Top of the food chain?
Written: Oct 14 '03 (Updated Oct 25 '03)
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Pros: eyepiece shutter, mirror lockup, long manual shutter speeds, smooth film transport
Cons: flash synch, flash mount, 80/20 metering as only choice, out of date AP shutter control
The Bottom Line: This camera has some great features, but a whole lot of quirks. If you can get it for cheap enough its a great buy...otherwise buy an F4 or an FM3a
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| uniq's Full Review: Nikon F3HP Film Camera |
I know I'm going to catch a lot of flack for this review, but I call them like I see them. Anyone who is truly interested in learning about the F3HP deserves to hear the whole story and not just hear the praise. I am not going to suggest that the F3HP is a lousy camera, on the contrary it is a fine tool...but worthy of its status as Nikon's top manual focus SLR?.. I think not. Worthy of street price of almost $1500? Definitely not.
If you go on Nikon's website you will certainly find lots of information regarding the F3HP... it's robust construction and dependable shutter are praised...but I think it is important to note that even Nikon doesn't seem to know how to classify this camera. In the areas devoted to equipment recommendations you will see no mention whatsoever of the F3HP.. the FM3A is given top billing for the "creative photographers choice" and the FM10 is for those "on a budget".. Where exactly does the F3HP fit in? Well my theory is that it is merely a bone thrown to the pre AI lens crowd so that Nikon can claim a commitment to continued compatibility. Too bad...because an update of the F3 had a lot of potential.
The Basics:
I will spare you the complete technical rundown on the camera since that info is easy to find on the Nikon website and also on other Epinion reviews.I will instead focus on those features that seem to work the best, those that fall short and how all this leads me to the conclusion that this camera is more "committee" made than purpose built.
The F3HP is the latest and hopefully final evolution of the venerable F3 chassis. The HP refers to the "High Point" DE-3 viewfinder. Like all "F" cameras this body offers eyepiece shutters, mirror lockup, 100% viewfinder accuracy, DOF preview, interchangeable focus screens, viewfinders, and backs. In addition the shutter is typical "F" in that it is rated at 150,000+ cycles. In the case of the F3HP the shutter is an electronically controlled 8sec-1/2000 sec focal plane design. As with all "F" series Nikons the camera is superbly crafted and is extremely well built. There are a multitude of accessories available for the F3HP but most are unique to the F3 series and are not interchangeable with other Nikon cameras.
Construction.
Construction is as good as could be expected. There is little or no flex anywhere on the body. Even the film back door is very rigid and will not flex. The body is very rugged and there can be no doubt that the camera can handle extreme abuse and still function. Much of the camera is made of metal with only minor parts like knobs being constructed of plastic.
Features:
Viewfinders: as with all "F" series Nikons, the camera has a choice of several interchangeable viewfinders. The standard DH-3 "High Point" finder will be adequate for most users and especially welcome to those who wear eyeglasses. There are a host of available diopters, right angle viewers, magnifiers and eyecups available that allow you to customize the design to your needs and preferences. Unlike many "F" series Nikons and unlike most Nikons in general...the meter is NOT located in the viewfinder. Instead it is located behind the mirror. This has the advantage of allowing for the use of bright screens and other optional focus screens without resorting to manual meter corrections....since the camera does not meter off the focus screen. This is a godsend for those who prefer a bright screen for night work but who would prefer just to leave it in all the time instead of swapping it out for daylight work so the meter can function. The viewfinder has an eyepiece shutter, which should be standard on ALL Nikons. This prevents stray light from entering the film chamber during long exposures. There is even a focus viewfinder that replaces the existing viewfinder and focus screen and provides the "in focus" light so common on other AF Nikons.
Focus screens: there is something like 30 different Nikon focus screens available for this camera. Too bad that Nikon never thought to standardize these things since the F4 screens will fit ( although loosely)...the fit is so close that one wonders why there was a need to make separate F3 and F4 screens. Regardless, there is a screen for every type of photography I can think of. The standard screen sports the typical center weighted meter circle and a horizontal split rangefinder focus circle.
Film Backs: The camera has a standard film back, but can be outfitted with optional data backs, bulk film backs, Polaroid backs and "leader out" rewind stop backs. Since the camera is essentially an F3, it can take most F3 accessories that don't interfere with the HP viewfinder.
Lens mount: The camera can take every F mount lens except the G models without the aperture ring. To my knowledge this is the only current Nikon model that can use Pre-AI lenses.
Mirror lock up/DOF preview: This feature is now only found on F series Nikons. While there are provisions on some Nikon bodies for self timer/mirror lockup... Only the F series models sport a dedicated mirror lock up lever with a conveniently located DOF preview button in the center. I will also mention in this section that mirror slap is significantly reduced vs the FM10 and FM3a.. I like that.
Mechanical film transport: as with most manual focus cameras; the F3HP requires manual film loading and rewinding. Power film advance is possible with the MD-4 motor drive unit. In addition the motor drive provides a very fast 6 frames per second continuous film advance mode. Unlike other current MF Nikon cameras, the F3HP is capable of power rewind with the motor drive. Manual rewind is the usual lower body button/rewind crank style. The rewind arm also is used to open the camera back.
Now the highlight of the F3HP is its film advace arm. The thing must be gear-reduced because it is silky smooth. The effort needed to advance the film is tiny compared to the FM10 or the FM3a. This does have a down side because on at least one occasion I ran thru the roll of film only to find that I had not properly loaded the film! The transport feels the same if its moving film or moving air. The only way to know for sure is to see if the film rewind crank turns with each film advance stroke ( something I always check now). With the FM10 and FM3a there is a definite difference between cold shooting the camera and when it is loaded with film.
Shutter: As mentioned before, the shutter is Quartz controlled from 8 seconds to 1/2000th sec. The shutter can be operated mechanically in "T" mode and in "X" mode. In the case of the F3HP..the "X" mode refers to a cumbersome mechanical shutter release located on the front of the camera that trips the shutter at a fixed 1/60th of a second if the batteries fail. The shutter is of the focal plane variety and is flash synched at a ridiculously slow 1/80th second. It is plane to see that the F3's roots lie in the 1980's and not the year 2003. Note to Nikon.... if you are going to use an electronic shutter on an F series Nikon... then at least make it on par with other shutters found on bodies in similar price ranges. This shutter needs an update!
Metering: Unlike other F series cameras, the F3HP has 80/20 center weighted metering as its ONLY metering option. There are no optional viewfinders that provide spot or matrix metering. While I prefer the 80/20 to the classic 60/40 found in the FM10 and FM3a I have to wonder why Nikon didn't just provide a spot meter ...or better yet, provide a choice of spot AND center-weighted metering. I think that the reason the meter is located in the mirror is because of Nikons attempts to develop the F3 into and autofocus platform earlier in its production run ( the F3AF circa 1981) The optional focus finder , which seems silly today, was probably a major achievement in its day. The in mirror meter was probably needed because it was hard to fit the meter and the focus system into the viewfinder. If you have ever seen a focus finder they are HUGE! The downside to this is that the camera has only one-meter system and it is not the one I would prefer. I use the 80/20 just like a large spot meter. I would prefer just having a small spot meter if I have to have only 1-meter option.
In Aperture priority mode the camera selects the shutter speed for you and displays it in a small LCD panel viewable thru the viewfinder. A tiny and ineffective LCD backlight is operated with a small push button at the base of the viewfinder. In manual metering mode there are + and - signs to let you know which way to adjust the exposure. When the +- sign is above the shutter speed then you have "correct" exposure. Unfortunately the A mode only adjusts shutter speeds in full stop increments.... not the 1/2 or even 1/6 stop increments so common on more modern cameras. It is possible to adjust the exposure with the exposure compensation dial in 1/3 stop increments, but this is only valuable for bracketing purposes since the camera cant tell you if it rounded up or down when it made the full stop shutter speed selection. Note to Nikon.. how come MF camera users have to deal with old tech when it comes to metering? Just because we choose to turn an extra dial before we pull the shutter does that mean we don't want advanced 1/3 or 1/6 step metering in AP mode?
Exposure compensation: attached to the film winder section of the camera is an EC selector switch that allows for up to +- 2 stops in 1/3 stop increments. It is the awkward type used on the FM3A that requires 2 hands to operate and you pretty much have to adjust, then recompose/refocus. It can’t really be done with the eye in the finder.
Flash: Yet another sign that the F3HP is merely an update of a 1980's design (as opposed to a fresh approach) is the flash attachment. On the film winder arm ( how much stuff can they put there!) are 3 electrical contacts that allow for the use of the SB-16 Speedlights or the ttl cord from the SB-11/14 Speedlights. If you want to attach anything more modern you need to purchase the AS-13 flash adaptor, which costs $100!!!! And for your $100 you are rewarding with a max flash synch speed of 1/80th second.. which can seriously limit your aperature choices with some film speeds. Another major gripe is that you have to remove the flash to rewind the film! Not the kind of inconvenience that I'm really willing to consider on a "top-of-the-line camera body. When I think flash and "F" series Nikon I think wedding photographer... what wedding photog would put up with the limited aperature range and the hassle of removing the flash or TTL cord just to rewind the film?
DX coding: Its funny that the Fm3a, which is the middle MF camera in the Nikon lineup( and $800 cheaper) has the ability to auto set the film speed via DX coding, but the top of the line F3HP cannot. While I admit this might be quibbling, it is a fair point.
Now that doesn't sound all that bad? well its not..for an entry level or mid range camera in 2003. On paper the camera is pretty competent. It is only when compared to other cameras in the current Nikon lineup that the F3HP shows its age....
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What I like about the F3HP
1. traditional F features like dedicated mirror lockup, DOF preview button, interchangeable viewfinders/focus screens/film backs, durable construction, in-mirror metering
2. Silky smooth mechanical film transport and THE smoothest film arm advance I've ever used.
3. Ability to use your favorite focus screens without having to use metering compensation.
4. LCD readout of shutter speeds is a godsend compared to the guessing game you get with the FM3a's match stick. Of course I don't see why you can't have matchstick AND an LCD screen.
5. Manual shutter speed settings up to 8 seconds eliminate the uncomfortable 2 second bulb shot needed with lesser cameras. You don't know how many times my meter calls for a 2 second shot and I have to pull out a cable release and a stopwatch with my RB67 or FM3a.
6. Exposure lock button needs to be held until shutter is fired. I like this method as opposed to exposure locks that (once pressed) are hard to override if you change your mind. With the F3's AElock just release the button, remeter and hold the lock button until you release the shutter.
7. If loaded properly the F3HP can deliver as many as 40 frames from a standard 36ct roll of film. To be fair, lets say 38 for sure, and 40 if you're lucky. Sometimes I get frame 1 or frame 40 chopped off a teeny bit. So you quickly learn to do your bracket shots on the first and last frames and not the one you are pretty sure is the perfect exposure. Either way, 2 extra frames is very nice and anyone who shoots lots of film will see a cost savings. The shop that develops my film routinely asks how I manage to get 40 shots because it is very hard to fit 40 mounted slides into one of their 36 count boxes.
What I don't like about the F3HP
1. The interchangeable viewfinders are not as varied as they are for other F series Nikons...are hard to locate, are very expensive and ( to me) of limited usefulness.
2. Even though the focus screens are VERY close in size to the ones for the F4, Nikon chose not to use the same focus screens for both cameras. That shows a certain lack of preplanning or a serious lack of consideration towards the end user.
3. The bulb mode is electronically operated and will drain batteries very quickly when used for multiple long exposures. The "T" mode is the only mechanical method to hold the shutter open and requires to select "T" mode...hit shutter... then to close shutter you put a lens cap on the lens and change shutter speed switch to something other than T... then advance the film arm to recock the shutter and bring the mirror back up. Why cant this just have a mechanical bulb mode like the FM3A? it has an electronic shutter too!! Since the shutter speed dial goes to 8 seconds it would seem logical that most "bulb" exposures would be fairly long...so I think this is a major oversight! This camera has all the requirements for an awesome night camera EXCEPT The mechanical bulb mode. T mode is an acceptable workaround but since the FM3a has a more advanced electro-mechanical shutter with a mechanical bulb mode I fail to see why owners of the MUCH more expensive F3HP have to deal with the problem!
4. can't use DX coding on film and the ASA numbers are difficult to read on the manual dial. I admit that this is a problem common to most cameras,but then again, most of those cameras can use DX coding and overriding is only an occasional thing. When a camera requires you to manually set film speed then it needs to be a quick and easy thing to do. With some film speeds it is difficult to tell which detent refers to which film speed because the number is located above several detents... especially true with 1600 and 3200 film speeds ( there are 4 dots under each of those numbers).I shouldn't have to be counting dots to make sure I've got it set at 1600 vs 1200. The primary film speeds should have different color dots or something. The much cheaper FM3A uses a dot and bar arrangement with bars representing primary film speeds....not perfect, but better than the arrangment on the F3HP.
5. +- metering method is so cumbersome to the simple matchstick metering of the FM3A... with matchstick metering you can instantly see how far you are away from "perfect exposure" and therefore react much more swiflty to solve it. With other more electronic Nikons you also get a bar graph that gives this info. The F3HP's system is too somplistic in this aspect.
6. LCD screen is too small for something so important...and the backlight is almost worthless. LED's would be more suitable and much more visible for so small a display.
7. Flash accessory shoe is archaic and a sure sign that this is an F series camera that is meant to be everything to everybody.... being compatible with everything old and new....but being PERFECT for nothing. On the subject of flash, the 1/80th sec flash synch is way too slow for anything but posed shots and the $100 flash adaptor to use more modern flashes is a stupidly high price item for an already $1500 camera that should have had a proper hot shoe to begin with. If you want to keep backwards compatibility make the people with old flashes buy the adaptor and have it fit on a STANDARD Nikon TTL hotshoe.
8. AP mode operates in full stops....unlike the 1/3 and 1/6 stops that other more modern cameras provide. In critical lighting with slide film you might have to bracket just to compensate for rounding error of the meter!
9. Why an 80/20 CW meter, which is essentially an oversized spot...when it could just have a traditional spot? Better yet, why can't a $1500 camera have spot AND center weighted.
10. So stupidly overpriced that you could buy a complete used FM3a SYSTEM for the price of just the F3HP back.
Now for the ironic part... I gotta say that I actually do own one,and I don't really regret it. I bought it for one purpose only..it is the KING of the candid handheld natural light cameras. If you don't use flash and you need a small camera to have fun with maybe a F/1.4 50mm in a nightclub or just going on vacation then this is an awesome camera. No batteries to lug around ( they last a year so long as you don't abuse the bulb mode....I have managed to exhaust them in 1 night doing the star trail thing). Just bring film and a fast lens and you have an awesome street camera. The 80/20 metering works well with people shots....quickly meter off the face, hit the AElock, compose, focus, and shoot. Unfortunately that's one hell of a small niche and most people expect their camera to do more....especially one that costs $1500 new.
It's my feeling that if the FM3a is Nikons middle camera in the MF line.. then the F3HP should be an FM3a with all the F goodies ( dedicated mirror lockup, interchangeable viewfinders, eyepiece curtain, 8/4/2 sec shutter speeds on dial etc) The F3HP should be definitively better than the FM3a... if the FM3a has an street price of $600 and the F3HP has a street price of $1500 then I need to see something a little more concrete than a few piddly conveniences....and more than a few liabilities.
The FM3a is a modern camera intended for the MF crowd. The F3HP is an updated version of an antique and seems to only exist so that those with valuable pre-AI lenses can have a modern platform for their stuff... what I wonder is if those who own all that wonderful equipment would even consider trading in their F2 Titan for an F3HP.. I think not.
Another reason I own one of these cameras was price. I already owned an FM3a and I wanted a spare body....I was also looking for a 28mm F/2 and low and behold I found a F3HP with a 28mm F/2 AIS on Ebay and I got it for $500. Now the camera and lens were MINT...still in the boxes and were both purchased in 1999.. I was the only bidder and current Ebay pricing for the lens alone could easily exceed $300. So it can be fairly stated that I got the body for $200. $250 tops. I wish I could say my experience was unusual. Check Ebay and you will see what I mean. The going rate for an F3HP in EX shape is normally $300. Going rate for an FM3a in the same shape often exceeds $400 (pretty impressive for a camera that sells new for as little as $500 on the grey market)
Now one could argue that the F3HP has been in production longer than the FM3a and as such there are more to be had... well that might be true. But anyone who does the Ebay thing can testify... the person who buys something new pays the "vanity" price... the one for the status symbol...... the person who buys it used pays what its actually worth as a functional camera ( as long as we're not talking collectable cameras)...and I gotta say that $300 is about all an F3Hp is worth... in my opinion.
It has also been said that the F4s (an out of production AF model) is actually the best MF body in existence. Having owned an F4s, an FM3a and an F3HP I can say that is probably true...but it's a sad truth. It didn't have to be that way. Nikon could have updated the F3HP to the level of a true "F"...or better yet....used the FM3A as the basis for a totally tricked out MF back, instead they decided to "committee" it to death and now its really a camera without a niche. The pricing fiasco surrounding the FM3a after its introduction may very well lead Nikon to think twice before updating the F3HP. Nikon had to severely reduce the price of the FM3a to get it to move and modernizing the F3HP might be considered too costly a prospect with too little return on investment.
on a closing note... I think the statement about the F4 is quite accurate...and current street prices in the $500 range testify to that claim. After all, the F4's primitive AF system lends it more to the MF crowd anyway. It's kind of sad that an AF camera might have to carry on the crown of best MF body for the foreseeable future.
While the F3HP does have a lot of strong features, I have to give it an overall rating of 3 stars for the following reasings:
1. it's cost/performance ratio is so poor compared to other new/used Nikons
2. A top-of-the-line camera should be an improvement on those models lower in the line... this camera has some serious deficiencies vs. the MUCH cheaper Fm3A
3. It seems to be a "committee" design vs. a purpose built design.... one kept in production to provide its customers with proof of its commitment to lens/flash compatibility rather than a serious attempt to produce a world class camera.
4. It can be argued that several out of production cameras ( F4s/F2) were actually superior or at least AS good as this NEW camera...and the street prices for these cameras certainly support the used camera market's feelings towards the F3HP.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): $250
This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Flexible Enough for Enthusiasts
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Epinions.com ID:
uniq
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Member: Bob K
Location: Mentor-on-the-Lake, Ohio, USA
Reviews written: 109
Trusted by: 12 members
About Me:
An unchallenged opinion is worthlessly held..... (someone important)
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