Thrilled With The Nikon FE

[antonandreas]

I recently acquired a Nikon FE and I am thrilled with it! The only reason I got it was because I thought it was massively undervalued on an auction and thought I could resell it and make a few bucks, but it stole my heart because of its styling, size, and simplicity. I took it to the repair shop today to replace the mirror cushion and to adjust the meter (which seems to be a couple of stops off) and I can not wait to have it back in my hot little hands to fire off a roll of film.

I had become disenchanted with my F4s, which I know is a great camera, but its heft left me wanting after becoming accustomed to a smaller rangefinder. The FE is not much bigger than a rangefinder and it even feels like one in some respects.

I feel like my Nikon glass will be put to good use once again.

 

[Frontman]

The FE was my first 35mm camera. I don't think there are any better deals out there now on any camera like the FE. It's small, simple, accepts wonderful Nikkor lenses, and has a great meter.

There is a fire sale on FE cameras in Japan right now, I visited a shop a few weeks ago that had a dozen or so of them for 5000 yen and less ($50 and under). I need another camera like I need the flu, but the temptation is hard to resist.

 

[titrisol]

It is wonderful, isn't it?
Now get a 28/2.8 AiS and it will be close to heaven!

Check the mir nikon page for lots of good info on it.

If it was a bit smaller (like the Pentax ME) it would be perfect

 

[JRG]

The FE is indeed a great bargain right now. I recently nabbed a second one at a great price to act as a possible parts camera. When it arrived, it proved to be in better shape than my first one!

Ken Rockwell gets really carried away about the FE, but he's mostly right about it. It's the only electronic shutter camera that I tolerate.

 

[Ronald_H]

My 'film renaissance' began with a Nikon FM. I bought an FE after that for the Aperture priority.

I have to admit I like the FM more, but the FE is great as well. However, there seems to be an unobtainable meter part in it, if this breaks, it will mean the end of the camera, at least if you need the meter.

Still, the FM/FE family is fantastic value for money. Prosumer film SLRs that can and will do almost anything you want for rock bottom prices and almost never break.

 

[agricola]

Still have the FE I purchased new. Just fitted the Jon Goodman seal kit. Now like new again. Meter still works fine, just fine. Even difficult colour and contrast situations come up perfectly with E6 slide film. Still crazy after all these years!

 

[Austerby]

I bought mine new in about 1983 and still have it and used it as my only 35mm camera for about twenty years, accompanying me on many trips and occasions. It still gets periodic use and has never been serviced or CLA'd. The meter works perfectly and I can't remember when I replaced the battery last. I used it with the Nikkor 50mm f1.8 lens, the 28mm Series E f2.8 and a Tokina 80-200mm zoom. Still an ideal combination of focal lengths.

I've only owned one other 35mm SLR - the Nikon F80 - which was effectively the FE of its generation. This was replaced by a D70 - also the FE of its generation! I haven't felt the need to replace the D70 yet but the F80 was sold off a while back.

 

[SamStewart]

i had one handed down to me from my father, i love it!
So simple, however metering in low light can be a challenge

 

[Dwig]

The FE is a great camera. Congratulations on you "new" acquisition.

BTW, the early FE cameras had a design flaw that Nikon "fixed" during the production run of the camera. With the original versions, the camera would fire both shutter blade sets at the same time when the battery was dead or missing. The camera would seems to be shooting fine but there would be no exposure. The designer expected, rather incorrectly it seems, that the user would check the battery regularly and be aware of the battery condition. This expectation proved false, of course.

The latter versions were modified with a latching system that would prevent the mirror from returning, and thus the camera from winding, when fired without a working battery. The lockup is cleared by moving the shutter speed dial to M90 (Mechanical 1/90th). The camera, like the original, with work fine in M90 or B without a battery.

When the modification first appeared, and when an early model was modified to have the latch while being repaired some unrelated serious shutter problem, Nikon put a small dot of paint (white, if I remember correctly) in the bottom of the tripod socket as an indicator. When your camera comes back from ist CLA I suggest that you test yours so that you are aware of which behavior yours exhibits. If it is an early version be sure to regularly check the battery (read: at least every day you use it and every time you load it). The batteries generally have a rather long life, even when the camera is used heavily, but they give no warning of impending death. They will test good one day and fail the next.

 

[kshapero]

The FE is indeed a great bargain right now. I recently nabbed a second one at a great price to act as a possible parts camera. When it arrived, it proved to be in better shape than my first one!

Ken Rockwell gets really carried away about the FE, but he's mostly right about it. It's the only electronic shutter camera that I tolerate.

i have to totally agree on this. I popped a K3 focusing screen on mine which makes the VF so much brighter.😎

 

[John Bragg]

Congratulations on finding your FE. I have an FM2n that has been mine from new. It is definitely not for sale and although I have used the Leica much more over the years it means that I now have a near mint 20 year old camera. I have recently discovered the joy of using quality 3rd party glass with mine at rock bottom prices. Check out Vivitar 135mm f2.8 made by Komine. (number starting 28xxxxxx) Sharp as a razor.

 

[nikon_sam]

I have to agree with many of the things that have been said about the FE already...
My first Nikon was the FE...it was given to me by a co-worker...and it had a very nice Tamron 28-70mm lens...
I learn alot from that camera and one thing was to trust it's meter...
I shot a bunch of E-6 film (Velvia 50) and was very impressed with the results...
Great little camera...today I own two functional FE's and two FM's and another FE that would need service if it were to be put to use...all have the MD-11 or 12 attached...
The FE is the reason I now also own an F4 & F5...I learned to love Nikon products due to the FE...

 

[kshapero]

I have to agree with many of the things that have been said about the FE already...
My first Nikon was the FE...it was given to me by a co-worker...and it had a very nice Tamron 28-70mm lens...
I learn alot from that camera and one thing was to trust it's meter...
I shot a bunch of E-6 film (Velvia 50) and was very impressed with the results...
Great little camera...today I own two functional FE's and two FM's and another FE that would need service if it were to be put to use...all have the MD-11 or 12 attached...
The FE is the reason I now also own an F4 & F5...I learned to love Nikon products due to the FE...

Go Nikons, especially older ones!!

 

[RObert Budding]

My first 'serious' camera was an FE2 (my very first camera was an Instamatic that I received as a Christmas gift when I was about 10 y.o.). Great camera.

 

[rbsinto]

An FE was my first SLR, and except for my inability to read the viewfinder display in low light, I liked it very much.
It has all the essential features one needs to do serious photography.

 

[jarski]

FE meter can be dead/off these days. new buyers should be careful not to pay extra if its not guaranteed working. had one for some years, but when meter died second time, sold it for parts.

great camera, and fun to use same lenses than on digital. but OM2 might be my choice now because more silent shutter & bigger finder.

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

I liked my FE. I like my FE-2 better.

 

[jpa66]

I recently acquired a Nikon FE and I am thrilled with it! The only reason I got it was because I thought it was massively undervalued on an auction and thought I could resell it and make a few bucks, but it stole my heart because of its styling, size, and simplicity. I took it to the repair shop today to replace the mirror cushion and to adjust the meter (which seems to be a couple of stops off) and I can not wait to have it back in my hot little hands to fire off a roll of film.

I had become disenchanted with my F4s, which I know is a great camera, but its heft left me wanting after becoming accustomed to a smaller rangefinder. The FE is not much bigger than a rangefinder and it even feels like one in some respects.

I feel like my Nikon glass will be put to good use once again.

It's a great camera - have fun with it.

I simply love Nikon slr's...

 

[Dirk]

I'm thinking about getting a FE or a FA. One thing I read about the FA is that it's supposed to have a very quiet shutter/mirror mechanism. I like that feature. How's the FE in that regard?

 

[dbarnes]

I don't think the FE and FM ever have been considered particularly quiet. The ones I've used definitely were nothing to write home about in that regard.