> A friend is selling a couple of bodies: an
> FM and an F3. I have been offered either, or
> both, at attractive prices.
A friend would probably let you borrow both of
them to shoot a couple of rolls of film so you
can see which feels most comfortable for you,
don't you think? I think that would probably
be the deciding factor for me.
> The FM has a new shutter; the F3 is non-HP.
> Both are in good condition.
New shutter? How new? Can you still get those
worked on? The shutter in my old FM (my first
real camera) recently started hanging up -- I
thought it was just a paperweight now. I want
to get it fixed if I still can.
> What would your advice be?
You can't go wrong either way. They're both great
cameras, and you already know what the differences
are. You just have to decide whether aperture
priority and the slightly better build quality of
the F3 are worth more to you than whatever else you
might buy with the difference in price.
> I mostly shoot landscapes and scenics, some
> action work (use my F90 for that). I live
> in a harsh climate.
If harsh means rainy or dusty/sandy, the F3 will
be a bit better than the FM. If it means cold,
the FM (No batteries? -- No problem!) would be
better than the F3.
-Don
