Mechanical shutter Electronic shutter Metal body - as you'd expect Takes all the second-hand AI lenses Ae-lock button Dx-Coding

Can't realistically use new Nikon af lenses on it, the ones without an apeture ring I mean. But that's more of a lens weakness.

A camera that is patient and quiet - becuase of it's low battery consumption you can spend a endless time setting up a shot. But you can speed up with apeture priority when you want to so you can concentrate on quick focusing and so on. It's small, nicely built, simple. For me personaly spot metering isn't a must, as i work with lightmeters a lot - but I can see where a spotmeter would be useful. But then buy a autofocus camera instead, which always have them.

Customer Service

I hope it's as sturdy as the ancient F2

Similar Products Used:

F2, F100, Dynax 9

Informative viewer. Simple operation. Not battery dependent. DX reading is a useful addition.

Build quality. Nikon customer service.

I have 2 FM2ns purchased after repeated battery/power problems with an OM2n-SP. Basic, no nonsense cameras, though they have never felt as sturdy as the OM2. Decided to buy an FM3A for the extra display information and the laziness of Aperture Priority. Very nice; fulfilled the brief. For a little over 18 months, I was very happy, and then the shutter failed. If Nikon didn't have an established name, any exposure to customer support would have customers trading in their cameras in droves. Extremely poor: I was told that 50 rolls was a lot of films for an FM3! Shouldn't they include this in their literature. However, I feel that a signficant camera failure to such a camera, after only 18 months of use, particularly requiring a repair costing half the value of the camera is appalling. And Nikon couldn't care less. I'll see how it performs in the future.

Customer Service

Nikon should be banned from using the phrase.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon FM2n, Olympus OM2-SP, Canon EOS3

*ease of use *AE lock *TTL flash *batteriless opperation *aperature priority *solid feel & construction

*no spot

I still have my fm2n and sometimes still use it. But if you ask me the fm3a shoots it out of the water. Bright view finder aperature priority etc... I carry this camera with me everywhere I go and have never had a problem gettin the shot. It is that easy to use if you know a little about photograpy. Ive used af cameras and the just arn't as much fun if I want to point and shoot then I use mt olimpus epic. All around best camera I have ever used and most likely the last camera I will ever need!!

Customer Service

none ever needed maybe my grandkid will need it or maybe not?

Similar Products Used:

fm2n, f3hp, various minola bodies

- Build quality - TTL support - Exposure Priority - max speed 1/4000 - Confirmation window for the film

- Lack of spot metering - The information in the viewfinder is rather hard to see in low light condition - A little bit pricey

This is definitely a superb camera. One complain is Nikon still have yet build the spot metering feature into camera

Customer Service

Customer service? Virtually useless! You only need customer service on the 15th years after you possess this d*** thing!

Similar Products Used:

Nikon FM2

- Great construction. - Good looks. - TTL flash. - AE. - Bright viewfinder. - Works at 1 - 1/4000 w/o batteries.

- Pricey. - No locking device for the camera back - owners of the FM2n will know what I mean. - Meter is hard to see in low light.

This is one great camera in a long time. Enough of plasticky AF SLRs. Never mind the lack of Matrix metering. Centre-weighted is as good if you know your stuff. Just holding the FM3A in your hands you can feel that the camera is destined for great pictures. Its rugged construction reminds you of the time when cameras were made of metal and not some cheap plastic. It's a vast improvement over the FM2n which I have previously used and owned for 7 years. The 93% viewfinder coverage is not exactly a limitation - most labs develop photos that are cropped to about that size anyway. This SLR will make you think before you click that shutter and couple it with the MD12 and you can still take sharp pictures with a 300mm lens at 1/125 handheld.

Customer Service

None

Similar Products Used:

- Yashica FX3, FX103. - Nikon FG, FA, FM10 (yucks), FM2n and FM3A (the best!).

Electronics independant. Compatibility with a lot of Nikkor lenses and older Nikon acessories.

I could use a built in viewfinder door.

I bought this FM3a when I returned from my travel recently to replace my Nikon FA ( FA's meter quit, after I foolishly put the camera into the hold on a long haul flight). I cannot compare this camera to any camera manufactured by other companies, but I own other Nikon cameras - FG, FA, and AF 401s. While the Nikon FA served me extremely well for over 15 years, I find that I am learning much more about 'light judgement' using my new FM3a. This camera is lighter and fits better in my small hands. I like the flash compensation button and also the AE lock, which were missing on my FA. The manual shutter which can operate at 1/4000 is really amazing ! This camera can be used with all the Nikkor lenses that I have collected over the years, including '75-150 zoom Series E' lens! I know that I will run hundreds of rolls thru this very 'functional' camera.

Customer Service

Never required so far.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon FG, Nikon FA, Nikon AF 401s

aperture priority, ttl flash, flash compensation button. Great quality, you can almost hammer tent pegs into the ground with it

Meter is not so easy to read in low light.

I bought this camera as a replacement for my FM2, since I missed TTL flash exposure and that the meter is not to be seen in strong lighting conditions. So I bought myself a brandnew FM3a and thought that this would be it next to my f100. The bright finder is great. the subject jumps in focus. Now I found out that the meter was not so easy to read in low light situations.

Customer Service

Meter did not function at al on 2 occasions, both times repaired without any cost by Nikon

Similar Products Used:

FM2, F100, F90x, F601

Everything, a new classic that feels so right.

Little difficult in low light conditions

I am a writer that needs to take photo's. I was looking for a camera to replace my old Nikon EM a week prior to an important contract. I felt I didn't have time to master the bells and whistles of AF camera's. the I found the FM3A - perfect, just like my EM, all the lens were inchangeable, and nothing really new to learn in the way of controls. TTL flash was a huge bonus. After 12 months work I love it. Every control means something, no electronic screens to master, I can put it down for a month or two, pick it up and all controls fall into place with no mental effort. Manual is best for me because I need to stop and think about what I am doing.

Customer Service

Haven't needed any

Similar Products Used:

Nikon EM

Mentioned above

Only 93% viewfinder coverage,no spot metering but you can live without it if you can move close to the subject or use telephoto lense.

I'm back to photography again! This is a great camera! I used to take slides for many years and realy love to project them in a dark room with company of good friends.As a mountain climber and a traveller, I'm looking for something light and small so last year I bought a compact digital camera. I was satisfied enough but all these baterries, chargers and cables were a big problem. You can't find electricity on the mountains but instead you find cold weather which makes batteries dead. FM3a although bulkier than a compact camera, is very reliable,very well built full metal constuction, simple to use, almost battery-free(I don't carry even a spare battery for the photometer), gives a great feeling when you take a picture(from the shutter sound till the pure photograph exposure free of 3D matrix metering etc.) and above all you can use some of superb Nikon optics such as Nikkor MF Ais 28 2.8 or Nikkor MF Ais 105 2.5. Combined with a really good slide film from Fuji I have all what I'm looking for! I admit that digital cameras have some great advantages but photography is above all an art, coming from a person's mind and his ability to use a simple tool called camera.

Customer Service

Nothing happened so far...

Similar Products Used:

Nikon AF 401,Nikon AF 801s, Olympus compact WIDE 80, Olympus digital compact C-40.

Build like a tank. Everythig is made of metal and will last for a livetime. Very bright and contrasty viewfinder, m.l.u., multiexposure, D.O.F., hihg speed flash sync., superb finish, 3.2 f.p.s., mechanical and auto mode, and many more.

Hard to find a needle in dim light, expensive but if you divede price into years of using of that camera it seems very cheap

You won`t find any better camera than this one. The best camera ever made. Everything works fantasic. Delivers real fun of taking pictures and access to superb Nikon`s optics (exept AF-G series). For several years I was engaged to Canon AF bodies and lenses, but now I finaly found what I was looking for. Don`t be fool and don`t live in Canon`s Matrix. Switch to Nikon or Contax if you think seriusly about taking d*** good pictures. You won`t regret!

Customer Service

Never needed

Similar Products Used:

several Canons: AE-1, EOS 3, EOS 300 - not as good as FM3A, Zenit 122 - good and cheap Russian camera with very good optics