Nikon SLR recommendation

ongakublue · Jul 19, 2016

Hi all,

Any advice on a reliable Nikon slr with aperture priority for under 100 dollars. A pre-AF camera is what I am mainly thinking about.

Les Sarile · Jul 19, 2016

Depending where, generally cheapest to more expensive: FG, FE, FE2, FA and F3. These have manual and aperture priority. FA has a few more features.

onre · Jul 19, 2016

Nikon EM is ridiculously good for what it is.

elcabezagrande · Jul 19, 2016

Nikon FG if you want a little more manual options than the EM.

Paul Howell · Jul 19, 2016

the FG 20 came out later than the FG, did not have program auto exposure or TTL flash metering. Either will take motor winder or the motor drive. FG and FG 20 run under a $100, doubt that can get a F3 for under a $100, but depending on where you live sometime a FA or FE will show up under a $100, body only.

macfred · Jul 19, 2016

My wife has a Nikon F301 (N2000) for about 25 years - it took just as good pictures as my F4 (using the same lenses).
She has a Nikon EM too, but she prefers her F301 (because of the build-in alarm clock, I guess ... ).

M Carter · Jul 19, 2016

I really enjoy the FG - it's got all the chrome-and-leather soul you want from an older SLR, shutter is very accurate, it "just works".

Except when it doesn't - sometimes the advance mechanism gets jammed, a common enough problem to have a youtube video. You have to open the bottom and fiddle with where the framitz actuates the gonadical truss gear. Or something.

Also, if, when you pick up any of your old cameras to check the batteries before loading film... well, the FG doesn't turn on until you load and advance the film. I've forgotten that enough times to really waste some batteries.

If you can live with plastic and AF, I really think the deal-of-the-century is an N90s with the battery grip. They go for next to nothing, they use plain old AA batteries, have a fast motor drive and all the pre-digital exposure bells and whistles. Chances are the rubberized coating on the back is now sticky, so you have to pop off the back and clean with goo-gone, alcohol or what have you. Only missing feature is multi-exposure (which requires the data back). Erg9onomically, it's a great setup with the grip, and reasonably small. If you want multi exposure, the 8008 or 8008s is a good "modern" choice, and again, dirt cheap. Another plastic camera though and Nikon never made a grip for it.

Paul Howell · Jul 19, 2016

M Carter said:
I really enjoy the FG - it's got all the chrome-and-leather soul you want from an older SLR, shutter is very accurate, it "just works".

Except when it doesn't - sometimes the advance mechanism gets jammed, a common enough problem to have a youtube video. You have to open the bottom and fiddle with where the framitz actuates the gonadical truss gear. Or something.

Also, if, when you pick up any of your old cameras to check the batteries before loading film... well, the FG doesn't turn on until you load and advance the film. I've forgotten that enough times to really waste some batteries.

If you can live with plastic and AF, I really think the deal-of-the-century is an N90s with the battery grip. They go for next to nothing, they use plain old AA batteries, have a fast motor drive and all the pre-digital exposure bells and whistles. Chances are the rubberized coating on the back is now sticky, so you have to pop off the back and clean with goo-gone, alcohol or what have you. Only missing feature is multi-exposure (which requires the data back). Erg9onomically, it's a great setup with the grip, and reasonably small. If you want multi exposure, the 8008 or 8008s is a good "modern" choice, and again, dirt cheap. Another plastic camera though and Nikon never made a grip for it.

This is true, you can shoot AI and AIS lens in manual and aperture preferred mode, you might lose matrix metering as well, but the FG and FE only have average metering.

Chan Tran · Jul 19, 2016

I prefer the F3 but it may be hard to get a good working one for less than $100. The FE or FE2 would be my second choice. The FE2 is better than the FE but may cost more than $100. To me personally the FE2 isn't that much better than the FE as I don't care for very fast shutter speed nor high flash sync speed.

narsuitus · Jul 19, 2016

ongakublue said:
Any advice on a reliable Nikon...

Just for your information, "reliable Nikon" is redundant because "reliable" and "Nikon" are synonymous.

Les Sarile · Jul 19, 2016

narsuitus said:
Just for your information, "reliable Nikon" is redundant because "reliable" and "Nikon" are synonymous.

Unfortunately "old" and "reliable" are not synonymous specially when you throw in unknown previous user and condition. So make sure the price is right or that there is a return policy.

ron917 · Jul 19, 2016

I have 2 F3 HPs, one cost $100 and the other was $30 (very lucky find on that one). They both work just fine but have cosmetic problems. Like all of the the pro level Nikons, they are very tough. If you don't mind one that is a little banged up you should be able to find a fully functional F3 in your price range.

markbarendt · Jul 20, 2016

At that price range I'd go with either an FM2 if manual focus is really a priority.

More likely though I'd get an F100.

trythis · Jul 20, 2016

Something you might miss from an FG or EM is that lack of Depth of Field Preview. Exposure Lock is missing as well, short of all manual mode but EM does not have that.
FE is a good bet for under $100.
FA can be had for a little less than $100 without too much searching and is much more advanced.
The FE2 goes for about $110 - $130

John_Nikon_F · Jul 20, 2016

FE2 bodies can be had for as little as $70... Bought one earlier this year that had some minor cosmetic issues, but worked fine, for $56. Really depends on the shop. A lot of camera shops seem to be closing out film gear as if it's obsolete, so it's a buyer's market. Good working, decent looking F3 bodies typically seem to be between $100 and $150, provided you're not looking for something like an F3/T or an F3P, etc. Another option, provided you don't really desire a motor drive, is the Nikon EL2. Essentially an FE in a Nikkormat-sized body. Does use the 6.2 volt PX28 battery, though. Does have mirror lockup, like the F3. Between $50 and $70, depending on seller.

-J

blockend · Jul 20, 2016

Might be worth thinking whether you want light or heavy, big or small? In the light category the EM and F301/N2000 win out, if you don't mind carrying a brick, cosmetically battered pro Nikons sometimes show up for not much more than 100.

RalphLambrecht · Jul 20, 2016

Nikon FE would be my choice and try to get a 50mm f1.8 for it.most likely you'll fall in love with it and never gt rid of it;I won't

frank · Jul 20, 2016

Best bang for the buck is FG and 801s.

Michael Guzzi · Jul 20, 2016

I can heartily recommend the FE-2, if you look around long enough you will find one under 100, and if you are lucky it will have a lens on it too.

I got mine in pretty minty shape for all of 83 bucks shipped, with never-ready case and a 35-105 zoom nikkor, not the greatest lens but perfectly usable. Got another a few months ago for a quater of that, body only, listed "as-is" and all it needed was new batteries... works like a champ.

FE can use non-AI lenses, which the FE-2 cannot without modification to the lens.

Chan Tran · Jul 20, 2016

I have a perfectly working and in great cosmetic condition F3HP so I think I would want an FE to supplement my FM.

JimCee · Jul 20, 2016

The Nikon FE is a very nice camera with aperture priority exposure that works with a huge variety of Nikkor lenses. They are readily available on the big auction site (eBay) at prices less than $100.00. I bought an FE last year and find it a nice compact camera for easy carrying. I also have a fine Nikon F3HP that I use, both are great cameras.

If it means anything to you, Ken Rockwell "loves" the Nikon FE and prefers it to the FE2. http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/fe.htm

You may need to replace the seals on any older FE, as I did. This is something you could do, or it's easily done by a qualified camera repairman.

Jim C.

onre · Jul 20, 2016

JimCee said:
If it means anything to you, Ken Rockwell "loves" the Nikon FE and prefers it to the FE2. http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/fe.htm

Here's a handy but incomplete list of things Ken Rockwell loves.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=site:kenrockwell.com+"i+love+this"&t=ffsb&ia=web

MartinCrabtree · Jul 21, 2016

He loves anything someone gives him. Quite a gig Mr. Rockwell has going there. Doesn't pay for squat. Why can't I do that?

onre · Jul 21, 2016

MartinCrabtree said:
He loves anything someone gives him. Quite a gig Mr. Rockwell has going there. Doesn't pay for squat. Why can't I do that?

Then again, why would you?

RalphLambrecht · Jul 21, 2016

MartinCrabtree said:
He loves anything someone gives him. Quite a gig Mr. Rockwell has going there. Doesn't pay for squat. Why can't I do that?

because you do not have a useful site like he does

Nikon SLR recommendation

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