It has arrived!!! - Nikon FM

[mksnowhite]

<p>Congrats Lil....you have inspired me to dust off my 8008. :) I still have some tri x in the fride....wonder if it's good after several years lol.</p>

[walterh]

<p>Melanie TriX will last much longer than "several years" in a fridge as long as it is plugged in :-) .</p>

[liljuddakalilknyttphotogra]

<p>Hi Tom,<br>

Fuji Acros 100 - - OK I have a few films to try. So I will....   Scanner.... Yes a good scanner will be a must. Thanks....<br>

Hi Walter,<br>

thank you for the feedback & information. We'll see how far I push this.<br>

Hi John,<br>

the great thing about buying a 30 year old camera is that I already know there are newer versions. It's <strong>this</strong> version - the original <strong>Nikon FM</strong> I wanted & got - later models I could not care about. ;-) I don't think I'll get in to my own processing. I did that way back when & I was not too into it. But who knows - I may well do so.<br>

Hi Mauro,<br>

thank you for all that information. I now have about four different kinds of film I wish to try. Thanks for all that help. As for my digital cameras - well the D200 doesn't see much work. But the D300 will still be my main camera. I shoot mostly wildlife with my 300-800mm Sigmonster & I don't know how that combination will work out.</p>

<p>Hi Ken,<br>

you got a better price than I did. But I think the door seals & mirror box seem OK - but that's what I'm checking with this first roll of film. I found a little brassing in one spot. But I'll live with that cause it's on the bottom. You have a huge collection of cameras. Glad you enjoy them all. :-)<br>

Hi Melanie,<br>

I hope you have fun with the 8008. I do remember Tri X - - go out & shoot some. :-)</p>

<p>Thanks everyone for feedback & help. It's a lousy gray day here, but that means even light. I will try to play a little, but since the fires we've been very busy getting the property, the house & the pets back in order. Insurance adjuster came yesterday so now we should be able to dig in better. I will play with the FM as I get a chance & I now have at least four different kinds of film to try. I will post as I get a chance.</p>

<p>Thanks all</p>

<p>Lil :-)<br>

 </p>

[luca_stramare2]

<p>Congratulations! I have a FM2 and a bunch of E series fixed lenses that have become not just tools for my hobby. I consider them pal ol' friends.</p>

[User_276104]

<p>Holy cow - this thread has inspired a record number of postive responses to buying and using film gear.</p>

<p>I guess it's all the in packaging - don't title a thread "Where is film going?" or "Is it worth it to buy an F100 for $200?".</p>

[luca_stramare2]

<p>Eric, to be honest, I am not surprised at all. Photojournalists switched to digital in 2000-2001 because of convenience. Insurance agents, casual and vacation photographers did it in 2002-2003 when digital compact cameras and entry-level SRLs became affordable. Professionals did as soon as the quality of digital cameras was good enough for their use(s) and some of them did because nowadays editors and advertising companies expect to receive digital files, not slides.<br />Film holds strong among people who are not looking for convenience or speed, who are not requested to submit files for publication, and are not obsessed by the latest toy, don't care about megapixels, latitude, post-processing and photoshopping. Those are people enjoying taking pictures for the joy of it. The FM is the ideal tool, it is 100% mechanical, you have to do everything in first person, you cannot hurry, the exposure meter gives just a suggestion that you can accept or ignore, ... you have to slow down and shoot at a slow pace. It is like drinking your favorite wine. You can just swallow down a glass in few seconds, or you can enjoy sipping it, feeling the glass in your hand, having some conversation with friends in front of the lightfire... I still have friends shooting slides and we enjoy arranging slide shows. We just placed an order for 500 rolls of slide film. Of course we are not making a living out of it, we are just having (a lot of) fun. You are not alone.</p>

[sim_m]

<p>FM is a classic. I'm glad I learnt from film SLR, In the film days it was chalenging we had no screen to check images, no tweaking on computer. We would hope for the best until we see the results.  So you either get it right or throw it away especially with portraits, light and shadows. Been through all that, but it was worth it.<br /> By the way I own a Zenit ET and a Nikon 801s 35mm. Apart from Digital.</p>

[Robert_Lai]

<p>Congratulations Lil Judd!<br>

There's nothing so much fun as finding a vintage 35mm camera and shooting with it.  But, you realize that it's a slippery slope where you become attracted to even more vintage equipment.  I've been happy with a Nikon F3 that I purchased in 1983.  It's still going strong with the occasional CLA - in fact it's my main camera.<br>

However, the vintage 35mm bug caught me, and so I went to a Lynx 5000 (1962 vintage) and from there to a Zeiss Contessa (1953 vintage).  Here's a picture of the two of them.  In comparison, my F3 with motor drive attached is like a giant.  You can compare their sizes to two very nice slide films - Kodachrome and E100Gx.  If you want to know what your camera is really doing, shoot some slides.  There's no hiding any defects with a slide.</p><div></div>

[liljuddakalilknyttphotogra]

<p>Hi Luca,<br>

thanks for commenting. I took a few shots with the FM today. It's gray & ugly out. But the roll is just to check how it's doing. I'm aiming for lunch with my best friend this week. Little does she know what I'm planning. :-D  I'll report back. :-)</p>

<p>Hi Eric,<br>

I am amazed at the respons I've been getting here on this. It fills me with joy. I will work with it this week. I want to shoot the roll & see if it needs any repair. Hopefully not. I wrote it had some brassing (slight) - I was wrong, shows just a tad of wear on the bottom. I will go out & shoot some during the week. Headache interfering with my memory...<br>

So now you know Eric - - it's all in the title of a thread :-D<br>

Luca - -  I can see myself doing "artsy" shots with the FM. My sister is going to demand headshots again. :-(  Still really dislike (would like to use stronger word) the ones she made me take when I was 20....</p>

<p>Hi Simon,<br>

yes the FM is a classic. I'm so thrilled I have one again. :-)  This is going to test my skills. :-D</p>

<p>Hi Robert,<br>

Thanks & I realize I'm really going to keep a rein on myself now. I want lenses - actually thinking of a 20mm for it & an 85 & a 105mm - -or just the 80-200.... :-D<br>

I have ordered four rolls of film for it from Adorma (our sponsor). Two B&W & two color slide. So Fuji Acros 100, Velvia & TMX are on the way tomorrow from them. Will be interesting to see the result. It's been a long time since I did this. Making each shot <strong>count</strong> .<br>

I've long wanted a Hasselblad & a Leica - who knows what I'll buy next. :-D</p>

<p>Thanks everyone. :-)   Feel like I should take a shot of my new "old" friend & post it here. OK, maybe I will. :-)</p>

<p>Lil :-)</p>

[bms]

congrats.... I hear ya! I do not have an FM, but a coupe of oldies I am using off an on.

 

Played around with my F3 the other day(see below) - Film still rocks..... I find it more gratifying than DSLRs (which are great, too, in their own way). My mom just dug up an Agfa Opitima 335 I used when I was 8! Still have to find batteries.... :)<div></div>

[rustys pics]

I got an FM2 a few years back and it's one of my favorite cameras. Very reliable and so few buttons, thank the stars! You'll love the big bright focusing screen. Try some of the new Ektar 100 film and post over on the "Classic Manual Cameras" forum after developing.

[liljuddakalilknyttphotogra]

<p>Hi Benjamin,<br>

glad to hear you understand & like to play a little with film as well.</p>

<p>Hi Russ,<br>

OK I will look around or order some Ektar 100 as well to try.</p>

<p>Lil :-)</p>

[john_cox7]

<p>Lil, I did not mean the FM, FM2, FM2N or the FM3A series.

<br>

There are 3 versions of the FM.

<br>

The first has the knurled shutter lock collar around the shutter release and a knurled rewind knob/c

rank.<br>

The second has the knurled shutter lock collar and a smooth rewind knob/c

rank.<br>

The third does not have a shutter lock collar (relies on the film advance lever being flush/offset from the

body) and a smooth rewind knob/c

rank.<br>

Hope this explains what I meant with my ques

tion.<br>

Any version, I am sure you will e

njoy.</p>

[luca_stramare2]

<p>Thank you Lil! And remember, the best results with a FM or any similar camera come when you take your time, slow down and compose, expose and shoot, one thing at a time, enjoying the process in between. You are not shooting in the fast lane. </p>

[BelaMolnar]

<p>Congratulation for your FM. I have one FM2, FM3a  & a FA. Never going to depart from them. ( I also using DSLRs too) Now, . . you going to learn photography, aparture/shater speed/film ASA/ read the light meter correctly, and all the important technical elements needed to be a good photographer. Not total automatization! . . . Later on, you can do that, when you all ready understood all of them.<br>

For Ronald Moravec , Dec 06, 2008; 09:10 p.m. How many MP does that model have? . . . . . . more than the most expensive digital SLR has. Read the article of this subject from Ken Rockwell, if you don''t believe me.!<br>

Best regards; Bela Molnar</p>

[manuel barrera houston,]

<p>congratulations hope it is as great as it sounds, unlike one of the persons above, I did and am doing my training with digital and hope to put to good use that training with the like new Canon EOS 1V that I just purchased ($500) that indicated 12 rolls of film usage.</p>

[steve_larese1]

Congrats! I'm currently scanning at 4000dpi film I shot in PV for an assignment, I got shots with film gear I couldn't get with digital.

 

Even in my digital bag, I have an FM2n with a roll of RDPIII in it as a backup backup, no batteries, ready to go with all my lenses, no space.

 

Film's almost as good as digitial, digital's almost as good as film - I don't care, they're both great. Don't get me started on my Mamiya 7s....

[pete_s.]

<p>Good luck on your FM Lil!<br>

I've been contemplating a manual body as well just for fun. I did use a Pentak K1000 when I was a kid. Normally for film I have two modified F80s with K3 screens which gives me compatability with G lenses, AF, AF-S and VR if I want. Manual focus lenses (that's what I like to shoot) don't meter at all so that puts me in truly manual. And that's lots of fun as well.<br>

Scans from my Coolscan scanners (V & 5000) have much more highilight and shadow detail as well as being much sharper than the ones I've gotten from Frontier scanners (pro lab). I also found developing B&W enjoyable and actually faster than dropping the film off and picking it up. Maybe something to think about...<br>

 </p>

[lou korell]

<p>I love the old Nikon cameras!  I have an EM, FE, two FM2N, an FM2T, F3T, two F4s, and F6....and now D300 & D700!<br>

They are all very capable cameras.  I am going to sell some of that older gear though so if you guys are interested keep checking the classifieds in this forum.  I will post my gear there.  I also have a bunch of older lenses too. All are either AI or AIS.  I will never part with my T cameras. They're just so cool. :)<br>

Lou</p>

<p> </p>

[User_502260]

I have two Nikon FE bodies and extra focusing screens for them. I thought about getting an FM but I have many Nikkormats and I don't see the advantage of the FM over them. The FM does take a winder or motor but you can't change the focusing screen, the top shutter speed is 1/1000 and it has no TTL flash capability. The meter is more sensitive than that of a Nikkormat but if you are not in very low light, they both work. The 50/1.2 would be nice to try. My fastest 50mm Nikkor is an f/1.4. I guess the ability to shoot at any shutter speed without working batteries is also a consideration but that is also covered by my Nikkormats. The ability to work without batteries might be why FM bodies seem to go for more than FEs.

[liljuddakalilknyttphotogra]

<p><strong>Sorry for not getting back to the thread. I had not idea so many more responses had come in....</strong><br>

<br /> <strong>Hi John,</strong><br>

I'm not sure what knurled means - but I'm making a guess here... it's the little knobby pyramid shapes/pattern on the shutter speed collar & on mine the shutter release button. :-)  Have I got it right? In that case I believe I have version 2. Pattern on shutter speed collar & shutter release button, but none on the rewind knob.<br>

<strong>Hi again Luca</strong> ,<br>

yes I know to take my time & frame the shot - take time to work out my metering & focus. With film I make each shot count.<br>

<strong>Hi Bela,</strong><br>

yes I know all that. This is where I started & worked for many years. yes I've gotten lazy, but it's not hard at all & I do actually have a B.A. in Cinema with Cinematography being my major. And Bela, just so that we're on the same page - - I am fully capable of putting my D300 in Manual mode & do it all myself as well. Just because I bought a manual camera doesn't mean to say I don't already do all of that. :-)<br>

<strong>Hi Manuel,</strong><br>

have fun with your new Canon. I do plan to play with this FM a lot. But my D300 is & remains my main camera. That will not change. Shooting film is fun, but I love digital & that's not going to change. :-) Use both cameras & just have fun. :-)<br>

<strong>Hi Steve,</strong><br>

and thanks. I will bring my FM along when I go out. It will be fun. :-)<br>

<strong>Hi Pete,</strong><br>

I think it all comes down to what you shoot & how you like to play. This little FM is mostly me being able to take back part of my life. But it will be fun to have & work with as well. But for my wildlife shots I really think the D300 will be better in the long run. :-) I aim to use the FM very differently. I know a Coolscan is in my future.<br>

<strong>Hi Lou,</strong><br>

so glad you have all that equipment to play with. But think your sales through before you make them. I keep regretting selling stuff. :-)<br>

<strong>Hi Jeff</strong> ,<br>

for me it comes down to the fact that this is the camera I started with & having had two stolen I just want one for me to keep. I was so happy with those cameras. Hopefully I will be allowed to keep this one. I am not looking to use a flash with this camera. Nor am I looking to shoot low light. I do all that with the D300. This camera I'm planning to use so differently. This is going to be my little artsy camera.<br>

<strong>Thanks everyone again for all your support & feedback. It's giving me lots of ideas etc.</strong></p>

<p>Lil :-)<strong><br /> </strong></p>

[john_cox7]

<p>Lil, yes, by what you have described, you have acquired version 2.<br>

I can still remember the day almost 30 years ago when I bought mine new. I had to wait another 9 months to get enough money together to buy a lens (Vivitar Series 1 35-85/2.8) for it.<br>

This combination is still a favourite and has seen many distant places with me in my travels. It is still in regular use.</p>

 

[kira_greene]

<p>Hi Lil!<br>

I have a FM10, it was my first SLR camera, and when I got those two lenses I posted about, I made sure that I could use them on both my SLR and DSLR, I still like to shoot film too. ;) <br>

I am so excited for you! Having recently acquired my first 'vintage' piece of camera equipment, I can relate to the thrill. Probably different than you, especially since you said you had TWO FMs stolen from you! But still, thrilled all the same.<br>

I hope this one is everything you want, and is in top condition to serve you well. :)<br>

Enjoy!</p>

[liljuddakalilknyttphotogra]

<p><strong>Hi John</strong> ,<br>

I've checked the serial numbers according to what you wrote me & mine is a 25xxxxxx so that would be yet another "proof" it's a version 2. I had just sold my beloved horse Sabotage, so I was lucky enough to have enough money to buy my 50mm f/2 (I think or f/1.8) for it. I'm still working on a 20mm for it & probably a zoom as well....<br>

<strong>Hi Kira</strong> ,<br>

it is a thrill to have one again & congratulations on your first vintaged purchase. Still working on my test roll. I have not had time to shoot much with it yet, but hope to have time soon. It's the holiday season & after the fires things have just not been the same for us....</p>

<p><strong>Thanks again everyone for the enjoyment of this thread. It seems to have brought a lot of good out & I hope you've all enjoyed reading it as much as I have. :-)</strong><br>

<strong><br /> </strong><br>

<strong>Lil :-)</strong></p>

[jay_moynihan]

<p>Nice to see folks enjoying their FM's.<br />I have 2 FM bodies (one functional, 1 wore out), 1 FM2, and 2 FM2N's. Back in the day, they were my main reliance for 35mm format.<br />One actually lives now in a "landscape bag"<br />D200 with 18-70mm.<br />FM2 with 20mm f/2.8 ais & 55mm F/3.5 Ai'd Micro (Velvia 50)<br />Yashicamat 124g (120 tri-x).<br />Sometimes my F2a get a chance to come out and stretch its legs too.<br />Have fun.</p>