[k100d]

i sold off my 35mm gear but feeling kind of empty without something handholdable in low light
anyone use nikon 35mm gear? i checked out my dad's FA and i'm quite enchanted by it. the layout and the controls are actually logical. although really plasticy, i think i like it better than the MX or ME Super that i had before

[KungPOW]

I use a Nikon F100.

It is one of the best film cameras I have ever owned. I had a Canon EOS-1n, but sold it in favor of the F100. I also own a PZ-1p that does not come close to the F100. I had considered the MZ-S before I got the Nikon, but the fact that it does not support AV mode on lenses without an aperture ring put me off.

The F100 has no problems at all with AF-S lenses or G lenses (ultrasonic motor or aperture ringless). It shoots 4.5 frames/sec, alloy body, comfortable to hold, great autofocus, great meter. The only thing I miss from the Canon, that Nikon does not have is a decient SR lens in the 28-135 range. Nikon has the 24-120 VR, but it is not considered to be a great lens.

Of the manual focus bodies, I have considered both the FE2 and the F3, but then I don't think I would gain anything over my LX. And, I have no interest in selling the LX.

Consider the F100 can use lenses back into the AI and AI-S, and fwd to the AF-S series, it is a really good choice for overall lens compatibility. I would easily recomend the F100 to anyone looking for a Nikon film camera.

[Ratmagiclady]

There are nice Nikon film bodies of pretty much any era, K100d: it's one reason it was pretty much down to Pentax or Nikon for me: if Nikon had gotten me, I'd be sporting an FE or FE2, maybe an F4 or F100 as well, for AF purposes. FA's don't cost much for whatever reason: if you like those, I'd go right ahead.



Nothing wrong with Pentax 35mm stuff, either, if you have any lenses, still.

And if you don't mind being completely unattached to possibility of AF or digital compatibility Canon FD stuff is still nice, and very reasonable to buy: I'm still using mine.

[B Grace]

I use a Nikon F100.

It is one of the best film cameras I have ever owned. I had a Canon EOS-1n, but sold it in favor of the F100. I also own a PZ-1p that does not come close to the F100. I had considered the MZ-S before I got the Nikon, but the fact that it does not support AV mode on lenses without an aperture ring put me off.

The F100 has no problems at all with AF-S lenses or G lenses (ultrasonic motor or aperture ringless). It shoots 4.5 frames/sec, alloy body, comfortable to hold, great autofocus, great meter. The only thing I miss from the Canon, that Nikon does not have is a decient SR lens in the 28-135 range. Nikon has the 24-120 VR, but it is not considered to be a great lens.

Of the manual focus bodies, I have considered both the FE2 and the F3, but then I don't think I would gain anything over my LX. And, I have no interest in selling the LX.

Consider the F100 can use lenses back into the AI and AI-S, and fwd to the AF-S series, it is a really good choice for overall lens compatibility. I would easily recomend the F100 to anyone looking for a Nikon film camera.

Another vote for the F100 if shooting Nikon AF although the prices on F5's have dropped to regular guy levels. I used an N80 for five years and liked it quite a bit but the F100 adds many useful features.

For old-fashioned Nikon shooting I'd choose an FM due to it's retractable AI tab. Non-AI lenses go for a song and you could even shoot AF-S lenses provided they are not G's and have aperture rings. Or G's as well if you like wide open shots.

[Wheatfield]

I still occasionally take my F2s out and fondle it, but I don't shoot much film these days.
My Nikon kit is an F2s, 35/3.5, 50/1.4, 85/1.8 and 105/2.5, all contemporaneous to the f2 body (1975ish).
I'm of the opinion that the Nikon F2 represents the finest fully mechanical 35mm film camera technology.

[k100d]

thanks for the comments

i think i'm just going to get my dad's fa cla'd and grab a 50mm 1.8
for some reason, i think the viewfinder seems easier to focus then a pentax and i like having a real shutter speed dial instead of the button system which i thought i liked

[woof]

i sold off my 35mm gear but feeling kind of empty without something handholdable in low light
anyone use nikon 35mm gear? i checked out my dad's FA and i'm quite enchanted by it. the layout and the controls are actually logical. although really plasticy, i think i like it better than the MX or ME Super that i had before

F100 here. Great camera.

[Ratmagiclady]

thanks for the comments

i think i'm just going to get my dad's fa cla'd and grab a 50mm 1.8
for some reason, i think the viewfinder seems easier to focus then a pentax and i like having a real shutter speed dial instead of the button system which i thought i liked

Depends which Pentax, I should think. I don't really remember the FA's finder well, but it was in the 'This is nice' category to me, anyway. I was less picky, then. There were pretty modern screens there toward the end of manual focus, anyway. They were kind of the high-end amateur cameras of their day, with a lot of automation that no one in the trades was particularly sold on, (they cost more than an FE2 and I found the automation totally unnecessary) but they were about the first viable multi-pattern metering out there, and the controls were nice and logical and conventional. I had a really positive impression of them as a salesperson at the time. Nikonian culture of the time was pretty scornful of much automation, though, and the price tag would tend to scare about everyone else off, though.

[Nesster]

My first and only Nikon is the FE - a super camera, very well thought out and silky to use. It and the FM are the ones that can use both Ai and non Ai lenses.

[stevebrot]

My first and only Nikon is the FE - a super camera, very well thought out and silky to use. It and the FM are the ones that can use both Ai and non Ai lenses.

Nesster...do you recall who on the film forum was wanting to to sell their FE2? Was it Art Vandelay II?

Steve

[k100d]

Depends which Pentax, I should think. I don't really remember the FA's finder well, but it was in the 'This is nice' category to me, anyway. I was less picky, then. There were pretty modern screens there toward the end of manual focus, anyway. They were kind of the high-end amateur cameras of their day, with a lot of automation that no one in the trades was particularly sold on, (they cost more than an FE2 and I found the automation totally unnecessary) but they were about the first viable multi-pattern metering out there, and the controls were nice and logical and conventional. I had a really positive impression of them as a salesperson at the time. Nikonian culture of the time was pretty scornful of much automation, though, and the price tag would tend to scare about everyone else off, though.

well the ME Super and MX which i've tried (and LX) are supposedly the best VF's that pentax made in terms of magnification and size, but that doesn't necessarily translate to the easiest to use. even the funny digital display of the FA/F3 makes a bit more sense after using it and having a 1/4000 shutter on the FA, FM2 and FE2 were nice too

[Clicker]

Had only the FE2 and F3 High eye point both great but the high eye point on the F3 is really good for people with glasses, i think there are F100 and F5 versions, traded my Nikon gear awhile ago for new mamiya gear, my first experience of feeling/getting ripped off with gear trade, now i keep my gear...all of it

I found my F at the back of a shelf gatheriing dust forgot all about this one and a few Nikkor lenses i know they still work (i'm hoping going to run some rolls when i get a chance)

[ChrisPlatt]

I owned and used Nikon F, F2, FT3, FM, FE2 and FM2n cameras before switching to Pentax about 15 years ago.
IMO the Pentax bodies have better ergonomics and are more "user friendly". And oh, those Pentax lenses...

Chris

[k100d]

from what i have read it seems like most of the nikon prime lenses are quite unremarkable below 85mm

[B Grace]

from what i have read it seems like most of the nikon prime lenses are quite unremarkable below 85mm

This has not been my experience with my Nikkors. My Nikon lenses are just different from my Pentax lenses. I'd say all of the lenses I have, Pentax and Nikon, produce sharp images but perhaps the rate of change from in-focus to out-of-focus for them is different or maybe it's a question of linearity. I'm not sure how to explain it. Looking at lens element diagrams a person will find Pentax and Nikon simplify their lens designs in different ways when reducing cost so maybe that's it.

I do believe that, across the complete range, Nikon's high-end manual focus primes were better than their current range of AF-D primes. I'd certainly like to have an AF28/1.4D and AF85/1.4D though.