Which Nikon FE or FM?

excalibur2

excalibur2

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Well I suppose I can work it all out for myself but you guys here will have experience to know which is the better overall camera (yanno reliabilty, less design problems etc) to take ALL Nikon lenses esp non AI..... After destroying my N2000 I need a camera to fill in the gap between my EM and F90x
Thanks
 
Can't comment on the FE and FM as they are the earlier ones but I have both the FE2 and the FM2n so will say for me the FE2 is the one I pick up the most simply for the aperture priority option. obviously the shutter timing is fully electronic so needs batteries, maybe that's a downside. Also the light metre is better on the FE2 as it is a needle rather than on the FM2n its a +0- type with leds (better in darker conditions though).
 
For me, the FE because I use aperture-priority more often than manual. It takes LR44 batteries that can be found pretty much anywhere and are cheap enough to carry spares if you're paranoid.
 
I would say also doesn't the FE and FM only do up to 1000/2000?
The FE2 and FM2n do up to 4000 :-)
 
Mr Bump said:
Can't comment on the FE and FM as they are the earlier ones but I have both the FE2 and the FM2n so will say for me the FE2 is the one I pick up the most simply for the aperture priority option. obviously the shutter timing is fully electronic so needs batteries, maybe that's a downside. Also the light metre is better on the FE2 as it is a needle rather than on the FM2n its a +0- type with leds (better in darker conditions though).
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Thanks Paul but the FE2 and FM2n will not take non AI lenses afaik
 
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Strappy said:
For me, the FE because I use aperture-priority more often than manual. It takes LR44 batteries that can be found pretty much anywhere and are cheap enough to carry spares if you're paranoid.
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Thanks Dean......I'm steering towards the FE and as you don't see many old manual Nikons at the bootie.....I'll have to hunt on ebay, gumtree etc
 
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ah I see I didn't realize the lenses would be different between those models
is that the pins inside the lens or the rabbit ear thing?
 
Buy the FE. It was the premium model above the FM at the time. The FE can be an aperture priority camera, but you can also still shoot it all manual (i.e. like an FM).

They are great cameras. The weight, handling and build quality are superb. If you can pick one up for ~£50, I think it's just about the most bang for buck you can get with a 35mm SLR.

The non-AI feature is useful as well, but bear in mind it only works with stop down metering so it isn't as elegant. If you are buying a Nikon body purely for using non-AI glass, I'd also consider a Nikkormat FT2 - a bit heavier, a bit more utilitarian, but offers native non-AI compatibility.
 
excalibur2 said:
Thanks Dean......I'm steering towards the FE and as you don't see many old manual Nikons at the bootie.....I'll have to hunt on ebay, gumtree etc
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I've got an old FM that's in shabby condition which you can have, Brian. It's missing a few screws, needs light seals and could possibly use a new rear door but last time I used it the meter was good and the shutter sounded ok.

It's a beater I was going to use for parts but if it's useful to you as a camera then you're welcome to it. :)
 
Strappy said:
I've got an old FM that's in shabby condition which you can have, Brian. It's missing a few screws, needs light seals and could possibly use a new rear door but last time I used it the meter was good and the shutter sounded ok.

It's a beater I was going to use for parts but if it's useful to you as a camera then you're welcome to it. :)
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Those beaters are the best kind of cameras! It's surprisingly hard buying them second hand, because they tend to be too sparsely described. So they are visually obviously well used, but you don't know if they are otherwise fine and actually working okay! Well described camera listings tend to be on cameras that are in much better shape.
 
Strappy said:
I've got an old FM that's in shabby condition which you can have, Brian. It's missing a few screws, needs light seals and could possibly use a new rear door but last time I used it the meter was good and the shutter sounded ok.

It's a beater I was going to use for parts but if it's useful to you as a camera then you're welcome to it. :)
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WoW I'll have it Dean and I have plenty of screws, seals and fibre glass for small problems, also have a bag full of cases and one might fit that would hide the body if badly scratched.......lets face it if I can walk around with a T70 around my neck ................................................................................................
Shall I email you my address and will you let me know postage cost 2nd class?
Thanks
 
My FE2 came to me a bit like that it was actually in a bag with some lenses I wanted so I took a punt for £100, I sold two lenses for £70, kept one which was the one I wanted a Nikon 28mm Series E F2.8 and got the FE2 for basically free. I gave it a really good clean and replaced the seals and mirror foam and purchased a brand new focus screen for £25 and its turned into a minter apart from some rubbing on the corners.
 
freecom2 said:
Buy the FE. It was the premium model above the FM at the time. The FE can be an aperture priority camera, but you can also still shoot it all manual (i.e. like an FM).

They are great cameras. The weight, handling and build quality are superb. If you can pick one up for ~£50, I think it's just about the most bang for buck you can get with a 35mm SLR.

The non-AI feature is useful as well, but bear in mind it only works with stop down metering so it isn't as elegant. If you are buying a Nikon body purely for using non-AI glass, I'd also consider a Nikkormat FT2 - a bit heavier, a bit more utilitarian, but offers native non-AI compatibility.
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If I can't get Dean's FM working properly then I'll go for the FE.
 
excalibur2 said:
... lets face it if I can walk around with a T70 around my neck ...
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:D

The biggest issue is that a previous owner appears not to have known how to open the back and has tried to force it with a screwdriver or something. It's been bent into place and I don't recall light leaks when I ran the first few rolls through, before the seals went at least. There are a few sample shots on my flickr from the Mallory Park Plum Pudding meeting a few years ago (for example - FM with Nikon 50mm f/2 on Agfa Vista, I think).

excalibur2 said:
Shall I email you my address and will you let me know postage cost 2nd class?
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Yep; if I can't get it in the post tomorrow then it'll go on Monday, I'll let you know once it's on the way. :)
 
F3 might be worth considering? Shutter speeds up to 1/2000 & can mount pre AI lenses. Could be newer than an FE /FM if you can.find a later body as they were in production to around 2000. Saying that, both of my F3's date back to the mid 80's & are working fine.
 
The FE and FM are both excellent. I have the FM and prefer it, largely because I like fully mechanical/manual cameras, but I'd just as content with an FE for all practical purposes!
 
Strappy said:
:D

The biggest issue is that a previous owner appears not to have known how to open the back and has tried to force it with a screwdriver or something. It's been bent into place and I don't recall light leaks when I ran the first few rolls through, before the seals went at least. There are a few sample shots on my flickr from the Mallory Park Plum Pudding meeting a few years ago (for example - FM with Nikon 50mm f/2 on Agfa Vista, I think).



Yep; if I can't get it in the post tomorrow then it'll go on Monday, I'll let you know once it's on the way. :)
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email sent Dean and I have a panel beating kit and MIG welder for the back :eek::D
 
DNH said:
F3 might be worth considering? Shutter speeds up to 1/2000 & can mount pre AI lenses. Could be newer than an FE /FM if you can.find a later body as they were in production to around 2000. Saying that, both of my F3's date back to the mid 80's & are working fine.
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Nice to have but wont be as cheap as the FE...I'm not short of a super duper camera as I have the Canon T90 for special use
 
Mr Bump said:
ah I see I didn't realize the lenses would be different between those models
is that the pins inside the lens or the rabbit ear thing?
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Dunno Paul but the F mount Vivitar lens I put on the AI mount N2000 got stuck and after sawing and chiseling thru' the body (BTW the body was quite tough) got to the back of the mount and then carefully sawed and chiseled away at the aluminum casting mount and finally found a pin with spring that released from the lens as I moved the sawn mount casting away with a screwdriver.
I have no idea what this pin does unless it's connected to the release button, if so then the release button had stopped working.
 
Well got the lovely Nikon FM from Dean and just checking I've read the manual right......if I'm using a Non AI lens, I lift up the little catch around the lens mount and of course do stop down metering? So what happens if I forget to lift the catch up with the same lens?
 
excalibur2 said:
Well got the lovely Nikon FM from Dean and just checking I've read the manual right......if I'm using a Non AI lens, I lift up the little catch around the lens mount and of course do stop down metering? So what happens if I forget to lift the catch up with the same lens?
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You'll damage the catch, which is used to read the aperture setting on AI/AI-S/AF/AF-D lenses.
 
freecom2 said:
You'll damage the catch, which is used to read the aperture setting on AI/AI-S/AF/AF-D lenses.
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Correct. However, you can get away with it on some cameras. I can fit a pre AI lens to my FG and it just about clears the aperture lever catch thingy.

And just to go out of character for a moment and be pedantic*, it doesn't tell the body what the aperture is, it tells it how many stops it is down from wide open.

(* Shut up!).


Steve.
 
Indeed. Depends on the lens, depends on the camera. Inadvisable either way - the lift up catch was put there for a reason.
 
Considering the number of Nikkor AI lenses which also came with the pre AI rabbit ears as standard, I'm surprised that some cameras like the FG didn't have a flip up catch. The implication is that there was quite some overlap with both systems being used at the same time.

I suppose Nikon thought that they would only ever be used with the Series E lenses.


Steve.
 
I assume that decision to keep the rabbit ears was to ensure new lenses could be used with older bodies - whereas there were only a few cameras that allowed older lenses on newer bodies (like the FE, FM).
 
The other thing confusing at first was Nikon seem to be different to most makes in which way you put the batteries in..well for the FM.at least.
 
Well on the test shots of the Fm I got massive light leak...so now done the seals on the body but not sure of a bit on the door by the hinge.....anyway stuck a bit of seal there also.Also the OM2 is annoying as all the shots when it was switched off were all dark..definitely a design fault when off should be off.

 
With regards to the OM2, do you mean that you didn't switch the electronic metering on so the camera just fired at the same speed each time? I agree that maybe there should be a mechanical override for off but then again it could be a workman blaming his tools ;0)
 
W
stevelmx5 said:
With regards to the OM2, do you mean that you didn't switch the electronic metering on so the camera just fired at the same speed each time? I agree that maybe there should be a mechanical override for off but then again it could be a workman blaming his tools ;0)
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I keep switching it off because I don't what to leave it on in case the battery drains...then forget to switch it back on and of course think everything is OK as the shutter is firing....anyway there must be thousands of photographers who have made the same mistake.
 
It should fire up the meter just as you press the shutter,it just doesn't update the screen. The camera should also go into stand by after a few minutes and come on just by touching the shutter button. Should, it is 40 years old...
 
steveo_mcg said:
It should fire up the meter just as you press the shutter,it just doesn't update the screen. The camera should also go into stand by after a few minutes and come on just by touching the shutter button. Should, it is 40 years old...
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So I can leave it switched on all the time then ? and only switch it off for storage?
 
Well you know the OM better than me......if the meter is switched off and say the camera is set at F8 and 1/250 sec , then does it fire and stop down at those readings?
But still a disappointed for me as some shots that I wanted were ruined ( very faint images on the neg) which would suggest the lens was set at f22 and shutter at 1/1000 sec (the only reason I would use those setting would be switching film from one camera to another), which would have been solved with the meter switched on to auto or the camera wouldn't work switched off......the camera is not idiot proof :D
 
The aperture can only be set by you though because it's mechanical on the lens itself so I'd assume it's been down to the shutter speed being too fast hence underexposed.
 
excalibur2 said:
Well you know the OM better than me......if the meter is switched off and say the camera is set at F8 and 1/250 sec , then does it fire and stop down at those readings?
But still a disappointed for me as some shots that I wanted were ruined ( very faint images on the neg) which would suggest the lens was set at f22 and shutter at 1/1000 sec (the only reason I would use those setting would be switching film from one camera to another), which would have been solved with the meter switched on to auto or the camera wouldn't work switched off......the camera is not idiot proof :D
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If you've set the controls manually it'll do what ever you've told it to do regardless of its status. So if you've set F8 1/250 thats what it'll shoot at. It can't shoot at F22 if the lens is set at F8. A special model would shoot at 1/60 with out a battery but I think its vanishingly rare. If the batteries are low it'll default to something annoying like 1/30 also 1/30 is the slowest it will meter to when in stand by; but I know of no situation where it will try and shoot at 1/1000 unless its being pointed at the sun.
 
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steveo_mcg said:
If you've set the controls manually it'll do what ever you've told it to do regardless of its status. So if you've set F8 1/250 thats what it'll shoot at. It can't shoot at F22 if the lens is set at F8. A special model would shoot at 1/60 with out a battery but I think its vanishingly rare. If the batteries are low it'll default to something annoying like 1/30 also 1/30 is the slowest it will meter to when in stand by; but I know of no situation where it will try and shoot at 1/1000 unless its being pointed at the sun.
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.Handy to remember as if you know the correct exposure (even from a separate meter or sunny 16) you can leave the switch to off.
 
stevelmx5 said:
The aperture can only be set by you though because it's mechanical on the lens itself so I'd assume it's been down to the shutter speed being too fast hence underexposed.
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Well I was surprised Asda even got a picture as the image on the neg was so faint and it was more than a too fast shutter speed and the aperture must have been well stopped down........so I'm still making mistakes after over 60 years :eek: so a lesson to a newbie h'mm cough "check your camera before you shoot"
 
excalibur2 said:
.Handy to remember as if you know the correct exposure (even from a separate meter or sunny 16) you can leave the switch to off.
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Only if its in manual. If its in automatic and stand by then the camera will meter and expose correctly. Best advice leave it on auto and trust the meter unless you know it'll struggle, backlighting etc.
 
steveo_mcg said:
Only if its in manual. If its in automatic and stand by then the camera will meter and expose correctly. Best advice leave it on auto and trust the meter unless you know it'll struggle, backlighting etc.
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.....bit of confusion here surely setting the switch to manual or leaving the switch off is still manual and the only difference is if you don't switch to manual you cannot use the camera's exposure meter?
 
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