What is the best Nikon body for my AIS Nikkor 50mm 1.4?

[Chris101]

... practically all the Nikon bodies, maybe apart from the EM, FG, and low-end AF bodies, will offer great performance, control (and that's where the EM and FG are excluded), and reliability.
...

You are correct about the EM, but the FG has Aperture priority, Programed exposure and full Manual control of shutter speed and aperture. It also has +/- 2 stops of EV and adjustable ASA from 6 to 6400. What controls does it lack, besides Shutter speed priority mode?

 

[former member]

You have to watch the electronics on the FG. They can short, and drain the battery quickly.

These days, there is not too much price difference between an FG and a F3HP. I have both, bought long ago. The F3HP was 5x the cost of the FG. Now, the F3HP that I bought last year was $30 less than I paid for the FG.

 

[BillBingham2]

If cost is an issue, FT3 would be my choice. Almost as strong as the F, AI meter attachment and smaller than an FTn.

If you have a bit more cash, go F or F2 with a plain prism finder.

If you are flush with cash F2AS. I owned one and it truly is the best Nikon ever.

The F3 is wonderful but I'm not into the meter display.

B2 (;->

 

[former member]

I'm an evil Nikon SLR kind of guy.

 

[FrankS]

You have to watch the electronics on the FG. They can short, and drain the battery quickly.

.

Is this a known design flaw on the FG, Brian? This can happen on any electronic camera. Is your warning based on statistical evidence? Interesting as I decided on my garage sale FG to put film into today.

 

[john_s]

When I was young, it was considered that a wide apertur lens was better for focusing because of two reasons: firstly, more light, secondly, more critical focusing. So even if you were taking a pic at f2, focusing at f1.4 would be more accurate.

However, I have read that the newer cameras have different optimizations, in that they are good for smaller aperture lenses (esp zooms) and that a wide aperture lens actually makes no difference to manual or even automatic focusing, over about f2.2. I have an F6 and although I use some manual lenses, I don't think the image on the standard focus screen "snaps" into focus like the old cameras did. I have read that Canon make a focusing screen esp for wide aperture manual lenses, but Nikon does not.

 

[notraces]

FM3a -- or FM2n --

 

[Chris101]

Is this a known design flaw on the FG, Brian? This can happen on any electronic camera. Is your warning based on statistical evidence? Interesting as I decided on my garage sale FG to put film into today.

The difficulty in repairing the flexible printed circuit is documented on the Camera Quest site.

 

[ishpop]

I just want to say thanks to everyone for pitching in their input.

If anything, I learned in this thread that Nikon truly is the Camera-afficionados king company. You would err towards Leica hanging around this site, but the depth of experience with nikons long history seems to trump the elite legacy of Leica, from my un-educated outsiders perspective. haha.

I also learned that any body will work, but that if I can afford it, I will go with:

FM3a
FM2n
F3HP
F3

or if I want to go cheaper and smaller, FG.

Thanks again!!!! Once I get something, and shoot a roll, I will be sure to share some output.

 

[Dfin]

ishpop, this maybe heresy to the true believers, but why not an F90x/F100 ? Much more modern, with focus confirmation, no matrix metering, but AE,manual and auto focus available with late autofocus lenses. Maybe not with "G" series though, still they are cheap and plentiful. I have F,F2,F90x and a couple of Nikkormats with a collection of older lenses, and the hardest decision is which one to grab. They are all excellent, with there different quirks, they sold in there thousands, that`s got tell you something,if I had the money, I`d buy an F6, dreams are free.

 

[jb17kx]

My apologies Chris, I seem to have got it into my head that the FG didn't have manual control.

Ishpop, there's also the FE2 if you want the features of the FM3A in a much cheaper and not-so-mechanical package. There's so much FM-love nowadays (as there was was when the FE came out) they can often be much easier to find.

 

[Ronald M]

Vertical format is a pain with a WLF on 35 mm. It works for Hassy because format is square.

Nikon F probodies are timeless. The less electronics the better. F2 is better than F.

For lighter weight, the consumer bodies. My repair guy says do not get a FE as there are meter parts deteriorated that can not be repaired/replaced. FE2 are better.

I have a little used FE2, D40, D200, and D700. The FE2 was the last purchase.

F need the unavailable mercury battery or some work around and alkaline cells are not it.
F2 use 1.5 V silver oxide cells easily available.

 

[NIKON KIU]

Here is my choice:
NikonF2
Nikon FM
Nikon FE
Nikon FM2
Nikon FM2n
Nikon FA
Nikon F3
Nikon FM10
Nikon F4
.....


Kiu

 

[MikeAUS]

Nikon EM?

Nikon EM?

No mention of the EM. I notice it gets a good review on the CameraQuest SLR Guide. I assume mainly for its small size and low cost. To be avoided?

 

[mfogiel]

Well, I would definitely go for the FM3A if you can afford it, it is built like a Leica, not much bigger, the VF is fantastic, and it works across all the shutter speeds with or without the batteries.
It has never been surpassed in its category, and it is also the last of this line, so it will probably be serviced for quite some time. Along the Leica M7 it is THE camera to own for the rest of your life.

 

[Uncle Bill]

The Nikon Ais 50 f1.4 is a killer lens, the appropriate body would include the following candidates:

F2AS,
F3HP
FM2n
FM3
FE2

 

[Pablito]

stay away form FM-10, a real piece of cr@p