Nikon F3HP Film Camera

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Cons: flash synch, flash mount, 80/20 metering as only choice, out of date AP shutter control

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 ...

Pros: Extremely high quality, smooth handling, many options
Cons: Heavy, LCD readout light

Until around 1987 I was what you might call an intermediate amateur photographer. Intermediate in that I knew many so-called rules about photography, such as how both F-stop and focal length affect depth of field, as a good example. My photographs were ...

Pros: Quality, Dependability, Durability
Cons: Very Expensive

The Nikon F3HP is the top manual focus 35mm SLR on the market today. Rich in professional features, it has been a high performance platform for both the pro and serious amateur photographer since its introduction in 1980. Replacing the F2 series, the...

Pros: Tough, outstanding light meter, excellent controls
Cons: Heavy body, expensive to buy new, overpriced flashguns and flash accessories

>When I was in the market for a new single lens reflex camera I was looking for a camera which would be big enough for my large hands to hold, was mechanically strong and with some kind of automation. While out in London looking for a suitable camera...

Pros: Built like a tank, almost perfect design, superbly thought out, reliable.
Cons: Heavy and expensive. Battery life less than I would prefer.

I was happier than a pig in a place most of us would find very unpleasant indeed. Since I was thirteen years old I have been a serious photographer. I saved up my paychecks from my first weekend job until I had enough cash to buy an SLR camera - in...

Pros: Smooth Operation, Rugged Construction, Feels Great In Your Hands
Cons: Outdated Technology and Expensive

This is one of the tougher reviews I've written about a piece of Nikon gear because there are aspects of this camera that I really like. But there are other things about the F3 that diminish the flexibility and value of the camera-at least for...

Pros: it's a Nikon, takes nearly every lens made by Nikon, nice vintage-styled body. hasn't changed much since the 80's.
Cons: serious tool - you may not need everything it offers. special adapter needed for attaching a flash. heavy with a motor drive.

My roommate has this camera. Now, I do too. I was given mine as a gift recently - I've been using an old, manual, early-seventies model Minolta SRT for a couple of years and i've been fine with that - it's basic (much like a Pentax K1000), and I've...

Pros: reliability, features
Cons: weight, price

When I became serious about photography, I needed a serious camera. I found one in the Nikon F3HP. I have used it extensively as a photojournalist for a college newspaper and for photography classes with a more artistic bent. In both arenas it has...

Pros: Professional body, steel construction, manual controls, accessories & lenses available.
Cons: Shutter requires battery (except 1/60 speed), price keeps going up.

This was my first camera 16 years ago. Back then it cost me 489 US dollars. Now its almost 1500 dollars.
Well, its simply the tougest camera Ive ever owned. Its even tougher than the FM2N which is my favorite non-electrical camera.
The F3HP...

Pros: Durablility, Choice if Lenses, Handles great
Cons: viewfinder display

I'm the third owner of my F3HP and it still performs flawlessly. It might not look pretty anymore but my mom always said it's what's in the inside that counts. I've been using my F3 faithfully for four years now and the only times that it has been out...

Pros: Great controls, excellent lenses
Cons: Tiny LCD display in viewfinder, non standard flash shoe

The Nikon F3 is the best 35mm manual focus SLR on the market today. When held in your hand it feels solid as a brick. The manual winder is the smoothest I have ever used and its motor drive works like a charm. The exposure system is extremely...

Pros: Perfect Camera for the Amatuer or Pro
Cons: None

I've been shooting professionally for the past 20 years. I recently shot a wedding for a friend of mine, outside and at noon time.....It's about the worst time to shoot and my F3HP came through with flying colors. I use several lenses. One is an older...

Pros: Shutter, metering system, viewfinder, motor drive
Cons: The viewfinder illumination button is a bad joke

I've had my F3HP for about 12 years now. I bought it second hand, and aside from a cracked frame counter window (which Nikon repaired for $10), the camera was in mint condition. This camera has been with me in many different parts of the world, and has always performed flawlessly. Sure, I've bought into AF, and am delighted with my N90S, and appreciate the speed of autofocus, but when I'm not in a rush, I grab the F3, usually with the MD-4 attached. Yes, it's heavy, but it's very solid, the focusing ease is incredible, thanks to a very contrasty viewfinder. Exposures are usually spot on, and when they are not, it's my fault, as with a heavy 80/20 metering pattern, you have to know what you are metering. I hope this camera lasts forever, and if the marketplace is any consideration, I can't think of any other camera introduced in 1980 that's still being sold. Buy one, buy two, and keep them for life. Oh, and look for a nice used one- you'll save a bundle.