F3 Repair - Is it even worth the bother?

On 19 Aug 2004 21:49:15 -0700, (ebsimonds)
wrote:

I have a Nikon F3 that I purchased new in mid 80's. I got it to
complement my F2. My dad owns 2 Nikon F's and has a large selection
of lenses and accessories. I have taken a lot of photographs with it
over the years and really like it. It is in absolutely pristine
physical condition.

The problem with the F3 is that it is not as reliable as the F's or
the F2. Twice while on vacation, it has malfunctioned, and also on
one other occasion here in town (Dallas, TX). The first two times,

I've used nikons since my old PF2 Photomic. My F-3 was the most
trouble prone camera I every owned. I don't think that is typical as
I've heard of very few owners who had problems.

Mine actually had the rewind lever come off at the first wedding where
I used it. I still had the F-2 which I was going to use for the
candid part so all came out well.

I think that one went back for service three times.
I replaced it with the F4S when they came out and that camera has been
the most reliable I've owned. It's built like a tank and unfortunately
after a long day of shooting seems to weight as much as one as well.

For weight and balance, or just over all feel and looks I liked that
F-3.

the camera was sent to Archinal, Nikon's authorized service center
here in Dallas, for repair. Each time it was returned in working
condition. This last time was the last straw. About a month before I
made a trip to Yellowstone, I took the F2 and the F3 out to check the
batteries, dry fired the cameras at all shutter speeds etc. They
worked fine. I got off the airplane at Salt Lake City where we were
to rent a car for the drive to the park and the F3 was dead.

I mean totally dead. The camera won't energize itself when switched
on. I tried two new sets of batteries, took the working set out of
the F2 and put them in the F3 without any luck. It is absolutely,
stone cold, flat out dead. I had planned to shoot b&w in the F2 and
color in the F3. I'm just glad I decided to take the F2 along, I'd
toyed with the idea of leaving it here.

I sent it to Nikon's repair center in Torrance, CA and received an
estimate from them. It's listed as a Class C (Major) repair for a
total of +/- $250.00. It could be more. It could be less.

So I'm trying to decide, is it worth it to have it rapaired, or should
I just cut my losses with it and move on? I've been looking at a D70,
I could put the repair price towards the D70 and I'd still have the

It seems a shame to let such a nice camera in "pristine" physical
shape go to the trash, but with F4s selling for on the order of $500
it probably wouldn't bring much.

My F4S and 8008S have been sitting on the shelf for nearly three
years. I purchased an Olympus E20-N which takes great images, but is
slower than molasses. This past spring I purchased a D-70 and I'm
past 1900 images "the second time". It has already been back to the
factory twice under warranty. The first time the camera lost track of
when the flash was up. It kept telling me to use flash when I had
already raised the thing. The second time it went to intermittent
focusing. However I've been using it steady for over three months
with no additional problems. It was one of the very first ones
available so there may have been a few kinks to work out.

F2. Or, I could get it fixed and wait a while longer to get the D70
(maybe they'll be discounted some by then). I'll say this, I really

They are already being discounted by $200 or more. I'm seeing the kit
for what the body was priced (bout a $1000) and that kit lens does a
very nice job.. We'll have to wait and see how it does now that the 8
mega pixel 20D Canon is coming out.

like the metering system in F3, it just seems to work in almost every
condition, and I really don't like the thought of it winding up in a
landfill. But, I'm fed up with the problems it's had.

That's kinda the way I felt about mine. It was working when I traded
for the F-4S and the last I heard it was still working. Maybe it just
didn't like me.


Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

Although it would have been nice to have the money, I kept my 35s as
they really aren't worth a lot even if they are in nice shape. They
do look impressive up there on the shelf:-))

Two things to think about on the D-70. No mirror lock up for shooting
and no cable release. It does have an IR remote, but you have to be
pointed at the sensor for it to work. OTOH you can use a reflector so
it will work from behind. Still, I miss those two features. It is
fast and well balanced. I like the D-70 better than the D100, or even
the D1H/D1X with the exception of those two missing features.

Good Luck,

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

Thanks.

EBS

On 19 Aug 2004 21:49:15 -0700, (ebsimonds)
wrote:

I have a Nikon F3 that I purchased new in mid 80's. I got it to
complement my F2. My dad owns 2 Nikon F's and has a large selection
of lenses and accessories. I have taken a lot of photographs with it
over the years and really like it. It is in absolutely pristine
physical condition.

The problem with the F3 is that it is not as reliable as the F's or
the F2. Twice while on vacation, it has malfunctioned, and also on
one other occasion here in town (Dallas, TX). The first two times,

I've used nikons since my old PF2 Photomic. My F-3 was the most
trouble prone camera I every owned. I don't think that is typical as
I've heard of very few owners who had problems.

Mine actually had the rewind lever come off at the first wedding where
I used it. I still had the F-2 which I was going to use for the
candid part so all came out well.

I think that one went back for service three times.
I replaced it with the F4S when they came out and that camera has been
the most reliable I've owned. It's built like a tank and unfortunately
after a long day of shooting seems to weight as much as one as well.

For weight and balance, or just over all feel and looks I liked that
F-3.

the camera was sent to Archinal, Nikon's authorized service center
here in Dallas, for repair. Each time it was returned in working
condition. This last time was the last straw. About a month before I
made a trip to Yellowstone, I took the F2 and the F3 out to check the
batteries, dry fired the cameras at all shutter speeds etc. They
worked fine. I got off the airplane at Salt Lake City where we were
to rent a car for the drive to the park and the F3 was dead.

I mean totally dead. The camera won't energize itself when switched
on. I tried two new sets of batteries, took the working set out of
the F2 and put them in the F3 without any luck. It is absolutely,
stone cold, flat out dead. I had planned to shoot b&w in the F2 and
color in the F3. I'm just glad I decided to take the F2 along, I'd
toyed with the idea of leaving it here.

I sent it to Nikon's repair center in Torrance, CA and received an
estimate from them. It's listed as a Class C (Major) repair for a
total of +/- $250.00. It could be more. It could be less.

So I'm trying to decide, is it worth it to have it rapaired, or should
I just cut my losses with it and move on? I've been looking at a D70,
I could put the repair price towards the D70 and I'd still have the

It seems a shame to let such a nice camera in "pristine" physical
shape go to the trash, but with F4s selling for on the order of $500
it probably wouldn't bring much.

My F4S and 8008S have been sitting on the shelf for nearly three
years. I purchased an Olympus E20-N which takes great images, but is
slower than molasses. This past spring I purchased a D-70 and I'm
past 1900 images "the second time". It has already been back to the
factory twice under warranty. The first time the camera lost track of
when the flash was up. It kept telling me to use flash when I had
already raised the thing. The second time it went to intermittent
focusing. However I've been using it steady for over three months
with no additional problems. It was one of the very first ones
available so there may have been a few kinks to work out.

F2. Or, I could get it fixed and wait a while longer to get the D70
(maybe they'll be discounted some by then). I'll say this, I really

They are already being discounted by $200 or more. I'm seeing the kit
for what the body was priced (bout a $1000) and that kit lens does a
very nice job.. We'll have to wait and see how it does now that the 8
mega pixel 20D Canon is coming out.

like the metering system in F3, it just seems to work in almost every
condition, and I really don't like the thought of it winding up in a
landfill. But, I'm fed up with the problems it's had.

That's kinda the way I felt about mine. It was working when I traded
for the F-4S and the last I heard it was still working. Maybe it just
didn't like me.


Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

Although it would have been nice to have the money, I kept my 35s as
they really aren't worth a lot even if they are in nice shape. They
do look impressive up there on the shelf:-))

Two things to think about on the D-70. No mirror lock up for shooting
and no cable release. It does have an IR remote, but you have to be
pointed at the sensor for it to work. OTOH you can use a reflector so
it will work from behind. Still, I miss those two features. It is
fast and well balanced. I like the D-70 better than the D100, or even
the D1H/D1X with the exception of those two missing features.

Good Luck,

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

Thanks.

EBS