A delightful anachronism

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 also owned a Nikon FM2n, the immediate predecessor of the FM3a, which I've since given to my young daughter.

At that time, I seriously considered buying the FM3a, but decided that the features it added to the FM2n weren't worth the extra cost. Two things have changed since then. I've become more involved in the hobby and after giving away the FM2n, I was faced with buying another compact camera body.

Well, I went through quite an odyssey trying to find a replacement for that FM2n, and ended up just spending the money on an FM3a. Yes, it is still expensive, but I feel that it offers more of what I want in a camera than anything else on the market, past or present.

Once my daughter mastered focus and the match-diode metering of the FM2n, I gave it to her as I had promised, and now she is learning about depth of field and shutter speed. I tried to find a mechanical replacement at a bargain price on the used market, and ordered a Nikkormat FT3 from a respected dealer, only to send it back dissappointed in the condition. After that, I tried two FM bodies described by their eBay sellers as "Like New", but sent both back dissappointed again in condition. Finally, I went to a local camera shop (emporium?) to look at their used FM and FM2 bodies, but made the financial error of comparing them to the FM3a on the new shelf.

Of course I've done this comparo before, having borrowed an FM3a from another store for a week while my F3 was serviced. At that time, I used the FM3a for a few rolls of film, and had my own mint-condition FM2n to compare it to. Now, just as then, I am very impressed with the idea of the hybrid shutter and the flash capabilities of the FM3a, and just as before, owning an F3 really does reduce my need for aperture priority in my compact camera body.

Recently I borrowed a Nikon FE2 from a friend for some daylight portraits with fill flash, and this worked so well that again I started thinking about the FM3a. The FE2 was simply superb for the purpose I borrowed it, but more than that, despite its lack of full mechanical operation, it spoiled me for the convenience of its automation, fill flash capabilities and equally important, low light long exposure capability.

What made my buy the FM3a was three things; the fact that it was brand-new, the fact that it was only $200 more than a used (though mint) FM2n or FE2, and finally, my desire to see cameras like this remain in production, which can only be done by buying them (well, it sounds good anyway).

Since buying the FM3a, I find that this is not my backup body at all, but rather an equal partner with the F3HP. The F3 is the more serious tool, and is the camera I grab for art or creative photography, while the FM3a is my casual camera, that comes along on family outings and other non-photography events. Where the F3 usually travels with a bagful of lenses and my SB16a flash (large and heavy), the FM3a usually travels light, with just my 50mm Series E (small, light and VERY sharp), or the 28-200 Tamron zoom, a plastic-bodied autofocus lens that also strangely matches the go-anywhere character of this camera. Of course, once I buy that AS9 adapter or a smaller SB15 flash, the FM3a will become my main flash camera as well.

Now that I've used the FM3a for a while, I can't imagine going back to an FM2 or FM, despite the very high quality of those cameras, and the reason isn't the reason I bought, the aperture priority auto mode. I was quite happy with manual metering on the FM2n, and usually use my F3 in manual mode as well, but with the FM3a, I tend to shoot mostly on automatic. This is especially true with the zoom lens, as its aperture varies as I change focal length, which the FM3a's automation handles seemlessly.

There are other differences, some important, and some not. First, the FM3a uses a new K3 focusing screen, and has option "3" screens available which also work in FM2 and FE/FE2 cameras. The new screens are noticably brighter, and very important to zoom lens users, the split-image rangefinder doesn't black out as easily as the old K2 screen's does.

Another terrific feature is the button for fill-flash compensation. The FE2 and the F3 both handle flash metering off the film plane, as does the FM3a, but the FM3a adds a special button near the lens mount that reduces flash power to balance for sufficient ambient light (fill flash). Combined with its 1/250th second sync speed (FE2 also syncs at 1/250th), this allows you to take beautifully exposed pictures outdoors, using electronic flash to fill in shadows without washing out the whole image. To do this on other cameras you would have to dial in exposure compensation or calculate flash fill manually.

Another feature common to the FE2 is auto exposure lock (AEL) which allows you to meter a scene, lock exposure, then recompose and take the picture without the automatic exposure changing. On the FE2 this is done by pressing the self-timer lever toward the body, while the F3 has a convenient button on the front of the body, that becomes much less convenient when a motordrive is attached. The FM3a has its button on the back of the camera, where it remains convenient even with the optional motordrive attached. For me the difference is minor as I don't use motordrive and find all three methods simple enough to use.

What really sets the FM3a apart from the FE2 though is the shutter. While the FE2 offers manual speeds down to 8 seconds compared to 1 second on the FM3a, the FM3a matches the FE2's long exposure capability when set to automatic, and offers all of its manual speeds even with the batteries exhausted or removed.

Set to manual mode, the FM3a is again much more like the FE2 than FM2n in that it uses a simple match-needle exposure scheme. Simply put, the camera recommended shutter speed is indicated by a black needle while the manually set shutter speed appears as a blue translucent needle. Not only is matching the needles simple to get correct exposure, but also at a glance you can see how far under or over you are exposing compared to the meter's recommendation. Set to automatic, the blue needle goes away and the black needle merely points to the camera-set speed. This is terrific in decent light, but in low light can be hard to see and is inferior to the FM2n's bright diodes.

The FM3a also excels in feel compared to the older FM2n and FE2, and nerely matches the original FM. The 2nd generation cameras didn't have the same slickness in their controls as the 1977 originals, but the FM3a recaptures some of that feel, with s silkier film advance lever and a stiffer, better feeling shutter speed dial and shutter release. In fact, except for some increased noise from the mirror, the shutter release on the FM3a is VERY close to that of the FM. In use, the FM3a is as close to mechanical perfection as you can get today, and rivals the great mechanical cameras of the past.

Quickly, other features include automatic DX film speed setting (with manual override), interchangeable focusing screens, interchangeable film backs and motordrive, and more. THis is a very well made camera that really disproves the addage of they don't make them like they used to. This one definitely IS made like they used to.

Finally, I do feel very good about this purchase, as I know that making a product like this today is difficult to justify from a marketing perspective. Center-weighted metering, metal body and mechanical operation are just not what most people are looking for in a camera, and with the exception of a backup body for working pros, this really is a luxury item for most people. That said, there is something to say for luxury items, and while for the same money I could have bought an N80 or even a used F100, I'm much happier with the FM3a.

***Original Review***
First off, I don’t own an FM3a, but when I dropped my F3HP off for a minor repair and CLA (clean, lube and adjustment) this weekend, the store kindly loaned me a used FM3a to use in its place. Of course, they did this in the hope that I would be so smitten with it that I would come back and place my FM2n in their used case and take a new FM3a home with me. I’ll cut right to the chase and say it is very tempting.

I’ll start with my list of gripes about the FM3a, which due to the excellence of this camera, is rather short.

Gripe number one, the match-needle meter is difficult to use in low light or against dark backgrounds. I remember having the same problem with my old Minolta SR-T 20-years-ago, and it is simply a fact of life with such displays. My workaround was simply to set the camera in automatic and use the AE lock to check the camera’s settings against a lighter background. While this worked perfectly fine, the LEDs on my FM2n and the regular manual mode are quicker in low light or when shooting dark subjects.

Gripe number two, the automatic mode locks the shutter speed dial, requiring the photographer to press a release button to get back into manual. This one is actually listed as both a gripe and a like, depending on the kind of shooting I am doing, or whether or not someone else (my wife or daughter) is using the camera. I tend to shoot mostly on manual, making this a hassle in very bright light when I may accidentally go to “A” from 1/4000th. For shooting in automatic as my wife and daughter do, the lock is very nice, just as it is on my F3HP.

Gripe number three is shared with the FM2n, which is that the viewfinder has poor eyepoint which makes shooting while wearing glasses a bit difficult. Without glasses, I can easily see all of the displays and the full picture area (which is 93% of what appears on the film). It seems dimmer than my F3HP’s viewfinder, but the slightest bit brighter than my FM2n. Strangely, despite the brighter image on the focusing screen, the FM2n is easier for me to focus with my fast prime lenses, while the FM3a is easier to focus with my slow (f4.5) zooms.

Gripe number four, simply, the FM3a is expensive. Of course, the F3HP is also expensive, as was the FM2n, that is a trait that all serious Nikon bodies seem to share.

That’s it for the gripes, REALLY! Everything else about the FM3a represents a combination of FM2n and FE2 features, in what is claimed to be a stronger body with minor feature revisions. Minor really means minor. The shutter speed dial is a bit taller and has a different knurling pattern Nikon says makes it easier to adjust. Personally, I could feel the difference in texture and see the difference in size, but functionally I found no advantage or disadvantage in either camera. Ditto the metal used for the body. My finely calibrated hands detected no weight difference, and while I didn’t do the sledge hammer test, the FM2 and FM before it have a 25-year reputation for durability. If the FM3a is stronger then I’m impressed, but for me the FM2n was already a tank.

Now for a little background about my contact with the FM and FE series Nikons, which really has an impact on how I feel about the FM3a. I used to own Minolta cameras in the early 80s until I gave up serious photography in 1987. Back in 1980 or 81 I saw the fairly new and very expensive FE and FM ‘twins’ at a Montreal camera shop and fell immediately in love with the FM. Then, as now, I liked the idea of aperture priority AE and match-needle metering, but since I enjoy available light photography I favored the LED readout and of course, the idea of batteryless operation is a strong point. If I remember correctly, the FM was also a bit less expensive, which to a 13-year-old looking at cameras already way out of reach, is a good thing.

I never bought that FM, but the memory of its smooth controls and the way it felt as though it was custom made for my hands stuck with me. Now, two decades later I own a second-hand FM2n and an F3HP. I looked only on the used shelves and eBay, not quite sure I would really get back into the hobby I used to enjoy, and the prospect of new-Nikon pricing was just not something I would consider at the time. I bought the F3HP in solid user condition for well under $400, and the FM2n in “like new” condition for about $250, the two cameras together the same price as a new FM3a. That was a few months ago and my daughter and I have really enjoyed our new foray into photography (an 8-year-old using an F3 may make a great picture in itself). Pricing is relative and comparing new to used is like apples to oranges. I would imagine that the FM2n when last sold new was at most $100 to $200 less than the FM3a costs now, which makes the FM3a a bargain given the features it adds.

Last week I noticed a problem with the AI meter coupling on the F3 which led me to take it in, which in turn put a used “loaner” FM3a in my camera bag. The question I kept asking myself as my daughter and I used that FM3a is whether or not it (or a new one) should find a permanent home in my bag, and if so, if it should replace the FM2n or the F3HP. With that in mind, I will now compare the FM3a to the other two cameras in my bag.

The comparison to the FM2n is easy, as the two cameras are directly related. When used in manual mode, the only real difference is the meter readout which I’ve addressed above. The FM3a’s match-needle display is better (in my opinion) in good lighting, while the FM2n’s bright LEDs are easier to use in darkness or against dark backgrounds. After that there is very little difference. Both have mechanical shutter speeds from 1 to 1/400th of a second with all speeds available without batteries, a quasi mirror lock in the form of the self-timer, and very easy handling by nature of excellent ergonomics. Both cameras take the same accessories, including focusing screens (exposure compensation required if switching back and forth), motordrives and even film backs. Used in manual mode, I would really consider these two cameras as functional equivalents of one another, and when the batteries die (more likely to happen on the FM3a due to its automation), they really ARE identical in operation.

It is only when you set the shutter speed dial to “A”, for aperture priority automation, that the FM3a becomes worth the price difference. I won’t get into the virtues of automatic exposure here, suffice it to say that it makes handling a camera that much faster and often more accurate as electronic shutter speeds are stepless, rather than in precise 1 stop increments. Another advantage is that modern meters such as those in both the FM2n and FM3a are quite sensitive, and only aperture priority or program automation can take advantage of that. The FM2n can only meter down to 1 second, as there is no mechanism for indicating longer (bulb) exposures. The FM3a in manual mode has the same limitation, however on auto, it can properly expose down to 8 seconds (claimed by Nikon, the shop claims it will correctly expose for a minute or two as the F3 does).

Another terrific feature on the FM3a that becomes available when in auto mode is TTL flash metering. Simply put, the camera shuts off the flash when the film is properly exposed by measuring the light off the film plane. The F3 does this (in a more primitive way), but the FM2n simply cannot do this. I didn’t try it on manual mode with the FM3a, but don’t see why it wouldn’t work.

Once in auto mode, the FM3a should actually be compared to the ong-discontinued FE2, which is very similar in operation. I’ve never owned or used an FE2, however from what I’ve read, the main difference (other than full-mechanical fall-back when the batteries die) is that the FM3a has a special button for outdoor fill-flash compensation that the FE2 lacks. The FE2 did feature TTL flash metering and all the benefits of electronic shutter speeds that the FM3a has, and even bettered the FM3a’s match needle display by showing slower than 1 second speeds in the viewfinder (again, I only read this, I don’t have an FE2 to compare).

Compared to the FM2n or FE2 the FM3a is clearly a winner, though of course a new FM3a is more than twice the price of a nice used FM2n, and about three times the price of a clean FE2. If you do not have an automatic exposure body or one with sophisticated flash metering, or you simply don’t trust used gear, then the FM3a is an obvious value. Likewise, if you use this type of camera primarily as a backup for your AF body when the batteries dry up, then the FM2n is probably just as good.

Now moving on the F3HP, the FM3a still holds its own rather well. As mentioned before, the FM3a has a more sophisticated TTL flash metering system which includes the compensation button. The F3 does TTL flash as well, but the top flash sync speed of 1/80th of a second is severely limiting for outdoor fill applications.

Once we pass outdoor fill-flash, the F3 begins to shine. Sure, the F3 lacks the full mechanical shutter operation (1/55th second, and time exposure are mechanical with a special release), but its metering is, in my opinion, easier for the advanced photographer to use well. The difference is the metering pattern, which is center weighted 60/40 on the FM3a, and while still center weighted, is a much more “spot-like” 80/20 on the pro-oriented F3. Both cameras have easy and convenient AE lock buttons, however the combination of AE lock and the 80% center weighted meter make it easier for people who understand proper exposure to translate that to film with the F3 than with the FM3a. The converse is true for those who don’t know or want to know much about metering, in which case (once again, my opinion) the 60% center weighted metering of the FM3a (and all FM/FE series cameras) is probably a better setup. Actually, my daughter’s shots with the FM3a yielded a higher percentage of correctly exposed slides than her last roll with the F3 did, while my results tend to be the opposite. Don’t get me wrong, both systems produce spot-on exposure in the vast majority of situations if the photographer is reasonably attentive, and are so good that I consider the fancy matrix metering of modern cameras as all-but irrelevant. Personally, I would rather have spot meter on my camera for everything except action photography, but the 80% on the F3 works very well for me.

In terms of features, the F3 and FM3a are apples to oranges, as the F3 was (is) a true professional camera, where the FM3a and its ancestors are advanced amateur cameras also aimed at traditionalists and pros requiring mechanical backup. The F3 features interchangeable viewfinders, a much faster motordrive which can also power the camera (perhaps negating the need for mechanical shutter operation), a level of durability that even the tank-like FMs don’t likely match, and such exotic options as 250 exposure film backs and super-fast fixed pellicle mirror versions.

The F3 is still available new at slightly more than twice the price of the FM3a. It is bulkier, heavier, and has the MUCH slower flash sync speed and 1 stop slower 1/2000th second shutter speed. The flash shoe is a strange affair that mounts above the rewind crank (making it impossible to manually rewind film or open the camera without removing the flash). Finally, the F3 introduced the “new” Nikon look with its Guigiaro-designed body and a vertical red stripe at the edge of a slight hand grip on the front of the body which continues today with both its professional and amateur cameras.

What isn’t so obvious are the features that really set the F3 apart. First, most F3s are of the “HP” or High-Eyepoint variety. This is a terrific feature for glasses wearers and the 20/20, as it allows quick operation and the ability to see all viewfinder information at up to an inch away from the camera. You may ask why this matters to those who wear contacts or have perfect vision? Well, in one word, SUNGLASSES! My vision isn’t perfect, probably around 20/70 or so. I wear glasses most of the time, but have no trouble focusing and operating cameras without them, and can actually legally drive without correction. Still, when outdoors in daylight, I usually wear sunglasses, and with the FM3a (or my FM2n), I have to remove my sunglasses to take pictures, while with the F3HP, I leave them on and enjoy the convenience.

More important than the eyepoint (which is achieved with lower magnification) is the 100% viewfinder coverage the F3 gives. This is a professional camera, and as such, it allows the photographer to PRECISELY compose the picture, which is essential for slides. Simply put, if you want absolute control over what is in your pictures, you want an F3 (or other F-series Pro Nikon). This is why the F3 costs so much, and this is why the prism is so large, even on the non-HP models. The FM3a simply cannot match this with its 93% viewfinder coverage.

Finally, there are the intangibles. The FM3a, like all FE and FM cameras, provides a totally different feel than the F3 and pro models. I won’t say one is better or worse, just different. Personally, I love the smooth ball-bearing feeling of the F3’s film advance lever, but I equally love the feel of the FM3a (and FM2n)’s ratcheted film advance lever. The F3 has a smooth and quieter shutter release, but there is a reassuring mechanical feel to the FM3a’s shutter release that is every bit as nice, unless you are trying to be silent.

In the end, the FM3a went back to the camera store and I didn’t take a new one home with me, though I was very tempted. I love the size and weight of the FM cameras and often take my FM2n out with a standard or wide angle lens and leave the F3 at home. The FM3a would be even better in this role as I wouldn’t lose exposure automation, though the flash stays home so the TTL flash metering doesn’t help here.

To be honest, before I bought my FM2n I seriously considered the FM3a, and relied on the reviews of both cameras by Howard Creech quite a bit in my analysis. The fact that I would even consider the FM3a with the price differential says just how good this camera really is. In addition to its goodness and amazing combination of automation and mechanical operation, I am just delighted to see Nikon bringing products like the FM3a to market, and of course understand that the only way they will continue to do so is for people like me to buy them. Well, in three or four years when my daughter has the basics down, perhaps she’ll find a shiny, new FM3a all wrapped-up pretty for her eleventh or twelth birthday. How I would have loved such a gift back in the day.