Nikon SLR

[airgunr]

My recomendations for MF would be:
FM2n - Full manual, will work without batteries
FE2 or FA

Auto Focus would be:
F5, F6 or F100

I own the FM2n, FE2, FA & F5

 

[AbelR74]

I have been using my F100 for almost three years and I really enjoy it. I bought a hardly used one on ebay for about $500 dollars. The main reason I bought it, beside wanting to get into the Nikon family, was it has many options that are hard to come by. I would hight recommend the F100!

 

[fmw]

The F100 is one of Nikon's Jewels. When I sold my Nikon film gear, I sold over 30 bodies. Included were all the F's from Ftn to F5. The second to last one I sold was the F100. The last one was the FM2n. You are probably better off with something newer than an F2. While the F2 was one of the true masterpieces of mechanical camera making, it is a little long in the tooth. The F100 is really just as functional as the F5 or F6 and would be the choice to connect with all the "auto" stuff you don't like such as flash automation. The FM2n is the last of the mechanical shuttered Nikons and is completely foolproof for that reason. I would choose one of these two. F100 if you want the modern metering and automation (all of which is optional as mentioned above) or the FM2 if you want a match needle, mechanical camera that requires a battery only for the meter itself.

 

[Don Simon]

F100 if you want the modern metering and automation (all of which is optional as mentioned above) or the FM2 if you want a match needle, mechanical camera that requires a battery only for the meter itself.

Why "or"? Get both

Just kidding... kind of. Prices are crazy now... I just picked up a body for £25 (about $40) that even a year ago was going for 4 times that. The pop-up flash doesn't work - which almost makes me even happier

 

[AMP]

Thank you so much for your recommendations and help!! I decided to go with the FM2. I bought one off Ebay and the guy said it should arrive within the next few days! thanks again!

 

[panocho]

congratulations.

the FMw is definitely a great camera. You will enjoy it a lot, sure!

 

[ksmattfish]

I'm late to this thread, but my favorite Nikon 35mm SLR is the FM2n. I think the F3 is the sexiest, but when it came down to comparing features, the FM2n is the best for me.

it works without batteries
1/250th flash sync

The FM2 is a close second, identical except for a 1/200th flash sync.

sort of related topic: The guy who created the Nikon F wanted to do a 6x6 SLR, but Nikon wasn't interested. He left Nikon and created a 6x6 SLR that has been marketed under several names: Norita, Graflex, Warner and Rittreck. I have a Graflex Norita 66 with the standard 80mm f/2 lens, and it rocks! They were dirt cheap before the used medium format gear market went crazy; they should be a steal now.

 

[dinodan]

Thank you so much for your recommendations and help!! I decided to go with the FM2. I bought one off Ebay and the guy said it should arrive within the next few days! thanks again!

You'll like it. It works pretty much the same as my FE2. The biggest functional difference is that the FE2 has the aperture-priority automatic mode, which I have never used in 20+ years of ownership!

 

[selmerdave]

There's a Graflex 66 on eBay right now, but the minimum bid is $630. Maybe the word got out...

Dave

 

[ksmattfish]

There's a Graflex 66 on eBay right now, but the minimum bid is $630. Maybe the word got out...

It must have. In the past the highest I ever saw the body with standard lens go for was about $350 in almost new condition. Working beaters were usually well below $300. I just checked out Ebay, and it seems they are one of the few film cameras that has gone up in value since the digital revolution. It must be that fast f/2 80mm lens. They are nice, no fancy features cameras, but I don't see how they could be worth $630? You can get a Hasselblad for that now.

 

[selmerdave]

You can often get Hassleblads for a good bit less than that...

If there's anything that I've learned from eBay it's that one asking price and even one sale price does not speak for the "market price", and it is possible that this is just a guy trying to see if anyone will pay big money for it. I'll keep an eye out to see if others come up.

Dave

 

[malkav41]

I enjoy shooting with my Nikon EM, FG, and N65 myself.

 

[AbelR74]

I second the notion on the F100 of which I use myself. I purchased mine on ebay for just a little over $500 a couple years ago so they should be cheaper now.