Will the real best manual Nikon SLR please stand up?

[Bill Clark]

I found and looked at the instruction book and it says Nikkormat FTN. It has the vertical shutter. I haven't noticed any noise I dislike. I wrote on the cover of the instruction book, May 22, 1972 when I bought it, most likely Hong Kong.

I replaced a foam rubber strip located on the prism that serves as a bumber to quiet the mirror when the shutter is actuated. That keeps it fairly quiet as it was noisy like meteal hitting metal which it probably was, well the mirror hitting metal, as the rubber strip had deteriorated. I think I bought the strip from a gent named Goodman.

Info on Nikkormat with a little about Nikon sprinkled in:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikkormat

Interesting part called design history in the article.

 

[Erik van Straten]

May 22, 1972 when I bought it

I bought my first Nikkormat FTn in 1971, but I don't have it anymore. Recently I bought another one. It is not a Leica M5, but it still shoots nicely.

Nikkormat FTn, Nikkor H Auto 50mm f/2, 400-2TMY.

Erik.

 

[Bill Clark]

Nice photo Erik.

Thanks.

Happy holidays to you.

 

[KM-25]

To most Nikon fans the FM/FE family of cameras can only be among the best if you add cost into the equation.

Riiiiight, so all those who climb high peaks, do long excursions in rugged places and even me who relies on light but tough equipment to keep kicking out the photos in brutal conditions don't mean crap eh?

This is just ridiculous at this point, really.

 

[GarageBoy]

Plenty of pros used fe2s and fm2s - my dad did a lot of repair work on them during his time at Nippon

They liked the higher sync speeds and higher top shutter speed

 

[Erik van Straten]

Happy holidays to you.

Thank you, Bill, the same to you!

Erik.

 

[Huss]

Funny how a legit ad that was created because legit mainstream papers used the cameras causes such an uproar!
I get it, it doesn't jive with some people's misconceptions so it must be wrong...

Again, I use Nikon F, F2, FM2 and love them all but do not have to pick 'the one' as a means to make a living. But if I did, I would toe the line with the pros and pick the FM series.
This is about fun discussion people!

 

[Huss]

Nikon and Canon ran variations of this silly ad for years.

Sorry is that a pic of a newspaper photographer?

 

[Huss]

Someone has confused marketing, advertising, sales generation, and saving the paper money with facts.

B2 (;->

If the cameras failed they would not be saving the papers money.
They have to perform.

 

[Huss]

 

[Bill Clark]

Huss,

Photo of you?

Where are you?

 

[Mark C]

Funny how a legit ad that was created because legit mainstream papers used the cameras causes such an uproar!
I get it, it doesn't jive with some people's misconceptions so it must be wrong...

Again, I use Nikon F, F2, FM2 and love them all but do not have to pick 'the one' as a means to make a living. But if I did, I would toe the line with the pros and pick the FM series.
This is about fun discussion people!

I agree that FM and FE were nice reliable cameras. I did use them, plus FA for work in the 80's and 90's. But what makes you think pros preferred them to the F3. I got them because they were cheap, plus the inexpensive winders. I replaced them with Leica R4's because I preferred the Leica lenses; my customers didn't care, but I enjoyed my pictures more. Then I kept wishing I could have the Leica lenses on the more robust Nikon FE, etc. I also used Pentax ME Supers when I needed multiple setups for some volume jobs for the cheap reliable bodies, lenses and winder, but that doesn't make them a bit more interesting to me now; they were just a wrench that fit the bolt and my budget that day.

Today I have no interest in an FM, FE, etc, and if we're going back in time I'd like a little extra cash with me and I'll get a few F3's to use with the zeiss lenses I'll also take back with me.

All good stuff. Use what you enjoy the most, or whatever you can afford, or whatever happens to be around. And yes, the black paint does make them work a lot better as far as I'm concerned.

 

[nikonhswebmaster]

Huss,

Photo of you?

Where are you?

Dressed as Steve M. 😀

 

[RObert Budding]

I think 'Best' depends on intended use. My favorite Nikon SLR for travel was the FE2.

 

[sevo]

Funny how a legit ad that was created because legit mainstream papers used the cameras causes such an uproar!

For how long have you been visiting this planet?

 

[robert blu]

I can only say I love my two FM2 (n and t), small, light, simple.

robert

 

[presspass]

I agree with Noserider - the FM2n's high flash sync speed made it a go-to camera for people who shot for newspapers. While I never abandoned the F3s - they were great for daytime sports - the invisible-at-night meter readout was a pain. The FM2n could be used to shoot a wreck or fire after dark - the meter was easily visible - and the high sync speed did just what Noserider said for fill flash or even to use flash to dominate the photo. The camera itself is durable; the MD12 motor not so much. I had one come apart at a fire one day and was left with a handful of springs and gears.

 

[Dwig]

... Oh and also the FM can mount a huge variety of nikkor lenses from Pre-AI to AI-s, AF-s, etc.

But the F and F2 can mount even a wider range of Nikkors, including the "tick mark" early F mount lenses and those that require that the mirror be locked in the up position (e.g. 21mm f/4, early 8mm fisheyes, ...).

 

[Robert Lai]

While this perhaps 30 years outdated debate rages on, have a look at this post on the Copal square shutter in the FM2n.
http://rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=155378

There are plastic gears in the FM2n shutter mechanism!!!😱

Clearly, the Nikon SLR crown stays on the F, F2, and F3.
All (except the very first and very rare F) have titanium shutter curtains. The F3 is festooned with ball bearings for extra long service life.

 

[nikonhswebmaster]

There are plastic gears in the FM2n shutter mechanism!!!😱

Clearly, the Nikon SLR crown stays on the F, F2, and F3.
All (except the very first and very rare F) have titanium shutter curtains. The F3 is festooned with ball bearings for extra long service life.

30+ years is a long time, maybe zillions of pros were using the FM, I did not really know any journalists, only ad and film guys. I did know guys would not stop using their F2's, and collected working meters. I was not even aware of the FM and FE, it just never occurred to me to even look at anything other than an F3/4.