[andrewd]

I would stop hesitating. Nikon F range cameras have been consistently going up in price over the last few years. The FM is the cheapest option, but still the prices keep going up. I do not personally own a FM, but I do own the FM2, FM2/T and FA. When compared to the MX the FM2 does feel a bit agricultural, but more solid. Both the FM2/T and FA are smoother in operation, but more expensive, the FM2/T considerably so. Honestly any of the compact F (not the FGs though) range are very good cameras. I would just get the one that best serves your needs and budget. You will be happy and likely have an appreciating value item if it is kept in good order. If you can afford to, I would go for a FM2/T or FM3a simply because if you hold onto either they will go up in value the most due to their rarity.

Interesting comments about the FM2/T being smoother than a standard FM2. Is there any difference in the mechanical design or could this be related to the service status of the cameras you compared?

I picked up a very late serial number FM2N in mint condition recently. When I put through the first film I noticed that the film advance was very rough and binding. I had the camera serviced and it improved a lot, although not in the league of high end cameras like LX/F3/R6.

The FM2 is one of the nicest looking Nikons in my opinion. The proportions of the prism are perfect and it has the correct Nikon font. The FM3a is ruined by the ugly modern Nikon font (what were they thinking?) and the shape of the prism doesn’t look quite right. Prices are completely insane for the FM3a now. FM2/Ts seem to be reasonably priced for now.

Comparing FM2 to MX, I would say the shooting experience is very similar. Both have high magnification low eye relief finders that are easy to focus. The MX meter leds are a bit too dim, but workable. I don’t think there’s too much difference in build quality, both feel very solid. The benefit of the MX is that the M lenses are more compact than the Nikon lenses and IMO better made. Every Nikon Ais lens I own has had the problem of dried out focussing grease which requires an expensive rebuild, whereas all my Pentax M lenses have perfectly damped focusing.

Despite all this I would not be without either of these two cameras in my collection.

[tpd]

I got an FM and a Nikkormat FTN from a generous friend recently and they're great cameras. Now I'm kinda sorta shopping for an F...

Picked up a Minolta Maxxum 7000 a while ago and learned that I'm really not a fan of those fussy early AF controls. Solid camera, good lenses, but it's not an experiment I'm going to follow up on. I much much prefer shooting with the old manual cameras and tiny 80s AE bodies. Much more straightforward.

Latest wrinkle: I stumbled across some amazing photos where a pre-WWI Kodak 3a Folding Brownie had been converted to shoot 6x14 images on 120 film, and now I'm the proud owner of a 100+ year old 3a Folding Brownie... What could possibly go wrong?

[richard0170]

Interesting comments about the FM2/T being smoother than a standard FM2. Is there any difference in the mechanical design or could this be related to the service status of the cameras you compared?

According to the Butkus website, extra attention was paid to the construction of the FM2/T. This give the camera smoother operation. My own experience with 2 FM2n's, one from new, and my current FM2 supports this assertion.

I also prefer my MX cameras over my FM2's. The main reasons being the slower max shutter speed offers less mirror slap and the smaller size. Oddly enough though I prefer my Fujica ST801n over either. Sometimes one cannot explain one's taste.

Owning numerous mechanical SLRs I would rate them to my taste, rather than their capabilities, as follows:-
1. Fujica ST801n
2. Pentax MX
3. Nikon FM2/T or FM2
4. Canon FT QL
5. Yashica FX3
6. Contax S2
7. Pentax KX
8. Fujica ST705W
9. Fujica ST601n
10. Pentax Spotmatic SL
11. Pentax KM
12. Minolta SRT303
This order is very close in places and on another day would look slightly different!

[andrewd]

Bugger, that means I will have to buy an FM2/T now.

I have 8 mechanical SLR’s and my ranking is as follows:
1. Leica R6.2 beautiful build, nice size and weight. Becomes heavier than average when you include the Leica lenses.
2. Nikon F2AS (Sover Wong serviced). A bit of a beast but amazing to use.
3. Pentax MX. The best Pentax to shoot with IMO.
4. Nikon FM2N. Build quality and mechanical precision not up to the pro Nikon’s.
5. Pentax KX. Let down by dim viewfinder.
6. Leicaflex SL. Another large tank but beautifully made.
7. Pentax Spotmatic - a true jewell, but let down by a really slow meter response.
8 Yashica Fx3 Super 2000. Fun, light and cheap

[richard0170]

1. Leica R6.2 beautiful build, nice size and weight. Becomes heavier than average when you include the Leica lenses.

I handled a Leica R6 a few years ago. I was lovely and very tempting. The only reason I did not buy is the fact that there is no 40-45mm lens option available (I do not like 50mm's on film much. It's a focal length thing).
Your choice seems pretty similar to mine by and large. I forgot to add my Canon F1 to my list. TBH though I am not sure where I would place it. It is beautifully built (very much like a Leicaflex), but very heavy (hence my preference for the FT Ql).

[LesDMess]

The FM2 is one of the nicest looking Nikons in my opinion. The proportions of the prism are perfect and it has the correct Nikon font. The FM3a is ruined by the ugly modern Nikon font (what were they thinking?) and the shape of the prism doesn’t look quite right. Prices are completely insane for the FM3a now. FM2/Ts seem to be reasonably priced for now.

The FM3A prism may not look quite right if referenced to the FM or FE . . .



. . . but right in place when referenced to the F and F2 with clean prisms . . .



Just like the Pentax LX + FA2 pays homage to the original Asahi Pentax . . .



BTW, FM3A is spelled with a capital "A" . . .

[andrewd]

I can see what they were trying for with that pointy prism, but in my opinion it doesn’t work, especially with that ugly font.
Of course I would still happily have an fm3A in my collection if they were sensible money. Even banged up ones go for £600 which is just nuts.

[LesDMess]

I can see what they were trying for with that pointy prism, but in my opinion it doesn’t work, especially with that ugly font.
Of course I would still happily have an fm3A in my collection if they were sensible money. Even banged up ones go for £600 which is just nuts.

Nikon went italicized while Pentax went bold!
I know what you mean as I hesitated on acquiring the 45mm f2.8p that it was introduced with at the time of my acquisition and now those are just as crazy!

[tonyzoc]

I would stop hesitating. Nikon F range cameras have been consistently going up in price over the last few years. The FM is the cheapest option, but still the prices keep going up. I do not personally own a FM, but I do own the FM2, FM2/T and FA. When compared to the MX the FM2 does feel a bit agricultural, but more solid. Both the FM2/T and FA are smoother in operation, but more expensive, the FM2/T considerably so. Honestly any of the compact F (not the FGs though) range are very good cameras. I would just get the one that best serves your needs and budget. You will be happy and likely have an appreciating value item if it is kept in good order. If you can afford to, I would go for a FM2/T or FM3a simply because if you hold onto either they will go up in value the most due to their rarity.

Well I opted for the Nikon FE with an MD-12. i like my Nikon EL2s ant the FE is basically a smaller version with a better winder. I will add an FM at some point. I only started buying Nikon in the past 18mo and I'm at 9 bodied and about 18 lenses.

I have also recently added the N90s and find it's comparison to the PZ-1p interesting. While I like the N90s, I think the PZ-1p is a better design in hand and it's menu system and options are better laid out. While you can get more advanced options on the N90s, you need to add the MF-26 back to do so. Without it you get no Interval timed, bracketing or multiple exposures. You get all that plus with the MF-26 if you can remember how to set it. Still the N90s is a fine camera ... I like no built-in flash (a weak point on the PZ-1) and I like viewfinder better... seems a little brighter. The battery grip has the vertical shutter release and has a couple of battery options.

[Finntax]

Latest happenings and new cameras in my collection bolded below.

Pentax
K1000
MX
ME
ME Super (silver)
ME Super (black)
Program A Plus
Super A
LX (serviced by pro)
SFX
Spotmatic SP
Spotmatic F

Minolta
SRT 303 (jammed)
XD 7 (serviced by pro, leatherette changed by myself)
X-500
X-700 MPS (ISO dial not working)
X-700 MPS (jammed)
Dynax 505si Super
Dynax 5

Canon
F-1n
A-1
AE-1
AE-1 Program

Nikon
FM2n
FE2
FA (serviced by pro)
FG
EM

Olympus
OM-1n
OM-2n
OM-2SP (serviced by pro)

Zenit
122
TTL
3M

Fujica/Porst
AX-1 (gets jammed every once and a while)
CR-7 (full program mode doesn't work properly)

Ricoh
XR-S
XR-P
XR-X

Contax
RTS (serviced by pro)
RTS II (came unused in original box, changed the lightseals and mirror bumber myself)

Praktica MTL3

Leica R5 (came as unused display sample from a german camera shop, new light seals ordered)

Rangefinders & P&S’s
Yashica Electro 35 GS
Petri 7s f2.8
Canon Canonet QL17 GIII
Ricoh 35 ZF ST
Canon Demi EE17
Voigtländer Vitoret (not tested with film)
Smena Symbol (not tested with film)
Agfa Iso-Rapid IF (not tested with film)[COLOR="Silver"]

[Pantagruel]

Film bodies: Pentax MZ-7 / *ist / 645

Miranda Sensorex C / Sensorex EE

Leica R 4

Rolleiflex SL 2000 F

Digital: Pentaxian only with *ist DL / K 5 II / K 1 Silver

Greetings from Germany...

Jörg

[AAlfano]

The FM3a is ruined by the ugly modern Nikon font (what were they thinking?

This X 1,000. The classic Nikon logo is one thing they definitely got right on the Df and the new Zfc.


I'm also not a fan of the huge and ugly FE2/FM2/FM3A designations on fronts of those cameras either.


I think the Spotmatic, the SL, and the earlier SV are the best looking SLRs ever made. And of course I prefer the Asahi marked ones to the Honeywell ones.

[richard0170]

I think the Spotmatic, the SL, and the earlier SV are the best looking SLRs ever made. And of course I prefer the Asahi marked ones to the Honeywell ones.

I am not sure I completely agree with you. Olympus OM1's and Pentax MX's I find particularly visually attractive for instance, but your selection is certainly well up there. For me, of the Pentax line the SV just shades it.

[AAlfano]

The MX and the OM-1 are good looking cameras. I find the blocky logos on these newer cameras less attractive than the simple fonts on older cameras like the Spotmatic and the early Nikons. I dig the mid-century look.

[trixtroll]

I was down to zero functioning film bodies for a very long time, but I've picked up a few this year.............

1. Pentax P30T - It was an impulse buy and dig the diagonal split image, but I really haven't used it much since getting cameras #2 and #3 into the rotation. The mirror flap it the loudest I've ever heard on a 35mm and the inability to set the ISO manually sucks when I buy odd/cheap film.
   
   
2. Pentax ZX-M - This is my 3rd ZX-M (since 1997) and I absolutely love these plastic little turds. I have come to terms with the fact that it'll eventually break, but I'll continue to carry it everywhere until then.
   
   
3. Minolta XG-1 - I've had this camera for 20 years and have only ever run two rolls of film through it. I was trying to give it away for months, but decided to ship it off for a CLA and buy a 24mm lens for it..........Less than 3 weeks after the CLA it's picked up a dead insect on the focusing screen and no amount of rocket blowing is budging it. I need to run a couple rolls through it before I decide if I'm going to ship it back in for insect removal.
   
   
   Not really bodies, but entire cameras with non removal lenses:
   
   
4. Yashica-A TLR - I've also had this one for 20 years and only run a single roll through it, but it's desperately in need of a CLA. I just bought a bunch of 120, so it's the next one to be shipped out.
   
   
5. Argus Seventy - Five - Crummy little point and shoot, but FPP re-rolls 120 onto 620 spools and it was a fun little thing for vacation snapshots with my wife.

I'm also trying to talk myself out of a Pentax 67..........