What sort of photography is the FE2 especially suited to?

[carlb]

In the same sort of way that the Pentax LX is particularly suited to long automatic night-time exposures - is there a particular type of photography that the Nikon FE2 is ideally suited to? My thinking is that the 1/4000th top shutter speed obviously gives it an advantage for fast-action photography, or for low-light photography with large aperture lenses and a fast film.

In your experience, is there a certain area where it excels, or is there a certain FE2 and lens combination that works really well? All suggestions and recommendations are welcome.

Of course the thing is built like a brick s***house so it could make a very good suicide mission camera but it's such a wonderful camera that it seems a shame to subject it to those sorts of extreme conditions

Thanks

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Put an MD-12 on it, a 1000mm Mirror Lens, and a heavy tripod- Nature Photography. The Aperture preferred automatic mode with high-end shutter speed makes it well suited for lenses without aperture mechanisms. Some of the older T-Adapters and camera attachments for Meade, Celestron, and other telescopes can hang up on the electrical contacts of AF cameras. Make sure the T-Adapter used is safe for your AF Nikon before having to cut it off.

The FE2 is a nicely made camera, but I would prefer a Nikon F for hammering nails.

 

[Pickett Wilson]

Yeah, I was just thinking about my initial reaction to the FM, FE, etc when they first came out. After flogging the F's and F2's through much of the the 1970's, the new smaller, lighter cameras certainly seemed more fragile. And although they proved successful, they were really not the pro cameras of the period, but were certainly used by pros, until the F3 appeared in 1980.

As for what the FE2 is good for, just about anything you want to use it for. The 1/4000 top shutter speed was great for us Tri-X shooters, because we didn't have to switch to slower film in brighter light.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Funny this thread came along. I pulled the FE2 out of the drawer last night, changed the mirror bumper and put new seals in, put in batteries, a 50/1.4 and took it out today. It is about the same size and weight of the Nikon RF's. Of course, the 50/1.4 for the SLR is much larger than the old Nikkor-SC 5cm F1.4.

 

[Pickett Wilson]

My "film kit" these days is a small Domke bag with a Leica IIIf and a FE2 with a couple of lenses. Both cameras, from different worlds, have a similar esthetic.

 

[denmark.yuzon]

much like my FM2n without the aperture priority.. and the FM3a which combines both... i like shooting wide open even in daylight conditions, so the 1/4000th shutterspeed is a bonus, and i dont have to worry about fast moving objects too...

 

[Merkin]

I think it cries out for a fast lens and slow film. That extra stop of shutter speed means that you can achieve reasonably shallow depth of field even in bright conditions. It gives you an EV range of nine full stops over which you can use an aperture of f2.8 or larger, handheld, if you use an f1.4 lens and 100 speed film. That is a pretty good range for a fully manual camera.

 

[raid]

Funny this thread came along. I pulled the FE2 out of the drawer last night, changed the mirror bumper and put new seals in, put in batteries, a 50/1.4 and took it out today. It is about the same size and weight of the Nikon RF's. Of course, the 50/1.4 for the SLR is much larger than the old Nikkor-SC 5cm F1.4.

Brian,
My FE2 needs a new mirror bumber and new seals. Can you bring the "tools" with you to Pensacola?

I use my FE2 with the Nikkor 105mm 2.5 most of the time. The FE2 feels lighter than my F2.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Tools! I use a pair of scissors, and some self-adhesive Foam Rubber from Walmart. It is a "YUUCHHY" Job. I used Isopropyl alchohol to get the old stu off the back. Which is detachable, making it easier!

 

[EcoLeica]

I have been using a FE and a FE2 for the last several years. I use mine with a e series 1.8 and I have to say the results are rather nice. Can be used for almost anything, the swiss army knife of slrs really

 

[carlb]

I have been using a FE and a FE2 for the last several years. I use mine with a e series 1.8 and I have to say the results are rather nice. Can be used for almost anything, the swiss army knife of slrs really

This is the same combination I have - I like it too. I picked up the Series E 50 dirt cheap at a camera market.

Maybe I should look for a 35/2.8 or f2. I have a little bit of spare play money atm. Does anyone have opinions of the Nikon 35mm's?

 

[alan davus]

My FE2 is the only SLR I use any more. Mostly a Micro Nikkor 50 3.5 is attached to the front though occasionally I'll get the 135 or the 200 Nikkors out. It's a very user friendly camera.

 

[kshapero]

When I SLR it, I do it with a Black brassed FM3A and a Voigtlander 40/f2 pancake lens. Small, tidy and peachy.

 

[Rayt]

Anyone here has a problem with the FM, FE et al., lever poking you in the eye?

 

[jonmanjiro]

Anyone here has a problem with the FM, FE et al., lever poking you in the eye?

not me, but i'm a right eye shooter.

i'm guessing that you're a left eye shooter?

 

[Merkin]

When I SLR it, I do it with a Black brassed FM3A and a Voigtlander 40/f2 pancake lens. Small, tidy and peachy.

How does the Voigtlander 40/2 compare to the nikkor 45/2.8 in terms of size and image quality?

 

[samoksner]

This is the same combination I have - I like it too. I picked up the Series E 50 dirt cheap at a camera market.

Maybe I should look for a 35/2.8 or f2. I have a little bit of spare play money atm. Does anyone have opinions of the Nikon 35mm's?

While the 35mm f1.4 gets a lot of good reviews from people still using them on their modern digital, i really do not like mine, it's plain old soft and crappy wide open, and looks exactly like the 35mm f2 at f2.

I used to have both the 35mm f2 and the 35mm f1.4, and at f2, they are identical, i tested these side by side on a digital camera on a tripod, i kept using the 35mm f2 because it was a bit smaller and lighter. I ended up selling the f2 and now i'm using the 35mm f1.4, i keep it at f2.

I have not tried the 35mm f2.8, but the 35mm f2 gets 2 thumbs up from me.

Samples:

Probably at f2, maybe f2.8.

Looks like f2.8 or f4, out of shutter speeds on ISO 400 film...

At f2, crappy scan.

At f2, totally sharp and usable, stop down to get sharp corners and DOF...

f4, f5.6 or f8... whatever made the light meter needle come out of the "too much light for 1/1000th of a second zone"

f2, good illustration of how the lens handles contrast and background blur in insane situations.

Sorry to everyone who didn't ask about the lens, and sorry for all the different size images.

 

[samoksner]

How does the Voigtlander 40/2 compare to the nikkor 45/2.8 in terms of size and image quality?

Here is a review done that compares them on the same camera and boring tests...
http://www.photozone.de/nikon--nikk...-nikkor-ai-p-45mm-f28-review--lab-test-report

http://www.photozone.de/nikon--nikk...on-40mm-f2-ii-nikon-mount-review--test-report

I would go with the VC lens for the extra stop of light, 9 aperture blades, closer focusing (twice as close).

They both have no distortion, the same amount of vignetting, the VC has a bit better resolution at matching apertures then the Nikkor but nothing anyone would notice.

However, the VC does have a bit of chromatic aberation, but nothing i've ever noticed while shooting.

Overall, i would say that the nikkor is almost too small and strains the ergonomics of the camera, both are superb lenses, but their really is no good reason not to get the VC.

 

[stupid leica]

The FE2 is a wonderful casual "do it all" camera, i love mine dearly. They can be had for cheap as dirt, are incredibly reliable (more so than any leica), and can handle almost anything you throw at it.
I have probably well over 500 shots on my flickr from various FE2's i've had (gave one to my cousin, who is also on here).
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=FE2&w=75696104@N00&s=int

 

[CK Dexter Haven]

I also love the 50mm 1.8 Series E on my FE2.

The only two things i don't like about the FE2:
• Having to keep the wind lever 'out' as an 'on' switch.
• Not having an AE lock with a half-press of the shutter release.

Other'n that, it's a super sweet camera. Great size - not significantly different from an M or Contax G2.