The Nikon F3, probably the most legendary cameras ever made, is celebrating its forty fifth birthday this yr – and in these 45 years it has been utilized by a number of the all-time photographic greats, in all places from outer area to the world’s most harmful battle zones.
Launched again in March 1980, the Nikon F3 carried a price ticket of ¥175,000 – which in right this moment’s cash is about ¥266,000, which is roughly $1,880 / £1,400 / AU$2,900. An absolute discount for one of many finest movie cameras (and, certainly, finest cameras interval) ever made – and you bought a 50mm f/1.4 lens with it!
Constructed for skilled use, the Nikon F3 was rapidly embraced by the most important names within the enterprise and remained in manufacturing for 21 years. Certainly, it is so effectively made that the digicam continues to be getting used right this moment.
Well-known names that wielded the Nikon F3 embody akin to icons as photojournalist Steve McCurry, wildlife professional Jim Brandenburg, style photographer Peter Lindbergh and quite a few battle photographers like Eddie Adams.
Actually, Nikon ran a collection of commercials for the F3 throughout the Eighties that includes Adams and co with the tagline, “Going to battle with every other digicam can be taking a danger.”
The Nikon F3 was designed by legendary designer Giorgetto Giugiaro, whose different iconic designs included the Lotus Esprit, DMC DeLorean (aka “the Again to the Future automotive”), the Seiko Speedmaster Chronograph watch and the Beretta Neos handgun.
There can be innumerable variants of the digicam launched through the years, each for industrial and commemorative functions. The Nikon F3P (for “Press”), for instance, boasted rugged development and weather-sealing to face up to heavy area use by journalists.
It additionally shaped a vital a part of Nikon’s relationship with NASA, which continues to at the present time. The Area Company was searching for extra moveable options to the Hasselblad cameras it had historically been utilizing.
Prototypes of the Nikon F3 have been developed for the Area Shuttle program within the late Seventies, alongside the patron model of the digicam that may in the end be launched to the general public.
In the end, two variations of the F3 have been produced for NASA – the ‘Small Digicam’, with a 72-exposure movie again, and the ‘Huge Digicam’ with a 250-exposure again. The cameras boasted a darkish slide that enabled astronauts to change backs loaded with totally different movie inventory.
There was additionally the Nikon F3H (for “Excessive Pace”) designed forward of the 1998 Olympic Video games in Nagano, Japan, to ship a blistering 13 frames per second steady burst when mixed with a particular motor drive.
At the moment, the Nikon F3 has clearly been eclipsed in know-how by successive flagships – most just lately the Nikon Z8 and Z9. However will both of these cameras nonetheless be working in 45 years time? I am betting they will not… however I guess the F3 will!
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Check out the finest Nikon cameras of right this moment, together with the finest Nikon lenses. And if you happen to want one thing for professional use, be certain that to take a look at the finest skilled cameras in the marketplace.