Best wind-up/manual Nikon for me?

[daniel_johnson6]

<p>I use an FE all the time. I shoot with it everyday, and love it. Such a wonderful camera. The FA is a cool camera, but always felt a bit heavy to me. The FE is light, but rugged. Gives you AP and the cool AUTO function which is great for nighttime shots.<br>

Of course, you'll probably be happy with any of these fine cameras. I don't think there is a wrong choice.<br>

Then once you have your new camera, use it! These older cameras love to work! Have fun!</p>

[bob_sunley]

<p>The F3 has a LCD meter display in the viewfinder. Look at the link to the manual that was posted. Cdn prices can be quite different than US ones. Ebay is a crap shoot at best, you might get a bargain, or a box of parts. Used film camera prices are going up, not down. Use keh.com for pricing guidelines, they are a HUGE reseller of used equipment and their gradings are very conservative, an EX+ camera will look like it just came out of the box usually. They give you a moneyback warranty as well.</p>

[bebu_lamar]

<p>The F3HP uses LCD (not LED) but is similar. As for whether needle is better you have to see for yourself. </p>

[bgelfand]

<p>I will make a slightly different recommendation - the F100.</p>

<p>Set the exposure mode to manual, set the focus to manual, you have a manual camera. Set the light meter to center weight; it emulates the older Nikon F series camera. </p>

<p>You also have a camera that has ready parts availability and is still serviced by Nikon and most Independent Nikon Service facilities. The F100 accepts most Ai/Ais lenses as well as the latest "G" lenses and VR lenses. It takes AA batteries that are readily available around the world. The only item on your list that it does not have is manual film advance. </p>

 

[Dieter Schaefer]

<blockquote>

<p>I'm also assuming that if the battery runs out on the FE2, that you can't run it manually like the F3HP, correct?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Both cameras are essentially dead in the water without battery - one shutter speed only.<br /> I take the F3 over the FE2 any day. But be aware that the metering in the F3 is more weighted towards the center 12mm circle 80:20 vs the standard 60:40 in other manual focus Nikons. Had the FA been available when I got my F3, I would not have hesitated a second to go for it - for the AMP metering alone (and the option to have A, S, and M (never cared about P). But the best manual focus camera in Nikon's lineup is the F4; the AF is forgettable but the rest is just superb. Forget the MB-21 (of the F4s), the MB-20 makes this into one very nicely handling unit. But of course - no manual film advance.</p>

[Two23]

<p>If I recall correctly, the Nikon F4 was the heaviest camera Nikon ever made. :-)</p>

<p>Kent in SD</p>

[andylynn]

<p>My F3HP is a BGN from Keh. They sell for $99 and I'd take one over most of what's on Ebay - your get some wear, cosmetic only, if it has any functional problems they'll take it back and be polite about it.</p>

<p>BTW, the FE2 is also a really excellent camera. I'm only not recommending it because I think you'd find it too small, and the finder is not as good when wearing glasses.</p>

[ruslan]

<p>FE2 or FA</p>

[leslie_cheung]

<p>If you like them big and heavy, F3HP. If you like them small and sleek, FM3A/FE2</p>

[jose_angel]

<blockquote>

<p><em>Just to get this straight, the F3HP uses the LED light meter system, whereas the FE2 uses the needle right?</em><br /><em>I've heard that the needle is preferred, wonder if it's that big of a deal.</em></p>

</blockquote>

<p>If you`re in manual mode, you control the exposure with a tiny "+" or "-" in the right side of the LCD screen, something not so neat for many... some prefer the "LED" light system (up+down arrows) or even the classic "needle system". In the F3 the LCD screen is not that great, but it is not a huge problem; the camera is "mostly designed" to be used in AE mode, where you can easily have a fast look at the shutter speed.<br /> I by far prefer to use aperture priority mode. But if I had to control exposure manually, I personally prefer a LED system first, or even a needle system over the LCD "+ or -" indicators.</p>

<blockquote>

<p><em>I'm also assuming that if the battery runs out on the FE2, that you can't run it manually like the F3HP, correct?</em></p>

</blockquote>

<p>As mentioned, the F3 only runs 1/60 sec. mechanically, something I have used one time or never since the eighties with two F3 units. Not a huge deal. If you want to be always ready, buy a mechanical camera (F2, FM2, FM3).</p>

<p>About prices, beware of auction site bargains. The F3 is a pro camera, many of them used since 1980. I have seen many extremely abused ones, even in good cosmetic condition; lots of them have changed owner several times, some have suffered "DIY" repairs, some have sticky grease in the mount... In the other hand, this camera has been in production up to a recent date; if you find on of the latest units in good shape it will cost you more a bit more.</p>

[jack flannery]

<p>Are you looking for this?<br>

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/<br>

I had a F2 for a long time. Best camera I have ever owned.</p>

[Uhooru]

<p>Good rundown on MF Nikons is www.cameraquest.com then pick classic camera profiles then in the middle of the page or so there is Nikon SLR's and select his buyer's guide. It's his opinions on what's best and why, and though some will disagree maybe in standings etc., they are pretty sensible picks and you will learn something about each camera. You'll get more in one luck than you will going through a thread like this. Let us know what you think:)<br>

Good luck. </p>

[ofey_kalakar]

<p>Down Town camera in Toronto has better pricing than Henrys or Vistek. Your other option might be ebay or kijiji.ca</p>

[ofey_kalakar]

<p>I'm with Les. The FM3A offers everything including a shutter that works sans batteries all the way up to 1/4000 sec.</p><div></div>

[peter_simpson1]

<p>KEH definitely preferable over eBay. And their BGN grade has always been sufficient for my needs.</p>

<p>I love my F3, but the FE2 is smaller and a good deal lighter...it depends if you want brick outhouse construction or easier to tote around, I guess.</p>

[rodeo_joe1]

<p>I would definitely go for the F3HP - why wouldn't you? At today's prices it's a steal, and it's a <strong>pro-quality</strong> body, unlike the FM3a, FE2, FA or suchlike, which were aimed at the amateur/backup body market. Battery dependence wouldn't bother me in the slightest, that's like worrying about running out of film, since running out of film leaves the camera just as dead-in-the-water. Carry a spare battery - problem solved!</p>

<p>One other small advantage of the F3 is its hinged AI coupler tab. This allows the use of Pre-Ai lenses, which may or may not be of any consideration to the OP, but do increase its lens options.</p>

[plasma181]

<p>I will third the notion of the FM3a. Most of my portfolio was shot with it. </p>

[barry_cochran]

<p>The Fe2 and I presume the FM3 which I think has the same body have tight eye relief. I preferred the F3 and of course the F3HP has good eye relief. I wear fairly thick glasses and didn't like the FE2 because of its limited eye relief.</p>

[lukasbucman]

<p>F3 HP all the way.</p>

[Matthew Currie]

<p>There's something about an F3. At current prices it seems a shame not to have one.</p>

<p>I even relaxed my stubborn loyalty to the F enough to get one, and don't regret it for a moment.</p>

[steve_levine]

<p>The above posters aren't mentioning that the FM/FE family of cameras, have the worst VF's Nikon ever devised! The entire field of view cannot be seen unless one roves one's eye right / left, & up / down. Nikon copied the compact design of the Olympus OM cameras with their FM/FE cameras. But IMHO, they really dropped the ball in the VF dept. Which was something that the OM got right.</p>

<p>F3 HP is the camera for you.</p>

[john_hinkey]

<p>F3HP<br>

+'s<br>

Great viewfinder - 100% and bigger eye relief for those glasses wearers like me<br>

Replaceable Viewfinder<br>

Super extra build quality<br>

-'s<br>

Exposure meter in the viewfinder is terrible to use<br>

Very Heavy<br>

Extra bulky</p>

<p>FE2<br>

+'s<br>

Match needle metering is much easier to use<br>

Smaller<br>

Lighter<br>

Very good build quality<br>

-'s<br>

Not 100% viewfinder coverage<br>

Smaller eye relief</p>

<p>I've been on the lookout for a good used FE2 for a few weeks now. I handled a F3HP the other day (I used to own one a long time ago) and I immediately remembered why I sold it - too heavy, too large, and poor shutter speed indication/metering display.<br>

FM3A, though expensive (I had one of those as well) is the cat's meow.</p>

<p>And really, any of the FE's, FM's, or F3's are really built super tough by today's DSLR standards, so I don't think build quality really should be on the list of features to consider.</p>

<p>John</p>

[bob_h]

<p>A very nice all around, all manual Nikon is the FM2n. Solid build, much less costly than the FM3a, and a diopter will correct for glasses users giving a nice viewfinder without the bulk of the F3Hp. I used them for weddings for many years and they never let me down. You can probably buy 2 FM2n bodies for the price of 1 FM3a. Give one a try.</p>

[john_hinkey]

<p>Just got my FE2 - used, but in fantastic shape. Glad I got it over the F3HP due to the way better metering of the FE2. Yes the viewfinder is less cramped on the F3HP, but I wear glasses and the FE2 is fine - just as good if not better than any Nikon DX DSLR.</p>

<p>While the FM3A is certainly the overall best manual film SLR they are way too expensive at the moment so the FE2 will do just fine for my last 10 rolls of Fuji Provia.</p>