Built like a tank. This camera is built to withstand a beating and it does it with grace. All the features are well laid out and easy to use. Sure, it's heavy, but I consider that to be an asset in situations when you might have to use the thing as a weapon... (just kidding) The meter is very accurate, and when you get to know it well, you can get spot-on exposures no matter what the circumstances. The accessory MD-4 with the firing rate converter makes it a tool with few, if any equals. An excellent chunk of metal.

VERY expensive for what it is. However, good user cameras can be had on the used market for resonable prices, so this may not be that big of an issue. Also, the LCD backlight for the finder is operated by a tiny little button on the prism housing- can be downright aggravating at times. One feature I would like to see added would be a mechanical B or T setting on the dial. Other than that, I think the camera is great.

The bottom line here is that this is a pro-level tool built to survive a nuclear war or worse. I bought mine with the MD-4 to back up my F4 and I find that the two cameras compliment each other very well. If you're operating on a tight budget, I'd suggest something like an FE or FM2, but if you're willing to shell out a few more bills, I say go for the F3- you won't be disappointed.

Customer Service

Not applicable

Similar Products Used:

Nikon F4, Minolta X-700, Minolta X-370, Minolta SrT-100

Fine construction quality and general performance.

SEE BELOW!

The Nikon F3HP, after several years of use, I found to be a fine camera. HOWEVER, it definitely has its little pecularities. To say the least! I am an outdoor mountainscape and winter sports photographer, and put a camera through a lot of environmental punishment. The F3HP will give you trouble at temps below 30F and you might as well throw out the battery below 20F. The LCD display freezes-up at 25F and the shutter becomes a tad slow at that temperature to boot! Granted, this camera has been the supposed "heir" to the famous F2 Photomic, but boy did they screw up. I have owned an F3 since early '86, sold it and bought a second one in '96 (no improvement) and it spends more time in the bag than my FM2's, which has never given me any trouble. In conclusion, the F3HP is a good camera at higher temperatures and general use, however, taking this puppy on an assignment for "National Geographic" magazine? I would be much more comfortable with my FM2's, to be totally honest.

Customer Service

Never had to use.

Similar Products Used:

Have owned most top models of professional brands.

ROCK SOLID CONSTRUCTION, GREAT METER,VERY DEPENDABLE

STROBE CONNECTION LOCATION, SLOW SUNC SPEED

THIS CAMERA IS FOR ME ALMOST A PERFECT PRO CAMERA. I AM A WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER AND USING THE F3 WITH A DEDICATED METZ CT-45 I WOULD COMPARE MY PICTURES TO ANY. THE F3 IS VERY PREDICTABLE WITH NO SURPRISES, WHICH IS WHAT YOU NEED IN THIS BUSINESS. I HAVE RUN THE THROUGH MOST OF THE TOP AF CAMERA'S (EOS1N, N90S,ETC) AND ONLY WHEN I WENT BACK TO TOTAL MANUAL EVERYTHING DID I GET THE RESULTS I NEEDED. DON'T NEED ANYTHING ELSE, DON'T WANT ANYTHING ELSE. MY SON HAS STARTED OUT IN PHOTOGRAPHY AND GUESS WHAT HE WILL BE WORKING WITH....NIKON F3

Customer Service

HAVN'T NEEDED ANY

Similar Products Used:

EL, FM, N90S, EOS1N

Durable, rugged, no surprises.WILL NOT let you down.

Viewfinder light button too small and sometimes difficult to activate.Wish had faster flash sync speed that 1/80. Do not like hotshoe location.

Very reliable and not at all tempermental. Exposure is always good..even when batteries go out on you (with manual release. Has natural feel with controls right where you would expect them.

Customer Service

None

Similar Products Used:

Own Nikon FM, FE, F.

Rock solid construction. THE standard in manual focus cameras. Light weight (without MD-4)

Viewfinder Display difficult to see in low light.

Still more satisfying than any autofocus as far as I'm concerned. Simple to use. My resultss are always better then with AF camera. Forces you to think and ultimately get better exposure. with the MD-4 attached and an 80--200 yes it's heavy but I can hand hold down to 30 sometimes even 15 with 100 asa or even 64 and get top quality. Has the feel of a hassy or perhaps a finally made medical [piece of equipment. I am quite happy that Nikon stopped making them so my mint F3HP will continue to increase in value.

Customer Service

No experience with it. F3 won't require unless it's dropped out of an airplane or you inflict pain on it.

Similar Products Used:

N90s, FM, FE, Canon A2

An excellent all round camera. Very well built and will last long time

Slow flash sync and weird flash location.

My father bought this camera in 1981 in Japan and gave it to me. Mine is the first generation not the F3HP. It has never let me down. In almost 20 years of usage, I have never experience any major breakdown. I CLA the camera every 5 years to make sure it is within the factory specs. Keep it well and it will last 20 more years.

Customer Service

None needed so far

Similar Products Used:

Nikon F2, F70X, N90s, F5

Lightweight for a camera of its type. Think of it as an electronic F2. Solid and reliable. Lots of nice features like MLU, auto-off meter, very accurate shutter, etc. Motor is fast, up to 5.5fps with nicads. Large bright viewfinder. High eyepoint version nice if you wear glasses. Very low torque film advance lever. Can use muliple strokes like F and F2 and unlike FM2/FE2/FA series. OTF flash. Very nice control layout.

Flash sync only 1/90th. Not as sealed against weather as F4. Have heard reports of being susceptible to really high humidity (as in equatorial tropics). Can't confirm from personal experience. Viewfinder light button is small. AE lock button sometimes hard to use given its location. EV comp not as convenient as some other cameras. Easier to go manual.

The electronic F2. A solid workhorse camera. Won't wear out. Uses anything with an F mount. (non AI is not meter coupled). The titanium version did not add that much durability. I know I had one. My personal pet peeve was that the cable release turned with the film advance lever since these were concentric. Annoying for me since I didn't always want to use a motor with electronic release.

Customer Service

LCD went out on F3T. Fixed no problem. Was professional at the time.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon, Contax SLR, Leica R, Canon new F-1

Sturdy. The HP viewfinder is easy to use with my eyeglasses. I also have the DW-3 waist level finder, which I love for macro work. Overall superb, jewel-like feel to the controls (except film speed setting). Ergonomics are almost perfect.

Slow flash sync, requires adapter to get an ISO hot shoe. Awkward ergonomics on viewfinder LCD backlight (I'd prefer an LED display). I also prefer the older-style Nikon meter switch built into the film advance lever, because the F3's timer sometimes turns the meter off while I'm still trying to look at it.

If I were designing my dream 35mm SLR, I'd only make a couple of very minor tweaks to the F3HP. I certainly haven't seen a camera I liked better, from any maker at any price (the F2 isn't bad, but I like the F3's viewfinder and in-body meter). It's a sturdy, no-nonsense, easy to understand and control, workhorse.

Customer Service

I had one question (max trigger voltage for flash) and 1-800-nikonus was able to get an accurate answer very quickly.

Similar Products Used:

I own a Nikon FM, and have used F, F2, Nikkormat ft2, EL, plus assorted Exakta, Minolta, Canon, Ricoh, and Konica SLR�

Simple to use. Feel. Accessories. Durability.

Non-standard flash hot shoe.

The camera that made me return to manual-focus. Never a problem. Simple, simple, simple and a greater percentage of technically good images than any other camera I have tried.

Customer Service

Good

Similar Products Used:

Nikon FA, Canon 650, Nikon 8008

Incredible array of lenses (can use newer AFs, too) and accessories. Oh-so-durable! Have smashed the pentaprisms to bits twice in 11 years but the F3 body has never failed me.

Flash: Slow sync (1/80), and a TTL flash limited to a handful of strobes.

i use my F5 daily but the F3HP is still my favorite camera. The best of the manual-focus SLRs. (The Contax RTS-III just doesn't feel like it descended from classic SLR stock...)

Customer Service

Nikon USA very good – with Nikon USA product.

Similar Products Used:

Many, many cameras.