Would you buy a Nikon FM2n in 2020?

[George Mann]

You post about your F90 (who cares) in a thread asking for what would be a good price of an FM2n.

In response to your crappy little F60 being better (who cares)!

 

[George Mann]

Oh yes. I thought it was established by now. The F90X is better built than the F100 IME. I had the F100, have the F90X. The F100 was disappointing. One known issue, which is what I experienced, was that flimsy plasticky exposure mode selector (matrix/spot/cw) on the pentaprism. It just goes after a while. Other people experienced failures in the focus mode joystick selector. Not me tbh. Great cameras both, but the F90X is way underrated. And thankfully so. shhh! Keep it secret!

It is only a matter of time before your joystick selector breaks, and don't forget about that plastic door latch.

 

[138S]

But we are not living in that era, and for sure they are not collectables, right? With all other parts being equal, it is easy to make out which is the best from that bunch.

We are also not living in the Ai era... but many prefer the FM2 feel... The F90 has also a pretty nice feel. We are fortunate nikon and others made all those cameras that well, so we can take any choice we like.

As mentioned, IMO the F90 is beautiful to shot with the AF lenses of his era... but it is also perfect to have a second (or third) body around if we want to use another film. Personally I usually shot portraits with an F5, but in the same location I may want to shot CN, BW and some slides, my second body is an F80 and my 3rd one the F90. For the F80 price I could have another one for the 3rd body, but I feel happy when I have the F90 in the hands as I adore its feel... well, this is personal... just pointing that placing ourselves in the early 1990 context can also be nice.

 

[George Mann]

We are also not living in the Ai era... but many prefer the FM2 feel... The F90 has also a pretty nice feel.

Yes, and with a type J focus screen installed, I can reliably see the critical focus point when using my Ai lenses.

 

[138S]

Yes, and with a type J focus screen installed, I can reliably see the critical focus point when using my Ai lenses.

True... we can replace the screen... just checked, the J is a bit difficult to find...

 

[Chan Tran]

Would you spend a hefty for a Nikon FM2n noways? I am considering buying one. I found one boxed (silver body) with the silver Nikkor 45mm 2.8P for 350 euros. Would it be worth it?
Basically I have been eyeing an FM3A, but the price for it just does not feel right for me.
What do you think?

I would buy an FM2n today but.. not the 45mm f/2.8p because I don't like the look of the lens and it's expensive. But I wouldn't pay as much as you do for the FM2n either.

 

[zanxion72]

In response to your crappy little F60 being better (who cares)!

In case you did miss it, it was a price vs features comparison. Your posts with your crappy F90 are just out of place and time (and nobody really cares).

 

[film_man]

I would buy an FM2n today but.. not the 45mm f/2.8p because I don't like the look of the lens and it's expensive. But I wouldn't pay as much as you do for the FM2n either.

350 for the FM2n with the 45P nowadays is a bargain. You're effectively getting the body for 100 or so.

In 2012 I bought a FM2n for £100. Sold it for twice that a couple of years later. This year I bought my FM2n for £250 and good luck finding one for much less.

 

[Chan Tran]

350 for the FM2n with the 45P nowadays is a bargain. You're effectively getting the body for 100 or so.

In 2012 I bought a FM2n for £100. Sold it for twice that a couple of years later. This year I bought my FM2n for £250 and good luck finding one for much less.

Yes and that means the answer is no, I don't by an FM2n in 2020 not because it's obsolete but because it's too expensive.

 

[zanxion72]

350 for the FM2n with the 45P nowadays is a bargain. You're effectively getting the body for 100 or so.

In 2012 I bought a FM2n for £100. Sold it for twice that a couple of years later. This year I bought my FM2n for £250 and good luck finding one for much less.

That's what I thought and grabbed it. Both look nice. I have never tried the 45P so I have no idea how it performs, but I will keep them both. The FM2n, although bigger than my Oly OM-2n, feels lighter and handles better. Luckily, I can fit it with the +2 dioptre eyepiece and focusing is again awesome as with my other Nikon cameras. I love it.

 

[albireo]

The FM2n, although bigger than my Oly OM-2n, feels lighter and handles better.

Incredible how tastes vary. My Nikon FE, which I can't imagine having a very different form factor and weight compared to the FM2n, is bigger, clunkier, noisier, less refined and overall really not comparable to my OM2n. Just not in the same class. Sure, the FE feels lighter than an OM2n, but it's not a compliment, in my view.

Again - solid cameras these FE/FM/2/n. Just .. For me, there is better out there.

FE/FM : think solid Bruce Springsteen and the E street band record. Olympus OM2n: Aja by Steely Dan

Vive la différence!

 

[George Mann]

In case you did miss it, it was a price vs features comparison. Your posts with your crappy F90 are just out of place and time (and nobody really cares).

Well, not only does the F90 meter with AI lenses (unlike the F60), it also has more features at a lower used price than the FM2!

 

[Huss]

FE/FM : think solid Bruce Springsteen and the E street band record. Olympus OM2n: Aja by Steely Dan

Vive la différence!

Further poof that the avg age of Photrio members is 80.

Can we at least fake we listen to music written in the last decade to attract new blood?

;p

 

[film_man]

Yes and that means the answer is no, I don't by an FM2n in 2020 not because it's obsolete but because it's too expensive.

Sadly cameras have appreciated quite a bit in the last few years...I need to start thinking what I offload nowadays as getting it back is not that simple.

 

[MattKing]

Further poof that the avg age of Photrio members is 80.

Can we at least fake we listen to music written in the last decade to attract new blood?

;p

This 64 year old resents your implication!
I'm still kicking myself for turning down tickets to to see Bruce Springsteen and the E Street band at the Queen Elizabeth theatre - at about the time that the OM2 came out.
By the way, would Leonard Cohen's last album count as "new enough"?
As for the question asked in this thread, in 50+ years of 35mm film photography I have never really warmed to Nikon SLRs and have only ever owned a single Nikor enlarging lens.
So why would I buy an FM2n now?

 

[Chan Tran]

Sadly cameras have appreciated quite a bit in the last few years...I need to start thinking what I offload nowadays as getting it back is not that simple.

Not too sad as I have a Nikon FM2n which I have for free.

 

[George Mann]

Further poof that the avg age of Photrio members is 80.

Can we at least fake we listen to music written in the last decade to attract new blood?

;p

I am 52. The only music that I listen to that was made in the last decade is from bands that were big in the '70's.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

This is solved by placing a glass in the adapter, for example to mount Canon EF in Nikon F mount:

View attachment 262118

Instead, to mount a Nikon in a Canon EF no glass is required:

View attachment 262119

The camera with then longer Flange to Film distance requires a glass, the other one only requires a ring. Of course this is beyond electronics and mechanical features that may complicate a lot the adapter, if wanting that.

And the adapter with glass usually "perverts the design and corrupts the performance" of the adapted lens.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

I am 52. The only music that I listen to that was made in the last decade is from bands that were big in the '70's.

You two deserve each other.

 

[NB23]

Man, I’m 45 and I love Joe Dassin, demis roussos and all those legendary dudes.

Further poof that the avg age of Photrio members is 80.

Can we at least fake we listen to music written in the last decade to attract new blood?

;p

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Further poof that the avg age of Photrio members is 80.

Can we at least fake we listen to music written in the last decade to attract new blood?

;p

I rather enjoy J.S. Bach. He wrote and performed (on the organ) stuff that reminds me of early heavy metal, say Zeppelin.
But, dear Johann did it 300 years ago.

 

[MattKing]

On the music issue, I listen to a number of current artists on CBC Radio 2, which tends to feature a lot of singer song writers, many of whom are Canadian.
People like the recently returned to performing Kathleen Edwards.
The most recent live performance that I watched (through the internet) and paid for was a Christmas Concert by the Vancouver Good Noise Gospel Choir.
Due to the pandemic, I haven't seen any live music for too long. The most recent non-Christmas performance was a great blues concert by Jim Byrnes in the excellent Genesis theatre in my community.
Prior to that memorable live events include Roxanne Cash and John Leventhal in Bellingham, and a number of artists - old and young - performing a Tom Waits music celebration night in West Vancouver.
All of which is a roundabout way of saying that I have throughout my life remained engaged in currently performed and recorded music, even if it isn't always the "latest and most widely popular among young people" type of music.
I like music that is creative and interesting and entertaining and evocative and moving. Some of that is old, and some of it is more current.
As far as I can tell, if this 64 year old started waxing eloquently here over, as an example, the latest release from Megan Thee Stallion, it would be more likely than anything to scare away young photographers.

 

[138S]

And the adapter with glass usually "perverts the design and corrupts the performance" of the adapted lens.

Yes... this is well known, still impact may vary, depending on the adapter quality and the focal.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Yes... this is well known, still impact may vary, depending on the adapter quality and the focal.

The impact always sucks.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

On the music issue, I listen to a number of current artists on CBC Radio 2, which tends to feature a lot of singer song writers, many of whom are Canadian.
People like the recently returned to performing Kathleen Edwards.
The most recent live performance that I watched (through the internet) and paid for was a Christmas Concert by the Vancouver Good Noise Gospel Choir.
Due to the pandemic, I haven't seen any live music for too long. The most recent non-Christmas performance was a great blues concert by Jim Byrnes in the excellent Genesis theatre in my community.
Prior to that memorable live events include Roxanne Cash and John Leventhal in Bellingham, and a number of artists - old and young - performing a Tom Waits music celebration night in West Vancouver.
All of which is a roundabout way of saying that I have throughout my life remained engaged in currently performed and recorded music, even if it isn't always the "latest and most widely popular among young people" type of music.
I like music that is creative and interesting and entertaining and evocative and moving. Some of that is old, and some of it is more current.
As far as I can tell, if this 64 year old started waxing eloquently here over, as an example, the latest release from Megan Thee Stallion, it would be more likely than anything to scare away young photographers.

Right.
Anyway, MTS is rather repulsive.(being kind here).