Nikon SLR fans: Nikkormat or FM?

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paulfish4570

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I have decided to sell all of my M42 stuff, and an RF or two to fund purchase of a Nikon SLR and a lens or two.
The key reason is this: it is very easy to find, buy and install corrective eyepieces for Nikons. I have excellent vision from 4 feet out. Why bother with reading glasses to focus when I don't have to do so?
I have been perusing ebay for possibilities. I am amazed at how low the prices are for Nikkormat FTNs in really good shape. FMs are available at good prices, too. I am somewhat familiar with the Nikkormat. I know it is Jeep of a camera. I have not handled an FM; I just know it is more compact and lighter weight, but still heavy enough to help dampen hand tremors.
A DSLR is not in my near future; future lens compatibility is not an issue. But cost is. Who wouldn't want an F, with plain prism? But good grief, they are precious to their owners!
So, Nikon fans, which one would you go for? Am I missing an option? Manual only, and I prefer a clean prism; a Nikkormat shoe can be removed simply by unscrewing the eyepiece, right?
 
Having used both "back in the day" when they were current models, I would opt for the FM. Smaller and lighter, it also uses silver oxide batteries. Great camera. The FM2 has a brighter finder, but they can be a little pricey in the price range you seem to be looking at.

If looking at a Nikkormat, I'd look at the FT2 or FT3, rather than an earlier model.
 
I have not had a Nikkomat, but my sister used to have one and I had handled it briefly long time ago. It is definitely heavier than any of the FM series cameras. I have used the FM, FE, and the FM2. Of these, I would recommend highly the FM2. It is a newer camera compared to the FM. And from a friend who used to repair cameras before he retired, he said that the FM was not as robust as the FM2, and that FM parts were difficult to find. Nowadays, even the FM2n can be found at good prices.
 
IMO Paul, you might want to add the Nikon FE to your list. (Do some web-searching to see why.

Also, consider the Konica slr line, great solid cameras, terrific glass and dirt cheap.
 
I purchased a like new FT last spring for $65. Pro build like my F2 which was the best mechanical Nikon SLR. It is one heck of a camera. Almost as nice as as the better Leica reflex cameras and I have them all.

You may need a CRISIS battery adapter to use silver oxide cells or have the meter recalibrated or use 1.35 v hearing aid batteries.

FM & FE series are just consumer grade Nikons, toy like in comparison, but they have upgraded features.

So pick the model with features important to you. I have FT, F2,Fe2 models and digi slrs.
 
Nikon FM was my first "serious" camera, bought it new in around 1982. The camera needed service once (the circuit board had to be switched) but otherwise no problems at all.
 
^----- Dave Jenkins has it right. Or almost right.

I've shot with many FE2s, an FM2, an FA. I am currently using a Nikkormat FT2 that I've used on and off since I was a kid (it was my mom's camera).

In my opinion, best to worst: FM3>FE2>FM2>Nikkormat>FA.

All of these cameras except the Nikkormat have a 1/4000 shutter. The Nikkormat is 1/1000. All except the Nikkormat have interchangeable focusing screens, which I like.

I prefer the FE2 for its match needle metering. It is extremely thrifty with batteries. The batteries are a very reasonable trade-off.

The FM is a great camera, but its LED metering system is inferior to the FE2's match-needle. In use the FE2 is better.

I prefer the smaller bodies. The Nikkormat is the biggest, then the FA, then the rest. The Nikkormat seems bigger than a Spotmatic to me.

The Nikkormat is the weight of an anvil, yet it jumps in your hands when you trip the shutter. Its vibration damping is primitive. FE2/FM2/FA/FM3 all have better damping.

I don't like the FA's smaller viewfinder magnification, and I don't like its first-gen matrix metering, and I don't like its larger prism hump.

The FM3 has the best features of all of these cameras, but at too high a price. Its sole advantage over the FE2 is that it doesn't need a battery to run at any shutter speed. Who cares? At that price you can buy two excellent FE2s *and* a couple of spare batteries for your bag.

The FE2, FA, and FM3 all have TTL flash. The Nikkormat and FM do not.

The FT2 is the best of the Nikkormats. It has the best combination of features (including lens compatibility) and its meter runs on modern batteries.
 
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Maybe not that important but I found it worth mentioning: The Nikon FM is one of only a few cameras having a gallium arsenide photo-cell for the light meter. This type of photo cell has an advantage of high selective spectral sensitivity for the visible light range but low for IR.
 
All good advice, guys.
I do want it known that my SP1000 and Fujica 605 have given stellar service. I love the ergos of the SP. It fits me perfectly - except for my having to wear reading glasses (1.5+-2+) to focus well. I have to use 'em to run my RFs, too, but them's the breaks. And man, I hate to give up my m42 Meyer-Optik Oreston 50/1.8, but I am sure there is a Nikon-mount lens out there with similar bokeh and close focus ...
 
I have the F, several F2 including the Titan, FM2/T (titan again) and a pair of FM3A.

The FM3A is the last and the most evolved of the line. It needs only easy-to-find A76 or equivalent batteries...dead battery means only no AE, all mechanical speeds work.

The only features the FM3A do not have are (as compared to the F or F2): mirror lock-up and multi-stoke film advance...the former likely because no AIS lenses require mirror lock-up and the later because the wind stroke is so short.

If I had to pick just one camera for an unending trip, I pick the FM3A: lighter, all-metal robust... That mated with a 35~70mm f3.3~4.5, perhaps a 24mm and a 135mm are all the lenses you will likely need. Add an MD-12 if you don't mind a little more weight.

Dioptic correction eyepieces are widely available...you won't need it for infinity lens focusing anyway. Focusing screens in K, B, E styles are easily available. I prefer the E type (plain with grid).

After 40 years of using Nikon, that is my final verdict.
 
The key think got to think about paulfish is the weight. The Nikkomat is a hefty camera. The FM is light weight.
 
One other point. There are lens compatibility issues with all of these cameras. The newer ones can't use pre-AI lenses, etc. Ken Rockwell's site has a series of pages on all these cameras with full details. If you run AI/AIS lenses, all the bodies will work.

For pre-AI lenses the newer cameras (FE2, FM2, FA, etc.) are out. There may also be issues with compatibility between old cameras and AF lenses.
 
if you are going to go nikormat then i suggest skipping the meter prism as it makes the camera insanely heavy.

that said, the one 35mm camera that i regret selling was my nikormat. i sold it when i upgraded to a leica m42 many moons ago. since then i have bought a fm2 but i don't use it much as nearly 100% of my assignments require digital. and when film is permitted the only reason that i would shoot film would be for 2 1/4 or larger format.

curious to hear what you end up purchasing and how you feel after you have used the new camera.

happy shooting
 
I have the feeling that things aren't made like they used to make 'em. The FTn, 2, and 3 seem to be indestructable.
 
I will buck the trend here and suggested a Nikkormat.

That's a classic camera that is very robust and smooth. And the older non-AI Nikkor lenses are now dirt cheap, but try to beat them in terms of image quality :)

If you have to have a meter built in, go with FT2 or FT3. But I prefer the all metal advance lever on the FTn. I don't care about built in meter anyways.

Heavy? no, Minolta XE-7 is heavy, F3 + MD4 is heavy. Nikkormats are "well-balanced" :p
 
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