C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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The Nikon F3P (1983) is a press-optimized variant of the F3 designed for photojournalists working under adverse conditions and requiring high-speed motor drives. The most significant differences from the standard F3 are: a **weather-sealed body** with improved sealing around all controls and the film door, a **titanium top plate** (replacing the standard F3's aluminum), a redesigned hot shoe positioned for direct flash attachment, and provisions optimized for sustained use with the MD-4 motor drive. The viewfinder coverage is reduced to approximately 80% to accommodate the different eyepiece configuration. The F3P was produced in smaller quantities than the standard F3 and was available primarily through professional sales channels rather than general retail.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the 35mm format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
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Kodak Gold 200 is a daylight-balanced C-41 color negative film with warm color, moderate grain, and a classic consumer-film look.
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Before you buy used
About this camera
The F3 built for wire-service photographers - weather-sealed, titanium-topped, motor-drive-integrated press body.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Mount | Nikon F (AI / AI-S) |
| Year introduced | 1983 |
| Shutter | 8s - 1/2000s + T, electronic vertical titanium |
| Flash sync | 1/80s |
| Meter | TTL center-weighted silicon |
| Modes | Aperture priority, manual |
| Viewfinder | ~80% coverage |
| Battery | 4x SR44 / LR44 |
| Body material | Titanium top plate, aluminum alloy |
The F3 was introduced in 1980 as Nikon's flagship professional SLR, succeeding the mechanical F2. The F3P followed in 1983, built in response to photojournalists' requests for better environmental protection and more direct flash mounting. The standard F3 required an accessory shoe adapter for on-camera flash; the F3P integrated this into the body design. The camera coincided with Nikon's heavy presence at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, where wire services including AP and UPI used F3 bodies extensively. The F3P remained in the Nikon professional catalog alongside the F4 (introduced 1988) for photographers who preferred a lighter, more manual body. Exact discontinuation date is not well-documented.
The F3P represents the working end of Nikon's F3 family - a body designed not for collectors or advanced amateurs but for photographers filing images on deadline in rain, dust, and low light. Its weather sealing made it one of the better-protected film SLRs of the early 1980s, predating the more systematic sealing programs Nikon introduced with the F4 and N90s. Photojournalism of the 1980s was dominated by F3-series bodies, and the F3P was the specific variant that wire-service shooters favored when conditions required it.
The F3P is rare by Nikon standards - produced in lower numbers than the standard F3 or F3HP, and sought today by collectors interested in professional-use Nikon bodies rather than cosmetic variants. Functionally it is still a capable camera: the F3's shutter mechanism is among the most reliable ever produced, and the titanium top plate adds durability without significant weight penalty.
Nikon F mount, AI and AI-S coupling. The F3P was typically paired with the MD-4 motor drive (up to 6 fps), which is the appropriate drive for the F3 family. The MF-6B multi-control back and MF-14 quartz date back are compatible. Standard press glass of the period: Nikkor AI-S 24/2.8, 35/2 AI-S, 85/1.8 AI-S, 180/2.8 ED AI-S, and 300/2.8 ED IF AI-S. The redesigned hot shoe accepts standard ISO flash units directly without the standard F3's DE-2 finder adapter complication.
BW
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
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Kodak Ektar 100 is a fine-grain C-41 color negative film with saturated color and high sharpness.
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