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- Nikon FM3a
- Barry Campfield.'s review
Have a picture of Nikon FM3a 35mm SLR camera?, please send it to us.
| Photograph Quality | 10/10  |
|---|---|
| Features | 9.1/10 |
| Ease of Use | 9.2/10 |
| Value for Money | 8.4/10 |
| Reviewer Rating | 9.2/10 |
| Overall Rating | 9.3/10 |
By Barry Campfield. on 13th Jun 2003
| Features | 10/10 |
|---|---|
| Value for money | 10/10 |
| Overall value | 10/10 |
 Barry Campfield.'s recommendation | |
Reliable, extremely durable in all weather conditions, minimum of plastic parts, stepless electronic aperture priority combined with full mechanical backup
Not a camera for duffers
Now that I've owned my FM3a for a while now, I've come to enjoy it more than any other camera I've ever owned. It's a true combination of two of the best cameras Nikon ever manufactured, the FM2 and the FE-2. You get the best features of both combined with a handy fill-flash compensation button and DX film coding. With the optional matte B2 screen the viewfinder is extremely bright and easy to focus. I use a diopter correction lens for my eyes and it works great for focusing without having to wear eyeglasses.
Now that some time has passed it's apparent that the naysayers and FM2n defenders were wrong in thinking that the FM3a was somehow inferior to past offerings or grossly overpriced - it's without a doubt equally as reliable a camera, with much more to offer, and prices have come down dramatically these days - $445 U.S. will get you a chrome version and $500 US a black one.
No, it doesn't have metering options, but its center weighted light meter IS extremely accurate and works well for those who know how to use it. And let me reiterate - it works, not like some other well known models/brands where two or three computerized functions are always on the blink!! Let the duffers stick to their matrix automated metering, people who bother to learn photography will have no problem with obtaining brilliant pictures. And, unlike the modern crop of plastic AF junk, the FM3a can be used outdoors in any weather extreme with complete confidence. It's probably the last camera currently made that will still be working away 25 years from now. Sure to be a collectible classic.
| Helpful | Unhelpful | Agree | Disagree |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
Total Respect: +13
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Chillgill. on 10th Jul 2003