How to Use: Nikon F3 - Kamerastore

[@fly-pedro]

Very nice refresher for me👍🏼 I bought my F3 in 1985 and start to use it again after leaving it for 20 years in the shelf. Just needed to insert fresh batteries, clean the lens and the mirror and viewfinder from dust and she works as normal💪🏼

[@sophiebooth4539]

Just bought an f3. Very excited to use it. This video was so helpful! Thank you !

[@Kamerastore]

Enjoy it Sophie! We're happy to help on Instagram @Kamerastorecom if you have any questions! - Connor

[@blainemarcano]

Same

[@RacerIDMedia]

45 years photographer working with this camera since release. I have fully read the manual many times, but seeing in vid gives me a quick refresher and even a couple little things I never noticed, like the little arrow direction on the winder. One thing I would advise is to shut the camera off when not in use to save batteries. I know because I'm waiting for the delivery of more L44s. Thank you for such a quick and clear run-through.

[@charlesrankin6768]

80 years old back to film, digital has spoil me. With the F3 good place to start over, Thank for you video on the F3. Also found a F4 and F. on eBay let the fun begin.

[@MikeDemarc]

Bought a For-Parts F3 off ebay and this video confirms it works 1:33 ! Thanks guys 👍

[@andrewtongue7084]

For those not au fait with this remarkable camera body, this is the go-to tutorial. Excellent !

[@Kamerastore]

We're so glad you think so!! Thank you so much for watching (-: - Connor

[@andrewtongue7084]

Not at all, Connor - slan agus beannacht ! 🙂

[@doublebo7]

Just bought an F3, 40 years after first wanting one albeit when I was 14 years old and skint. It looks fantastic but came without a lens or manual but thankfully I did have a Nikon EM with a 50 & 135 mm lense. This video is exactly what I need so I’m very grateful

[@Kamerastore]

Happy to help! Good luck with your F3! - Connor

[@radharcanna]

You can get the manual for free online. Just do a search.

[@AV_archaeology]

I have a lens from an F2 that I wanted to use on my "new" F3. Your tip at 9:01 was crucial in making that happen - thanks! I did discover that the thing to press is the tiny silver pin and not the white dot (yes I thought that was the thing to push at first - doh!) Works great, my 55mm Micro Nikkor from my F2 is now happily mounted on the F3. I know I won't get full metering functionality but that's OK.

[@Kamerastore]

Awesome! Thanks for watching! Yeah, that mechanism can be finnicky even if you know how it works. Glad you figured it out and can use your macro lens! - Connor

[@JDPhotography7]

Excellent video. Very detailed in your description of each dial and/or button. Great job!

[@Kamerastore]

Glad you enjoyed! Thanks for watching (-: - Connor

[@piapot2115]

Thank you for this video, I wouldn’t know how to use this camera without this!

[@Kamerastore]

I'm glad to hear the video was helpful. Thanks for watching! (-: - Connor

[@MultiSciGeek]

4:10 You don't need to hold the double exposure switch. You arm it after loading the shot you wanna take, after that it won't progress the film. You take the second exposure normally.

[@cinesal15]

Just picked up an F3. Can’t wait to use it! Thanks for the video 🙌🏽

[@Kamerastore]

Enjoy! It's an awesome camera. - Connor

[@christinaventh]

just received my f3 today :D thank you so much for this video!!

[@Kamerastore]

Hope it helps! Enjoy the F3! - Connor

[@bonbon_ann2701]

Nikon should do what Leica did with the Leica M6 and redo a new version of the F3. It is such a legendary camera.

[@brianperry]

Never owned one of these iconic cameras...could not afford them at the time. The wonderful thing about cameras from this period was the build quality of the solid metal feel..

[@michaeltuffin8147]

Accounting for inflation, the’re more expensive today than in 1980. KEH sells ex used for 400+ I see them on eBay around 250 but that’s buyer beware territory

[@benkenobi_]

Nikon Fs last extremely well

[@IsaacWestberg]

Very informational! Thanks so much for making this.

[@Kamerastore]

Thanks for watching (-: - Connor

[@MultiSciGeek]

Thank you so much for this! Very very useful!

[@canturgan]

The hot shoe fitting is on the rewind handle.

[@farrukha2314]

Great video. Would love for you guys to do one on the Contax T2 please

[@Kamerastore]

We will!

[@johnjoenugent6359]

When you said 85 1.2 I was like oh they do have a fast 85mm then I saw it's just the 58mm. Anyway cool vid, I just bought one recently, the WLVF is cool, it's a pity that the red LCD illuminator button is virtually useless and almost invisible and the exp comp should have been adjustable using one hand apart from those minor things, it's awesome

[@romanfedorowycz4090]

Just the 58mm? That Noct-Nikkor is a holy grail lens. Still sells for 3000$+

[@optimusp517]

Do these ever go bad or stop working or are they pretty much like a tank *no pun intended*

[@Kamerastore]

Most Nikon F3s we see require moderate repairs to work 100%. Between electronic calibration, sticky bits inside, LCD leakage, etc. there are plenty of things that can (and do!) go wrong with the F3. This is the same for pretty much all film cameras and most 40+ year old technology in general. Thanks for watching! - Connor

[@radharcanna]

That’s a great video. I bought an F3 two years ago but I’m just starting to use it now. Focusing is a bit difficult, as the split image in the centre isn’t very visible, especially when focusing on horizontal lines. Would you have any suggestions?

[@Kamerastore]

Horizontal lines are hard with a horizontal split prism. What I normally do is hold the camera in portrait orientation or around 45º, that way the split prism isn't parallel with the lines. Way easier to focus that way. You can also use the microprism circle around the outside of the split prism! Hope that helps! - Connor

[@pancakelens75]

Great video. I have wanted an F3 forever. I do however own my dad’s old F2 and Nikkormat FT2, both of which are FANTASTIC cameras👍🏼

[@Kamerastore]

Great choices! Especially if you really don't want batteries, the F2 may be the best mechanical camera ever made! Thanks for watching! - Connor

[@KimHojbergJensen]

Good video. My copy doesn't reset the frame counter. The little pin that should pop out when you open the back stays inside. Any advice how to fix that?

[@Kamerastore]

Best would be to have someone service the camera properly, sometimes a small issue doesnt come alone. The F3 is such a great camera it will benefit from a CLA.

[@intheshadeofthesun]

Great video. I have a big problem with my Nikon F3, maybe you could help me out! The shutter-release button of my camera does not work properly anymore. The batteries inside are new, the camera is turned on and the exposure/ light meter still works. I can take a photo by using the backup mechanical release lever but the shutter-release button will only fire after pressing it many many times, always randomly... it's impossible to properly photograph like this.

[@Kamerastore]

I can imagine that's frustrating! It's hard to diagnose that without having the camera in front of me, unfortunately. It could be as simple as the shutter button contacts being dirty, or it could be something more intense. I'd lean towards the first one, since everything else seems to be functioning properly. I'd definitely bring it to someone who knows what they're doing so they can diagnose it properly and (hopefully) fix it. Hope that helps a bit! - Connor

[@intheshadeofthesun]

Thanks Connor, that does help a lot! :)

[@hectorazar9632]

Nikon F 3 the best professional analog camera ever surpassed by anyone the precision of the photometer measurement and the smoothness of the film advance lever is extremely professional

[@ebreevephoto]

excellent tutorial

[@Speccy48k]

Why do aperture blades open to the max when inserted into the body? Can you change aperture manually afterwards or does it stay wide opened all the time? How can you thus check/view the impact on light when shooting? Thanks

[@Kamerastore]

The aperture opens up all the way so that the view through the viewfinder is as bright as possible. You can close the aperture down manually with the depth-of-field preview button on the left side of the camera (when looking from the front). It's the silver button. This will give you an accurate picture of the depth-of-field you'll get with your selected aperture rating, but will also darken your view considerably. The lens will automatically close down to the selected aperture when the shutter is fired. If this isn't happening, then something's wrong with either the camera or lens! Hope that makes sense, feel free to ask followups if you have any. Thanks for watching! - Connor

[@Speccy48k]

@@Kamerastore Thank you so much for this answer. Much appreciated!! Keep on with the great work

[@TheoryGod]

very informative! thank you.

[@Kamerastore]

Glad to help! Thanks for watching! - Connor

[@brianthatsthename]

What lenses do you recommend? I'm looking for an F3HP at the moment and some only come with the camera body.

[@Kamerastore]

Aside from a normal 50mm (they're all excellent from Nikon, really) the 105mm f2.5 and the 24mm f2.8 stand out as very well-regarded lenses that aren't particularly expensive either. Any lens for the F3 will have to have the Ai tab to work properly with the meter, so the oldest lenses (usually labeled Pre-Ai or Non-Ai) aren't usable. That being said, I wouldn't buy an F3 from anywhere that does not explicitly test and check their cameras with proper equipment. Definitely double check with any sellers about HOW they test their gear before buying! Thanks for watching! - Connor

[@waldog1079]

I dont understand what the point or purpose of the prism "lock" at 3:09 is, could you explain? Thank you

[@Kamerastore]

It blocks light from entering the viewfinder. This can be useful for long exposures especially, where it's theoretically possible for light to enter the camera through the finder and reach the film. It's a pretty advanced feature, so we didn't cover it here. Thanks for watching! - Connor

[@eyesproket]

I just got a new Nikon F3 with an HP viewfinder. Can someone tell me the difference with the eye level view finder. I have the Pentax k1000 also and been using for a couple of months but found it hard to focus but I do love its light meter and how the view finder replicates what my eye sees. Is the eye level view finder similar to that of the Pentax? The HP finder I find the image I see is slightly zoomed out so it looks smaller than what my eye see. Is the eye level more true to the size that my eye sees? Thank you in advance

[@zarasarwar8836]

I was gifted my uncles old f3. It seems to be missing the motor on the bottom of the camera. Also, the rewind crank was banged up in storage and its metal has been bent down a little. When I rotate it, it won’t lift up to allow me to open the back of the camera. 😭 what do you suggest? Is it fixable?

[@Kamerastore]

Hi! If the motor cover is missing the camera can still be used with the normal advance lever. The camera shown in the video does not have a motor attached. In regards to the rewind lever, it likely can be fixed but may require a bit of bending to get open. If the dent is bad enough it may require new parts as well. I wouldn't recommend trying to do it yourself unless you feel comfortable with the idea of the camera being even more broken than before. Otherwise, depending on where you are there are likely some camera repair places you can reach out to. There are many F3s out there so finding spare parts shouldn't be too much of an issue! Feel free to message us on Instagram @kamerastorecom for more help troubleshooting if needed. Thanks for watching! - Connor

[@danielbdbe]

very good informative video ! thanks

[@Kamerastore]

Glad it was helpful!

[@MultiSciGeek]

Man the ISO button is so finnicky I thought I was gonna break something. The exposure compensation too, like all sand grinding noises when I move it... But this stuff is so durable, man.

[@Kamerastore]

They should be pretty smooth! It's possible your camera is dirty inside, making the mechanisms harder to turn and use. But as long as it works it's probably fine! Thanks for watching. - Connor

[@nergal213]

Just bought one recently! however, I think I bought a broken one. Mine won't display the shutter speed in the viewfinder lcd. It only shows 1/80th of a second. Even after the 1st shot, it shows the same thing. I've been able to use it but with out the light meter. I wonder what the problem could be,

[@Kamerastore]

Hey there! Is the shutter speed changing when you rotate the shutter speed dial? IE, if you set it at 1 second is the shutter actually open for 1 second? It could be a number of electronic issues that result in the meter not responding properly, but it could also be indicative of issues elsewhere in the camera. Diagnosing electronic cameras can be quite difficult. 1/80s is the flash sync speed of the F3, so I'm wondering if your camera is somehow convinced there's a flash attached and to use the flash mode. Are you seeing an LED light to the right of your aperture readout? You can read more info about Nikon F3 flash use here: www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/nikonf3ver2/flash/index1.htm Hope that helps! - Connor

[@RacerIDMedia]

​@@Kamerastore thanks. His answer got me to a sorely needed flash manual.

[@Kamerastore]

@@RacerIDMedia It always helps to read the manual (-; Thanks for watching! - Connor

[@robertyoung1777]

Light meter won’t meter till the film counter is at one after loading a new roll of film. I have two F3s and learned that quirk after stressing out thinking the cameras were broken.

[@Grestock]

You just added years back onto my life...I was like, what the F-BODY is going on with this camera? Where's my meter! Got to 1 on the counter - and there it is :)

[@radharcanna]

Same here!

[@CarrieJamrogowicz]

Are there any manual Nikon cameras that don’t require the film advance lever to be sticking out to function? I got a Nikon as a “learner” camera and was rather disappointed as a left-eyed shooter.

[@Kamerastore]

Hey Carrie! The F and F2 shouldn't require this. I'm assuming you mean manual to be "no battery required", because there are cameras like the F301 that don't have an advance lever at all. I also believe the Nikon FA might not need the advance lever sticking out? Not 100% sure on that, they're not particularly common. Thanks for watching! - Connor

[@CarrieJamrogowicz]

@@Kamerastore manual advance? Manual focus? I like having a light meter but it seems like an on/off switch would be a better way of doing it. I impulse-bought an OM-1 upon seeing that it had a switch but was hoping there was something similar in the Nikon line. I have an FA and it does need the lever sticking out, from what I've seen in the F2 manual it does too, and the F doesn't have a meter. The F301 is kind of goofy-looking but I like it, if I can find one I will grab it, thanks. :)

[@Kamerastore]

@@CarrieJamrogowicz Yeah, you might be a bit hard-pressed to find a Nikon that doesn't have it. They seem to have been quite married to that concept. 😅 The OM-1 is a great one with an on/off switch. The Canon F-1 also has that on/off switch just for the light meter. - Connor

[@prabhsidhu308]

Hi If you flip the tab on the lens will non ai lens then meter properly I’m guessing ? Or will they still not meter as good as having an ai/ais lens mounted on the nikon f3

[@Kamerastore]

The camera won't meter normally with a Pre-AI lens. The AI tab is the only way the camera knows what aperture is selected on the lens. If you flip up the tab to use one you'll have to use manual exposure and stop-down metering/an external light meter. Thanks for watching! - Connor

[@jasminearsy8061]

does the camera still work if we dont put the battery inside?

[@Kamerastore]

Technically the shutter can be fired, but that's more of an emergency thing. The F3 is really only usable with batteries. Thanks for watching! - Connor

[@JoeLopez]

Nice job on this overview. My F3 is my GoTo shooter

[@Kamerastore]

Thanks Joe! It's probably still my most used camera ever. A true workhorse with everything you could need (-:

[@MiidnightMedia]

Great video and I love this camera! How come no one EVER talks about Exposure Memory feature??!

[@Kamerastore]

Most people probably never read the manual, thats why we are trying to make these videos for people with less reading habits ;).

[@major-Mihailo-Madzarevic]

*Is that 85 or 58 mm lens , sorry?*

[@Kamerastore]

It's a 58mm lens! (-: - Connor

[@major-Mihailo-Madzarevic]

@@Kamerastore Thank you !

[@nala34]

Hi! How long does one batery last please?

[@Kamerastore]

The Nikon F3 runs off of two LR44 batteries! A set of two should last a few months at minimum and can easily last over a year with normal use. - Connor

[@trystanmentoor4740]

Can you please do the Nikon FM2 and Yashica Electro 35G

[@Kamerastore]

I would check out our FE2 video! Very similar to the FM2. We also have a written review of the Electro 35 on our blog over at kamerastore.com, but I agree that would be a great one for a video! Thanks for watching! - C

[@kamelghilassene8057]

bonjour, quel est le prix d'achat de ton objectif 58 mm / 1.2 ? . merci d'avance .

[@Kamerastore]

Bonjour Kamel! The lens costs 2,599 Euro. Thanks for watching! You can find it on our site, Kamerastore.com ! - Connor

[@davidweise1124]

That is a Nikon Noct Nikkor 58mm 1.2

[@pumpkinmeerkat3692]

that lens flex though

[@Kamerastore]

it's no big deal 💪💪💪

[@michaelmartinez6899]

Is the image quality better than the Nikon fm2n?

[@Kamerastore]

Image quality is entirely dependent on your lens and film stock and these two cameras accept the same lenses and film. You could say they're identical in that sense! The F3 has a higher quality external build and access to interchangeable accessories that the FM2 doesn't have, especially prisms for different shooting situations. Thanks for watching! - Connor

[@julianthom6017]

Excuse my lack of photo knowledge but what is that metallic cirls bit to the right of the lense, to looks like something is missing, a dial or a button maybe?

[@Kamerastore]

Oops, sorry if I didn't mention it! There are two silver circles to the right of the lens. The one directly next to the lens is the lens release button. If you want to take the lens off the camera, you hold that button down and then twist the lens. The circle that's a bit higher up and further away from the lens is the PC sync port. This is a spot where you'd connect a flash cable to the camera if you were using an off-camera flash or something like that. Hope that clears things up. Thanks for watching! - Connor

[@OrbitalDeath.Beats8]

The swallows are very vivid

[@trystanmentoor4740]

Oh can you please do a video on a Mamiya 645J or 1000s

[@depotmsa2362]

I need that Noct ! for my F3 ! so sick

[@bob11712]

Mmmm noct

[@zilog1]

Bruh....thats a $2,800 lens...

[@animegeek6118]

Maybe a year ago when you made this comment. But I just pick this camera up with this lens in good condition for less then 400 dollars from a local shop.

[@阿涛-d7t]

听不懂

[@robinj.9329]

It seems incredible to me that there are young folks, age 18-25, that have NO IDEA how a Camera/Photography actually works! Because of the mass take-over of the industry by FULLY AUTOMATIC, COMPUTERIZED "Digital Image Capture" technology! Sure, now a days, most folks carry a "Cell Phone" with a built-in digital Image Capture device BUT...... That IS NOT a "Camera"! Nor is it in any way: "Photography"! It is an entirely separate Technology. And for obscure reasons of their own, the manufacturers of these electronic "wonders" DO NOT WANT the buying public to understand there are huge differences in these systems!

[@Kamerastore]

We don't really like to gatekeep photography by arbitrarily deciding which mediums count as photography and which don't. There are many young photographers that come to us for help after learning about photography through their phones. They lack technical knowledge, but they have the will and interest in creating. To us, THAT interest is the only defining feature in photography. If what we do can help people learn more about photography or explore their interest further, we're happy to do it. Please try to be respectful of photographers of all skill/knowledge levels on our page! Thanks for watching! - Connor

[@Raumweiter]

u boomer? :)

[@spyratekodaks7494]

It's pronounced "neekon" !! It's funny how people pronounce the word nikkor right, but the word nikon is always butchered!!

[@Kamerastore]

Nikon with the "I" sound is an acceptable pronunciation in the US, where I am from. Let's not gatekeep English, please! Thanks for commenting! - C

[@MrKenrwi]

In America it’s Nikon not neekon we also pronounce the lens as Nikor not neekor sorry 😢

[@spyratekodaks7494]

@@MrKenrwi I'm sorry but in this video, he pronounced the lens "neekor" not nikor!!

[@paulatterby7507]

The japanese pronounce it Neekon not Nykon. They should know. The world exists beyond America!

[@youhatethetruth6864]

its a 58 m lol