Nikon F3 questions

[wayne_cornell2]

After spending a year with the F100 I walked into a local photo

store recently and came face-t0-face with an absolutely mint F3 with

the HP finder at a price I could't resist. It's a lot different than

my Nikon F or 30 years ago but also much the same -- quality from

the word go.

 

My main question (which I could answer through web research)

concerns the hotshoe mount. Are the adapters difficult to find and

how expensive are they? I don't plan to use a flash much but there

are times when it would be handy. Also I have a Sigma flash that

works TTL with the F100. Could it be used TTL on the F3?

 

Thanks

[lee hamiel]

Check this link for info

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/nikonf3ver2/flash/index.htm

[alan_wilder1]

Wayne, I've got one(AS-4) I'd be happy to sell if your interested. Conition is mint and was rarely used when I had my F3.

[akira]

Hi, Wayne,

 

The hotshoe adapter (AS-4) is still on the most recent Nikon accessory catalogue (dated 10th of March 2005), so there should be no hassle to find one. If you are ready to pay more, there are an AS-7 and a new adaptor AS-17 on the catalogue, too.

 

You can rewind the film with AS-7 attached on the hotshoe of the F3. With the AS-17, you can even use the TTL function of the newest SB-800 or 600 (not iTTL but the very basic TTL) and you can rotate the hotshoe and bounce the flash sideways using the Speedlite with a fixed head.

 

Hope this helps.

[akira]

Oops,

 

Here in Japan, the suggested retail price of the AS-7 is 2,500yen, AS-7 8,000yen and AS-17 16,000yen.

 

If your Sigma flash is TTL compatible with your F100, then the TTL function of it should work on the F3, too only if you use the AS-17 (not cheap).

[douglas_green1]

I would sound a cautionary note: The hotshoe attachment is the ONE badly designed aspect of the Nikon F3. In addition to being a pain in the rear to attach and remove when you need to rewind, it is also, from what I've heard, one of the only ways these cameras can get damaged without being abused. In some cases, the strain on the connection between the body and the hotshoe attachment when a significant sized flash is used can result in cracks in the circuit board that controls the camera's exposure system.

 

The short way of avoiding this is to use your flash on a flash bracket/grip with a sync cord that connects to the body. In addition to preventing your F3 from falling prey to it's only Achilles heel, this will provide a better ergonomic solution.

 

This is also one of the main reasons (along with a faster top sync speed) that the FE-2 and FM3a are better flash cameras than the F3.

 

Note that for the working press, Nikon fixed this by creating a version of the F3 with a hotshoe on the prism.

[Greg M]

Doug is absolutely right. The wafer thin, glass enclosed resister that controls the ambient light metering system is mounted underneath the rewind knob. I twice had to have the one in my F3 replaced because the flash was hit while mounted to the hotshoe, which cracked the resister. The ambient light metering system is rendered useless when this resister is cracked. In a weird twist, flash metering is not affected since the ISO rating is communicated mechanically via a lug on the outside of the shoe that mates to the flashes foot as the door is closed over the rewind assembly. Last time I checked that resister plate cost around $25 bought directly from Nikon's parts facility. If I ever planned to buy another F3 I'd buy 2-3 of those resisters for the day will come when Nikon stops making them. It's about the only weakness of that camera other than the way too slow flash sync speed.

 

If you do buy an adapter make sure you buy the one you need, as some only give you a flash sync post without TTL metering. Those are OK if you plan to shoot with something like a Vivitar 283 or with your Nikon unit in non-TTL automatic.

[david_h._hartman]

Get the AS-17 TTL flash adapter mentioned above. Get an SC-17

TTL Cord and mount the flash on a bracket or just an SB-17 for

occasional use.<br>

<br>

The F3 is a great camera for high magnification macro if that

interests you. You might consider a DW-4, 6x high magnification

waist level finder. If you want special focus screens, now would

be a good time to buy them.<br>

<br>

<em>The wafer thin, glass enclosed resister that controls the

ambient light metering system is mounted underneath the rewind

knob. --Greg Chappell</em><br>

<br>

Thats the FRE (functional resistance element). It might not

be a bad idea to purchase a spare. You might also want a spare

LCD for the meter and if you use an MD-4 a spare motor drive

coupling cover.<br>

<br>

Many folks mention that the lamp bulb for the meter burns out. A

friend tells me it usually not the bulb but rather the tiny

switch under the damned useless red button. If you use it you

might want a spare.<br>

<br>

Regards,<br>

<br>

Dave Hartman.

[wayne_cornell2]

Thanks for all the informative resopnses and offers. Given the options I think I will put together a bracket that mounts to the tripod screw and use a sync cord.

 

I loved my F and always wished I had moved on to the F2. From what I have read about the F3 and the workmanship of this camera I'm thrilled to get one even at this late date. Only trouble is this one is so clean I almost hate to use it. Oh, well, the F series wasn't designed to spend all the time in a display case.

 

Thanks again.