Which Nikon is right for you? my 35mm Nikon collection 

The last couple of years I have collected all the Nikon F cameras, from F to F6. I said before I started that I will keep two of them. I'm leaning towards the F3 and F6.

Nikon is my favorite 35mm slr system and I have been shooting nikon for almost 20 years now. After owning a bunch of different bodies I recently splurged and got a mint fm2/t. It is such a perfect camera. I wanted an fm3a but it costs double what the fm2/t cost. The aperture priority (on fm3a) would be really nice on a fully mechanical camera but the fm2 is really fast to use once I built up some muscle memory. You can meter and change settings quickly without removing your eye from the viewfinder

Not mentioned in the video: the Nikon FG has three exposure modes: aperture-preferred automatic, full program automatic (camera chooses combination of shutter speed and lens aperture for proper exposure), and manual. Also it has through-the-lens flash metering with compatible flash units. The Nikon FG offered a lot of features for the money in a compact package and could use many of Nikon's AI/AIS lenses. The FG represents a good example of the time when camera manufacturers were competing for the 'consumer market' in film SLR cameras. The FG I have I originally purchased for my wife in 1985 she wanted a good camera but didn't want to have to fiddle with exposure settings so the FG was ideal for her at the time. I also have an F, Nikkormat FT2, FM. Love using all of them.

Back in action, great overview of the Nikon 35mm film cameras dude 🙌🏾

Excellent video. Thank you! A few years back I found a near mint Nikon F2 black paint. It is a thing of beauty.

I really enjoy your videos! I have the Nikon F (FTn photomic prism head), my all-time favorite film SLR and also the Nikon FA. I also shoot with my Canon AE-1, my Canon FTb QL, my Minolta SRT-303 and my Olympus OM-2SP. All refurbished and look and function like new!

How convenient that you dropped this video today haha. I have Been searching for the right film camera for me. I have been looking at the f2. Have not pulled the trigger yet. Yesterday my baby brother hit me up from college. He wants to get into film too. Made my day. I have been watching reviews since yesterday. Glad you dropped today. Keep Going.

Impressive collection. Thanks for sharing. My preferred? Pretty simple. As my only 35mm film Nikon is an F2 with a 50mm 1.4, that’s the one 😀

Great video, thanks for that. I always have a look on the f3 but now the FM2 got some attention 😁. Thanks for that

Very nice video, Graham! I've got about 10 Nikon SLRs, and my favourite Nikon is the FM2N. No need for batterys, and it just feels right. A week ago I bought a F-801 (N8008 in US) with a lens for €20. Not my favourite, but rugged and capable, with a maximum shutter speed of 1/8000 second, and manual, apperture priority, shutter priority and program mode. A bang for buck candidate.

I have been shooting Nikon film cameras since the late 1960s when I replaced my broken Miranda Sensorex with a more reliable Nikon F. Since then, I have owned and used the F2, F3, F4, and Nikonos III. I also used the EM, N70, N2000, and L35 AF as expendable backups. I have about two dozen prime Nikkor lenses that range in focal length from 14mm to 1000mm.The Nikon F2 is my personal favorite 35mm camera. Other 35mm cameras I have used include Argus, Pentax, Leica, Fuji, Canon, Contax, Miranda, and Minolta. I used my Nikons primarily for photojournalism and scientific/medical photography.

I bought a FG in1982. Progressed to a FE2. I managed to buy a FA in 1984 (an awesome camera, with - by far - the best metering system in any SLR at the time and probably for the next 8 - 10 years). By this time (1986), I was working professionally as a photographer and bought a F3 for the first time with a High Point VF. I used my FA and a couple of F3s until I burned out and became disillusioned with the industry, in the early - mid 1990s. The only camera I kept was the FA which sat in a box in a cupboard for the best part of 20 years. I retired (due to ill heath) in 2011 and my colleagues at work gave me a Nikon D7000 with a kit lens as a retirement present. Which reignited my interest in photography. Later I came across my FA and used it for the first time in over 20 years. I was astonished to find it worked flawlessly, despite not being used for so many years and had never been serviced. All I did was change the batteries. Nikon cameras of that era where built to last. Tbh I don't shoot film at all these days, but if I ever felt the need to do so, I would use my Nikon FA. An incredibly underestimated and under valued camera of it's time.

I love the simplicity and style of my Nikon FE - I am looking for an FE2 just for the shutter speeds - but an F3 would float my boat too.

The Nikkormat manual exposure series cameras also have a very convenient feature in addition to the shutter speed adjustment ring around the lens mount: the depth of field preview button is located on top of the camera next to the prism housing rather than the more usual location on the front of the camera body. I find that very convenient if I want to check depth of field all I have to do is move my finger from the shutter button to the depth of field preview button adjacent to it.

So far in my classic camera shelf I have a Canon FTb QL (early version), Canon EF (with dead electronics), Minolta Hi-Matic 11, Miranda Sensomat, Nikomat FTn, and the one I've just acquired very recently and being used, a Nikon F with original eye level prism. IDK why, unlike my other cameras in my collection, Nikon F always persuaded me to take photos wherever I go with it

My first camera during the early 1980s was a Nikon FE and I still have it. I think its best feature is the match needle exposure display. More recently I got several FM2s, F3s, Fs and an F2. Least used is the F. The FM2s and F3s are most used, FE very close behind and then the F2 (also very close to the FE). I love them all, but the FEs match needles makes so much sense. I’m tempted to get an FE2.

Love the vid and a good bunch of Nikons there 👍 I have the EM, FM2, FT2 & Nikkormat FT3 (yet to try out this one) ... Sentimental fave is the FM2 🙂

My FG20 was my favorite Nikon until I got an FE2. I am looking forward to the rest of this series of reviews.

I owned an F3 for several years in the late '80s and took many great shots with it, but once i got my hands on an F4 in '89 there was no going back. I've owned an F5 and an F6 which I lost in a burglary, but I've replaced them with F4. Although I shoot MF almost exclusively now, I'll always have an F4.

I started with a Minolta SRT 101, but have always drooled over the Nikon F line. I went digital in the early 2000s, and I haven’t really shot film since the 90s, but I’ve just bought a used F5. I’m itching to take it out & have some fun!

That was an enjoyable video.

I have all of those also, plus the FA, FM2n & F4- thankfully I can cherry pick the ones I want that come in and the rest go out to new homes after CLA and/ or Repairs. Fun Hobby. I shoot the FM2n and FE2 the most.

Really enjoyed the video and the content, really found it interesting. Funnily enough I had a nikon f3 and sold it because I didn't like using it, it just wasn't for me. Looking forward to the canon video next! 😁

Great collection and review. I also have a healthy Nikon collection and my favorite is the Nikon FM3a. ✌🏽

Great review, Ive just bought (amongst others) a Nikon FM2, as soon as I saw it I knew it was for me and being an engineer I just love the design and weight, I watched this video in order to see which was my next purchase, but now I cant make up my mind, keep up the good info cheers

Great video! I’ve owned three Nikons, EM, FG, and the F3. The F3 is the only one I still own and was by far the best! Love everything it offers the user to get great images.

Thanks for sharing. I have the F2, F3 with HP finder and the F5. I had the F4, while it’s a great camera, I sold it since it is the bridge between the F3 and F5. I mostly use the F2 and F3 for Black and White photography. I use the F5 for color and slide films.

I like your video, always been a fan of Nikon myself since picking up my first DSLR a D80. As requested, I have a EM though I've not shot with it yet, an FE which is my favourite and a F801. Digital wise a D700 and D300.

I totally agree with you that the F2 is my favorite. My F2 is by far the best camera I've ever owned. I continually hear opinions that the F3 is the finest that Nikon ever produced but for me it can't come close to the F2. In all honesty what could be better than an improved Nikon F and that's just what the F2 is.

i have both the fe2 and fm2 love them both , cheers from down under.

I use Nikon for fully mechanical 35 mm shooting. I have a Nikkormat that my father gave me; it works but the meter needle bounces around a lot and changing lens is sometimes finicky. I also have an FM which is in pretty much perfect functioning condition. Great camera. Finally, I recently got an F2, but I have yet to process a film from it. Seems to work great though. :)

You may not appreciate F3 and F4 so much until you need glasses ;) especially the high point version. Plus the advance lever is like silk. I have also F2 which (mine) is not as smooth, also Fm2n which is so great but again-glasses don't let me see full viewfinder view, F90s and F4 for autofocusing. F3 cannot be beat though.

You have found some smokin deals on cameras. I live in Los Angeles, hipsterville, so tens of thousands of people searching for vintage cameras and everyone prices at the absolute top of the market. I have Nikon F with pentaprism through the F5. I like the F5 now, fast, accurate focusing and great metering. My previous favorite was the F2AS.

I began with the Nikon F in 1970. Bypassed the F2 and got a F3, and skipped the F4 and got a couple of F5s. Today, I have 250 exposure backed F, F2T, F3T and a host of digitals like the D2X, D3 and D3S. All great! The Nikkor lenses, particularly from the 1980s are the best. You will want AIS lenses with the latest muitlcoating (greenish hue) and ED glass fro anything longer than 135mm. I even have the elusive Nikkor 13mm f/5.6 AIS super wide lens (118° on the diagonal). The truly best metering system in the SLR world is on the F5.

I bought the FE as a back up camera for my FE2 and surprise, surprise now my FE2 is the back up camera even if the max speed shutter is 1/1000 on the FE. The general feeling in my hands and the feeling of the shutter is better in my eyes with the FE. But the 1/4000 speed shutter can be convient sometime on the FE2.

White-san, pleasant video to watch with my morning coffee. I bought the F2 back in 1973 and considered the variations on the F2 to be consumer models until the F3 came out. Still prefer the F2. One variation you might note is the change from the F to the F2 in their backs. The F2 has a hinged back--I find easier to load--while the F has a back like the Nikon S, S2 and Leica M3. No doubt it was reminiscent of rangefinder cameras. The problem with the F back is that you need 3 hands to load it on location. Additionally, if you lose the take-up spool down a sewer drain you are s""" outa luck--photo shoot over.

I used to have quite a few nikon SLR, I sold some of them away. now I only left Nikon f2 with plain prism and Nikon FA, imo FA is very underrated camera, soft release plus smooth winding and operation

The f2 used to be my main camera but swapped it out for the f3 because I find myself photographing friends and family and having aperture priority makes up for its battery dependence. The F2 is undeniably the more attractive of the 2 though …

I wish there was a perfect choice, I love all manual the ability to use pre ai, a needle exposure display and the most important mirror lock up, so I guess that is the f2 fe2 combo but the fe2 checks most of the boxes, I think though still studying all the differences.

I currently have 36 Nikon cameras. F Series Professionals, FMs, FEs, FGs, EMs, Nikonos, Nikkormats, point and shoots. I need to downsize, but I love them!

Excellent video

still use my nikkormat ft2 and FA. use the nikon F4 quite often........oops, wrong group! Great video, thanks.

I have my first ever Nikon F body: love it. I also have an FG. And when I REALLY want to show off: I get the F5! We will NOT mention the F 70,80 AND 90❤️ ,that I have also. But I unfortunately don’t use them enough. I’m considering selling them.

My favorite mf Nikon is the EL2. It may be the FT3's electronic brother. It uses the AI aperture ring follower with a stowable tab for pre-AI lenses. For night shooting in aperture priority, the shutter speeds go way longer than the advertised eight seconds. This one is more fun to use without the auto winder.

Nikon FM (the third version) is my favorite.

i have a lot of these, and honestly don't have a favorite--if they work, they're great--and if they need a work around--if you know what to do, that's fun too--except for keeping track.

Loved the video…have you made one with your Pentax collection?

Back in 1967 I bought a Nikon F with both the big honker light meter prism as well as the sleek non-meter prism. I still have it. It was refurbished in about 1995, and all is well. This camera is shown being held by Marylin Monroe in the Last Sitting by Bert Stern. Woo hoo! Seriously, these film cameras force you to think about shutter speed, aperture, depth of field, and film type. Nikon gives you all of the tools for this in a superb package. I doubt that we will ever see such precision and beauty again in this plastic, disposable world. --Old Guy

I collect cameras but don’t use them much now due to failing eyesight. I have more Nikon’s than anything else, far more than is good for me. I only have one professional body, a F from 1970. I prefer the non-professional bodies, but wanted to get an original F for historical value. I think I paid £60 for it with 50 mm f1.4 in good condition about twenty years ago when prices were low. The other Kikons I have are: Nikkormat FS FT FTn FT2 FT3 EL ELW Nikon EL2 Of the next generation: FM FE FA FM3a FM10 FE10 Of the small cheap ones: EM FG FG20 Of the x01 series: F301 F401 F501 x2 F601 F801 Of the final series: F50D F80 F90 F90x F100 due to arrive on Thursday Digital: D40x Df Nikon 1 J1 Far more than is good for me; I must thin out the collection sometime. I have given a couple of duplicates to students. The FM3A and the Df are the only ones which cost me a lot of money. The Canon AL1 is quite an interesting little camera. It’s manual focus and takes FD lenses but has the two red arrows and green blob focusing aid like an autofocus camera; can sometimes be useful with my poor eyesight.

I love my F2!

Nikon EL and EM are totally different beasts. The EL is the Nikkormat EL promoted to a "real" Nikon, the EM is a heap of plastic.

The EM is not exactly fully automatic. You still have to match your iso, and it is an aperture priority camera, but if the batteries die it will still shoot 1/1000, 1/90 or bulb. And the E lenses it comes with are nice.

The only Nikon I have is the FM. Just got it and have not used it too much. So I need to bond with it. I really want an F3 at some point.

All of them

F4 all the way for me... the build, the heft, a button for everything... simply adore the camera! just wish i could find one with no LCD bleed at all....

I had a beautiful F3HP with a full set of finders, an MD4 drive and a set of AI/AIS primes from 24 to 200. I sold it to go digital. Kill me now 😢 The F3HP remains my favorite ever camera - closely followed by the OM4T

I have a few, not too many, but enough to have fun with. More than enough to break the bank buying/developing/printing film so maybe I've actually crossed over the line where I should stop. It can be dangerous.

1. Nikon FE, 2. Nikon F3, 3. Nikon FM. I have them all, but I love my Canon F-1 New MUCH more !!!

I had an F4 and kept it for a year, carried it around everywhere. But it didn’t feel good in my hands. I ended up giving it away. I have a number of other bodies from the F to the F5, and love them all.

Currently up to: Nikormat FTN - 1 Nikon F - 1 Nikon F2- 2 Nikon FM- 1 Nikon EM- 2 Nikon FG20- 2 Nikon N80- 2 Have had 2 copies of the F100 but both have failed, so I went to the cheaper N80 and done better. Had an FE but sold it in favor of the mechanical shutter in the FM. Tend to have multiple copies of the electronic shutter version Nikons for obvious reasons. Even tho Nikon went electronic with the F3, F4, F5, F6, I will probably evenutally be unable to resist temptation to get a copy of each to complete the set, lol.

I have 2 F4s and one F801S. F4 are my favourites.

I only have two cameras; a Nikon FM2 and a Nikon F. I’m actually pretty surprised that you don’t have an FM2, I cannot recommend it enough; a superb camera.

Recently spent $300 on my used Nikon f2 …. No regrets at all!!!

F2A is my go to!! 🤙

I agree with your comments on the F3. On paper it is objectively better than the F2. Its just not super exciting. On the other hand my beat up F2 is awesome!

Totally feel the same with the F3, too. Like the style and the price when I got it, but somehow never feel the same strong connection I got from the FM2

Nikon Fm for me all the way!

Nice collection! I've never owned an F and I've wondered if the removable back makes changing film a hassle. What's your opinion?

Y have Nikkormat FTN and FT3, Nikon F2, F3AF, F4 and Nikon F501... Im looking for a Nikon EL2 or FE... I love Nikon!!!🤙👍👏🇦🇷😊

What happened to the Nikon FA? That was a great camera, you should look into it.

I plan on buying f3 and fm2n😊

Well, I have a good collection of Nikons, I'm a big fangirl of the brand, having started out with Nikon's as my first DSLR. I currently have 2 Nikon F's,one silver, and one all black. (I want to collect a few more variations of this model, I love it ) I have 3 F2's, 2 silver, one black...still looking for a good one with a motor drive, or a minty motordrive to put one one of mine. I have one F3, beautiful camera to use, just the standard version, not the HP...though I have pimped it out with the motordive, film stop back, vertical shutter release, and soft shutter release. I think that the F3 HP is a little overrated , as I wear glasses and can still use my standard F3 easily. I have an F4E, fantastic camera, though a bit heavy. it has such a soft, well damped mirror ,you get virtually no mirror slap, making it ideal for shooting very slow shutter speeds hand held. other ones are my mint FE with motordrive, and FTN, FT2, FG20, and a black EL Nikkormat, and silver EL Nikomat..they are the same camera's, the 'Nikkormat' name was the export version, while the Nikomat was the name used on the cameras sold on the domestic Japanese market...other than that, they are identical.another is my F80, I only recently got that one and have yet to take it out. I dont have an EM yet, but will get one if one turns up in the right condition at the right price. they, being fully automatic, were actually aimed directly at us women, to help Nikon get a foothold in the female camera market. sorry for rambling, I could talk cameras all day. I have a lot of others as well of different brands and types from medium formats, to SLR's.

Where's my Nikon FA gang at?

Prices are crazy high now!!!

I got the Nikon F2 black body and it got the 2 parts motor drives the MD-1 and the MB-1 also it got the Nikon DS-1 and i need to get the camera repaired and i would also need to get a meter Head for it which fits in the middle parts of the camera and I paid £10.00 for all of them from a camera shop in London in 2023 and when I get the camera fixed it worth from £300 to as much as £600.00

F2 AS for me :-)

I just got rid of all my Nikon film cameras. I gave my Granddaughter a Nikon Fm. Sold the rest. Still have my trusty Nikon D300s with a 24mm f2. 8 afd lens on it. I use Ricoh and Pentax glass mostly now on various bodies. Pentax Spotmatic and Ricoh Singlex tls for M42 and a Petri GX1 for Pentax K mount using my Ricoh 50mm f2 Leica Summicron killer lens. I mean this lens is awesome in every way. Check it out on Pentax forums. Cheap to buy as well. Whan I want perfect pictures I use a Yashica Mat 6x6 tlr.

The F2, pretty excellent. Do your meters work on them and what kind do you use?

I think i am the only teen interested in film i have a fg20 lots of fun

Why didn't you include the FM3A? I don't own it but I've heard everyone saying it's the best of the best.

I have FM2 , F3 and F5

FG 20

Great video again, if you are choosing Nikon, please stop here :) And I do have a question, I have pick up a Nikon FM, meter is meter is not working. just wondered if there is any way to have the meter fixed? I did open the camera top plate to clean it, but not sure which part went dead :D Also, the viewfinder has a line in the middle, I think it's the prism is corroded, do you any cheaper Nikon model us the same prism? Thank you so much!!!

F5 f6

I dont need for I've a Nikon F photomic in MINT status since 1974

Oh, "Which is right for you? video" is Minolta collection??? :D

I have the sickness also.

Have you tried FA?

If you're just starting out don't buy an FG. I've had 4 they always die. The electronics in them are very fragile.

the nikkormat you have is the ftn, not the ft

"when my f2 fails..." you mean in 100 years?

If your expecting to get any of these cameras for the prices mentioned, you will be very disappointed.

That is an FTN not an FT. Different models.

Deginately F2. Daily use camera, aside from my Canon F1 and Yashica Mat 124G. I do own an F3, but like yourself, I dislike it. And I’m film testing a Nikon F that I was gifted.

None. Nikon my last choice. To heavy and over hyped.

I've Nikon FM2. It's a beast, use with 50mm f:1.2 Ai-s. Monirul Islam Dhaka, Bangladesh. 05 May 2024

Hey, Graham, hope you've been well. It's been a long, I haven't heard from you. Could you reply to my email?😀

I'm happy with either F/F2FM/FM2/Nikkormat. if you have more cash to spend, then get the best: FM3A 😬