F3 question

[ShunCheung]

Matt, if your subjects are landsacpe, patterns, etc., many old cameras can get the job done. You certainly don't need AF, fast flash sync, etc. By no means I am an MF expert since I haven't used them in years myself, but I think an FM3A may be a better choice since it is still in production and does have a faster flash sync in case you need it some day.

 

My main problem with any MF Nikon is the lack of a spot meter, which is very important to me now. Obviously an external one can solve the problem too. Another issue is that if you do have plans to keep the D100 and have a film/digital combo, I would get a newer film body for compatibility issues. For example, I can see that the 12-24mm/f4 DX would be a great landscape lens for digital, but it is unusable on any MF body. On something like an F100, it would be a good 17-24mm/f4 wide angle also good for landscapes. Should you buy any MF lens, they'll work fine on the F100. The question is whether the F100 fits in your price range or not.

[josh a.]

Look Todd, and others,

 

I agree you can own what ever you like. If you like manual cameras - that's fine. But when Matt is going to trash his D100 for a 30 year old design, it just doesn't make sense. Shun, I know you don't agree with a move like that - do you?? I mean look at what he's giving up. Matrix metering, Matrix flash metering, the ability to see and control his work as it's happening. AE lock, and a ton of other advantages. Mot to mention the fact that any of the new lens being developed won't work on the F3. Sell the D100 for a F3, for what.....a "legendary" body? No, for sentimental dribble. I'm not a fan of the D100, but still ...

 

I own a old M2, and I sometimes do like to toy with it, mostly for Black and White. But If I owned an EOS 10D (Sorry, I think the D100 is way overpriced for what it is), I'd never sell it for another M2. And the M2 is a real classic.

 

Plus look at the loss Matt will take by selling it. If you really cared about a fellow photographer making a blunder he'll regret.

 

Matt if you have to own a F3, grab a user off ebay.

 

Rob, you can't compare a F3 to a porsch........Please, your killing me with this stuff!!

[ShunCheung]

Josh, you are still mixing up what you would do and what someone else should do. Correct, I wouldn't dump a D100 and switch to a 20-year-old F3, but that is me. There are countless things other people do that I cannot understand at all. Afterall, it is their business. Whether I agree or not is a non-issue.

[arnabdas]

For example, I dumped the F80 and F90x bodies (I bought both of them new) and currently shoot with 2 FM3A bodies. Stupid, no?!

[todd peach seattle, washi]

<i>

"Matt if you have to own a F3, grab a user off ebay." - Joshua

</i>

<p>

Or www.keh.com. For sure, familiarize yourself with the pricing at KEH. The market for good used Nikon stuff has flucuated up and down for the last 3 years (the time that I've been watching it closely) and it's currently 'down'. A local shop may or may not be watching these trends closely, and you might find yourself in the awful position of paying maybe 35 - 50% more than the current market price if you're not careful. At KEH right now, they have an F3 in 'bargain' condition for $235, $334 with the MD-4.

<p>

Joshua, an M2? And no room in your heart for a manual focus Nikon? You continue to surprise me.

[tcb.photo]

Todd

 

Josh never surprises me anymore. There are times I'd like to slap him, but he never surprises me. It doesn't make any sense to me either. How can a guy who owns and uses a Leica M2 (talk about bear bones), hate the F3 so much. I love Leica, so don't get me wrong, but I also like my F3.

 

I've nver heard him say a nice thing about the F3 or any manual Nikon. In fact, I don't recall him saying anything good about Nikon in general.

[Robert_Lai]

I note that Josh's father is a Nikon rep. That would probably explain Josh's vitriolic hatred of Nikon cameras. Probably an unresolved Oedipal conflict with his father. Nothing to do with the F3, which is a great camera regardless of age.<p>Is the Mercedes Gullwing a great car? Yep!<p>Is it old - Yep!<p>Do I want one - Yep!<p>(Can I afford one is another question - Nope!).<p>The fact that he owns an M2 suggests that he's not against old camears in general. Only older Nikons ... the psychological implications abound.<p>

Speaking of old cameras that produce outstanding images, Josh will note (because he says in his bio that he works with MF cameras) that any medium format camera of any vintage will beat any 35mm camera in terms of image quality. Technically, the best images I've ever obtained were from a 50+ year old Zeiss Super Ikonta B (6x6cm). That was a real beauty. The Zeiss lens had incredible resolving power on that big emulsion surface area. Sorry Josh, but the old ancient technology can still kick your digital butt into the weeds even today.

[mskovacs]

What you say Robert definitely applies to my Rolleiflex 2.8E! Its a great "stealth" shooter with an unobstrusive waist level finder and litle noise. There's nothing stealthy about an F3HP/MD-4 combo!