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thefamilyman !!rTVzm2BgTOa
need help.
Is US$389 too much for a near mint looking Nikon FA with MD-14 motor drive and 50mm f/1.4 Ai-s?

"The Nikon FA was the most sophisticated manual focus Nikon camera ever produced." - mir.com.my (what i call the Nikon online bible)

Pic related
>> Anonymous
I had to search for the phrase, but it just sounds like "most sophisticated" means "had Matrix metering and AE modes."

I'd skip it and just get an F2 or F3 or something. Why not go for the best now that it's dirt cheap?
>> Anonymous
>>124808
no, it's not too much IMO. High-end Nikon manual bodies are generally fucking expensive.
>> Vincent !!8LCSE0Zp1mL
I say too much, the 50mm f1.4 AF goes for about 225 Used, 50mm f1.4 Ai usually goes for about 80-120
>> Anonymous
>>124861
well I've seen guys trying to sell their beat-up F3 bodies for like $200, so $250 for a near mint FA with a motor drive doesn't sound too bad.
>> thefamilyman !!rTVzm2BgTOa
sorry, its a MD-12, not 14
>> des
>>124808
eh
Do people get that much? yeah.
Is it worth it? fuck no.

The reason to get an FA is because it's an FE-styled camera that MATRIX METERS with AI-s lenses. Unless you're an asshole like des and have a hardon for this form factor, go get an F4. It will also matrix meter with AI-s lenses.
You get a million times the camera for the same price or less.

If you don't care about matrix metering (most don't) then don't worry about the FA at all.
>> Anonymous
>>124943
F4 lacks a split-prism focusing screen by default, though, which can be bothersome with AI lenses.
>> thefamilyman !!rTVzm2BgTOa
>>124943
en, i know what a FA is and all its bells and whistles, and i do have a hardon for this as well. I have a F5 so a F4 wont be any advantage. Its basically a cumbersome F5.

I basically want a shit hot manual camera. I use to have a FE10 and loved it, now i want something a bit more class/advance.
>> des
>>124949
Changing screens takes all of two seconds. The finder is large and bright, it's not like focusing on the matte screen of a dslr or even modern (cheaper) AF camera.
In my F3 days, I used a red dot E, which is just matte with gridlines. It's not really an issue, either way.
>> FEs 4life des
>>124953
The F5 does *not* matrix meter with ai-s lenses. Nor does it accept N/AI lenses. The F4 was the last bridging flagship.

The best manual camera nikon put out, imo, is the FE-2. Its grandbaby the FM3a is probably up there, too, but the prices are stupid. I'd personally much rather have an FE-2 than an FA and, actually, sold my F3 back in the day to get another FE :P
>> fence !!POey2hdozCZ
seconding the fe2. it's made out of pure ivory.

of course, i'm always recommending the fe2. when i was thinking about my tripfagcode, i seriously considered fe2-f100, since that's what i'm always recommending in practically any film slr thread.

but, 389 seems right on the money. people are always charging too much for their manual bodies.