder magnification (0.8x vs 0.75x), b) IBIS, and c) video (though I'd rather have the Z6 than the Z7 for that - if I was interested in video that is). If the three lenses currently are an indication of things to come, then optical quality will have to be added to the plus side for Nikon FX mirrorless as well; the three lenses available right now don't tempt me enough to part with a substantial amount of cash.

Oh, absolutely. There are advantages, some of which apply to me, some of which will increase over time (notably lens selection), and most of the disadvantages can be removed in a generation or two and aren't inherent to the Z mount or mirrorless. For what I shoot, currently my D850 is still the better body; I certainly don't expect that to be true of everybody. There are people for whom a FM3a is genuinely a better body for photography than a D850 - just not many!

I like the idea of the FA; I'm made very nervous by reports that most of them don't work...

Stay sharp

With a film camera? :-) (Ducks...)

FM2. If one insists on a number 2, I'll take a second FM2.

My F3 seems to have some sort of electronics issue as it consumes batteries way faster than it should; just the effect of aging electronics, which is why I tend to favour mechanical film cameras (with proper care). For similar reasons, I'm not very interested in a FE2, and the FM3a is simply way overpriced. The FM2 for me ticks all the right boxes, and mine sees regular use, though I mainly use another brand SLRs for film.

Well, I have a 1 V1. So Nikon mirrorless is secure, and obviously cx is the future. But if you'd like to play Santa, BeBu...

 

More seriously, tiny buffer, limited AF tracking, no metering or mechanical shutter above 5.5fps, worse battery life, one slot, no memory banks, no 14-bit 9fps, mild banding, heavier than a Df with the FTZ... There are advantages too, but it's no slam dunk, especially pending the roll out of new lenses. Give it a generation or two, especially since I don't own a 4k TV to view the video on.

 

Oddly mirrorless film cameras are more appealing at the moment!

I can see that you're not excited about the Zet so Nikon didn't do too well.