From the 1980s The Nikon FM2

Everyone remembers the Nikkormat, Nikon's prosumer camera, it got replaced with the Nikon FM in 1977 a much lighter body, people loved it. I love my two FM's, an early chrome example and a later production black body. Fast forward a few years to 1982 and the FM was replaced with the FM2. Shutter speeds went from a top of 1/1000 to 1/4000 and a much faster flash snyc speed of 1/200 of a second with a slight bump in 1984 to 1/250. Both advanced amateurs and pro photographers loved the durable construction.

Initially the FM2 came with the titanium honeycomb copal shutter which was replaced in 1984 with the aluminum copal shutter along with the flash sync speed upgrade. There's not much else to say about the camera other than it's centre weighted metering. The camera had a long production run for 19 years before being replaced with the FM3a. The camera came in three finishes, chrome, black and the special edition titanium.

Ok, lens compatablity, people asked, "Hey Bill, can I use my Pre-Ai lenses on my FM2?"

My answer, "No because it will end in tears and regret along with a repair tech making fun of you behind your back. Use the auto indexing (Ai) lenses."

Unlike the FM where you can use Pre Ai lenses in stop down. Both the FM2 and FE2 I talked about earlier are configured the newer manual focus lenses. Why? Because Nikon wanted people to update their glass, it's that simple.

The FM2 is one of those perfect SLR's with the ergonomics everything is where you want it, the meter turns on when you pull the film advance out and will unlock the shutter button if you have the camera cocked and ready to go. The meter read out is pretty much the same design as the FM and the Nikon F2SB and F2AS,  three LED lights. For those who want a motor drive, Nikon had the MD-12 which is compatable with the FM/FE, FM2/FE2, and the FM3a and is pretty easy to attach. The difference with the FM/FE series there were no covers to take off like the Nikon F3HP, and Olympus OM-1 and 2n's

I love this camera, it has been up to Northern Muskoka on a few trips over the years, hikes closer to home and into the city so many times I've lost count. In some ways it was an early grail camera of mine that has become a workhorse in my Nikon kit and my go to when the temperature drops like a rock.

For now I only own a chrome FM2, part of me wants a black one too, not that I really need it. I have a black FE2 along with both chrome and black FM bodies. I sorta wonder do I really need to accumulate? Well, if I see one at a local camera show and the price is right....



Camera: Nikon FM2n, Nikkor lenses.
Film: Various black and white and colour emulsions.