In the 1980s, my 35mm was a Yashica and while I enjoyed it, it was affordable, unlike the Contax RTS with the Zeiss lenses that I drooled over. When I was looking to get a 35mm within the last year or so, I considered splurging on a Contax RTS but I seem to recall that the electronics have not withstood the test of time. Instead, like my digital cameras, I went with an Olympus, an OM1n. It is fully mechanical and manual and I'm very happy with the purchase. However, I seem to recall that the original batteries had mercury in them (and therefore no longer available) so, since the batteries only powered the meter, all I needed to do was carry my trust Minolta IV handheld incident meter. I've had great luck with exposures so I'm not going to bother with batteries in the camera.
That's great! Yeah, if you have another light meter and don't mind using the external one, then no need to deal with the batteries, the OM system is great and Zuiko lenses are so pretty!
Hi Molly, I lugged a little EM through Nepal and India in the 80s and had about 20 rolls of film which i couldnt get developed till i got back to New Zealand. They came out great it had the pancake 50mm on it and i still have the negs. So over last winter i scanned and put then through photo affinity. Wow still good and was able to improve them. Now i use an FM2n and i have 3 FMs which also are great. Makes you wonder who will have these in 50 years time!
Glad to hear you love your Nikon FM2n, they are solid workhorse cameras. I would trade up from the E series lenses to Nikkor Ai glass. You're going to get far superior lens coatings. The Ai 50 F2 will be a tad chunkeir but you love the optics!
a great video, just read the written blog, one thing to say about lenses, Nikons have the Ai, and AF/AFS lenses, the Ai's have a "bunny ears" a rabbets ear with a slit in the center, this goes into a pin on the F, F2 (with the prism finder), the E series has a square protrusion subtle, but there, it uses this for aperture communications {DON'T use pre Ai's}- this protrusion is necessary, the bunny ears will bend, or the pin will damage the camera (E series), D300/D700 and the F2\F3 can take ALL lenses (G is to 'us' {Nikon shooters} Gilded (no iris ring- electric only{set to f16/22 by default},aka no power)), the protrusion is used on these cameras to say what aperture is set; if control in menu is set to 'ring' what is used, so set A-mode to use ring, as otherwise it cant sense what is set[expects camera dial to set iris].
Beautiful photographs.
thanks!!
In the 1980s, my 35mm was a Yashica and while I enjoyed it, it was affordable, unlike the Contax RTS with the Zeiss lenses that I drooled over. When I was looking to get a 35mm within the last year or so, I considered splurging on a Contax RTS but I seem to recall that the electronics have not withstood the test of time. Instead, like my digital cameras, I went with an Olympus, an OM1n. It is fully mechanical and manual and I'm very happy with the purchase. However, I seem to recall that the original batteries had mercury in them (and therefore no longer available) so, since the batteries only powered the meter, all I needed to do was carry my trust Minolta IV handheld incident meter. I've had great luck with exposures so I'm not going to bother with batteries in the camera.
That's great! Yeah, if you have another light meter and don't mind using the external one, then no need to deal with the batteries, the OM system is great and Zuiko lenses are so pretty!
Hi Molly, I lugged a little EM through Nepal and India in the 80s and had about 20 rolls of film which i couldnt get developed till i got back to New Zealand. They came out great it had the pancake 50mm on it and i still have the negs. So over last winter i scanned and put then through photo affinity. Wow still good and was able to improve them. Now i use an FM2n and i have 3 FMs which also are great. Makes you wonder who will have these in 50 years time!
That's fabulous! Amazing they last for so long! It's something beautiful to think about for sure :)
HI Molly,
Glad to hear you love your Nikon FM2n, they are solid workhorse cameras. I would trade up from the E series lenses to Nikkor Ai glass. You're going to get far superior lens coatings. The Ai 50 F2 will be a tad chunkeir but you love the optics!
Thanks Bill! I'll keep that in mind - would you recommend a wider focal length for the Ai glass? (and those kinds work with the light meter right?)
a great video, just read the written blog, one thing to say about lenses, Nikons have the Ai, and AF/AFS lenses, the Ai's have a "bunny ears" a rabbets ear with a slit in the center, this goes into a pin on the F, F2 (with the prism finder), the E series has a square protrusion subtle, but there, it uses this for aperture communications {DON'T use pre Ai's}- this protrusion is necessary, the bunny ears will bend, or the pin will damage the camera (E series), D300/D700 and the F2\F3 can take ALL lenses (G is to 'us' {Nikon shooters} Gilded (no iris ring- electric only{set to f16/22 by default},aka no power)), the protrusion is used on these cameras to say what aperture is set; if control in menu is set to 'ring' what is used, so set A-mode to use ring, as otherwise it cant sense what is set[expects camera dial to set iris].
thank you and yes, absolutely!
Nice article and you tube. I use th EM for my film now you got me 🤔 thinking.
Keep them coming.
Fred
Thanks!! Love the EM :)