- Hybrid shutter system, which makes it possible to take pictures without batteries. - Very smooth film winding lever. - Solid feel - Needle exposure indicator

- Cannot see exposure indicator under poor light at all (the needle).

This is a great mechanical camera which has just the right amount of automatic funtions (ie. DX code reading and TTL flash). Suitable for both beginners and professionals. Great as a back up body. Solidly built. Great range of lenses, etc. etc.

Customer Service

never needed.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon FM2, F100

Great design. Great looks. Easy to use. Compact. Durable. Economical (compared to Leica, etc).

Manual lenses are hard to come by (what can I say, I'm a purist!).

I bought the FM3A because I couldn't afford a Leica M6! I wanted a manual because I find autos over-complicated and lacking in aesthetic appeal. I went into the local Nikon dealer here in Bahrain and the first thing my eye fell on was the FM3A. It was love at first sight and I bought it after doing some research on the Internet. I am supremely pleased that almost everyone else who owns one agrees that this is a great little camera. I have only shot one roll of film through it so far but I am happy to say that all but two were sharply in focus and correctly exposed. And that is by a rank amateur! I can most definitely recommend this camera to anyone looking to get into photography. It is reasonably priced (I got mine on sale), beautifully made and easy to use. It also takes great pictures. What more could you ask for in a camera?

Customer Service

Unused

Similar Products Used:

Leica M3

Build quality, Bright viewfinder, Metering display in finder, Fast flash sync, TTL flash, Fill flash button, DOF preview, Mirror "prefire" with selftimer, Auto mode, Exposure lock .....the list goes on

Left eyed shooter will find the exposure lock a pain to use.... That being said I shoot left eyed and can live with it.

This camera was bought as a backup for my F3HP but has become my main camera while travelling around Europe. Its light to carry and very fast and simple to use (I'm using it in manual mode). This camera with 2 or 3 fast primes is my idea of a travel kit. I like the FM3a meter display for low light use over the FM2n LED's. This camera is a joy to use.

Customer Service

Never needed so far

Similar Products Used:

F2, F3HP, F801s, Pentax SuperA

Can be used if batteries fail.Hybrid shutter means all mechanical speeds can be used from 1-4,000 of a second

none

This is one great camera.Snap it up while you can.After using autofocus cameras i.e. canon and pentax the main downfall of these is the batteries pack in after about -10 and the shutter locks,therefore no photograph is possible.This camera is a gem forget autofocus.If your eyesight is still good buy this camera sell everything else it is astounding.You can pick up nikon A1 or A1S lenses secondhand that will blow away any autofocus lenses that are currently available.This camera has everything.Nikon is the only manufacturer to stay loyal to mechanical cameras and it is obvious why the nikon lenses produced in the last 30 years are as good as any autofocus camera produced today.My main interest is landscape and mountaineering photography and if you want a camra for outdoors get it.I cannot commend the camera enough although I know many FM2 owners are wary of this.I would say buy it it is an FM2N plus the availability of automation i.e.FM+FE and gives you the option of aperture priority and TTL flash off the film.

Customer Service

Not Required

Similar Products Used:

canon,pentax,olympus.

- Compatible with 20-years'''' worth of lenses - built like a tank - DX decoding and film window on back (which are missing from virtually all manual-focus cameras) - Depth-of-field preview - 1/4000 sec. maximum shutter speed with 1/250 sec. flash-sync

- Will probably outlive me

I bought this camera brand-spankin'''' new because before I had only owned used equipment. I wanted a camera I could call my own, and one that I could say 20 years from now "I bought this thing when it first came out and have had it ever since." Being an owner of a Nikon FM2n, I was thrilled when I heard that there was a new version with autoexposure in the works. When the FM3a finally became a reality, I snatched it up immediately. This is a camera I can love. For some reason, I just can''''t form a close relationship with electronic autofocus equipment. The FM3a allows me to control everything, making picture-taking a more intimate experience. The autoexposure works perfectly, the TTL-flash feature is great, and all AI, AI-S, and autofocus D lenses work on it. Probably the best thing, though, is that it survived a fall from my car at 55mph (it was in a cushoined case, of course) and only suffered a small dent on the side. A plastic camera would have shattered or at least cracked.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon FM2n, Nikon F3

A solidly built camera body. No steep learning curves, no multiple layers of control menu you have to learn and forget. The camera controls are obvious.

I wish they have a spot metereing option on the FM3A. It will make the thing perfect. Mirror lock-up would also be nice.

I had a chance to use a friend''s brand new FM3A. It was just like my FM2N except with aperture prefered auto-exposure. The photos (I only shot 3 rolls) were all perfectly exposed. As long as you know the limits of the 60/40 center weighted system, you''re okay.

Customer Service

Not applicable.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon FM2N which I''ve owned for years. A couple of auto-focus Nikons. The N70 and the 8008. I have also used a Leica R6.2. That has a spot metering option which I liked.

- Metal! Built like a tank. Almost everything is made of metal. Even my Canon from 1974. doesn''t have metal rewind fork - Nikon does! - It has everything you need from one "serious" camera. No stupid programs, beeps, digital menus or similar. I always say: photograph is made of light passing through the lens. All you really need is good lens, shutter and aperture control. Nothing less, nothing more. - Auto mode. Very useful and very accurate. The best thing is that you can actually see the selected shutter speed, so you can change aperture easily if your motive needs more/less speed. It accurately meters up to 8sec - which is also a perfect thing if your shutter speed goes under 1 sec! - Needle system. You can see over/under exposure easily. - TTL Flash - DX code - And much more!

None I can think of.

Nikon did it again - FM3A is a perfected FM2n and it''s the best manual camera I ever used. I''m really glad to see that Nikon still cares about TRUE, manual photography in this era of digital junk.

Customer Service

None.

Similar Products Used:

Canon, Nikon, Praktica.

all the above as well as DX coding, the A mode, no batteries needed,AE lock, it is a Nikon........( a little snobby i guess, but is a Nikon :-)

none

I was looking for a back up for my F90x and fell in love with this wonderfull camera. It has all electronics you need and more. It is very rugged, small enough to take everywhere, it takes all the Nikon lenses I have. It''''s Center Weight metering has never let me down, fill flash is perfect with the compensation button and the viewfinder is bright enough to make focussing your subject very easy. Perfect; the F90x has become my back up!

Customer Service

not needed

Similar Products Used:

FE, FE2

Rugged metal construction. Bright viewfinder. Flash compensation. Auto exposure. Window on the back for film check.

It doesn''t lock the AEL. It doesn''t lock the flash compensation.

A wonderful camera with a solid feel. Everything feels reliable. Managage the Swedish winter temperature (-30C and below), and I''m looking forward to test it in the heat of the jungle later on this summer. The photos I have taken has been perfectly exposured.

Customer Service

None.

Similar Products Used:

Pentax K-1000, Minolta MX-1.

Build quality and size, even with the motor drive attached. Just the right amount of electronics included.

Autofocus... NOT!

Wonderfully built camera and a type I never would have thought would be offered again. Thought I had missed out when they discontinued the FE2 14 years ago, and this camera is better. I''m using this with the same lens sets I use with my F4 (try that Canon users!) and SB24 flash. The flash is actually bigger than the camera, so it balances better with the MD12 motor attached if/when you use the flash. Other than that I can''t add anything additionally that hasn''t already been said on the positive side about this camera other than you need to get one of these if you''ve ever wanted to own a Leica. It''s that well built. I know, I''ve owned an M4 and M6.

Customer Service

Never had to use.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon F3, FM2 Leicas (various)