All are perfect working order...including the light meters. Amazing that the F3 meter still works...I think the original F3 manual stated that it had about a 5 year life expectancy before it had to be replaced. And this F3 is not a later model...serial # has it made in 1985.
Asking which one of these is my favorite is like asking a parent, "Of your 3 children, which one is your favorite?" The one I use the most is probably the FM3A, as I keep the AI-S 35mm f/2 on it. My sentimental favorite is the F3 (AI-S 50mm f1.8 perma-mounted for the most part), which was my first serious camera (that I had to spend almost 2 months of my Army salary at the time to acquire it and a lens, at the time). Metering...TBH, I still like the LED -o+ of the FM2N, even though it isn't quite as accurate as the needle meter in the FM3A. That's why I keep the AI-S 28mm f/2.8 on the FM2N...the meter is easy to see in low light, and 28mm is such a great focal length for nighttime street photography.
The only other film body I keep and maintain is a Zenit TTL Moscow Olympics edition with that unique Helios-44 58mm f/2. The exposure meter on that conked out a few years ago. Before I put an external on the hotshoe, I found a couple of sights in Russian suggesting how to bring it back to life...and... whaddya know, now it works after a couple of tries. Also a marvelous camera, built like a T-34/85.
All are perfect working order...including the light meters. Amazing that the F3 meter still works...I think the original F3 manual stated that it had about a 5 year life expectancy before it had to be replaced. And this F3 is not a later model...serial # has it made in 1985.
Asking which one of these is my favorite is like asking a parent, "Of your 3 children, which one is your favorite?" The one I use the most is probably the FM3A, as I keep the AI-S 35mm f/2 on it. My sentimental favorite is the F3 (AI-S 50mm f1.8 perma-mounted for the most part), which was my first serious camera (that I had to spend almost 2 months of my Army salary at the time to acquire it and a lens, at the time). Metering...TBH, I still like the LED -o+ of the FM2N, even though it isn't quite as accurate as the needle meter in the FM3A. That's why I keep the AI-S 28mm f/2.8 on the FM2N...the meter is easy to see in low light, and 28mm is such a great focal length for nighttime street photography.
The only other film body I keep and maintain is a Zenit TTL Moscow Olympics edition with that unique Helios-44 58mm f/2. The exposure meter on that conked out a few years ago. Before I put an external on the hotshoe, I found a couple of sights in Russian suggesting how to bring it back to life...and... whaddya know, now it works after a couple of tries. Also a marvelous camera, built like a T-34/85.
Dec 24, 2024 at 11:33 PM
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