All Hail the Nikon FE (not FE2)

The Nikon FE is a great camera. I have two of them; one chrome, one black.
I like them much more than Nikon FM, FM2n and FE2 bodies I have owned.

Chris
 
So, I have an FE2 that I like, but no FE.
Enlighten me about what is better about the FE other than cheaper now. Not that that doesn't count.
 
Several years ago I picked up a nearly new chrome FE for $25 and still have it. I paired it with an AI 50mm f2 and a couple of vintage zooms. My favorite zoom is the 25-50 f4 which is a bit large but quite good optically and works nicely on the FE.
 
I had one a long time ago; great camera if it works. Unfortunately, it developed electrical issues, and the exposure cycle would not finish.
 
WJJ3 said:
My only camera for several years was a black FE. After shooting or handling all the other manual focus Nikon SLRs, I’d say it’s one of the best. I had an FM3a focus screen in mine.
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The 3 series focus screens can be easily placed in most, and cobbled with a little work into the rest of the Nikon FM/FE/FA/FG series cameras and are a total must in my view. I have 2 FEs, one with a K3 screen and one with a B3.
 
The FE was my favourite Nikon - I bought mine after my FM had problems when I was about to board a flight for a 9 week trip. I bought 60 rolls of Kodachrome 25/36exp at the same time and it performed flawlessly. The metering was spot on. Great camera.

Havasu falls 1979. FE Nikkor 35mm f/2.8 KR25 V700
U27021I1366377262.SEQ.0.jpg
 
MarkWalberg said:
So, I have an FE2 that I like, but no FE.
Enlighten me about what is better about the FE other than cheaper now. Not that that doesn't count.
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kshapero said:
Cheaper only as far as I can tell.
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@MarkWalberg, I'm not sure about "better", but the FE (like the FM vs. FM2) can also accept non-AI lenses. Here's an excerpt from Casual Photophile's review of the FE:
Lens compatibility is nearly universal, and this ability to accept a vast majority of Nikon lenses is another area in which the FE trumps the other cameras in the range. While all of Nikon’s compact SLRs are able to shoot the brand’s newer AI and AIs lenses, only the FE features a small locking mechanism on the lens mount that, when activated, enables the user to shoot Nikon’s earlier non-AI lenses. Effectively this means that any Nikon F mount lens will work with the FE, and while these early lenses will need to be stopped down to gain a meter reading (or to shoot in auto-exposure mode), the fact that the FE can accept every Nikon lens made since 1959 is a real marvel.
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I enjoyed using mine when I used to shoot film. I still have it. Bought it new back in the early '80's. Thought about selling it a couple years ago but when I got around to cleaning it up, dusting it off etc, I fell back in love with it again. I'll probably never sell it as I don't sell much of anything. Paired with a Micro Nikkor 55 2.8 lens it's a formidable camera. I can't recall ever taking a shot that wasn't good unless it was my fault, not the camera's.
Nikon FE 35mm camera -2.JPG
 
Controls on my Nikon FE2 didn't seem to operate as precisely or smoothly as my FE bodies.
IMO construction of the FE2 felt somehow cheaper.

This may have been sample variation, just my impression, or was it in fact cheaper?

Chris
 
My first Nikon was the FE...great camera...I shot a bunch of Velvia 50 through it and really got to trust its meter.
Still own that camera (actually 3 FE's and 2 FM's) along with several other Nikon bodies and lenses.
 
Here's another comparison chart on Ken's site:


I bought an FE2 a few years ago, not specifically because it was an FE2, but because that's what was available in the camera store. I wanted to play around with TTL flash and some Nikon Speedlights and didn't want to use my other Nikons.
 
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