Own Nikkor H 28mm, Nikon E 50mm / 75-150; what body to use

[russharris]

Currently I'm shooting with an EM, I wear glasses and am blind as a bat w/out

them ("Oooooh, love, love, love your hair," he croons, talking to a potplant.).

 

I want a manual body with a viewfinder that allows me to see what I am shootin

and focus effortlessly. I am thinking of buying either an FE2 or an F3HP.

 

Most of my photos are street, but I also enjoy documentary-style as I live in

Israel and tend to see a fair amount of ancient architecture.

 

Listening to a Doors / Eagles / Nickleback compilation if that helps any.

 

TIA

 

Russ

[michaelging]

If you were alive when the doors were playing you will want and appreciate the F3HP. There is not easier to use camera for a person who wears glasses , and no sweeter winding lever than a F3.

[michaelging]

You can get the Grid screen if you want to shoot a lot of architecture

[Ed_Ingold]

The F3 needs batteries for its shutter timing. However, these watch batteries last a couple of years or more. Your fingers provide the power for winding and focusing. The F3HP is one sweet camera.

 

The tab on the body aperture coupling ring folds down for compatibility with pre-AIS lenses.

[breogan_gomez]

I wear glasses and I shoot with a FM2N. While I am very happy with this camera, It's difficult to see the whole frame at once.

[bwcombs]

Ditto on the F3HP, from a fellow optically-challenged shutterbug.

[gary_watson]

An F3 with the non-HP DE-2 finder is nice--and often cheaper than the DE3(HP)--equipped model.I'd also take a serious look at the F90x/N90s--good viewfinder+electronic rangefinder for focus confirmation, great with AI/AIS/AF lenses, too.

[russharris]

Thanks for your feedback everyone.

 

Born in '65 Michael, and my big sister ran with the Hell's Angels. So you're telling me the F3HP is the Mr MojoRising of SLRs?

 

And compared to that, no-one even rates the FE2, let alone mentions it?

 

Edward, it's nice to know the F3 is that accomodating with pre-AIS lenses.

 

Gary, thanks for the heads-up on the F90x. Amy Vitale,a photographer whose work I enjoy, cut her teeth on that (according to the Nikon ads). Although I must admit I've yet to see one of these babies in the flesh I'm not keen to get involved with something that has too many buttons.

[calarrick]

I think the FE2 lacks the 'fold up' AI tab, so that it cannot be used safely with unmodified pre-AI lenses. The earlier FE, however, like the F3, definitely has the fold-up tab for easier fitting with pre-AI lenses. This allows you to mount them without damaging the camera -- but you only get stop-down metering (the FE, F3, etc. all lack the older rabbit-ear aperture indexing system). I used an FE for a few years - not a big problem with eyeglasses but not especially great, either.

 

FE/FE2 is a smaller and lighter camera than the F3 (though not as tiny as the Pentax and Olympus SLRs of that day, and none of these are so giant as the high-end hulking monster D3 and Canon 1DMkwhatever DSLRs of today - the F3 is between a D80 and a D200 in size and the FE/FE2 somewhat smaller than either of those modern cameras).

 

I always kinda wanted an F3HP (for the high eyepoint viewfinder) but never got one. Now they are (fairly) inexpensive, because everyone has stopped using film -- but I've also stopped using film!

[Ray House]

I have owned and used both the N90X and F3. I have also parked my bike at the whisky and joined the party line on the sidewalk and listened to the doors. Go for the F3! Best regards, Ray

[russharris]

Ray - LoL, (sings) Break on through with a Nikon F3