Lens and purchasing advice for FM2/n?

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nickthetasmaniac

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Hi everyone, I have a bit of a thing for mechanical cameras and I've been seriously thinking about picking up a Nikon FM2 or FM2n.

I've mostly shot with Pentax SLRs before, and so don't have a great deal of experience in the Nikon world. The lens nomenclature especially has me completely stumped!

So, the advice I'm after:
- Is there anything I should be keeping an eye out while looking for a body? Any recurring, costly issues? Anything that needs frequent servicing or may need to be replaced?
- Is there any real user difference between the two models besides flash synch (I never use flash)?
- Any lens suggestions? I will probably just get a 35mm or 50mm for the time being, and don't really have a preference between the two.

I have fairly general photographic interests, focussing on landscape, travel and street. The Nikon will be complementing an M2 and replacing a Pentax MX.

Thanks in advance!
 
The FM2 is a nice camera, I have a FM and I prefer it to my MX, but it's not as nice as a LX.

The FM cameras are robust and relatively trouble free, mine is from 1978 and it was never opened until I had to set up the lightmeter after a not so nice bump.

For the lenses there are many options, the most "traditional" choice would be a Nikkor 50mm f1.4 AIs but you can still find new and excellent glass like the Planar and Nokton if you want a more modern lens. Another choice is the Soviet Helio 81N that I prefer it to my AI 50mm f2, much smooter bokeh.
 
The earlier ones have titanium shutters, latter aluminum. Supposedly the titanium ones are not as reliable, but I've had them in two cameras and they've worked like a champ. The FM3a series focusing screens work (without having to alter the meter) in the FM2n and give a brighter view.
 
For lenses, the 35mm f2 ais is phenomenal. Love it. Tack sharp. The 50mm f1.8 AIS (long nose or pancake model) is sharp, the long nose gives better protection to the front element. It out performs the 50mm f1.4 by a bit in contrast and sharpness.
 
The 35mm f/2 and the 50mm f/1.8 would be my recommendations as well. They are both good choices for quality, weight, and balance on the FM2 or FM2n.

And the FM2n has 1/250 flash top synch speed, improved over the 1/200 of the FM2.
 
I have a FM2/T (FM2n with some titanium just for show) with a grid focussing screen made for the FM3a. Very nice camera, and I love grid focussing screens.

There's a Voigtlaender 2/40 in Nikon mount that I find excellent. The older, larger version that I have may be found for not so much money; the newer, very small one is rather expensive.

Also very good IMO are the 1,8/50 AiS, 2/28 AiS and 2,5/105 AiS.
 
The only real issue with these, and it's easy to fix, is deteriorating foam on the back seal and the mirror bumper. Kits are available for DIY or a repair shop can handle this. The foam becomes sticky with age and some pieces can adhere to the mirror if the foam is really bad. Otherwise, a nice, compact camera. I have one of each of the FM2ns - one older shutter design and the other newer. No problem with either.
 
nickthetasmaniac said:
Hi everyone, I have a bit of a thing for mechanical cameras and I've been seriously thinking about picking up a Nikon FM2 or FM2n.

I've mostly shot with Pentax SLRs before, and so don't have a great deal of experience in the Nikon world. The lens nomenclature especially has me completely stumped!

So, the advice I'm after:
- Is there anything I should be keeping an eye out while looking for a body? Any recurring, costly issues? Anything that needs frequent servicing or may need to be replaced?
- Is there any real user difference between the two models besides flash synch (I never use flash)?
- Any lens suggestions? I will probably just get a 35mm or 50mm for the time being, and don't really have a preference between the two.

I have fairly general photographic interests, focussing on landscape, travel and street. The Nikon will be complementing an M2 and replacing a Pentax MX.

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

Nikon FM series bodies (FM/FM2/FM2n) are all reliable and durable. Most work just fine for many many years, despite being beaten upon. Parts and service are reasonably plentiful.

Don't let Nikon lens nomenclature make you crazy; it's actually quite simple given that you're talking a manual focus Nikon body:

pre-AI are the lenses made up to the middle 1970s. They have a forked coupler on the aperture ring to connect with the metering system in Nikon F, early F2, and Nikkormat FT series bodies. pre-AI lenses can work on the FM body with stop down metering, because the FM body has a hinge on the cam ring that allows you to flip it out of the way. They deleted that bit on the FM2, so you have to have the lens modified to use these lenses.

AI, AI-S, AI-P, any of the lenses that have "AI" in the designation, are all the manual focus lenses made to mate with the automatic indexing coupling ring on the FM/FM2/FM2n. Basically, all the manual focus lenses made after 1976 or so. Nearly all pre-AI lenses can be converted to the AI coupling for about $25 per lens. John White at http://aiconversions.com is doing good conversions.

AF lenses except for the AF-G series all work just fine on the FM. The G series lenses eliminated the aperture setting ring on the lens, it's all done in the body, so those are unusable on the FM series cameras.​

Just buy as high a serial number, as recent a clean body as you can. Stick with AI and later series lenses for 100% compatibility, unless you want to have older lenses AI'ed. (I did this with my ancient Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/3.5 and Nikkor-H 85/1.8 lenses; the rest of my Nikon lenses are AI, AI-S, AF, and AF-D.)

G
 
littleearth said:
How about something in the middle ?
The Ultron 40mm is a perfect match for the FM2n.
Click to expand...

It has to be seen. I have seen it and I found that I don't like its bokeh, others have also seen and say what you just said, I think this is really kind of Marmite lens, you either love or you don't at all.

GLF
 
mfogiel said:
Nikon has hardly ever made a decent lens shorter than 85mm. I suggest the 85/2 AiS. Use the Leica for 35 and 50 mm.
Click to expand...

That's amusing, and a bit of a personal opinion. For instance, I'd put the Nikkor 28mm f/2 AI up against nearly any*other 28mm lens for resolution, flatness of field, contrast, etc. I've used it with my M-P and compared it to the Elmar-M 24/3.8 ... 🙂

G
 
mfogiel said:
Nikon has hardly ever made a decent lens shorter than 85mm. I suggest the 85/2 AiS. Use the Leica for 35 and 50 mm.
Click to expand...

This is harsh and uncalled for, even if my favourite Nikkor lens is the 85mm f1.8 I have the 24mm f2.8 AIs and it's a good wide angle, as written I have the 50 mm f1.4 S-C that got AI'd and I consider it a very good lens, not my favourite 50/1.4, but surely more than decent.

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While I have to agree that the 1.8 and the 2.0 have an "hard" bokeh, not that pleasant as the 1.4, the first shot is a 1.8 the second a 2.0:

vdzmkl.jpg


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The sealing foam is definitely an issue in my experience with the FM2N. In the end I went with a full refurb at Abilene Camera Repair and have been very happy with the result.

On lenses, I am a sucker for 40mm focal length and really enjoy using the CV 40/2.

Kirk
 
In addition to the light seal foam either crumbling away or becoming a sticky mess - I'd watch out too for the film rewind crank can come away after long use. But both of these are NOT costly repairs and you could be very lucky that neither becomes a problem.

I have had 2 FE's, 2 FM2n, and an FM3a. So I know this camera well.
It is my main "go-to" camera and very quick to deploy (horror of horror but it is faster in my hands and eyes to deploy than my rangefinder Lecias !)

Since you are looking without preference at 35mm or 50mm lens - I agree with those recent contributions not to discount too easily lens less than 85mm.
Indeed one of the best value and lightest and very comfortable lens is any of the Nikon Series E 50mm f1.8 or the last Nikkor 50mm f1.8 pancake lens.
 
Get the cheap 'Nikon' 50/1.8 Series E. I don't think you'll find a Nikkor 50 that's better. Spend the 'real money' on another focal length. The 28/2.8 AiS is supposed to be fantastic. I have a 35/2-O and a Mir 24. Selling the Mir, as it duplicates the O, and i don't use either very often, but the performance is even.
 
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