Nikon FM, FE, FM2, FE2 which?

demonicangelz said:
Any recommendations?
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Coincidentally, I'm getting my FE back from Miles Whitehead very soon. He does CLA (clean, lube, adjust) services for a very reasonable price (£40 + P&P) and comes highly recommended from several people on Film & Conventional.
 
Actually does anyone have recommendations on where I can find a cheap and good conditioned FM2 (other than eBay)? Don't really want this problem to occur again and I don't really have much spare cash on hand now but trying to get one at about £80-100, depending on condition.
 
The F3 is a great camera - my everyday walkabout thing now because of its removable prism finder. Looks much better than the other 2 as well - proper solid thing.
 
Joenail said:
The F3 is a great camera - my everyday walkabout thing now because of its removable prism finder. Looks much better than the other 2 as well - proper solid thing.
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Love the fact that you can get a waist level finder for it. Makes it somewhat like the old school medium formats
 
I don't know where you are based but Real Cameras in Manchester is an Aladdins of film cameras, they have literally 1000's. Ffordes are good for on-line buying and Vintage and Classic Cameras have always supplied me with excellent kit.

Andy
 
I'd actually forgotten about the FM3A. Never owned one, or used one, but it looks fantastic and it was the last of the line. I suppose I'll just have to add it to the list of things I should have bought when I had the chance, and the money, but I can't afford it now. The list keeps getting longer though..............!
 
MartynK said:
I'd actually forgotten about the FM3A. Never owned one, or used one, but it looks fantastic and it was the last of the line. I suppose I'll just have to add it to the list of things I should have bought when I had the chance, and the money, but I can't afford it now.
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I've seen mint condition examples of the FM3a sell for more now than when they were new, but they are really nice cameras to use. It's pretty much an FE2 and FM2 rolled into one (including needle metering), however the main advantage is whilst you can use it on aperture priority with batteries, the shutter reverts to mechanical operation at all speeds in the event of battery failure rather than just the one mechanical speed.
 
^^^ that combination of engineering is superb - when Nikon really put themselves to it, they can make some stunningly good products.
 
Yip. Some things just seem to come together beautifully. I feel the same way about the F2. I don't use mine very often now, and I've thought about selling it, but I'm not going to. I wouldn't get a great deal for it - it's a long way from being mint, or even close to it - and it brings back a lot of memories too. It's a keeper!
 
MartynK said:
Yip. Some things just seem to come together beautifully. I feel the same way about the F2. I don't use mine very often now, and I've thought about selling it, but I'm not going to. I wouldn't get a great deal for it - it's a long way from being mint, or even close to it - and it brings back a lot of memories too. It's a keeper!
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I know that feeling when it comes to the F2. It's an astonishing piece of kit. I sold mine to fund a Rolleiflex and whilst I have no regrets on the result, it's probably the only camera (of many) that I regret selling.
 
I have an FE and reading this I will have to dig it out and start using it again. Got a bag full of kit that fits.

Must check it out because I have forgotten all the spec. Paid £40 for it 20 years ago. Complete with a Zoom Lens and a 72mm filter on the front. Strange zoom range which I cant recall....
 
I bought an FM when I was 16 (1980.... hell, I feel old!) and worked at a camera shop. Had the chance to try out the various options and the Nikon was by far the best. It just 'felt' better than the Pentax and Olympus alternatives. It was heavily used and abused. It took all the knocks I gave it and still kept going.
I only sold it (reluctantly) when I bought a DSLR a few years ago and quite regret it. It never missed a beat in 25 years.

You are getting me all nostalgic...... MUST NOT SPEND MORE MONEY.... repeat to self....... :D
 
Light Tower One said:
I have an FE and reading this I will have to dig it out and start using it again. Got a bag full of kit that fits.... Strange zoom range which I cant recall....
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Please do. Nothing saddens me more than amazing precision equipment languishing unused. Film is SO easy these days - buy, shoot, post it, get negatives back and scanned to CD all for your convenience. Go for it!

It might be the 36-72mm? That's one of the weirder zoom ranges I've come across.
 
I've just ordered a Voigtlander Bessamatic to Nikon adaptor so I can now use my lovely shiny Bessamatic lenses on my F3. I'm getting overly excited about it, I'm not 5 anymore, why does it make me feel like a kid in a sweet shop?

Andy
 
demonicangelz said:
I totally get what you mean by the dark viewfinder after receiving it today. Now I kinda want a FM too! :bonk:
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You can upgrade the focusing screen to one of the ones for the FM2/FE2/FA/FM3a which will brighten it, though you'll need to add some exposure compensation. The screens are called B2, E2, K2 etc rather than just B, E, K for the FE. Plenty available from the usual sources..., and you could then change to a different focusing pattern if you prefer.

Personally the viewfinder really isn't a problem, but I use prime lenses. Slower zooms would cause the split screen to darken making it a pain to focus.
 
TheGreatSoprendo said:
Personally the viewfinder really isn't a problem, but I use prime lenses. Slower zooms would cause the split screen to darken making it a pain to focus.
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I never thought the viewfinder was a problem, it is a tiny bit smaller than my Pentax MX one but still certainly no slouch :shrug:
 
freecom2 said:
It might be the 36-72mm? That's one of the weirder zoom ranges I've come across.
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I think this was one of the 'E' series zooms (can't recall the filter size but may have been 52mm). Another strange one was the 43-86mm zoom, but I do remember reading some disappointing reviews about this particular lens. I'd much prefer a 35-70mm, which incidentally Nikon did make with a 72mm thread before replacing it with a 62mm version. They are both two-touch f/3.5 zooms - and very nice they are too.
 
Carl V said:
I've seen mint condition examples of the FM3a sell for more now than when they were new, but they are really nice cameras to use. It's pretty much an FE2 and FM2 rolled into one (including needle metering), however the main advantage is whilst you can use it on aperture priority with batteries, the shutter reverts to mechanical operation at all speeds in the event of battery failure rather than just the one mechanical speed.
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That really is the best of both worlds! Too bad its so expensive now though. :thumbsdown:
 
demonicangelz said:
That really is the best of both worlds! Too bad its so expensive now though. :thumbsdown:
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It was always an expensive camera, even when it was in production. A conservative design, beautifully executed, and aimed at professionals and serious amateurs.
 
I've handled but never shot with an F3. Is it sort of like the hybrid FE for the F professional range in the way it is designed and handles?
 
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