Nikon EM for the beginner photographer

[Jammerboyjay]

I just got into photography and im using a Nikon EM with a nice Sigma lens on it. Anybody think this is a good camera to start off with?

 

[sobolik]

From:
http://www.cameraquest.com/nikonslr.htm
#4 Nikon EM The EM's high rating is due to its very small size and very low cost. Parts are a big problem, if it breaks, you are better off just buying another one. EM's are elegantly designed, very inexpensive and under-rated on the used market. They also occupy a place of honor in Nikondom as the smallest and lightest Nikon 35mm SLR ever made. In short, a best buy and I love em. While they offer AE exposure only, you can easily control the exposure by adjusting the ASA dial. Manual exposure w/o metering is also possible using the EM's 1/90 battery backup shutter speed. EM's might be the best choice as a take anywhere not afraid to lose it professional caliber results Nikon camera. If it breaks, don't worry. Put it in the drawer for future parts and buy another--that will probably be cheaper than fixing it!
The EM is an aperture priority camera, you set the F/stop and the EM sets the shutter speed indicated in the finder. Nice features include the center-weighted Silicon metering cell, instead of a CDS that you might expect in an inexpensive camera. By using the self timer, you will also get the mirror locked up ahead of the exposure. The EM also has a manual shutter speed 1/90th backup in case the batteries fail--something the F5 does not. Hmm, should this be the backup for your F5? The blue button near the rewind increases exposure about two stops for backlight compensation. The blue button near the advance is the battery test. The EM has a hot shoe, but no PC connection or TTL metering. The SBE flash is just too small to be useful. A SB-24/25/26/28 will be very happy aboard your EM, just set in non TTL flash mode. I don't like the MDE motordrive. The added bulk goes completely against the small size that the EM is about.