Hi everyone,

I got "rid" of my Nikon 8008s this morning for a fully manual camera the beautiful Nikon FM... Nice and fast focusing screen fairly bright. It compliments my own Nikon F camera which I got a few weeks ago. I think that the centerweighted metering is great although it would have been nice that spot metering is also an option too.

Cool beans. Leica is smart to keep a fully manual camera the R6.2 for those who suffer from battery failure. Now if only the Nikon FM-10 were not such a lousy plastic camera :) Nikon would still be in the race.

sincerely, Alfie

-- Albert Wang (albert.wang@ibx.com), November 05, 2001

Answers

Albert-

I suppose you could say that the FM3 isn't fully mechanical such as the FM2, or fm10 for that matter, but in the case of battery failure, you can still use ALL of the FM3a's speeds. So how would nikon "not be in the race"?

Comparing the Nikon and Leica R systems, the Leica has got the glass, Nikon has got the bodies. In fact, I'll go out on a limb and say that IMO Nikon makes way better bodies and a much more comprehensive line- up, rather than some tired franken-minolta bodies.(don't tell me it's not obvious where the R-cameras came from, design-wise. Minolta XD's are just a bit too similiar- and we know leica and minolta have fumbled around in the sack a few times, eh?)

I think Leica might be the one "out of the race".

-- Mike DeVoue (karma77@att.net), November 05, 2001.

Although it seems they're starting to get things right with th R8.

-- Mike DeVoue (karma77@att.net), November 05, 2001.

I haven't traded my 8008, but when I realized my photography was getting careless with that approach (No useable DOF scales and haphazard treatment of DOF) I set it down a couple of years ago, and have seldom used it since. I'm glad I have my FE2's and R4. And I shoot a lot with the M's, my DOF queens.

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), November 05, 2001.

Albert,
I must disagree with your last statement. I suspect you haven't familiarized yourself w. the specifications of the Nikon FM3a. It appear to me that this camera is the most innovative move in manual focus SLR development in many years.

-- Niels H. S. Nielsen (nhsn@ruc.dk), November 05, 2001.

I guess this thread should be deleted 'cause its soo far off topic, but I can't resist a photo.net style response.

I agree withh the other responders, the FM3a represents the pinnacle of the MF camera line at Nikon (which is excellent). Its fantastic that one can still purchase a broad range of AIS Nikkors. Not to mention the F3 body, which can still be had new. Leica shooters (OK it is on topic) have to love that little 45/2.8 P Nikkor (a Tessar design) lens.

However, I believe that best manual focus camera available today is the Contax Aria, which accepts a broad range of excellent Zeiss lenses (including the excellent little 45/2.8 *real* Tessar). I have one, love it, and I think it complements the Leica M series as well or better than any other SLR product. The Aria is compact, light, has an excellent high-eyepoint finder, matrix/center/spot metering, and lots of other techno-features. Put an 85/2.8 Sonnar on an Aria and you have a wonderfully potent event camera for seeking out tight shots without having to wield a big cannon of a lens.

-- Dan Brown (brpatent@swbell.net), November 06, 2001.