Nikon Nikkormat FT3
Talk to a Nikonophile - any Nikonophile. They're not difficult to find. There are few people who casually use Nikon equipment, so it's more likely that the person you see with a Nikon fill-in-the-blank camera will be more than happy to talk about the superiority of Nikon in great detail. If you find this interesting, congratulations. You too can become a Nikonophile. But if you just want to use a Nikon here or there or just find a good, solid camera body that will let you use lots of Nikon's lenses, look no further than the Nikkormat FT3.
When it hit the market in 1977, the Nikkormat FT3 found a home as a backup camera for professionals who used the wildly popular and sturdy Nikon F2. But it was also a hit with advanced amateurs who liked the option of using Nikon's "Automatic Indexing" system that allowed for the lens' aperture ring to fit with the camera's light meter tab. Did you have an older Nikon lens that isn't compatible with the new-fangled AI coupling mechanism? Not to worry. That little tab folds up and out of the way just like Nikon's FE and FM. Use the camera's depth-of-field preview switch and your metering troubles are over.
As simple as the FT3 looks, it's worth noting that it has features found on much more advanced cameras. Notably, the shutter speed is displayed in the viewfinder, which is a definite plus when trying to work quickly. There's a meter window on the top of the camera body that is useful when working on a tripod. Also, the FT3 features a mirror lock-up switch for macro shooting, astrophotography, or other times when mirror shake could be an issue.
So, you budding Nikonophile, why did you choose a Nikkormat FT3? Feel free to answer with all of the reasons listed above, but you're also free just to say that it feels good.
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