On Wed, 11 Nov 1998 20:50:41 -0500, Paul Telmosse wrote:

>I've been recently tempted to exchange my FE2 body for a F3 body.
>Looking at the features of both bodied, I find that the differences are:
>
>1. FE2 max shutter speed = 1/4000 sec; F3 is 1/2000sec
>2. FE2 mechanical shutter speed = 1/250 sec; F3 is 1/60 sec
>3. FE2 max flash sync speed = 1/250 sec; F3 is 1/80 sec
>4. FE2 viewfinder size = 0.86X; F3 is 0.8 X; F3HP is 0.75X (with
> 50 mm f/1.4 lens focussed at infinity)
>5. FE2 has mirror pre-fire; F3 has mirror lock-up
>6. FE2 viewfinder coverage = 93%; F3 is 100%
>7. FE2 is lighter and smaller
>
> Except for point 6 which favors the F3, why is it that when somebody
>asks for a recommendation for a manual/mechanical body, the F3 is
>preferred to the FE2?

For me, the answer is in the viewfinder. Try putting a 28mm lens
on both bodies, and lining up the edge of the frame with a horizon
line, paper edge, etc. - then try to focus something near the edge
of the frame. The F3 finder is not only nearly 100% in coverage,
but it is also free of the linear distortion present in virtually
all other camera viewfinders (making precise composition
easier). The F3 finder is sharp enough over most of its area
(unlike most other camera finders which look soft at the edges
with short lenses, and introduce focus errors with long lenses)
to manually focus comfortably (and see DOF...) almost anywhere
in the frame. And that entire F3 frame can be seen easily, even
with the non-HP finder and glasses (and the entire finder assembly
is modular, so it can be customized - and it can be thoroughly
cleaned by the user).
Another advantage of the F3: its meter is accurate with
shifted PC lenses - most others require centering the PC lens
for metering. Other advantages have been pointed out by others.
I still like my FA's, 8008's, etc., but for ease of viewing and
accurate prediction from the finder image what the photo will
look like, the F3 is hard to beat.