The Nikon F3

 

Yup, my current fav, my most reliable, most comfortable to date. I would really love the Olympus OM 2 SP or the Pentax MX to be the camera of choice. But I have yet to determine their dependability.

The F3 is a tank, if compared to the petite MX or the sexy OM 2SP. I am loving the OM 2SP lots and I am contemplating of getting the all mechanical OM1. And while the MX is all mechanical, the F3 is electronic. 

Starfishes.. F3, nikkor 55mm 2,8 and shenguang 400.

Does the difference between electronic and mechanical bothers me? Not a bit. I mentioned it because people do say that mechanical cameras are easy to service. I sincerely hoped I do not reached that stage where I have to send the camera for service.

Pentax MX, Pentax A 50mm f2

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What concerns me, is that the camera is reliable. The F3, my F3, is that, its reliable and dependable. Its also comfortable. I find that I can shoot of a frame and then wind the film and charge the shutter without taking my eyes off the viewfinder. Sure, I can do it too with the the other 2, change that,  I can't do it as well with the other 2 but its more natural and comfortable with the F3.

Ilford XP2 Super, F3, Nikkor 50mm 1,4 AIS

Would I recommend it, sure. Would I insist on it, nope. The camera is just a light tight box. The F3 just so happened to have a metering system that still works, the shutter that fires accurately, every time and of course, the crank to advance the film is as smooth as silk. Yeah, it is a light tight box, but its a light tight box that works well, even in 2024.

From the same playground.
F3, nikkor 55mm 2,8 Shenguang 400

The video in the beginning of this post,  besides showing and describing the features, also shows and explain the shortcomings. For me, I wished it was more compact, just like the OM 2SP or the Pentax Mx. And whats up with the hotshoe? Once you out it on, 1. you cannot see if the film is advancing properly and 2. you cannot rewind the film back. And do not get me started on fiddling with the exposure compensation button. So, its not perfect, and that is why you have the F4 heh heh.

Light Bulb. Olympus OM 2Sp. Olympus 50mm 1,8
Kodak Ultramax

Till my next post.