Nikon FM2 which lens?

rmjranch · Oct 1, 2017

I shot all last summer with a Nikon F5 and 35MM auto focus lens - great results. Also used other AF lenses but mostly the 35mm. Extar and Acros 100. What to try something different. Took out my Nikon FM2n and going to walk around with it for a few weeks. Lens choice - all non AF, all AIS - 35MM F2 or 50MM 1.4. Yes I know I can just try each one for a week and then decide or use both. Just interested in others thoughts? Generally outdoor in good light. People, boats, farmers markets.
Thanking you in advance.

xtolsniffer · Oct 1, 2017

If I go out with one lens on my FM3a, its the 35mm f2. But then I've always gone wide, many people like slight Tele. Go with what feels right for you. We're all different.

RattyMouse · Oct 1, 2017

rmjranch said:
I shot all last summer with a Nikon F5 and 35MM auto focus lens - great results. Also used other AF lenses but mostly the 35mm. Extar and Acros 100. What to try something different. Took out my Nikon FM2n and going to walk around with it for a few weeks. Lens choice - all non AF, all AIS - 35MM F2 or 50MM 1.4. Yes I know I can just try each one for a week and then decide or use both. Just interested in others thoughts? Generally outdoor in good light. People, boats, farmers markets.
Thanking you in advance.

I have an FM2n and take the following lenses for walkabouts: 20mm f/2.8, 24mm f/2, 50mm f/1.2, 55mm f/2.8, 85mm f/2. It all depends what I'm interested in shooting. All of these lenses are very good.

John Koehrer · Oct 1, 2017

Many, many years ago when I kept a variety of lenses I could just take one out for a walk at random. Any longer I use a 28 or 40 and take them both.

rrusso · Oct 1, 2017

You've already gotten to know the 35, I'd take the 50.

My walk-around lens is the Voigtlander 40.

BrianVS · Oct 1, 2017

They are both very good, and each has a unique look and application. In good light, F2 vs F1.4 is almost irrelevant.
I'd be grabbing the 35/2. The other great lens to add would be an 85/2 for the FM series camera. I ended up giving a well-used 35/2 Ais and 85/2 Ais to one of the managers at the local skating rink. Good payback for letting me in free when my kid goes skating.

voceumana · Oct 1, 2017

I bought a "new old stock" F3HP this last summer, and got a 50mm f/1.8 because it was quite a bit lighter than the 1.4. For a walking around combo, I'd choose the 35mm for the same reason. It's also a handy "always on the camera" focal length.

rpavich · Oct 2, 2017

Lens choice is an artistic choice and there is no real answer to this question. Only you can decide what you like to use and in what situation.

MartinCrabtree · Oct 2, 2017

My FM2n currently has a 50MM f1.4 AIs attached. And a roll of Eastman 5222 inside. It's going to stay that way for a bit. I want to see what I can do with this film and reducing variables goes a long ways for that.

narsuitus · Oct 2, 2017

After spending all last summer shooting with the 35mm, I would try slightly wider with the 28mm or slightly narrower with the 50mm.

Swordman · Oct 2, 2017

You could go modern and get a Zeiss Milvus 100mm F2 Makro. It's a beautiful lens and the close focusing ability makes it surprisingly usable in a lot of situations. Then there is the the 80-200 f2.8 D - also great, versatile, but somewhat heavy.

Both will give you a different type of photographic experience.

Alan Gales · Oct 2, 2017

If you talk to the Leica people who shoot street photography they will tell you to either take a 35mm or a 50mm. If you ask which is better then you will open up a can of worms!

If you can't decide then how about taking a short Nikon zoom lens?

rmjranch · Oct 2, 2017

Thanks for all the feedback. As you know, walking around with a F5 is not the lightest in the world. That being said I love the camera. Use to shoot professionally many years ago. F5 with multiple lens, Hassy with multiple lens, and FM2n with a few lens. Boats and beach, rain, sand, wind, terrible conditions. Now mostly just for fun, some weddings for friends. I tried digital but too much time in front of the computer. Went back and pulled out my old film cameras. Sent them out for CLA and have been enjoying for the last three years.
For example, bought the F5 from B&H in 1997 for $2795, body only, still have original bill of sale. Would be about $5,000 in todays dollars. Bought a few more F5 bodies on ebay for a few hundred dollars and spent a few hundred on each for CLA. For $500 I have a practically indestructible cameras. Bought two more FM2n's on craigslist for $100 each and had CLA'd. Have multiple of the same camera so I can shoot different film - Ektar and Across.
Want to walk around with the FM2n now just because lighter so not going with a zoom. PS: I have very high end zooms for the F5. Never use them anymore. In my humble opinion, the quality difference between prime and zoom is substantial. Just my 2 cents.

ac12 · Oct 2, 2017

Between, the 35 and 50, I would take the 50.
However, if you know you will be in close proximity to your subject, then the wider 35 would be my choice.
But I still prefer the 50 as a "normal lens."

I have a 35-105 on my F2, it replaced the 43-86 that I used for decades. I like the convenience of a mid range zoom. The 35-105 has just the right amount of zoom range, to use as a standard lens. The 43-86 was always just a bit short in zoom range, especially on the wide end, but it won in general convenience. I was not doing large print gallery exhibition where the lens quality would make a significant difference to me.

The only place where I really hurt with the 43-86, was when shooting sports in a gym. The 43-86/f3.5 was just tooooo slow compared to a 50/1.4, 2-1/2 stops slower. That was with pushing Tri-X to 1200. The guys with the fast 50/1.4 just clobbered me, they did not have to push Tri-X to get their images. That was where I learned to appreciate FAST glass.

MartinCrabtree · Oct 2, 2017

As far as zooms go I have a 50-135 f3.5 that's a favorite. It's "chipped" for use with my F5 and those other dreadful things. Fast enough for most stuff and optical quality is among the best zooms. Supposedly made for photojournalists as a fits all carry around with some reach. It is big and kinda heavy but I love it.

E. von Hoegh · Oct 2, 2017

If you've already used the 35, I'd say try the 50 just to get a feel for it.

If I had to use one lens to walk around a city with, it would be a 28 or 35.
If I had to use one lens to walk around the countryside with, it would likely be a 50.

benveniste · Oct 2, 2017

I have what may be an odd way of looking at this. If I'm wanted to use nothing but a wide-normal lens on a 35mm film camera, I'd probably buy something like an Olympus XA or Canonet GIII 1.7. I just finished a roll of film in my Nikon FA and used the following lenses:

Voigtländer 58mm f/1.4 Nokton
17-35mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor
180mm f/2.8D Nikkor
Tokina 60-120mm f/2.8

Other lenses I've used with that camera over the last year:

35-105mm f/3.5~4.5 (I don't recommend this for the FM2n)
Sigma 8mm f/4 Fisheye
35mm f/2.8 PC
80-200mm f/4 AI-s

When the Nikon FA was my primary camera, I frequently used a Tokina 24-40mm f/2.8 zoom as my "walkabout lens."

Huss · Oct 3, 2017

I recommend the Zeiss Otus 55 1.4 or the Milvus 35 f2. Balance really nicely on the FM2 if you use the MD-12 drive.

mdarnton · Oct 3, 2017

My favorite film Nikon is an FG, because of its size and weight, and for walking around I take (both manual focus) the 24/2.8 because if its small size, and the 50/1.4 because I like its quality. If I want to go really light, it's FG/, 28/2.8 AF-D, 50/1.8AF-D.

The quality of the AF-D lenses is good, and they're light weight, if that's what you care about.

Usually I don't really need speed, and the 28/2 AI-S is a big hunk, so it doesn't get out much. I thought I would want a 24/2 because I use 24 more, but after seeing the 28/2 I decided I didn't need the bulk and weight.

petras@foto.sk · Oct 3, 2017

Nikon 35-70mm f/3.5 AI-s

E. von Hoegh · Oct 3, 2017

The OP specified 35/2 or 50/1.4, which he already has.
Why is everyone recommending zooms and expensive stuff ?

darkroommike · Oct 3, 2017

I like my 35mm f/2, it's the older pre-AI version but has a factory conversion ring on it. You can also use AF or AF-D lenses, just not AF-S G lenses.

film_man · Oct 3, 2017

It really is a personal choice. Myself I prefer 50mm and if I want wider I go 28mm. I owned the 35/2 AIS and it is a great lens but I find 35mm either not wide enough for the wider look or too wide for a closer portrait. So, as I said, 50 first then 28.

However, I have also owned the Voigtlander 40 (both the 40/2 for SLRs and the 40/1.4). This is a great lens and with a bit of care it can look both like a 50 and a 35. I mean it is wide enough to work as a 35 but it can also work for a portrait with good bokeh.

carlostaiwan · Oct 5, 2017

I love the 28-50-135mm combo, usually i just carry the 28 on the FM2 body and the 50 in a small domke bag, with some water and headphones. That is my to-go setup

RalphLambrecht · Oct 6, 2017

John Koehrer said:
Many, many years ago when I kept a variety of lenses I could just take one out for a walk at random. Any longer I use a 28 or 40 and take them both.

I have recentlyrediscovered the usefulness of the 50mm focal length and like the Nikon 50,, f/1.8.

Nikon FM2 which lens?

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