NikonGear'23

Gear Talk => Camera Talk => Topic started by: RonVol on March 22, 2016, 09:57:02

Title: Nikon F3 - Earliest Recorded
Post by: RonVol on March 22, 2016, 09:57:02
Nikon F3 with serial number 1200520 is the earliest actual body that I've seen and is part of my collection.
The earliest body that I've seen in a picture is 1200253, seen in an information brochure.
Bodies with serial numbers up to around 12012XX are quite unique as they have several features that later bodies do not have.
Title: Re: Nikon F3 - Earliest Recorded
Post by: Erik Lund on March 22, 2016, 10:06:03
Nice, what are these features?

Perfect product shots!
Title: Re: Nikon F3 - Earliest Recorded
Post by: RonVol on March 22, 2016, 10:46:55
Nice, what are these features?


Nothing major Erik.
The most obvious difference is the shape of the ends of the film-guide rails.
Look carefully at the images below showing the type I & type II rails.

Type I rails have been seen on bodies up to 1201512.
The earliest body with type II rails that I've seen is 1201662.
Title: Re: Nikon F3 - Earliest Recorded
Post by: Erik Lund on March 22, 2016, 11:15:58
It's all in the details ;) Thanks
Title: Re: Nikon F3 - Earliest Recorded
Post by: null on March 22, 2016, 18:30:06
Congratulations on the Find! Part of the fun of camera collecting is knowing the differences within the run.
Title: Re: Nikon F3 - Earliest Recorded
Post by: Akira on March 22, 2016, 22:49:35
If I remember correctly, the rubber used on the grip was also different on the earliest bodies: the one with the cross-lined texture which was the same material as that used for the steering wheel of Mercedes Benz.
Title: Re: Nikon F3 - Earliest Recorded
Post by: richardHaw on March 23, 2016, 03:28:32
i always wanted the F3. i could never afford that when i was younger and i was very jealous of my friends who could. this is a fine camera :o :o :o
i have no intention of shooting film again but i always wanted to have a digital F3.
Title: Re: Nikon F3 - Earliest Recorded
Post by: null on March 23, 2016, 17:28:20
The Digital F3 required a big, luggable data acquisition system. The DCS200 was much more compact, I waited for it to come out.