Nikon F3 5 Year Review - Before You Buy

Having owned the Nikon F3 for nearly 6 years when this video was uploaded, I decided I might have some insights to offer.
I hope that what I have said is somewhat useful, or at least inspires conversation!
For more work;
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Thanks to @s_k_i_e_t Cameras and @shootfilm_cpt for lending me some of the cool accessories I showed off in this video - like the motor drive and waist level finder.
Intro & Outro Prod. Lim0
Hypebeast Will song: Kaito Shama - I'm Gonna Kick Your Ass

[@BryanBirks]

Was the ground okay when it fell off the rock?

[@willysheepskin]

I feel like it might’ve caused an earthquake somewhere in the world, butterfly effect and all that lool!

[@efreutel]

🤡

[@richyw959]

Without doubt one of the best cameras ever made. Still holds up even now.

[@willysheepskin]

Glad you reckon so too!

[@andrewtongue7084]

Yup, Will, it's built like a tank - I've owned mine for more than two decades & it always delivers; I've dropped mine in the mud, on concrete, but apart from a few minor scratches, it always works reliably; until the advent of the F4, the F3 was Nikon's bulletproof baby - a love affair that will never end !! Excellent overview.

[@diegoblanco3200]

The Nikon F3 was my first camera, I love the smooth film advance and perfect viewfinder... so bright and with 100% coverage. I really enjoy your videos and your work, you’re a great photographer!

[@willysheepskin]

What a sublime first camera to have! Thanks so much Deigo, and thanks for pointing out some things I overlooked mentioning!

[@marcoamora1121]

Having gotten into film recently, with the Nikon F3 as my first camera, this is a damn nice treat. Thanks for the destress in the middle of my semester!

[@willysheepskin]

That’s a woooonderful first camera! I hope it brings you as much joy as mine has me haha! Thanks for stopping by to destress, and good luck with the rest of your semester!

[@dominikgebka4483]

Great review Will !! It's incredible that you're able to give such in-depth and long term reviews of these older cameras. I don't have much personal experience with the legendary F3, but my FE seems pretty similar, and it's awesome :)

[@willysheepskin]

Cheers Dominik! The in depth stuff is just the result of spending too much time trying to learn the ins and outs of everything ahah! I reckon the FE is very similar and awesome! Doesn't have the proprietary hotshoe problem either which is a big bonus ahah

[@asherhodara389]

Average review: I have had camera for three minutes here are my thoughts. Sheepskin review: I have been using this camer for 5 Years, here is what its actually like. #sheepsquad Legendary return of hypebeast will!!

[@willysheepskin]

Ahah gotta have the real world experience you know! Cheers Asher, #sheepsquaaad, hypebeast will can be the sheepsquad mascot lololol

[@spyratekodaks7494]

I bought mine a couple of months ago for 190 euros without a lens and I think it's going to fill the blank of my Canon a1 which I sold!! Great camera so far!!

[@willysheepskin]

That's a great price! I'm sure it'll fill in the A1 gap nicely, I hope it continues to be great for you!

[@kevinmarcus625]

After using the Canonet QL17 GIII, Olympus XA2, and Mamiya RB67 Pro S, I've come to conclusion that the Nikon F3 will always be the one that'll be used the most. It's so beautiful and the way it sounds when you fire off a shot is just amazing.

[@willysheepskin]

The sound is indeed sublime! I also always really liked the K1000 sound for some reason, so raw and mechanical in that thing haha

[@sputumtube]

It was with an F3 that the first images of the destroyed Chernobyl reactor were captured. Most of the images were ruined by the massive radiation, but one was seen all over the world. I had the Nikon F4s for a while and it's the only one I still regret selling. It weighed the same as a Buick engine, but it was a joy to use. I still lust after the Nikon F2AS though, but nice ones are very expensive.

[@Chefboyar__dean]

This is the video I needed as I’m going to buy one in literally two hours

[@willysheepskin]

Congratulations! May it bring you many lovely photos and happy memories haha!

[@AlexSmith-ln1tv]

go the fm3a

[@AlexanderHernandez-sb7lq]

The F3 was my first film camera brought it in 2016 And remains my favorite camera.

[@willysheepskin]

2016! A great year for the F3 haha! I’m glad to hear it’s held up for you!

[@sparkeyjames]

I owned an F3 I bought brand new in 1981. Still loved the F2AS I had bought previously. Also had an FM with motor drive. Used both the F3 and F2AS for more than a decade till I sold them both to get an N90 (F90) with the data back. Still kept the FM till I traded it for an FE Kept the motor drive as it fit both cameras. They were my backup bodys. Sold those off to buy an SB25 flash unit for the N90.

[@willysheepskin]

Oh awesome! I have an F90x which I think is just a differently branded slightly updated version of the N90, it works a treat!

[@sparkeyjames]

@@willysheepskin The F90 and N90 were the same camera. The F90x and the N90s were the same camera. N90(s) was the North American designation. BTW I sold the n90 in 2006 and just recently after a long hiatus from photography picked up a D850 system. That camera is all kinds of awesome.

[@SafeBeatzOfficial]

random but i like the way you say 'years"

[@willysheepskin]

ahah I'm glad to hear it! Things get a bit wonky with the "ea" sounds for me sometimes ahah, I think "really" is another one people have commented on saying I say it strangely lol!

[@kenschwarz8057]

It is great.The F2 is even better if you don’t mind metering. I find like the mechanical needle over the LEDs, but you can pick your poison. These cameras just work.

[@willysheepskin]

I reckon I'd definitely prefer a mechanical needle to the LED's! I think if I got another Nikon it'd be an FM2 of some kind, I've heard good things about em!

[@kenschwarz8057]

@@willysheepskin Yeah, the needle display is better in many ways: it’s easy to qualitatively judge over and under exposure at a glance, it moves steplessly as you adjust exposure, and it distracts less than bright, red LEDs. The FM2A is a late model, so they are relatively easy to find in good shape. The FM(2) is smaller and lighter, but the finder is fixed and it doesn’t look or feel nearly as snazzy. The FM3A is another option, and has AE combined with a complete mechanical shutter. But they all take the same pictures with the same AI lenses with the same 70s/80s Nikon look, so the differences are really not that exciting. Any will fill that niche.

[@aaron3455]

Yes I would agree that the F3 is perfect & it's the only camera I truly adore owning. There's something just so effortless about taking photos with it. My personal favorite solution to the hot shoe problem is to get a flash bar with a cold shoe that screws into the tripod mount & a sync cable.

[@willysheepskin]

That's an excellent solution to the hot shoe problem! And that's a great way to describe it, it's wonderful to use and feels like an experience every time!

[@sparkeyjames]

@@willysheepskin I had the slide on flash adapter for the F3. For all I know I still have it in some box somewhere.

[@2and20]

I love your reviews and content. It’s no nonsense and thorough!!!

[@Geoooooooo91]

My FE is an absolute workhorse! I ended up selling my M4 to invest in 120 and picked up a 28Ti too.. I much prefer the big, bright viewfinders of the Nikon 35mm cameras over their Leica counterparts...

[@davewebster6945]

If you want a huge viewfinder try an Olympus OM 1 or OM 2 🙂 its like a department store front window 😊.

[@willysheepskin]

Ooh I adore the 28Ti just based on looks haha, my friend Starkie had one for a while and they just look so cool. Lovely optics too, I think his ended up having a software bug thing though which was a bummer. Big viewfinders for the win haha!

[@seafire820]

@@davewebster6945 my 0m-1 and 4 have bean my favorite cameras for years, I still think the om-1 is the most beautiful camera ever made. while the om-1 finder is giant and I love it, it's not actually nearly as bright or crisp as the f3. it's much easier to focus a f3 as well. but that shop window feeling is so true, feels like I'm just looking outside instead of a viewfinder

[@davewebster6945]

@@seafire820 I find all my cameras hard to focus now as at 71 the once super sharp reliable eyeballs arent as capable as they once where, it wont stop me using the cameras though. It just takes much longer to decide if focus has been achieved, or guessed 😊.

[@sophietucker1255]

I have a F3HP and it is a great little camera. It just fits. The red button on mine doesn't work either but I can't say that miss that at all. I have the waist level finder and it is very nice when doing macro at close to ground level. It has a flip up magnifier just like all my MF cameras and works very well. I also have a F2AS which while a little heavier Is just as functional and it works with all the shutter speeds even if the battery is dead. Same with the F I have.

[@willysheepskin]

RIP to all the defunct red buttons! Thanks for the example of a good use case for the waist level finder, I hadn't actually thought about the benefit it would provide for ground level stuff!

[@clairescheepers]

Welcome back Hype Beast Will ! SOOOOOO entertaining...

[@willysheepskin]

Ahah glad you enjoyed! Always fun to have a bit of hypebeast action lol!

[@justinconnaher8868]

Hype Beast Will in the HOUSE!!!!! 🤯

[@willysheepskin]

Early Justin in the house! Had fun with that intro for ole hypebeast haha

[@justinconnaher8868]

@@willysheepskin love it!

[@ilovemusic6955]

Great video! I just sold my f3 for a g1. Love both cameras but man I do miss the f3

[@willysheepskin]

I had a look at a G1 yesterday actually! Quite a nifty thing, feels a bit lighter than the G2 and maybe slightly smaller - hope you have loads of fun with yours!

[@ReimannPembroke]

The Nikon F cameras are sooo underrated! It so cool that you have had all these cameras for so long so you can really get in depth and do proper reviews of them

[@willysheepskin]

I’m starting to run low on long term cameras at this point ahah! The F series is marvelous indeed though, might have to grab a new one sometime soon!

[@ReimannPembroke]

@@willysheepskin I’m starting to have a problem buying lots of “new” cameras to try out haha😂

[@aravindvinayakan]

I dropped mine in a creek while canoeing 😓 But! Believe it or not I was actually able to get it repaired and it still functions perfectly!

[@sincemayiv]

i really watch these for hypebeast will's fits to be honest

[@willysheepskin]

Ahah well fortunately there are many more to come, I have a bunch of stuff I've been given/inherited over the years that I don't really wear but would fit hypebeast will very well. A bunch of shanghai tang jackets and silk shirts especially lolol

[@mayasarembock8739]

Call me biased but regular will is hubba hubba

[@willysheepskin]

I do feel like you might possibly be biased

[@MrGibsonguy335]

I bought my F3HP in 1988 and it's still running strong. The SB-16 is of particular use because it couples with the TTL flash metering built into the camera. You can also switch out the foot on your SB-16 from AS-8 to theAS-9 to use on other Nikon cameras with a regular hot shoe. Mainly I prefer to use the standard SB-12 that was made for the F3. And don't forget, This all electronic camera also can run all circuits on the batteries in the motor drive.

[@Brama88drinkteam]

Hi. Did You ever adjust fastest shutter times in some service? I wonder whether the f3 is handle primary times 30-40 years after production. Greetings

[@alanbeavers1485]

Shouts out hype beast will

[@willysheepskin]

Glad you dig him Alan! He's slowly growing on me ahah

[@alanbeavers1485]

@@willysheepskin you should get that checked by a doctor

[@willysheepskin]

@@alanbeavers1485 ahahahha I reckon I will actually can't be too careful with the late blooming conjoined twin story

[@COZY__BOY]

I had to make a tough decision between this and a blackpaint fm2n few years ago (runs perfectly until now!) Ended with the fm2 due to the smaller size and full mechanical function but the f3 is probably the almost perfect 35mm slr out there! Great review

[@willysheepskin]

I'm actually strongly considering picking up a black paint fm2n at this very moment haha! Maaaany people would say you made the better choice going with it, my mate actually told me yesterday that the fm2n is actually the greatest Nikon cam even though I prefer the F3 personally haha! 1/4000 of a second mechanically is amazing, and it's flash sync can be like 1/250 of a second too right? So cool

[@COZY__BOY]

@@willysheepskin Haha yes u are correct! The FM2 does seem like the more durable option but less features such as the waist finder and aperture priority when u dont feel like tweaking ur settings that much on the F3. Either way both are awesome options as nikon SLRs are peak! Good luck in the FM2 hunt! I'm looking for a decent priced lens atm as well :D

[@justinmueller9579]

Hi Will, Justin here, that is a cool camera, I remember when it came out some of the reviews panned it because of being dependant on batteries and not fully backward compatible with F mount lenses. I myself could not understand the need to replace the F2 which in my opinion is the best 35mm slr ever made.

[@willysheepskin]

Ahoy matey! Yeah there is a large appeal to something like an fm2n for the full mechanical aspect but there’s just something about the f3 that’s always sung to me! And from my own experience and that of folks I’ve spoken to it’s suuuuupeer robust for an electornic cam. I’m gonna have to give the f2 a try sometime soon!

[@khanscombe619]

I love this camera. It's always had a place in my heart. Next to the F2AS. I don't get the worry over the batteries. These have an average shelf life of 5-10 yrs & a moderate use life of under 1 yr. The battery does nothing but meter & stepless electromagnetic shutter & if you chose, finder light. You gotta try hard to kill these in a month. Anyone coming from any modern camera or phone will kill battery way faster & completely useless thereafter. I think though, it can meter off MB-10 battery pack but again, those will not last anywhere as long. So unless you're out hiking away from cavillation for days, should be fine. And to be fair, I know it's cool to have that full manual (no battery) control but who honestly is not using a meter in the 2000's? Even if handheld, it has a battery. Especially w/ the cost of film, I wouldn't leave it to guess. lol All that said, I use an F4E in compact MB-20 mode. 4x AA, get 'em anywhere in the world or borrow. If you got a flash, you're already carrying them. You may shoot moderately for a week if so. It brings you into the mid 90s, everything the F3HP is and some. It's just photojournalistic evolution. It's my go to on film. F6 if you absolutely need i-TTL (I do use & love it) (:

[@iainlaurence]

That sounds like a good camera! I have the Nikon N65 as my workhorse film camera. It’s set up similar to my nikon DSLR so it’s familiar. Doesn’t really have the modularity like the F3, but at least it has a normal hot shoe! Having the F lens mount is awesome

[@willysheepskin]

Ooh I have an f90x as my electronic Nikon and it’s very capable too! No modularity either but it has other benefits haha! F mount is the greatest!

[@WahWahWeeWah]

This is one of my favorite cameras. It's absolutely perfect... except for the LCD meter. I really don't understand why they didn't just use a needle like everything else at the time. The small light for the LCD also lights up the material more than the numbers themselves, so it's basically useless. Aside from this, I love everything about my F3 and I hope the LCD doesn't die any time soon 😬

[@willysheepskin]

Ahaha I haven't had the light working in so long I'd forgotten about the intricacies of it but now that you mention it the lcd lighting up more than the numbers sounds about right lol! I never disliked the LCD aspect of the meter much but a needle probably would've gotten the job done just as well if not better! Maybe they were trying to be fresh and new, but it is a bit finnicky keeping an eye out for the tiny plus/minus as opposed to just keeping a needle in the centre haha! I'm sure the LCD has many moons left in it, I've never actually seen an F3 with a busted LCD personally (not that it doesn't happen) but it happens much less frequently than it does on the G2's, cus I've seen many G2's with LCD bleed unfortunately.

[@WahWahWeeWah]

@@willysheepskin Yeah I'm sure an LCD like this was super cool back then, but I agree that it's a bit tough to read. I hope you're right about the longevity because I love this thing! It's a shame that the G2's are prone to LCD bleed considering how expensive they've become 😬

[@ghw7192]

I have had my oldest F3 for 43 years and the LCD is still just fine. Don't worry about it, it's not going to quit.

[@ZeptonicScientist]

I love a good bit of Hypebeast Will

[@willysheepskin]

He appears when the world least needs him!

[@diveaddict6885]

Great camera used to scuba dive with my F3

[@mabunday]

My favorite feature of the Nikon F3 is the interchangeable viewfinder. I swapped out the HP finder for the "sports finder" which gives you a full frame view from a few CM away and places the shutter speed indicator at the bottom instead of at the top (which is an awkward location, in my opinion.) I have an imgur album with this ID showing a comparison between the two -> /a/gudhIs5 (youtube doesn't like links apparently)

[@willysheepskin]

I have a friend that has one of them and I'm super curious to give it a go! Based off that album it looks sick, and the lcd at the bottom actually makes a crazy difference that I'd never even thought about. Your F3 looks like a beauty too!

[@MyHunter9090]

That is cool

[@artistjoh]

In defense of the flash attachment - The odd connection saves space. Had they decided to put an ISO hot-shoe there they would have had to move controls, that are currently there, around to other places, ruining the button arrangement that most of us regard as perfect (except, maybe, for the exposure lock button.) The hot-shoe would have had to go on the left shoulder, however, because many of us use the waist-level finder, and it is the waist level finder that means the hot-shoe cannot be located on the central hump. There is also the additional problem of large flash units causing mechanical stress on the small and delicate modular viewfinders and their attachment to the camera body if the ISO hot-shoe is to be located atop the various viewfinders. There is also the issue of extra electronics for the hot-shoe that would need to be added to the viewfinder, as well as additional electronic connectors between viewfinder and body. These are likely to mean physically larger and more expensive viewfinders which users would complain about. Then there is the aesthetic consideration that locating the flash source to the left of center provides a subtle, but real improvement in light on the subject. The further from center, the better the light in many cases. I also need to mention the secondary flash on the SB-16A. it is intended as a fill light and as an eye catchlight when using bounce. Depending on the distance of the bounce surface, the secondary flash works well, and I wish more flash units had this feature, although I understand that cost and size/weight consideration are why they don't. I like it on the SB-16 even though it makes the flash unit larger. So while the oddball flash connector is indeed odd, it doesn't deserve the complaints it gets sometimes. It has its good points.

[@NickSmithPhoto]

I have an old F camera myself, though I’m not sure I can wait for 5 years before making a review, maybe if I keep bumping it down the list. Thanks for sharing Will.

[@willysheepskin]

Haha when the time is right for things to come to fruition I’m sure they will! Cheers for watching Nick!

[@etienneportail5122]

Nice video, thank you! This has been one of my favorite cameras (alongside Leica M2, Contax G2, Contax AX, Contax 167MT, Fujica GW690III, Contax T2, Canon t90, Olympus XA and others…). It is minimalistic and robust, HP is the best SLR Viewfinder for people with glasses. The choice of lenses is very good. My favorite is the Zeiss ZF 35/2. Question: Does the Contax flash give good results? Suggestion: Try the DW-4 viewfinder! I find it not very practical, but the magic thing is, that you somehow directly look at the photo.

[@willysheepskin]

I'm glad you've had such a great experience with it Etienne! The contax flash gives really great results, it seems to overexpose a bit so it can be less than ideal for slides but in terms of coverage I use it on my Mamiya 7 even and it's been perfect for most use cases with that. I'll see if I can find a DW-4 to try out here!

[@taorenli6542]

Holy F, I dont even know Zeiss has the lens for F mount, I just got a F3 and cant wait to use it!

[@NunoAlmeidaPhotography]

Definitely a legendary camera!

[@kioly_ah]

我的nikon F3hp 是在日本买的，后来在上海nikon维修部，他们还有配件维修 保养。到现在已经9年了. 买的配件已经超过相机本身. 比leica好用多了.

[@Brama88drinkteam]

Hi. Did You ever adjust fastest shutter times in some service? I wonder whether the f3 is handle primary times 30-40 years after production. Greetings

[@Johnybulletproof]

I keep an F3HP and a low fines F3 in my collection, its my favorite . I had 4 Last year sold 2 of then to look for an F3T or F3P

[@willysheepskin]

Ohh I'm jealous! Did you manage to score an F3T yet?

[@Johnybulletproof]

@@willysheepskin the F3T is my Unicorn Camera . I stopped looking for it after covid started but the time to Hunt it Will be here soon hehe . Also one of the guilty pleasures of the F3 is buying the accesories.

[@olgamarsay8483]

Interesting, informative and entertaining. Thanks!

[@willysheepskin]

So glad you always enjoy things!

[@gpcy]

SHEESH!!! HYPE BEAST WILL DRIPPIN IN SAUCE!!!! I don't want to say it but I must😆Canon F1 is just as good😗

[@willysheepskin]

Ahah I’ve never shot it so I wouldn’t know but shall have to give it a go sometime! That hypebeast fella is too into the fancy clothes lemme tell ya

[@gpcy]

@@willysheepskin Next time I'm in Cape town we'll meet for coffee and you can take my F1 for a little shoot. That Hypebeast fella better be super rich to keep up with the fashion trends, Haha

[@clairescheepers]

Hypebeast doesn't need to keep up with the trends... 'cause he sets them. 😁

[@gpcy]

@@clairescheepers Ohhhh right😂 how could i forget😂🙏🏾

[@skywithoutend]

hypebeast will didn't even mention the butterryyyyyy film advance!

[@willysheepskin]

Dang it there’s always so many things I realise I’ve missed out on the second things are uploaded ahah, it is buttery though!

[@ericjhaber]

I just took a look in my f3/t and it doesn't look like the shutter curtain is titanium, rather it looks cloth. Am I missing something?

[@chriscaarnold]

Have you used the FM3a? Probably the best 35mm slr ever made. Would be great to see your thoughts on the fe/fe2/fm fm2 fm3a. People seem to luv them, and if you have used a few Nikon cameras the Fe really is a great cheap camera and very nice to use. If you have money to burn the Fm3a really is something special, and im sure will hold its value if you make the plunge.

[@willysheepskin]

I'm planning on putting a video together comparing a whole bunch of nikon stuff sometime! The main issue is the logistics of the amount of film I'd have to shoot, but might try bulk load strips instead of shooting entire rolls haha. I wish I had money to burn, if I did I'd definitely pick up an Fm3a! Maybe someday haha

[@toulcaz31]

Have you tried the Voigtlander lenses or Zeiss ZF lenses on it?

[@willysheepskin]

I have not, but would be keen to give them a go if some ever come by my way!

[@johanmatto]

The Nikon FE was and still is my first 35mm, always pondering changing it up for an F3 because of that sassy, Italian Ferrari-appeal but not sure why I would realistically, as the FE rocks and gets the job done. My daughter dropped it from like a meter and a half and still works perfect. Not quite your rock test, but still. Did you try the FE, and if so, any thoughts on the two as "throwinabaganddontbesocarefulwithbuthavewithyoueverywhere" cameras?

[@willysheepskin]

Oooh that’s a tough competition between those two! I reckon I’d rock the FE over the F3 as a throwinabag camera just cus I feel like I’d baby the F3 more out of love

[@johanmatto]

@@willysheepskin I was suspecting we'd share that line of thought 😂

[@DirectorNoah23]

I’ve had an FE for several years now. It’s been an awesome camera, no problems at all

[@davewebster6945]

One major drawback of FE is you need to keep the wind on lever out to take a pic. A pain in the proverbial if you wear glasses and an even bigger pain if you are left handed and left eyed as it pokes you in the eye/forehead/spectacles 🤨. Other than that, it is a lovely camera, but for easy operation I love my F3 and have owned it for decades and only one overhaul in that time 🤗.

[@DirectorNoah23]

@@davewebster6945 I am left handed and left eyed. Honestly I have no problem with my camera🤷‍♂️

[@KillerTacos54]

Excellent review

[@willysheepskin]

Thanks so much!

[@CalumetVideo]

I think it’s the best Nikon 35mm camera body made.

[@PeterKKraus]

I had 2 hp in the 80s. 1 was a T. ( Titanium.) With the motor drive and nicad pack, you could shoot @ 1/30 and have it sharp 50% + of the time and 1/60 80% of the time. As cheap as the FA felt in comparision, it was overall a better camera, but not by a lot.

[@Brama88drinkteam]

Hi. Did You ever adjust fastest shutter times in some service? I wonder whether the f3 is handle primary times 30-40 years after production. Greetings

[@PeterKKraus]

@@Brama88drinkteam I would probably understand better what you are asking if you write again in your language and let google translate.

[@Brama88drinkteam]

:) czy kiedykolwiek robiłeś CLA aparatu w serwisie aparatów?

[@randallstewart175]

I like my F3, but it is not the Nikon I go to when I pick up a 35mm camera. That little red button on the prism, which turns on the internal light for the LED display, still works on mine, but it's a pain in the ass.; It's too small to be able feel whether you are using it properly and on mine, it's throw is so stiff that I just never bother to use it. Also, the F3 was not exactly cutting edge of Nikon tech even when new, particularly as to metering. On the other hand, I think everything else about it is near perfect, ergonomic, and a joy to use. its modular assembly and wealth of accessories allow it to be customized to your preference far mnore than anything else out there (except maybe an Exakta in the late 1950s).

[@willysheepskin]

Dangit I knew I forgot something, forgot to add annotations pointing out the pain of that buttons design. It really is a nightmare. The metering has always been good for me luckily but I don't think I've actually used it in any particularly challenging lighting situations without an external meter so my perspective might be a bit warped there! I'm curious to try out an Exakta now haha, I love modularity in cameras

[@betelgeuse1253]

Man I need to get me one of those... But all my m42 and K mount glass

[@willysheepskin]

I saw the coolest K mount pancake lens today, made me really want to grab a Pentax again sometime haha!

[@neilpiper9889]

I use the more compact Nikon FE.

[@unicul83]

Do you think if pairing with the 50mm f1.8 D AF lens, it's a good combination? Or maybe stick with the manual lenses... Thanks

[@jaya076]

Beautiful, I own two of them

[@Brama88drinkteam]

Hi. Did You ever adjust fastest shutter times in some service? I wonder whether the f3 is handle primary times 30-40 years after production. Greetings

[@caleblebourgeois7290]

What do you think is the best lens for the F3? That 40mm Ultron seems cool

[@willysheepskin]

I have noooo idea but the one I'd be most curious to try is the 6mm fisheye ahaha, craziest looking lens I've seen in a while!

[@carolinajuarez6249]

how do I put the flash in If i have the cable?I cant seem to get it on

[@willysheepskin]

It should just slot on like it would onto the camera if you have the right cable!

[@MrGORILLAWRENCH]

Realistically how long will this camera last without and with services? Great vid btw, just picked up a hexar af if interest.

[@willysheepskin]

Hmmm I guess it kind of depends on the situations it ends up in, luck, and how frequently it's used lol! Mines going on at least 5 years in my hands now with no services, don't know how long it went without one before I got it but it was mint when I bought it so it might never have been serviced. In general I reckon it's best to take things for a service or CLA at least once a year though if possible, I would've done so with my F3 if it were my main work camera!

[@carlseibert9015]

Be careful around water. Today's cameras are pretty well sealed. The F3, not so much. I had one taken out by a single drop. Camera and motor in one go. You know how a wave from, say, a boat wake will rake along the bottom of a dock and send droplets up from the cracks between the boards? Yup. I had the camera up at my eye, so almost six feet up. Bingo. Ninja droplet. Instantly dead camera. The drop either bypassed or just didn't damage my other camera, which was probably a Leica M4-P.

[@willysheepskin]

Wow that's crazy! Ninja droplets are a big fear of mine ahah, what a crazy way to end up with a bricked F3! My mate David has an M4-P I want to give a proper go sometime, I've taken a couple of images with it and the feeling of the camera is glorious on its own haha! Although I didn't gel with it's rangefinder for some reason, which I found strange because the Mam7 rangefinder and I have a decent relationship

[@cstackss]

Appreciate the video mate

[@thewildgoose7467]

No camera is perfect....but the F3 is as close as it gets IMO, and I've owned or used most of 'em in the last 40 years.

[@willysheepskin]

Glad to hear that we have similar opinions! Especially with the amount of experience you have!

[@thewildgoose7467]

@@willysheepskin Thanks. Love the content. I remember watching your video on your repair issues with the RB67 a while back. Up to then I thought I was just unlucky with my two. I moved them on after seeing that video. I held on to my c330 TLR though which I still like using. Fun fact about the Mamiya TLR (in case you're ever thinking of getting one). The 1st generation lenses are actually sharper than the second. When the Mamiya TLR came out initially the main markets were wedding and portrait photographers, some of whom were complaining that the lenses were too sharp. So when they upgraded the lenses they toned down the sharpness slightly?

[@nopepper305]

Will! How many times over the years have you had to switch batteries? scared of batteries in the cold just failing :/

[@willysheepskin]

Nicolas! Very seldomly actually, buut I was reading the F3 release guidebook thing that I showed off in the intro of this video and there was actually an accessory for cold weather where the battery is outside of the camera (attached by a cable) and is meant to sit inside your jacket to keep it warm. I've never used mine in weather below freezing so couldn't say how more modern batteries might handle it! They last forever though in normal weather

[@Felhasz007]

To all the F3 fanboys out there! ❤️

[@willysheepskin]

Ahaha I am clearly a avid member of the F3 fanboy club lololol!

[@jaya076]

Your a unusually cool person, best of luck 🤞

[@graydonsmith110]

Random question, but I'm doing a uni project where I need to discuss two random cities that I have not visited in terms of walkability using google maps street view as a reference, and I chose Cape Town and Seoul, how do you consider the walkability in Cape Town, would you say a car is essential?

[@willysheepskin]

Are we talking just the city bowl or like the whole city? Cus the city bowl is very walkable, but pretty much anything else definitely needs a car haha!

[@anton0000001]

Lmao. You’re a crack up. Thanks for the info! Subscribed!

[@pain6154]

Willy!

[@willysheepskin]

Pain!!

[@add3to6]

Got a FM2N sitting here but no sunshine. London is grim

[@willysheepskin]

That’ll be my next Nikon for sure! A black paint one haha, so marvelous

[@add3to6]

@@willysheepskin It feels great in the hand. You should do more stuff about 35mm! Like you I mainly shoot 6x7 but I'd be interested to see how you get the most from a smaller frame

[@ajthealchemist]

Hi Will, unrelated question: how many countries has that hat seen?

[@willysheepskin]

Ahah it belonged to my friend before me and probably went all around Europe and South America with him, but with me it’s been in the UK, South Africa and Mauritius lol!

[@myrtleturtle]

I'm so torn between the F3 and the FM2. The full mechanical body of the FM2 and the 4000th shutter seems to be for me

[@willysheepskin]

The FM2 is definitely going to be my next Nikon for those exact reasons haha, I'd find it very tough to make the call if I had to go back to choosing between the two now. I reckon the F3 is nicer as a statement piece and to have as a piece of history, and has some more convenient modern features going for it. But as a pure workhorse the repair ability of the FM2 is hard to pass up! Especially for someone confident in manual settings and such, which I'd assume you definitely are given your interest in it!

[@PrinceMeowmers]

Pentax LX is like a better Nikon F3

[@willysheepskin]

Hmmm will have to try get my hands on one sometime and give it a go!

[@pain6154]

I wanna shoot more 35mm but it tales like 4 months to finish a roll🥲

[@willysheepskin]

Ahah I have the same problem! Maybe some stop motion stuff lmaooo

[@WahWahWeeWah]

Just go out and shoot more!

[@littlewing62]

i got one mint for 15 bucks on a yard sale 😊

[@Burritosarebetterthantacos]

$150. Yeah that isnt happenng in 2024...more like 5-700.

[@samuelsummers5342]

i bet hypebeast Will shoots aerochrome

[@willysheepskin]

You know what I reckon so too, but without a filter and processed c41 that heathen