Nikon FM3A

Pros: Built Like a Tank, Hybrid Mechanical/Electronic shutter, TTL flash, and Aperture Priority AE

Cons: None at all

The Bottom Line: Nikon’s new FM3A combines the best features of the classic FM2n and the discontinued FE/FE2

Review: In the late seventies Nikon introduced two camera models, the FE, an electronic shutter model with aperture priority auto exposure and the FM, a no-nonsense all-mechanical camera designed to operate without battery power. Photographers at the time...

Pros: The creative beauty of working with the camera.

Cons: Requires more than the ability to point and shoot.

The Bottom Line: To really learn Photography, this is THE tool.

Review: The Nikon FM3A is the direct descendant of the original Nikon FM which first appeared on scene in 1977. That founding member of this branch of the Nikon dynasty possessed some very significant capabilities that have been genetically passed on to this ...

Pros: Tough as nails, ergonomic design, advanced features (for a manual SLR) but no nonsense features.

Cons: Noisy shutter / mirror slap.

The Bottom Line: Highly recommended - a very reliable and well-designed camera that can really work for just about any photographer.

Review: Rather than give you the complete list of features and specifications, since other reviewers have generously provided these, I'd like to spend my time writing about how I use this camera to give you an idea of what it's capable of. I'm not sure how many ...

Pros: compact, ttl flash, 1/250 flash synch, matchstick metering

Cons: 1" max shutter speed in manual mode, no viewfinder light, center weighted metering

The Bottom Line: Fun and easy to use, unbreakable, and compatible with all your high tech Nikon gear. It's hard to beat.

Review: If you had asked me 3 or 4 years ago if I would ever consider buying a mechanical camera the answer would have been a resounding no! I have grown so accustomed to having the ability to fully automate practically every aspect of the photographic ...

Pros: Hybrid electronic/mechanical shutter, TTL flash, exquisite metal mechanical construction

Cons: Expensive, meter readout difficult in low light

The Bottom Line: One of the greatest mechanical cameras ever. All the speed and convenience of advanced TTL flash metering and exposure automation with full bateryless operation. Perfect!

Review: This is my second review of the Nikon FM3a, with the first included at the bottom of this one. I reviewed the camera back in September, after borrowing a useed one from a local shop while they performed a CLA and minor repair on my F3HP. At the time, I ...

Pros: It is a combo of qualities so far spreaded along different camera bodies.

Cons: It is somewhat redundant if one already owns those different camera bodies.

The Bottom Line: Buy it if you don't own a partially automatic camera, or if you don't own a fully mechanical camera, or if it will be your first advanced camera.

Review: Nikon Corporation announces the FM3A as the successor to the FM2N. Yet I believe that FM3A will also, if not mainly, impact over the F3HP addicts. We will have the confluence of three trends here: FM2A, F3HP and FM3A – rather than a matter of linear...

Pros: Build quality, functionality

Cons: None

The Bottom Line: For manual focus fans this camera will provide tons of pleasure, even if you are just practice-shooting with no film.

Review: There are many reviews of this camera on the web, so instead of rattling off the specs I will just give you the impressions of an ex-FM2n, ex-N90s user. I switched to the N90s when my grandson was born because of the flash capability. Until that time I...

Pros: Compact, reliable, easy to use, accurate.

Cons: Are there any???

The Bottom Line: Straightforward, reliable, compact, traditional camera which is hard to go past. Not much more than a second-hand FE2 and so much more refined!

Review: Nikon FM3A Review
by Chris Groenhout

Back in 1987 I purchased my first Nikon - an FE2 to replace an increasingly frustrating Olympus OM10. By a sheer stroke of luck, I had moved from one of the worst (though most popular) cameras ever...

Pros: Well built, fully mechanical with just enough automatic features.

Cons: None so far

The Bottom Line: Get this camera if you can afford the price and want a camera with fully manual controls

Review: I only got this camera a week ago, so I haven't been able to fully test it out yet, but so far it is a great camera and money well spent. It has all the features I need and want, I could have bought for around the same price a good auto focus all ...

Pros: Light Durable Simple Fun

Cons: Manual focus Max 1 sec shutter on manual

The Bottom Line: If you like manual focus, manual wind, simple automatic exposure, and Nikon lenses this is your dream camera. It should be illegal to have this much fun with a camera.

Review: I bought a FT-2 in 1976. Shortly after that the FE came out and I had spent 25 years wishing I'd wa ...