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Photo Forum / Film Photography / 35 mm / October 2005Another bargain coming my way...
I was just in a local store dropping off my D70 to get a CLA (frikking dust) and saw a Nikon F3HP on the shelf, with MD-4 motor drive. Very good condition, but not something I would be looking to buy now that I am saving for Project NYC 2006. What I am going to buy though, is a lens that was being sold with the F3. A 180mm f/2.8 AI, the second version of this classic, I believe. The cosmetic condition is probably about a 8 out of 10, but the optics are as clean as a whistle. Price? A whopping $90. It really saddens me to see so much excellent equipment simply being abandoned by owners clambering to own a DSLR or the latest & greatest in autofocus, vibration reduction, blah blah blah. In another local shop I saw an EOS1V in as new condition being peddled for under $800. No takers.  SignatureDD (everything is temporary) www.dallasdahms.com > It really saddens me to see so much excellent equipment simply being > abandoned by owners clambering to own a DSLR or the latest & greatest in > autofocus, vibration reduction, blah blah blah. In another local shop I > saw an EOS1V in as new condition being peddled for under $800. No > takers. It's worse here. About a year ago a person advertised on a local list an EOS camera for $600 (a lot of money here). KEH sold them for around the same price. Six months later he posted a note that he had given up on selling the camera himself and had put it up for sale at a local store (which includes a 90 day warranty) for 600 NIS (about $125). He also asked if when you went to buy it, if you would please ask for HIS camera as there were five others of the same model for sale at the same price. Geoff. SignatureGeoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel gsm@mendelson.com N3OWJ/4X1GM IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 IL Fax: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838 You should have boycotted Google while you could, now Google supported BPL is in action. Time is running out on worldwide radio communication. > I was just in a local store dropping off my D70 to get a CLA (frikking > dust) and saw a Nikon F3HP on the shelf, with MD-4 motor drive. Very > good condition, but not something I would be looking to buy now that I > am saving for Project NYC 2006. Only thing to watch out for on most F3 bodies is the LCD failing. Most of the rest is fairly durable. Of course, under very heavy usage, the shutter could have failed (150k actuations, IIRC). > What I am going to buy though, is a lens that was being sold with the > F3. A 180mm f/2.8 AI, the second version of this classic, I believe. The > cosmetic condition is probably about a 8 out of 10, but the optics are > as clean as a whistle. > > Price? A whopping $90. Lens, body, and motordrive for $90???? > It really saddens me to see so much excellent equipment simply being > abandoned by owners clambering to own a DSLR or the latest & greatest in [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > -- What amazes me is that someone probably got rid of the 180 mm f2.8 to get some super zoom for the convenience. Really tough to beat the image results from a 180 mm f2.8. The newer 200 mm f2.0 does as good a job, but at a much higher price point. Ciao! Gordon Moat A G Studio <http://www.allgstudio.com> > > I was just in a local store dropping off my D70 to get a CLA (frikking > > dust) and saw a Nikon F3HP on the shelf, with MD-4 motor drive. Very [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Lens, body, and motordrive for $90???? No,no! Only the lens at that price. The body and drive would have cost me an extra $380 or so. > What amazes me is that someone probably got rid of the 180 mm f2.8 to get > some super zoom for the convenience. Really tough to beat the image results > from a 180 mm f2.8. The newer 200 mm f2.0 does as good a job, but at a much > higher price point. According to the shop the owner of the F3 has four of them, so I can understand wanting to sell one, but unless he had a much better lens, I can't understand why he would want to sell that 180mm for such little money. I picked it up yesterday afternoon and the body has seen some serious work, but as I said the glass is immaculate. Funny thing is, the built in lens hood has been replaced with a screw in one. I need to check if this is the right hood for that lens but I can't recall the model number right now. SignatureDD (everything is temporary) www.dallasdahms.com >>>I was just in a local store dropping off my D70 to get a CLA (frikking >>>dust) and saw a Nikon F3HP on the shelf, with MD-4 motor drive. Very [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] >>from a 180 mm f2.8. The newer 200 mm f2.0 does as good a job, but at a much >>higher price point. Here's my notes when looking at those lenses recently: Non-IF MF version $750 new (better optics? f/32, heavier): http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/180f28.htm ED-IF AF version $680 new, $390 used (closer focusing f/22) http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/180af.htm <http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=78&sort=1&cat=12> > According to the shop the owner of the F3 has four of them, so I can > understand wanting to sell one, but unless he had a much better lens, I [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > this is the right hood for that lens but I can't recall the model number > right now. SignaturePaul Furman http://www.edgehill.net/1 Bay Natives http://www.baynatives.com >Non-IF MF version $750 new (better optics? f/32, heavier): >http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/180f28.htm > >ED-IF AF version $680 new, $390 used (closer focusing f/22) >http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/180af.htm ><http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=78&sort=1&cat=12> The 180mm f/2.8 was reformulated for the first AF Nikkor version, and is optically even better than the manual focus version, although that is still a superb lens, whether in ED or non-ED versions (the last production batch of the non-ED series had ED glass anyway!). The second AF version, the AF-N, has improved cosmetics and handling, with the hard plastic focusing ring (very poor MF handling) replaced by a wider, rubberised version with a much improved MF 'feel'. The third AF version, the AF-D, has the same cosmetics as the AF-N but with the addition of the focusing distance chip. This is of dubious value with a telephoto lens, so the AF-N is a very good used choice. The bargain of them all is probably the original AF Nikkor which has the same optics as the later versions but is available used for much less money. You just need to be able to tolerate the poor MF feel of that loose, narrow, hard focusing ring. > The bargain of them all is probably the original AF Nikkor which has > the same optics as the later versions but is available used for much > less money. You just need to be able to tolerate the poor MF feel of > that loose, narrow, hard focusing ring. Note that the AF lenses went from the large helicoid focusing mechanism (basicly a BIG screw) to a rack an pinion mechanism. IMHO this was a big win, because it's lighter, sturdier, easier to fix and above all cheaper. Geoff. SignatureGeoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel gsm@mendelson.com N3OWJ/4X1GM IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 IL Fax: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838 You should have boycotted Google while you could, now Google supported BPL is in action. Time is running out on worldwide radio communication. >> The bargain of them all is probably the original AF Nikkor which has >> the same optics as the later versions but is available used for much [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >a big win, because it's lighter, sturdier, easier to fix and above >all cheaper. That's as may be, however, on this particular lens, the focusing ring has a very sloppy feel, probably one of the worst of any of the early AF Nikkors. Anyone considering buying this version of the lens would need to ensure that they were content with this. > > The bargain of them all is probably the original AF Nikkor which has > > the same optics as the later versions but is available used for much [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > a big win, because it's lighter, sturdier, easier to fix and above > all cheaper. The large screw type helicoid rarely ever needs repairs. The same cannot be stated about many autofocus lenses. However, if you really only want autofocus, then buy autofocus. Ciao! Gordon Moat A G Studio <http://www.allgstudio.com> >> > The bargain of them all is probably the original AF Nikkor which has >> > the same optics as the later versions but is available used for much [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >stated about many autofocus lenses. However, if you really only want autofocus, >then buy autofocus. Unless you buy the pro Nikon bodies (F4, F5, F6, F100, D1*, D2* ...) you have to buy AF lenses if you want any kind of TTL light metering. > Unless you buy the pro Nikon bodies (F4, F5, F6, F100, D1*, D2* ...) > you have to buy AF lenses if you want any kind of TTL light metering. This is only marginaly true - you could also buy older generation "prosumer" (though the term didn't exist back then) autofcous body like F801(s)/F401(s) or similar and get aperture priority metering. Or you could get a manual focus only body. Not precicely ideal, but... SignatureSander +++ Out of cheese error +++ > Unless you buy the pro Nikon bodies (F4, F5, F6, F100, D1*, D2* ...) > you have to buy AF lenses if you want any kind of TTL light metering. The N90 will meter through AI lenses. And of course the FM, FM2, FE, and various other non-pro bodies. And in digital, losing the metering is mostly a non-event (*EXCEPT* for flash). SignatureDavid Dyer-Bennet, <mailto:dd-b@dd-b.net>, <http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/> RKBA: <http://noguns-nomoney.com/> <http://www.dd-b.net/carry/> Pics: <http://dd-b.lighthunters.net/> <http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/SnapshotAlbum/> Dragaera/Steven Brust: <http://dragaera.info/> >And in digital, losing the metering is mostly a non-event (*EXCEPT* >for flash). Recently I did flash photography by adjusting the flash output using feedback from the histogram. I would hate to do that for normal photography. (For flash I had to check the balance between the various flashes anyhow, so using the histogram was not a big deal.) In my opinion, a camera that doesn't do stop-down metering is just a toy (except for large format cameras of course). SignatureThat was it. Done. The faulty Monk was turned out into the desert where it could believe what it liked, including the idea that it had been hard done by. It was allowed to keep its horse, since horses were so cheap to make. -- Douglas Adams in Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency > >And in digital, losing the metering is mostly a non-event (*EXCEPT* > >for flash). [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > In my opinion, a camera that doesn't do stop-down metering is just a toy > (except for large format cameras of course). Yeah, well, I never regarded my Leica M3 as a toy, myself. SignatureDavid Dyer-Bennet, <mailto:dd-b@dd-b.net>, <http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/> RKBA: <http://noguns-nomoney.com/> <http://www.dd-b.net/carry/> Pics: <http://dd-b.lighthunters.net/> <http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/SnapshotAlbum/> Dragaera/Steven Brust: <http://dragaera.info/> > > > I was just in a local store dropping off my D70 to get a CLA (frikking > > > dust) and saw a Nikon F3HP on the shelf, with MD-4 motor drive. Very [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > No,no! Only the lens at that price. The body and drive would have cost > me an extra $380 or so. Actually sounds about right to maybe a tad high for the body and motordrive. That is really good pricing for that lens, if it is in good shape optically. > > What amazes me is that someone probably got rid of the 180 mm f2.8 to get > > some super zoom for the convenience. Really tough to beat the image results [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > can't understand why he would want to sell that 180mm for such little > money. Fast sale to get some ready cash . . . . . > I picked it up yesterday afternoon and the body has seen some serious > work, but as I said the glass is immaculate. Funny thing is, the built > in lens hood has been replaced with a screw in one. I need to check if > this is the right hood for that lens but I can't recall the model number > right now. All the 180 mm f2.8 lenses had a built-in hood. There might be other choices that work. Okay I measured the dimensions on mine: depth - 26 mm to the front of the filter mount inside diameter - 76 mm thread mount - 72 mm Just a guess, but an HN-13 or HN-20 would probably work fine. You might also find a generic that works. <http://www.geocities.com/rick_housh/camera/nikon/lenshoods.html> Ciao! Gordon Moat A G Studio <http://www.allgstudio.com> > > > > I was just in a local store dropping off my D70 to get a CLA (frikking > > > > dust) and saw a Nikon F3HP on the shelf, with MD-4 motor drive. Very [quoted text clipped - 47 lines] > Just a guess, but an HN-13 or HN-20 would probably work fine. You might also > find a generic that works. It came with an HN-20, so I guess it should be okay then. With my D70 off for a service I haven't been able to check the optics or if the hood vignettes at all. SignatureDD (everything is temporary) www.dallasdahms.com > > > > > I was just in a local store dropping off my D70 to get a CLA (frikking > > > > > dust) and saw a Nikon F3HP on the shelf, with MD-4 motor drive. Very [quoted text clipped - 51 lines] > off for a service I haven't been able to check the optics or if the hood > vignettes at all. If you use an extension tube, then you might want to remove the lens hood. Really close focus distance might give some shading to the edges. Otherwise, there should be no worries about vignetting. Ciao! Gordon Moat A G Studio <http://www.allgstudio.com> >I saw an EOS1V in as new condition being peddled for under $800. No >takers. What what will you offer for mine? Remember, it's Fabulous! > I saw an EOS1V in as new condition being peddled for under $800. No >takers. So what will you offer for mine? Remember, it's Fabulous! > > I saw an EOS1V in as new condition being peddled for under $800. No > >takers. > > So what will you offer for mine? Remember, it's Fabulous! What'll I use it for? I still think it looks like a melted dildo, fabulous or not! SignatureDD (everything is temporary) www.dallasdahms.com |
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