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  #1  
Old 10th May 2020, 11:34 AM
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paddy paddy is offline
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Default Nikon FA anyone

Just bought a Nikon FA off a Japanese ebayer, the camera looks really nice
I bought this for slide film duties as the matrix metering is supposed to be good, I have an fm3 and fm2 still
Anyone got one and what do you think
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Old 10th May 2020, 01:15 PM
John King John King is offline
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Default Nikon FA

I used one a long time ago. It was on loan so I didn't really get into it. The matrix metering 'seemed' to work, I could not see a lot of difference between that and the centre weighted. It was so I felt at the time it was a good camera.

Possibly sidelined by the FE2 at the time because it was a bit cheaper and apart from the matrix metering there was little difference. FA models in good nick are hard to come by
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Old 10th May 2020, 02:01 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by John King View Post
I used one a long time ago. It was on loan so I didn't really get into it. The matrix metering 'seemed' to work, I could not see a lot of difference between that and the centre weighted. It was so I felt at the time it was a good camera.

Possibly sidelined by the FE2 at the time because it was a bit cheaper and apart from the matrix metering there was little difference. FA models in good nick are hard to come by
I only bought it because my old FE2 shutter is sticky and the mirror locks up and wont return, shame really so it looks like a scrapper now
Im going to pinch the dioptre and leather strap off it for the FA
I dont know why the japs sell cameras with no dioptre ??
There seems to be little love for these cameras hence me getting it for a good price, i still have my FM3A and FM2 so no worries
It seems on paper it was more advanced than the FE2 and F3 ??
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Old 10th May 2020, 02:08 PM
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Originally Posted by paddy View Post
I only bought it because my old FE2 shutter is sticky and the mirror locks up and wont return, shame really so it looks like a scrapper now

Im going to pinch the dioptre and leather strap off it for the FA

I dont know why the japs sell cameras with no dioptre ??

There seems to be little love for these cameras hence me getting it for a good price, i still have my FM3A and FM2 so no worries

It seems on paper it was more advanced than the FE2 and F3 ??


If the FA isn’t to your taste, I can recommend the F90X. They’re cheap, very reliable and have an excellent matrix meter as well as spot metering (with the right lenses).


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Old 10th May 2020, 02:54 PM
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+1 I didn't really gel with my FA and found the F90x much more capable.

Mike
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Old 10th May 2020, 02:57 PM
John King John King is offline
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Default Right lenses?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brock View Post
If the FA isn’t to your taste, I can recommend the F90X. They’re cheap, very reliable and have an excellent matrix meter as well as spot metering (with the right lenses).


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What do mean when you say 'right lenses'. All the AF lenses will work with spot metering apart from the later ones - I think they are the 'G' type lenses.

I have never had a problem with an F90 or the F90X or even the earlier F801/601 I still have a 601 and it gets taken out once in a while.
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Old 10th May 2020, 03:02 PM
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paddy paddy is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brock View Post
If the FA isn’t to your taste, I can recommend the F90X. They’re cheap, very reliable and have an excellent matrix meter as well as spot metering (with the right lenses).


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Hi
I only use nikon manual focus prime lens, see how i go with the FA

Last edited by paddy; 10th May 2020 at 03:07 PM.
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Old 10th May 2020, 03:05 PM
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B&W Neil B&W Neil is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by paddy View Post
Just bought a Nikon FA off a Japanese ebayer, the camera looks really nice
I bought this for slide film duties as the matrix metering is supposed to be good, I have an fm3 and fm2 still
Anyone got one and what do you think

I used an FA a few years ago when I was with Nikon for 35mm and I loved it - should have kept it really but I needed the funds for the next idea

I used the matrix meetering (as well as the other metering options) and found it to be excellent and I'm sure you will get good slides by using it.

IRC it was the first 'matrix' metering system that had a database of 'lighting situations' programmed in. I used it when I had to work fast, or in bad weather etc and found it to be spot-on.

Enjoy :-)

Neil.
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Old 10th May 2020, 03:10 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by B&W Neil View Post
I used an FA a few years ago when I was with Nikon for 35mm and I loved it - should have kept it really but I needed the funds for the next idea

I used the matrix meetering (as well as the other metering options) and found it to be excellent and I'm sure you will get good slides by using it.

IRC it was the first 'matrix' metering system that had a database of 'lighting situations' programmed in. I used it when I had to work fast, or in bad weather etc and found it to be spot-on.

Enjoy :-)

Neil.
Thanks Neil
I imagine i wont have a problem liking the FA, its a Nikon after all
As long as the batteries are ok i wont have a problem
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  #10  
Old 10th May 2020, 03:38 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by paddy View Post
Just bought a Nikon FA off a Japanese ebayer, the camera looks really nice
paddy, I hope this question is considered relevant by the mods. Can you say when you actually bought this camera?. I ask because today on Photrio there is a thread warning about serious postal delays from Japan to the U.S. but is this is an issue only there, or has it affected Japan to U.K.?

Your reply may help anyone else here thinking of buying from Japanese e-bayers in the next few days /weeks

Certainly these days for instance anyone thinking of Pentax MF purchases may have to consider Japanese sellers who do have a good reputation generally

Thanks

Mike
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