seb v. Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 My girlfriend is an F3 user. Her camera is totally beat up and handed down from her mother. I have found a 'new' FM3a and I want to buy it for her as a present. It is an ex-demo 'salesman's' black body in mint condition. Will she consider this camera an upgrade from her F3 or will it just be a nicer version of a lesser camera? I would welome sugestions. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anupam Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 I wouldn't consider it an upgrade. Although for many purposes they are comparable - the F3 is better at the modular flexibility of finders, MLU etc while the FM3a can run without batteries and uses standard flash and is even a bit lighter. -A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert_Lai Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 It's a very nice camera on its own. You should get it while it's still available. The flash synch speed is higher at 1/250, the top shutter speed is also higher at 1/4000, and it will still work without batteries.<p>However, if she is used to the feel of an F3, the FM3a doesn't have the same heft and ergonomics. No matter how beat up it looks like on the outside, the inside still gives a very smooth winding, a 100% finder view, incredible low light timed exposures on automatic (in excess of 1 hour), interchangable finders, backs and a great motor drive in the MD4. I love my F3, and I suspect that she loves hers too. However, I wouldn't turn down a nice new FM3a, and I don't think she would either. I think you're a great guy to give her such a nice present. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben conover Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 Hi, depends if she really wants un upgrade, perhaps she'd love the FM3a anyhow. If it's in mint condition that's great, why not ask her what she thinks of the FM3a and then buy it, or not. I just bought a very nice F3HP and can't wait to use it. They are not that pricey, paid $250 for mine. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben conover Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 I agree with Robert above, it's a very nice gift. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seb v. Posted August 23, 2006 Author Share Posted August 23, 2006 Thanks for such prompt answers. The FM3a is 900 bucks. A lot of money I know, but it is new in box and has 1 year warranty so I figure a premium is worth it. What do you mean about the viewfinder? I am a rangefinder man but I always thought SLR viewfinders were 'what you see is what you shoot.' Am I to understand that this is not the case with the FM3a? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard_cochran Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 It's not entirely an upgrade, but not entirely a downgrade either. <p> The FM3a has a really nice metering display, a nice hotshoe located right on top of the prism, a faster flash sync, faster top shutter speed (not that that's so important), and a slightly lighter weight and smaller prism. If she does a lot of on-camera flash work, the FM3a's hot shoe, TTL flash metering, and flash sync speed are definite advantages over the F3. <p> The F3 has a much nicer feel and more solid construction. It has much nicer accessories available. Does she use a motor drive? The MD-4 is light years ahead of the MD-12 (you might consider getting her an MD-4 if she doesn't already have one). <p> If she wears glasses, she may hate the short eye relief of the FM3a, though this varies a lot from one person to the next. <p> When you say her camera is "totally beat up", do you just mean cosmetically? Or are their parts of it that really don't function? Personally, I'd prefer a cosmetically banged up but fully functional F3 over a brand new FM3a in its original box, but that's me. <p> It's nice to have a couple of bodies with slightly different strengths. They use exactly the same lenses and batteries, and it's easy to switch from one to the other, so they make a nice pair. Just don't be too upset if the F3 still sees lots of use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janvanlaethem Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 I use an FM3a, F3HP and F801s and all three are excellent cameras. The FM3a is smaller and lighter than the F3 and makes for a great camera to always have around. Plus points, as pointed out above, are the 1/250sec shutter sync speed, 1/4000sec maximum shutter speed and full operation without batteries, although you obviously loose the metering option. The F3 is better built and has more options, like interchangeable viewfinders. If that is a valuable option to have, only she will know. All depends on what subjects she is interested in. Get her an FM3a as a back-up body to the F3, although 900 dollars seems a lot of money for a demo camera. There should be cheaper ones available in excellent or near mint condition. Try shopping at KEH for used gear. Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShunCheung Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 When the FM3a was available new, until a few months or maybe a year ago, it was in the $500+ range, new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wmwhee Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 I bought a fm3a four or five years ago, when nikon first introduced the camera, and I like it a lot. I have not used a f3, but hear only positive things about it. $900.00 sounds like a lot of money for the fm3a. I would think you could buy either a mint fm3a or a mint f3 for less money. Look around. Also, consider consulting your girlfriend about her own preference. (It's a big investment.) You could tell her up front that you would like to give her a camera as a gift, her choice, a f3 or fm3a. Just a thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gman Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 If she has a lot of F3 accessories then I would say get her another F3 since they are really cheap right now. For 900 bucks you could get her another F3 in good shape and other items she might need like a camera bag, tripod, new/used lens or a flash. Just some food for thought! W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben conover Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 Wow! $900 is a lot of cash to spend on a camera. For that money you can get an excellent Fuji GSW690111 rangefinder. The film size is five times bigger than 35mm. The viewfinder is amazingly bright, and your girlfriend might like an alternative to the slr view of life. Plus, being a rangefinder guy you'd be jealous of her new camera! Actually, you could get her two F3's in excellent condition, and a Bronica ETRS with lens, roll film back, and finder. $900 is alot of cash for a film camera. Cheers.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbender Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 I use an FM3a as my primary body, and agree with everyone else that $900 is too much for that camera. Don't misunderstand, I love my FM3a, but I would never pay $900 for it. KEH has a black LN- one for $645. I think even that is a bit too much, but the price has probably been elevated by a lack of supply. If she likes the F3, how about another one in better condition. KEH has EX+ F3's for ~$400. If she doesn't like the F3, how about an F100 or an F5 system. Those are both $900 or less now. Either way, you need to get her input on this, even if it ends up being a present. She probably needs to hold the camera and try using it, even if only for a few minutes in a shop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tri-x1 Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 $900 seems steep even for a new FM3. For a one-third that amount you can get a good FE2 or FM2 that has nearly all the features of the FM3. If your girlfriend shoots a lot of flash pictures, the FM series has some advantages because of a higher sync speed. From a quality standpoint the FMs aren't in the same league with the F3 HP. The F3 was made by real craftsmen. The FMs and FEs have more of an "assembly line" feel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben conover Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 You can get an excellent F3 from ebay for $250 if you look hard enough. $900 would get her a very nice F5. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oceanphysics Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 $900 is beyond ridiculous for any consumer-level camera. Normally the only people strange enough to consider that would be collectors who never intend to remove it from the box. And don't get me started on them. If you intend to use it you can get a used FE2 that is the functional equivalent for a bit over $100. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oceanphysics Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 Furthermore it is in almost any objective sense a major downgrade. Somewhat better flash capability is all it has going for it. So does a $100 FE2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay_miao1 Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 For 900 USD dollars, you may easily get TWO mint if not like-new F3 bodies (from KEH's standard their Ex+ would be a mint- to mint condition on the bay). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
._._z Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 When it comes to something as personal as a camera body, you shouldn't make choices for someone else. Tell her you want to get her a new camera, and give her a budget. Let her choose what she wants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShunCheung Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 <I>Will she consider this camera an upgrade from her F3 or will it just be a nicer version of a lesser camera?</I> <P> There really is only one person who can answer that question. Perhaps doing so is against all the "rules," but I too suggest that you talk to her about this and see whether she likes the FM3a or perhaps a used FM2n, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ky2 Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 Seb, I don't know much about you, but I don't ask my beloved ones for suggestions or approvals when I want to buy them something-- this would be like buying a gift card, which I consider as an insult. Buying something makes it worth more. Regardless of specs, ruggedness, or whatever feelings she has/hasn't for her F3. If you feel the Fm3a is what you want to give her, then make that Fm3a special-- not only to her, but to you as well. As a camera, it's VERY comparable to the F3 (I shoot both an Fm3a and F3hp). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_pieniazek Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 I have a complete mint F3 package for sale in the classifieds for less than $600 including flash, lens, motor drive etc. So it would seem that $900 for the A model is a little much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_kelly13 Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 KEH has a black FM3a today in "LN-" which in their ultra conservative grading system means about perfect, for $645. In your place I would grab it and without consulting the recipient and spoiling the surprise. Wonderful as the F3 is, the FM3a, smaller and lighter, is a much easier camera to have with you all day -with a short lens it can be dropped into a woman's ordinary handbag without taking up much room. If she wears glasses the short eye relief might bother her but it is returnable no questions asked for a couple of weeks. It would very nicely complement her F3, and though not quite as smooth to wind it is well-enough made so that she will probably be passing it on to her grandchildren. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
._._z Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 <i><blockquote> Buying something makes it worth more. </blockquote> </i><p> Yes, of course. x=x+1 <p> <i><blockquote> I don't ask my beloved ones for suggestions or approvals when I want to buy them something </blockquote> </i><p> And what happens when Seb's girlfriend puts the purchase in a closet because she doesn't like the handling, or had been thinking about a digital camera, or a different brand, or a camera with autofocus? Camera handling pereferences are rather personal, Seb, and if you want give a gift that will be used and most desired and appreciated, see what she wants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nolan_ross Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 Buying gifts for someone special is always a risk. What if they don't like it? Well that goes through all our minds. You have to take risks with this type thing. Purchase something that you like and with a good heart and it will be a winner. The FM3A is very nice. It has a modern sync speed and has ttl flash also. I love fill flash and the FM3A is a star in this area when compared to any other manual focus camera. I am not saying it's a better camera then the F3 but it does have some things about it that the F3 does not. They are both nice and a little different. Here is a websight about viewfinders: If she wears glasses the FM3A might not be the best camera for her. Contacts are ok. It has to do with how close the eye is to the camera. Glasses keep your eye back a little bit. http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/viewfinders.shtml Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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