Are There Any Brand New F3s Out There?

Anybody know of a new F3 still in a dealer's hands (USA or Canada)?

Bill,<P>

 

Interestingly enough, just recently, in the current issue of Shutterbug, I saw a dealer ad for a new F3HP. Offhand I don't know the dealer name, but I'll see if I can find it. I believe the price was jacked way up - over $1200, I think it was; but it would be nice to have one (or more) brand new in the box, wouldn't it? Might actually be worth the premium.

Well, IMHO, they are only worth the premium if you are a collector. When a nice user F3 costs under $300, and an Ex+ F3 costs under $400, I can't see why anyone wouldn't prefer getting TWO very nice and completely functional used ones that each have over 80% of their working life ahead of them for notably less than one new one.

 

I own 3 F3s (2 with HP finders, 1 with action/sport finder), and 2 MD-4s. They are all in 100% functional condition, one is VG/Ex cosmetics, one Ex Cosmetics, and one Ex+ cosmetics, and I paid around $1200 for the entire lot of them combined, over the past 2 years.

B&H still lists them new(grey market) but the item is flagged "out of

stock" -as if they expected more from europe -worth a call, if you

want to spend $1299. $800 buys you a 9+. I searched all those sold

on eBay during the last month and checked KEH -looks like the price

for decent EX+ examples has gone up about a hundred bucks since

Douglas bought his, very predictable........

Vistek in Toronto has had several recently. Cost was extortionate, but if you have to ask the price...

Bill,

 

This is UK but might be of interest:

 

http://www.graysofwestminster.co.uk/products/new.html

 

I think at that money i would go for a FM3A.

Interestingly enough, I was at a photo show 2 weeks ago where a lady was trying to sell her F3 (standard finder, not HP) and she was trying to get $325 for it (in somewhere between Ex and Ex+ shape) and was unsuccessful in getting anyone to bite on it. One of the dealers I chatted with said that her price was right if it had a High Point finder on it, but that it was too high for the standard finder. One guy offerred her $290 for it, which she declined. If I had only owned 2 F3 bodies rather than 3, I'd have given her the $325 she was asking.

I don't follow camera prices- so it's strange to see such a workhorse going so cheap. Perhaps the F3 is like the 'classic' Saab 900- in production for so long that everyone who ever wanted one bought one.

Right now, B&H lists New USA <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bh2.sph/FrameWork.class?FNC=ProductActivator__Aproductlist_html___37458___NIF3HP___USA___CatID=269___SID=F163F4B9F20"> F3HP</a> as In Stock...for a mere $1,429.95 US.