Fe2 or F3?

[aaron_ng]

For a long time, I was after an FE2, but due to the high price, I went for the FA. The only pluses of the FE2 over the FA is the needle metering and the ability to set an 8 second manual shutter speed. The FA does low light metering just as well as the FE2 when it is put into center-weighted mode and does similarly in AMP mode. AMP mode doesn't work properly in the portrait orientation.

 

I'd say, go F3HP if you are after a tough body with a tough shutter. Go for the FE2 if you need high sync speed, the ability to use normal flashes and a smaller body. Be prepared to pay for a CLA and possible spare parts which are no made anymore for the FE2.

[eajames]

I shot with FE2s until the FM3a came out; over the next couple years I started to use two FM3as. They are very similar

cameras and almost ideal for what I do. I've also used an F3HP, and I agree, it's a more substantial camera.

 

Others may chime in to the contrary, but I would guess that Nikon USA provides better service for the F3HP than the FE2 -

let's not forget that F3HP production didn't stop too long ago. There are a bunch of newer top condition F3HPs out there.

 

How important is mirror lock-up to you? Racketing back the FE2's exposure-delay lever gets a bit old, and not having

precise control of when the exposure is made can yield lower quality photos.

[aidy_ledgard]

Just my 2 cents worth,i own both and like them both, the f3 has mirror lock-up which is important for longish exposures. Also a point worth mentioning is that if you prefer to look through the vewfinder with your LEFT eye then the f3 is the more comfortable camera to use because with the fe2 the film advance lever cannot be returned back to the flush position to shoot because this will turn the camera off. If you are right eyed this isn't an issue.