The annoying thing about the Nikon F3 - 5 things you need to know about this iconic camera

[@simonsc]

The TTL flash shoe on the F3 is brilliant, how else are you going to get TTL flash function regardless of which view finder you use ? F3’s TTL flash shoe is incredibly stout, it will not twist or bend and break off like a hot shoe on top of a prism. My F3P with DE-5 prism, I can fire off 3 flashes at the same time, one on the TTL hot shoe, one with X-sync, and one on the DE-5 non-TTL hot shoe. Back in the days when the F3 was designed, flashes that attach directly to the hot shoe were usually weak with low GN, so most pros needing higher GN would be using a hammer head flash on a bracket anyway.

[@ValleyFPV]

I still love my F2 and lenses.

[@threeminutepro]

F2 is a beauty! I’m going to cover it soon

[@filmic1]

Thank you, especially for covering using the new Nikkor G lenses on the F3.

[@threeminutepro]

Welcome 😀

[@grafzahl9745]

Bought a F3 this week, absolutely stunning camera. It is truly a piece of art

[@threeminutepro]

I’m very impressed with it

[@TheZombie7000]

did you polish that leather case?

[@threeminutepro]

Haha! No, it’s naturally that shiny 😀

[@roybixby6135]

Love the F3. The F3HS (not HP) has a faster 13.5 frames/sec drive. Pity Nikon didn't make more AF lenses for the autofocus F3AF Mu favourite F3 is the F3P (I like a modern hotshoe)🦘

[@threeminutepro]

Loved the camera, shame about the flash connector 😹

[@ruedigermerz9525]

Got a F3HP and F3P. The F3 is my all time favorite camera. And for flash? I am using a Nikon SB-17. Works just fine.

[@Mike_to_the_k]

I switched to a Nikon fg for using flash with film. I rarely need 1/2000 shutter speed so the fg is great. Small, light, full controls and multiple program modes. I love my f f2 and f3 but theyre not the most convenient to shoot with all the time.

[@threeminutepro]

Yes, I have an FG20 for similar reasons

[@stephenmcculloch1915]

Same here. FE2 for flash, F3 for everything else.

[@ignacioalcantara513]

It's so amazing to me that in this time we're living KZbin videos of people reviewing cameras everybody will repeat the same stuff as if they don't really have a real interaction with the camera. The f3 has all the hype but people never mention things as the annoying situation to use a common flash, or the lack of battery check mechanism, the ridiculous LCD metering that is as good as nothing when in a dark place or the fact that is so hard to guess how far off you are under or over exposed, ridiculous red bottom supposed to help illuminate the screen but is so hard to press because its so small, and what about this emergency shutter release why in this place why not just the same shutter release bottom as in other nikon cameras. All this bullshit with the famous Italian designer that forgot to put a a battery check bottom in an electronic camera that at night you can't see your settings in the viewfinder. .. sounds to me as if the nikon fm or the fe are way better designs...coming from someone that have been using the f3 since 2007 and that uses as well the f2 the F, the fm and many other cameras from other brands

[@threeminutepro]

I hear you. The FE is a much more useful camera

[@randallstewart1224]

I do not use flash, so any limitation of the F3 for that function as irrelevant to me. What I do resent is the tiny, red plastic button just below the finder housing, which is pushed to turn on the illumination of the finder information LED in dim external light and at night. Mine is very stiff and unreliable. From what I've read over the years, mine is not the only body so afflicted, and there does not seem to be any practical repair. This concerns me a lot less now that I've "upgraded" to the F100 as my primary 35mm camera.

[@threeminutepro]

It’s a fantastic camera, but I wouldn’t buy one. I use flash quite a lot, and am planning to experiment with the very advanced Nikon TTL flash exposure. The adaptor costs quite a lot. The Nikon F801 seems to me to be better suited to this, and costs much less.

[@randallstewart1224]

@@threeminutepro The only autofocus Nikon I used before my F100 was an 8001S, which is a hugely underrated camera. The 8001/801 was ignored for its slower autofocus compared to the F90 series, and while it was ignored, that was both trivial and largely updated in the "S" upgrade. That is also the only Nikon I ever purchased an accessory back for, as there is a huge number of features added to the camera operation by microchipping the new back. (Never did much with it, but nice to have.) When I switched to the F100, I gave the 8001S to a film beginner, who later passed it to is sister, where it soldiers on today.

[@JimIBobIJones]

Always wanted a F series camera but the curtain shutter always puts me off it. They don't age as well as vertical blades IMHO.

[@threeminutepro]

I found the shutter had problems for a few frames as the camera hadn’t been used for a while. Fine after firing it a few times. Checking on reddit, I found several people had the same problem.

[@simonsc]

And if you must rewind film while with flash attached, just get the AS-7

[@Mike_to_the_k]

I prefer the f2 and its fully mechanical shutter. I’ve had the battery die in my f3 and it became basically useless.

[@threeminutepro]

Many people prefer the F2. I think all of the single digit F series are classics 😀

[@vincentgarofalo-y7f]

i guess carrying a spare battery was too much??

[@kalenderquantentunnel9411]

And how many years did it take the battery to die? Many obviously as you forgot it even was there and didn't have a spare with you.

[@ignacioalcantara513]

​@@vincentgarofalo-y7fyeah...but things go wrong from time to time and you might forget that spare battery just the day the camera will fail considering that there's no battery check on this fenomenal best designed camera ever

[@vincentgarofalo-y7f]

@@ignacioalcantara513 i guess you have the only f3 without a battery check? its the little red button on the side of the finder