Nikon F3-P Parts Diagram
So, the other day on my Instagram I shared a picture of part of a Nikon parts diagram, and lots of people asked me to share the whole thing. So I thought it might be nice to tell the story behind it.
A while back Eric Kim came to visit and did a little interview with me in my cramped office. During the course of the interview some people saw a poster on my wall and asked me to share it. So I when I shared the picture on IG it got a pretty good reaction from people, asking where I got it and what it is. So I thought it would be good to share the complete image and the story about it, as it is the story of how I became JapanCameraHunter.
So this is it. The poster is of an original schematic drawing for the parts list of a Nikon F3P camera document number 40FBE-R.3040.A
The image details all of the mechanical parts in a Nikon F3P with their parts numbers. I would presume that this was made for repair and service manuals/engineers so that they could get the exact parts that they needed. Though I cannot be sure exactly where it came from, more on that later.
Incidentally I was actually offered an original Nikon declaration document recently. It was the signed agreement between all parties to commence the manufacture of the final design of the Nikon F3. The price? Only a cool $15,000 USD. Apparently it was sold to the owner of a very large camera chain in Japan.
But how did this make parts diagram play a part in me turning from a mild mannered salaryman into JCH?
Well, when I was working in the photographic supply industry in Tokyo years ago I worked with a man who became a great friend of mine through our shared love of photography and Nikon cameras.
At the time I was shooting a digital Nikon, until he pointed out that I didn’t need to own one, as the company we worked for had a rental department with everything Nikon (and all the others) made, so there was no point in owning a digital camera.
He had a beautiful Nikon F3, a camera I had admired greatly when I was young, but had been out of reach for a mere student. But now I didn’t need to own a digital camera it was actually a viable possibility to own one of these beasts. So I traded the DSLR in for a pittance of what I had paid for it and got myself a Nikon F3/T and a 50mm 1.2 lens and I was set. This re-kinldled my love of cameras, photography and ultimately film photography.
After I had purchased the F3/T (which I used for years and sold for the price I paid for it I might add) my co-worker presented me with this copy of the parts diagram as a present, knowing how much I would really appreciate it. I don’t know how he got it or where he got it from, but put it this way he is my camera sempai (kind of like a teacher) and has connections to the Nikon underworld that I could only dream of.
After falling in love with film cameras all over again I decided to make it my business, and when I set up JCH I hung this on the wall of my office. This is not the original (I wish it was), it is a reprint, but it is something I am very proud to have on my wall. It reminds me of what I went through to get where I am and the people that helped me to get there.
I love the detail of the image, all hand drawn, back when that was the only option. My father was a draughtsman at one point in his career and I can really appreciate the work that went into detailing something like this.
I would love to make this available as a print or a download, but I am not really sure about the ramifications of doing so, and I wouldn’t like to have Nikon breathing down my neck, so for now these images are the best I can do. I hope you enjoy them.
JCH
If there is no copyright infrigement to be concerned about, you should seriously think about reprinting it and selling it through your web shop. I would definitely buy it!
Well, now I am pushing it, but… technical drawings of old cameras screen-printed on fine Japanese paper, with maybe a small red JCH logo in the corner, would make for some nifty (self?) present. It’s Christmas soon!
Pretty cool story too by the way, when one finally manage to avert its eyes from the pictures.
ooh, nice idea! I like it.
If you can get Nikon’s blessing, I’ll buy several. Totally something that is begging to be made a poster (and preferably a BIG one).
Hi Bellamy,
I have several pdf Nikon repair and parts manuals. In one of them, a Nikon F3 Parts List, doc No. 40FB-R.3040.A, the same exploded view appears in page 11. Drop me a line for a copy.
I would be interested.
I can just imagine the groans in my house if i put that up. I would probably buy several anyway. I have a lot of affection for the F3 – there is something about that camera.
can you please share big resolution image ? thx…
Sorry, I cannot do that at the moment. Thanks.
I would most defiantly buy one of these. Absolutely beautiful and the fact that I love my f3
As a Nikon F3HP owner and user, I would love to have a poster as well. As an avid Konica T3 collector who has learned to completely strip and rebuild the T3 and am always wondering just how many parts are in a camera. You drawings are an indication of what it takes to manufacture a more complex camera such as a Nikon. One look at the Nikon poster, and our hats are off to the repairmen.
I was given an F3 back when I started learning photography and still have it, unfortunately its got a laggy shutter these days and probably needs a good CLA to fix it and Im a little bit poor at the moment.
As Alfonso states above, the same exploded view is on page 11 of the repair manual…if someone wants to make a poster out of it, they might try scanning it, importing it into Illustrator and vectorizing it (automatically of course ;-). I have done this with old topo maps and sometimes it works quite well…
http://www.nikonf3.com/f3t.pdf
http://www.micro-tools.com/pdf/nikon/pdf/f3t/F3T.PDF
please upload full copy
I purchased a Nikon F3 based on Bellamy’s comments about it. I wasn’t disappointed.
I love that it uses F-mount lenses and it is still possible to get ones with the aperture ring. I purchased the hot shoe adapter also.
Absolutely awesome camera. Thanks Bellamy!! Your description about it was what helped me decide to buy one.
I hope you can work out a way to produce a poster of the diagram; I’d buy one also.
Regards from Canada.
I recently bought 2 pristine condition F3HPs here in Tokyo, one in titanium, and I can confirm that they are beautiful cameras and a pleasure to shoot with.
My Nikon D610 is now looking forlorn on my top shelf.
After thinking for a while that film was no longer relevant to my life, I am glad to say that it is even more so. Happy days! :-)
Thank you Bellamy.
I am not sure whether I can ask this question here? I own a lovely F3HP and the round rubber O ring has unscrewed itself and fallen off the back eyepiece of my camera and is now lost. Do you know where I buy another one. I have looked unsuccessfully online.
Many thanks.
Matt
P.S. I am enjoying my t-shirt and film case from you.
Just stumbled on this site as I just purchased a F3P from Japan and ahead of it arriving was doing some research. I don’t suppose you know if parts for this camera are still available. For example I know the rubber cover on the shutter button is cracking and it would be nice to replace it. Any thoughts / ideas welcome??
Here it is:)
http://benoit.suaudeau.perso.neuf.fr/manuels_rep/reflexes/nikon/Nikon%20F3T%20parts.PDF
UNFORTUNATELY, the contents of the page which BRUNO indicated (http://benoit.suaudeau.perso.neuf.fr/manuels_rep/reflexes/nikon/Nikon%20F3T%20parts.PDF) no longer exists & the following message was apparently posted two days prior to his post …
Pages Perso – Fermeture
Le service de Pages Perso SFR est fermé depuis le 21/11/2016
Les utilisateurs de ce service ont été prévenus par mail de cette fermeture et via des encarts d’information sur les pages de ce service, depuis le mois de mars 2016.
Des fiches d’aide ont été mises à leur disposition pour récupérer le contenu de leurs Pages Perso SFR afin de le recréer sur un autre service de Pages Perso de leur choix.
Depuis le 21/11/2016, date de fermeture du service, il n’est plus possible d’accéder aux Pages Perso SFR créées, ni aux interfaces de gestion et de publication de ce service.
***
Personal Pages – Closing
The service of Pages Perso SFR is closed since 21/11/2016
The users of this service have been notified by mail of this closure and via inserts information on the pages of this service since March 2016
. Help sheets have been made available to them to retrieve the content of their SFR Personal Pages in order to recreate it on another Personal Pages service of their choice.
Since 21/11/2016, the closing date of the service, it is no longer possible to access the SFR Personal Pages created, or the management and publication interfaces of this service.
errata …
Sorry, make that “the following message was posted just two months after BRUNO’s post.”
Found the full PDF
https://doc.xdevs.com/doc/Nikon/pdf/f3t/f3t.pdf
I would most defiantly buy one of these. ..
is any one have PDF Copy? Link please..