Starting a "new" film based SLR system (Nikon)

The lack of a spot meter on either the FM2n or FM3a isn't a deal breaker... but it has me thinking.

The size IS an issue, the weight not so much.

I doubt I will motorize. I was crowned world's slowest photographer in school and have maintained my crown for 20+ years.
 
the FM3a will cost you a pretty penny.

i like 60/40 metering in my FE/FM system than the metering in the F3 (i forget what it is). i also find the F3 viewfinder info more difficult to see in low light. the red +-O in the FM is pretty foolproof. also, if you ever want to use a flash on the F3 it's tougher since it has a weird hot shoe and is not centered on the camera.

my vote is either a FM2 or FA.

- chris
 
I like the FM series a lot. I have an FM and and FM3a, and they feel like about 90% the same camera. Of course, the FM3a has a very sophisticated shutter--electronically controlled in AE mode, but can work without batteries at all speeds if necessary. I do not think there is any other camera that can do this (Leica M7, for example, works w/ out batteries at only one or two speeds).

I am in the process of paring down my photo gear--I find that the FM does well enough for me as a third body--and am considering selling my black FM3a. If any of you are interested, drop me a line.
 
I built up a retro Nikon outfit for fun 6 months ago, Nikon F apollo, early F2 (both black with plain prisms) 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 105mm and 200mm all with scalloped focus rings. All bought quite cheap especially the lenses on the web, all I need now is a 24mm and a 300mm.
Buying old cameras is great fun!
 
The meter in the FE is what sold me on Nikons...
The F4 can use the older glass but only in Spot and Center Weight metering only not Matrix but that's no big deal breaker...The F4's are selling cheap these days...
 
Build the system. I'd look at Nikkormats also, almost as tough as an F/F2 IMHO. I rebuild much of my SLR system again a few year back, sold most of it, still have a few lenses and a body that I use along side my S3.

It is a great time, get an F2. I'd go for the plain prism (DE-1). Some day if you want built in metering you can add either the original photomic (DP-1) or a DP-12 (Ai indexing and world class metering with SLOW shutter speeds).

I'd go with a mixture of lenses, old and very old (SLR-wise) in your budget. Pick based upon your thoughts and desires:

>28/2.8 AI-S (only the AI-S), she is close focusing version, best 28 Nikon ever made

>35/1.4 older scalped metal focusing, again, the best 35 they ever built.

> 55/3.5 the macro lens for many photographers for many years

> 85/1.8 a sleeper lens, again in metal scalped focusing ring

> 105/2.5 No need to say any more. There are two versions, different looks but both great.

> 180/2.8 ED, hard to believe but they improved on the original 180/2.8.

> 300/4.5 ED-IF, small, razor sharp and a great lens for reaching out.

B2 (;->
 
I specialize in mechanical Nikon's and have eight of them: F, F2, FM, FM3A. My F2 Titan and FM/T are especially prized.

The best of all Nikon real metal mechanical gear is the FM3A...all shutter speeds work with or without battery. Dead battery only means not having AE...so buy a couple LR-44's available anywhere in my world. 1/4000s is fast enough for real life, and no AE is no big deal...I have a built-in meter in my brain anyway. 😀

My preferred lens is the 35~70mm f3.3~4.5, a metal barrel AIS mount near-Macro jack-of-all-trades...often augmented by a 1.4X Nikkor extender [in my pocket]; and a 24mm f2.8 if need be.

This one camera/lens outfit is the ultimate travel gear; bested in some ways by my ZM (also uses LR-44🙂) with the 40/f1.4 Nokton...maybe one day also the CV 25mm f4.

Either system fits inside of my shoulder travel bag, along with passport, maps, reading glasses, a pen and assorted travellers' essentials.

I will pay serious money if someone can adapt/convert these cameras into digital...pre-paying film/processing for life.

[Mounting a full frame CCD chip and electronics inside a slim flat box fitted into the space where the pressure plate was, with leads for battery (in the film cartridge chamber) and the SD chip (receptacle clipped onto the take up spool) must be doable.]

I don't need a million scene modes, auto everything etc. and actually prefer to focus the lens myself and bracket exposures if need be...film is free.🙄 A mini-USB socket for plugging an iPod-touch serves better if I need to review my shots, after the decisive moment passed. It is too late if the shots were no good anyway.

I don't need to keep up in the mega-pixel arms race and prefer to print no larger than 8x10, or run a veeery slow slide-show on my 42" plasma at full HD...a mere 2 MPixel.
 
I've been a Nikon guy since the early 80's when I was drooling over the new FM2 and my GF at the time surprised me with it for Christmas. She's gone but I still have the camera 🙂
The shutter in it finally blew up a few years ago on a trip to the Grand Canyon bummer when I got the film back.
I had it repaired and it's still going and it's such a great camera.
Since then I purchased an FM2n for cheap and four F3HP's and two F3/T's.
I sold them off except for the real pristine black F3/T that I think is on my avatar.
I also had several Zeiss lenses including the 35/2 distagon (amazing lens) and the 50 1.4.
I've paired down my SLR's and kept an FM2, FM2n, F3/T, F6.
Recently I sold off some of my expensive zooms in order to fund my rangefinder venture.
I purchased a Zeiss Ikon and a Planar 50/2 from fellow RFF'rs and I love it!
It's my new lightweight system that goes everywhere with me.
 
I would go with the FM2n over the FM3a as the prices on the FM3a are still at a silly level compared to to the FM2n. If you don't need the top shutter speed of the FM2n then original FM will allow you to use non ai lenses all be it in stop down metering mode. For lense I would go with either the 24/2.8 or 28/2.8, the later in ais only as has previously been pointed out. The 35/2 is good, no experience with the 35/1.4. An old 50/2 is plenty sharp and the 50/1.4 is faster but might not be as good. The 85/1.8, again as has been mentioned before is sweet. They were never made in ai mount but many have been factory converted and the last examples before they were dropped has a rubber focusing ring. Won't comment on the 180/2.8 or 105/2.5 as they are generally acknowledged to be very good. If you want less weight, than the 180/2,8, look at at a 200/4 in ai or ais version.

Bob
 
I've been a Nikon user since almost Day One.

I still have the second SLR I ever owned: a Nikomat FTN, camera a friend of my family bought for me in Japan in the late 60s. No AI/AIS lenses any more but I'll keep this camera body forever. Still works just fine.

Just this week I picked up a F100 on eBay so I can use the AF lenses that I have been accumulating for my D700. A camera and 28-100mm lens for $300. That felt like a good deal to me.

Some claim that the F100 is pretty darn close to the best film SLR Nikon ever made (that title goes to the F6, I think). Anyway, looking forward to being able to use film in an SLR again when I feel like it.
 
I have both an FM3A and FM2N. Lenses I use with them are 242.8 AIS, 50/1.4 AI, ZF 50/1.4 and 105/2.5 AIS. I used to have a lot of other manual focus lenses but have sold them over the years. These 3 lenses pretty much meet all of my film SLR needs. Oh, and I also have a K1 ring for the 24mm - for wide angle closeups.

BTW, while there are many, many good Nikon lenses, I settled on these 3 because the angles of view from these focal lengths match my personal preferences.

Come to think of it, I have nearly identical focal lengths for my film RF (25mm, 50,, and 105mm) and darn near identical EFL on my R-D1S (15mm, 35mm, 75mm).

That is scary.
 
Last edited:
Actually,
just to answer to the OP, I'd go too for a FM3A since we are in a manual focus SLR range. However, if I'd have to choose, I'd be more tempted by a recent Zeiss Ikon RF (in the end I already have a F6) so it would be a way to change completely way of shooting.

I agree with Chris that a simple (but PRO) SLR/RF camera which could have only a few menus as old cameras had would be great. Leica M8 is nice but really expensive nor completely exhausting, imho.
 
I have an FM3a used with a Zeiss 25/2.8 and Nikkors 50/1.2 and 105/2.5 - a great setup. I agree that the FM3a is still a bit pricey, but having the aperture priority AE and TTL flash metering is quite handy sometimes.

As others have mentioned, the F3 is nearly as small as the FM3a, but doesn't really operate without batteries and has a non-standard flash shoe. It is a beautiful camera however.
 
Frankie said:
I specialize in mechanical Nikon's......

My preferred lens is the 35~70mm f3.3~4.5, a metal barrel AIS mount near-Macro jack-of-all-trades...often augmented by a 1.4X Nikkor extender [in my pocket]; and a 24mm f2.8 if need be.

This one camera/lens outfit is the ultimate travel gear; bested in some ways by my ZM (also uses LR-44🙂) with the 40/f1.4 Nokton...maybe one day also the CV 25mm f4.
Click to expand...

I have more than 20 Nikkor AIS lenses, a serious GAS brought on by eBay...really fulfilling a desire to re-acquire lenses I regreted to have sold, plus a couple I wished I had.

In reality, 95% of photography can be covered by a 24~105mm focal range. It seems as I got older, I see wider. Unlike my yewt'ful days.

I used to fantasize for a Nikkor 25~100mm f2.8 AIS IF ED Aspheric Macro-zoom...one-ring and not more than 3" long, with 62mm or smaller filter size...

Of course such a lens would be difficult to design...then. These days, 4X zoom is no big deal, 24~85mm or longer zoom range is available, and IF ED Aspheric are standard...and just about that physical size too.

I now long for a 1.4X or 2X M-mount extender with automatic frame selection in the beautiful ZM finder...should be easy enough to design. A LTM product using external viewfinder is long available.

I had posted that thought in a sticky in the CV section, hoping Kobayashi San will think about it. 😀 Imagine a one lens/camera travel outfit with a 35mm f1.4 Nokton convertible into a 70mm f 2.8. The 2X converter can easily be made thin enough for my pant pocket...and adding 70mm frame lines to the 35mm frame is simple.

Adding to my digital conversion fantasy:

I will also gladly pay for a Contax G2 digital coversion, along with an FM3A or a ZM. The auto-bracketing firmware is already built-in the sexy titanium body for mounting the Zeiss 35~70mm zoom 🙂
 
^ Well it makes sense as I have a Nikon DSLR and an N70(F70) already.

For a long, long time I subscribed to the belief of a "Nikon look"/"Leica look"/"Zeiss look". I no longer do. So, my motivation for Nikon comes purely from brand allegiance and practicality.

I appreciate the suggestions for the lenses too so far. ...

What about zooms?
 
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