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The Nikon FE film camera was the autoexposure twin of the Nikon FM, which was the manual exposure model. I used to sell this camera back in the heyday of the film SLR, though I haven't owned one in years. However, briefly stated, the Nikon FM/FE twins had the same body with the same AI lens mount and the same basic shutter.The shutter itself was a metal vertical travel design with speeds from 1/1-1/1000 sec plus bulb. The meter was a centerweighted averaging design, with exposure compensation of +-two f/stops. ASA settings ran from 12-4000 and both the ASA and exposure compensation were set on the left side exposure dial, just below the rewind crank. The FE differed from the FM only in that it offered aperture priority auto exposure operation: aperture priority being you select the lens aperture, the camera selects the shutter speed. Finally, they were able to mount any Nikon F series lens made, though the older ones had to be modified by Nikon to work with the metering system. Other accessories for the FM/FE included the MD-11/12 3fps motordrive and a series of Nikon flash units which set the camera shutter speed. The FM/FE series were marketed as the mid priced compact Nikons of their day,placed below the F2 and F3 professional cameras and the Nikon EM amatuer model. Their competition was the Canon A series,(A-1, AE-1 etc) the Pentax ME/MX and the Olympus OM-series cameras. A new FM/FE had that nice high quality glow that came with a well made camera. They were handsome beasts, but though well made, they still appealed more to your aspiring Nikon owner than the general public, mainly because they were priced about 1/4 to 1/3 higher than, say, a Canon AE-1. Aside from that, the FM/FE series suffer from two design features that I personally did not like. The first was the external meter coupling ring, a feature Nikon borrowed from Minolta. Now, 98 percent of the time this was no trouble, unless you took the camera to the beach and got it near sand. External coupling rings by anyone were always vulnerable to dirt and sand getting behind the ring and messing things up. Usually a good cleaning was all that was required, but while Canon, Pentax and Olympus made sure all their lenses connected inside the lens mount, Nikon (and Minolta's ) external coupling ring was a true disadvantage. The second item,which applies to the FE itself, was aperture priority auto exposure itself. Granted, most camera manufacturers used it,Canon and Konica excepting. Now a knowledgeable photographer could use aperture priority just fine. Indeed the stepless shutters often engineered into these cameras was a great help, especially with finicky slide films. But, many an amateur would by a Nikon FE, try to take pictures indoors without a flash, then complain about blurry pictures. Why? They never paid attention to the meter needle which no doubt indicated a shutter speed way too low for hand held photography. That's why. (And some of them would never learn.) Now, would I recommend one. Well, overall, a Nikon FE is a fine camera, but it's also nearly forty some years old. The main problem with cameras that old from everyone is parts and repair. Fortunately it uses MS76 cells so a working model can still be used. However, before you buy, I'd look up the Nikon FE on Stephen Gandy's Cameraquest. He knows Nikons and if you can get one in good condition, with a good Nikkor lens, get some film and enjoy.Read full review
The Nikon FE is noted as one of the most exceptional SLR film cameras ever made. recently, I've picked a few of them up from ebay with an aim to bid for lower priced single units ( $50) or kits with additional lens, etc. ( $200). The item in this display fit under the later category and was worth the investment. Initially, I needed to replace to batteries in the camera to brand new ones (Energizer 375), then, all functions worked very nicely. In fact, 90% of the Nikon FEs that I have obtained have required new batteries for the meter and AUTO functions to work. Only in one case have I received a camera advertised as fully working in which the meter still doesn't work. The unit in the title is pretty cool because it came with additional focusing screens and the Soligor telephoto lens works nicely. For more info about the Nikon FE, please see Ken Rockwell's web-site, noting, that batteries don't seem to hold-up as well as he suggests and problems with the light meter are not discussed. One last thing is that this is a pretty cool camera and I've gotten a lot of compliments on it's look and to me it is a pleasure to use.Read full review
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
If you shoot film, you have few options for new equipment. Buying used, original build quality is a key consideration given that you may be looking at a 30 or 40 year old camera. Choosing a respected brand like Nikon, Canon, Pentax or Minolta means that you're getting a camera that was built to last in the first place, but also means that you are able find someone to fix it should you have problems. The reality is, though, that it's often cheaper to just buy another if it breaks. A few Nikons are considered "classics" and are therefore collectible, with prices to match. Some models are "hot" at one time or another because someone on the web has talked them up. This was the case for the Nikon FE, which was subject of a rave review by a well-known photography web site. Here's the real story: the FE is an important piece of Nikon history, and belongs in your collection if you are a Nikon collector. It's also a capable camera if you want a mostly manual body to use with your Nikkor lenses. It's solidly built, reliable, relatively easy to repair, and takes a standard battery. It's comparable to an F3, Nikon's flagship pro camera for many years, for most users. In fact, it actually has some advantages over the F3, including faster flash synch speeds and it's smaller and lighter. But it was intended as an amateur camera, so it doesn't have quite the build quality. The aperture-preferred auto-exposure is similar to the F3's as well, so the shooting experience is comparable. It has a similar line of accessories available, including motor drives, and takes standard flash units without an (expensive) adapter, unlike the F3. But you will be getting a 30+ year old camera, so why would you bother? Here are some pros and cons (I assume that you want to shoot film, and want a manual-focus camera, so those are off the list): Pros: Cheap and plentiful Many repairs easily performed Works with AI/AIS/AF lenses (except AF-G) Works with pre-AI lenses in stop-down metering mode (FE2 doesn't) reliable vertical-travel metal shutter, with electronic timing 1/125 flash sync speed (F3 is 1/80) compact size, relatively light weight auto-exposure (aperture preferred, same as F3) DOF preview single manual speed if battery dies standard, commonly available battery meters ISO 12-3200 Cons: old parts may be unavailable for some repairs top shutter speed 1/1000 (F3 is 1/2000, FE2 is 1/4000) no TTL flash single auto-exposure mode (no shutter-preferred or program) no matrix or spot metering no mirror lock-up (useful for macro work) no quick/auto film load If you are looking for a manual-focus camera that offers auto-exposure along with exceptional build quality, and don't mind the limitations noted, look for a good FE. Keep in mind that there are many other options, including the FE2, FG, F3 and FA, each with their own pluses and minuses. Outside of that range, the FM/FM2 are similar but fully mechanical, using the battery only for the meter, while the N2000 with it's built-in motor drive and multiple auto-exposure modes offers the most automation in a manual focus Nikon. Many pros were thankful that Nikon offered these high-end "amateur" cameras at a significant cost savings over the pro models, and used them extensively as backups for their F-series bodies. That a few also used them as their primaries is a testament to their quality, as is the fact that so many of them are still in use.Read full review
The Nikon FE or "F" Electronic, is a great camera, unlike its brother the FM the FE has interchangeable focusing screens. There are few differences that can clearly be seen when looking at both camera's side by side, they both have the same design and appearance. The FE is a Aperture Priority Electronic camera, which means it uses batteries and relies on them to function properly, although the FE does have a M90 mode or Manual 1/90 in which the camera can shoot at 1/90 second if the batteries are dead or missing. Aperture Priority is a camera based metering mode that meters your scene and selects the appropriate shutter speed to compliment the aperture opening you have selected. This is very useful in everyday situations, as you normally would come up with the same speed the camera did after moments more work. The Nikon meter inside the FE is one of the best ever made, it shares this similar quality with the FM and F2. Now down to brass tax. Shutter speed ranges from 1/1000 - 8 sec.(Along with M90 and Bulb) Blazing fast Electronic Flash Sync of 1/125th sec. (more than fast enough for most applications) The FE and FM were introduced with the MD-11 motor drive, although i would recommend the newer MD-12 as it is virtually the same with some small but big changes to electronics. Both MD-11 or MD-12 offer you Single frame advance or Continuous advance of 3.5fps The Nikon FE and FM (not FE2 or FM2/n) are compatible with all lenses made for the Nikon F systems, this means you can buy and use those great old Pre-Ai lenses and meter with them. For more details on this camera and function please do a quick google search (I recommend the MIR articles) I would really recommend either the FE or FM, they are great camera's they feel great with the MD-12 and you cant find a better bang for your $$ I use my FE as a back up for my F2 setup, in case my DP-1 head fails one day. Thanks for reading and Goodluck!Read full review
I bought this camera for my daughter's photography class. The telephoto lens is not focusing correctly but the camera body and fixed lens function well and she has been able to complete her class assignments without serious issue. overall, I consider it a good purchase. I have owned Nikon film cameras for years and The FE model offers a lot of features. Is a great vintage film camera. Thanks.
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