i am looking at purchasing a nikon fa camera and i know they been out of production for some time 10year+. i was just wondering what would be a good price to pay for one in good condition. or if there is a better nikon for around the same price.

-- andrew toedebusch (twostroked_toed@hotmail.com), September 23, 2001

Answers

Make up your own mind by starting here: www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/entry/htm The FA has a cult following and, as such, commands often surreal prices.Although it was Nikon's most sophisticated MF body, there are others that probably provide better value(e.g., the various FE-FM variants). eBay is the price setter--start there.

-- Gary Watson (cg.watson@sympatico.ca), September 24, 2001.

I like mine, so I pay attention to prices. Between about $325 to $450 depending on condition. They still seem to command slightly less than a comparable FE2.

-- Josef Brugger (jbrugger@pcez.com), September 25, 2001.

Hi Andrew, I have one (black) in mint condition that I paid 415.00 for. Just a note: make sure you check the meter in any FA you buy. There is a tendency for the the flexible plastic wiring harness (embedded wiring in thin plastic ribbon cable) to crack with age. I would even gently shake the camera and turn it upside down to ensure the meter still functions. To replace this harness is very expensive. I know from previous experience on another FA. I like the camera very much, but I honestly think the FE2 is a better buy, and the new FM3 has both mechanical and auto settings and is still an all-metal camera. My 2 cents worth!

-- Chuck Fralick (crfralick@earthlink.net), September 28, 2001.

I love Nikon gear, but I work in a repair facility, and I could not recommend the FA. Pony up a little more for the F3, or sacrifice some features for the FE2,FE,FM,orFM2/n- Much more reliable models. The FA's can get expensive, repair-wise.

-- Mike DeVoue (karma77@att.net), September 30, 2001.

How about the FM3?

-- john (johnkim@asia.com), October 01, 2001.

Hello, I am moderating the NikonRepair mailing list @ yahoogroups. I also own both FA and FM2 cameras.

I would like to ask Mike DeVoue to elaborate some on what specific problems are most commonly found with the FA.

Best regards,

-- Lars H. Hansen (Lhhansen@zi.ku.dk), October 15, 2001.

Let me first begin by making it firmly clear that I am not a technician, but rather an enthusiast.

The techs that it talk to and limited first hand eye-ball experience has shown me that the linkage on the mirror cage itself that actuates the diaphragm is, under heavy shooting, prone to failure in as little as two years. I wish I knew the # of acutal exposures during that time, but two years is a very short time for most serious and professional shooters. This may not be true if you are into recyling bodies to have the latest and greatest, but Nikon's appeal is in it's longevity, at least for me. Optics are outstanding, and worth keeping for some time.

I don't want it to seem like I have something against the FA, because it's very feasable one could own one and not have any problems with it. I know a couple. I just personally would trust an F2, F3, FM, FM2, FE(+2), Nikkormats, F100 or F5. Those are a bit more reliable IMO.

-- Mike DeVoue (karma77@att.net), October 16, 2001.

This discussion seems to be bouncing back and forth between two lists.

In the absence of drawings to look at, the stopdown mechanism of the FA appears to be the same as on the FM,FM2 and FE2.

The depth of field lever on the FA is actuated by pressing down, instead of back against the body as it does on the others. It would be a pain to use if I ever used it.

I've run into a couple of FA's (mine included) on which the stop-down lever doesn't spring back the way it should. Haven't encountered or heard about the problem Mike mentions, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

-- Josef Brugger (jbrugger@pcez.com), October 16, 2001.

Josef, FA's stop down mechanism is indeed different from its FM/FE cousins. This is due tothe aperture control in P and S modes incoporating the "instant stop-down metering" (read more @ http://www.nikon.co.jp/main/eng/society/cousins/cousins12-e.htm). In P and S mode the aperture is controlled by means of the aperture stop down lever (the shutter is then modified in the last instant in order to compensate for inaccuracies in the stop down - or if an "aperture unpredictable" non-AI-S lens is mounted).

Best regards, Lars.

-- Lars H. Hansen (LHHansen@zi.ku.dk), October 17, 2001.

Lars: Thanks. That makes sense. Wonder how hard it is to repair the stickiness on the lever? Camera funs perfectly otherwise and I rarely feel the need for the 'depth of darkness' preview.

-- Josef Brugger (jbrugger@pcez.com), October 17, 2001.