Gratz! The F3 has been my favorite baby for 30+ years :-) I'd recommend finding a pristine MD-4 to complete the set - the feel and sound of the F3 with the motor drive is unparalleled. Also, thank you for coining the term "no hesitation"... that's precisely the proper term for the F3.
I bought two F3s. One was mint and came from Japan with a 19------ serial no. The other one I bought in the UK and is older and shows more sign of wear and is a 13----- s/n. The newer one let me down; I kept getting frames where the right hand side was totally underexposed, ruining the shot. Eventually i had it serviced and now it's perfect. Why did the newer one let me down? Because it hadn't been used as much. They like to be used, not kept in a box.
Hi Pat, I am happy for you! I am also happy to see young people are keeping film alive. I have an F3HP and the FE. They are my favorite cameras (I have had many cameras over the years). My favorite lens is my Nikon 135mm 2.8. The lens is best known for its amazing bokeh effects. Live long and prosper.
I picked up a Nikon N2020 and I swear that it was never used, this thing looks and functions like new, has no markings, scratches blemishes, nothing. My plans are to also get a F3 soon. Good luck with your awesome find👍🏼
Woah.! Congratulations man. F3 will definitely make you happy. I'm using fm2 right now and I hope someday I could have F3 too. By the way even box looks awesome.. what a classic smell!
For the price you paid you better be excited lol. Best of luck. I been keeping my eye on getting a used F3/F3HP. I also have a AE-1 but the Nikon's just feel a lot more solid.
I can not agree more. I have the same camera. It’s well balanced. The HP version wasn’t the original design. It needed to be swelled up to make room for High Eyepoint glass modification design. 😂
Congrats on your new F3. Whatever you paid for it, I'm sure you did better than me. In 1981 I bought one for work, (using my bosses funds of course) with the 50mm f1.4 AI lens, brand new, and it set him back $1,200 USD. In today's money that is about 4 grand with inflation. And it was worth every penny in terms of the money I earned for him with it. Just a tip, unless you are an eyeglass wearer and need to keep them on during photography, I doubt you'll notice much difference between the standard finder and the High Eye Point finder. Even after I needed glasses, I still didn't notice much difference. If I were you, I'd put that money toward your next Nikkor lens, whichever it may be based on your interests. I agree with the advice you have been given to look for AI or AIS lenses for your F3. That is unless you can get a real deal on Non-AI lenses, which you can have converted to AI for about $25 each plus postage. I have one Non-AI lens on an older F that I have on display, and it is great glass, but mounting and dismounting it is a pain in the ass. I think it interesting that you characterized your Canon AE-1 Program as a "basic camera". It is a good one, but by now you have discovered that the F3 has even less automation than the Canon. The F3's strength was in the wide variety of lenses, finders, focusing screens, film backs and other accessories it could accommodate. The F3 was designed for the pro who made a living with his camera, and the number one rule in that crowd was that the camera simply had to work, every single time, under extremely adverse conditions. It was designed to have everything the pro needed, and nothing he didn't. At first, the F3 wasn't initially accepted because those customers didn't trust automation, and Nikon continued to produce the all-mechanical (except for the meter) F2 because pros still bought it. Enjoy your new camera. I'm jealous. P.S., "Nippon Kogaku" just means "Japanese Optical Company". I think it sounds cool to say haha.
Nice score on the F3! I would think an AI or AI-S series lens would be the best match for the F3 body. Save that non-AI lens and get an original F body to put it on! :D
F3 is just a camera. A very nice camera and a legend it might be, but a camera nonetheless. What matters is the one 3 inches behind it. I say this as someone who still owns, FM2, FE2, F3, F4, F4s, F80, F90X, Leica M2, M3, M6 and just as many MF and LF, folding and digital cameras. Enjoy using your F3.
Watching this right now from the Philippines. 🇵🇭 When you said "Philippines" my eyes were like 🤩 Damn!!! Nikon F3 is my dream film camera. 😭 What a dream to own one that's never been used and in super mint condition. I am really into film photography however, I don't own a film camera yet and my friends just let me borrow their point and shoot cameras in order for me to experience the film vibes. 😔 I really am wishing and dreaming to own a Nikon F3 as my first film camera as I will be celebrating my 21st birthday on the 10 of September this year, 2020.
Non ai lens on F3 is a no-no. Too cumbersome to use, and design do not match with Giugiaro camera. 50 mm 1.2 seems to be much better choice for a dream setup.
Great deal!! I have recently acquired an F3 and I can kick myself for not getting it sooner!! Beautiful piece of kit. Congratulations
Gratz! The F3 has been my favorite baby for 30+ years :-) I'd recommend finding a pristine MD-4 to complete the set - the feel and sound of the F3 with the motor drive is unparalleled. Also, thank you for coining the term "no hesitation"... that's precisely the proper term for the F3.
I would recommend using AI or AIS lenses if you haven't already. The non AI lenses won't meter unless you hold down aperture preview all the time.
The f3 is by far my favorite camera I’ve ever owned or used and I had an m6
Let me give a piece of advice kid. This WON’T be the last 35mm camera you buy. Trust me.
I bought one and then used it for two years then I bought 22 more 35mm camera body's lol
Pentax LX SMC Focal Lengths + Hasselblad 503CX+ 50mm, 80mm & 150mm : )
Great video. Distracting music. Thanks
The Nikon Gods are looking after you matey....enjoy the F3, on my list as well. Look after it bro....
Enjoyed watching your excitement. Just bought a mint used F3 and can't wait to use it.
I bought two F3s. One was mint and came from Japan with a 19------ serial no. The other one I bought in the UK and is older and shows more sign of wear and is a 13----- s/n. The newer one let me down; I kept getting frames where the right hand side was totally underexposed, ruining the shot. Eventually i had it serviced and now it's perfect. Why did the newer one let me down? Because it hadn't been used as much. They like to be used, not kept in a box.
Yeah, made for snapping not for storing.
Hi Pat, I am happy for you! I am also happy to see young people are keeping film alive. I have an F3HP and the FE. They are my favorite cameras (I have had many cameras over the years). My favorite lens is my Nikon 135mm 2.8. The lens is best known for its amazing bokeh effects. Live long and prosper.
Thanks Richard, i've been loving it so far and can't wait to acquire more lenses for this bad boy!
I picked up a Nikon N2020 and I swear that it was never used, this thing looks and functions like new, has no markings, scratches blemishes, nothing. My plans are to also get a F3 soon. Good luck with your awesome find👍🏼
Wait WHAT! They did a mk1 golf diesel???
Woah.! Congratulations man. F3 will definitely make you happy. I'm using fm2 right now and I hope someday I could have F3 too. By the way even box looks awesome.. what a classic smell!
Such a nice find but I don’t understand buying the non AI 50mm though. There are a zillion AIS 50mm lenses out there.
For the price you paid you better be excited lol. Best of luck. I been keeping my eye on getting a used F3/F3HP. I also have a AE-1 but the Nikon's just feel a lot more solid.
You should start making more videos ❤
that non HP prism looks so much better than the hp, the hp look like it was hit on the head too hard so it swelled
I can not agree more. I have the same camera. It’s well balanced. The HP version wasn’t the original design. It needed to be swelled up to make room for High Eyepoint glass modification design. 😂
Nice purchase very jealous lol it’s on my dream list I had FMs FEs always wanted an F3 I am searching EBay for the right one now enjoy 👍🏻
Congrats on your new F3. Whatever you paid for it, I'm sure you did better than me. In 1981 I bought one for work, (using my bosses funds of course) with the 50mm f1.4 AI lens, brand new, and it set him back $1,200 USD. In today's money that is about 4 grand with inflation. And it was worth every penny in terms of the money I earned for him with it.
Just a tip, unless you are an eyeglass wearer and need to keep them on during photography, I doubt you'll notice much difference between the standard finder and the High Eye Point finder. Even after I needed glasses, I still didn't notice much difference. If I were you, I'd put that money toward your next Nikkor lens, whichever it may be based on your interests. I agree with the advice you have been given to look for AI or AIS lenses for your F3. That is unless you can get a real deal on Non-AI lenses, which you can have converted to AI for about $25 each plus postage. I have one Non-AI lens on an older F that I have on display, and it is great glass, but mounting and dismounting it is a pain in the ass.
I think it interesting that you characterized your Canon AE-1 Program as a "basic camera". It is a good one, but by now you have discovered that the F3 has even less automation than the Canon. The F3's strength was in the wide variety of lenses, finders, focusing screens, film backs and other accessories it could accommodate. The F3 was designed for the pro who made a living with his camera, and the number one rule in that crowd was that the camera simply had to work, every single time, under extremely adverse conditions. It was designed to have everything the pro needed, and nothing he didn't. At first, the F3 wasn't initially accepted because those customers didn't trust automation, and Nikon continued to produce the all-mechanical (except for the meter) F2 because pros still bought it.
Enjoy your new camera. I'm jealous. P.S., "Nippon Kogaku" just means "Japanese Optical Company". I think it sounds cool to say haha.
Nice score on the F3! I would think an AI or AI-S series lens would be the best match for the F3 body. Save that non-AI lens and get an original F body to put it on! :D
Searching internet to mount the lens when it came with the instruction manual.
First person to use that camera...wow that's something. It's like walking on the moon, right?
F3 is just a camera. A very nice camera and a legend it might be, but a camera nonetheless. What matters is the one 3 inches behind it. I say this as someone who still owns, FM2, FE2, F3, F4, F4s, F80, F90X, Leica M2, M3, M6 and just as many MF and LF, folding and digital cameras. Enjoy using your F3.
Well said. Thank you for the advice.
I bought a house and found one of the same type that is identical. Do you buy I am in Saudi Arabia and can I ship it to you?
Watching this right now from the Philippines. 🇵🇭
When you said "Philippines" my eyes were like 🤩
Damn!!! Nikon F3 is my dream film camera. 😭 What a dream to own one that's never been used and in super mint condition. I am really into film photography however, I don't own a film camera yet and my friends just let me borrow their point and shoot cameras in order for me to experience the film vibes. 😔 I really am wishing and dreaming to own a Nikon F3 as my first film camera as I will be celebrating my 21st birthday on the 10 of September this year, 2020.
@Flawrence Isenhart Hindi po sir. Hanggang pangarap lang po ang F3 for me. 🥺
@Flawrence Isenhart Yung nasa marketpalce po, 20-25k 🥺
@Flawrence Isenhart Yes sir, I already joind na po, thank you so much sir. 🤍
You should buy motordrive
That outro music was too loud bro. Good video tho must be nice to have a brand new f3!
Non ai lens on F3 is a no-no. Too cumbersome to use, and design do not match with Giugiaro camera. 50 mm 1.2 seems to be much better choice for a dream setup.