Nikon FM,1977
A mechanical-shutter version of the FE, considerably
lighter and smaller than other Nikon SLR's, the FM patches some of the key weaknesses
found in the Nikkormat bodies FT series cameras, while on the other hand, it measured
well against competitions with its original concept and body design; in addition,
it offers a enterprising photographer a few advances of its own. The FM has proven
to be a very successful camera. It can
take you to the heart of 35mm SLR photography in a compact, economical and easy-to-operate
format and bring you right to the door step of Nikon SLR system.
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Operational ease is the keynote of the FM. Technological highlight started from a equaled to F2 standard high tensile strength copper silumin body that can withstand bumps and hard knocks on the field. |
W A R N I N G: G-SERIES Nikkor lenses have no aperture ring on the lens, they CANNOT ADJUST APERTURES with any of these manual focus Nikon FM series SLR camera models.
A very precise film transport system which provides a smooth 135° winding at constant torque yet with durability to handle the pounding speed of a 'new' motor drive system designed specifically for the FM and the FE at 3.5 fps (The Nikkormat has no motor drive coupling, but only a slow 2 fps Winder (AW-1) was made available for the last two electronic EL models - the Nikkormat ELW and the Nikon EL2).
The FM's metering uses a simple yet un-offensive LED (light emitting diode) display which works even in low available light without the need for artificial illumination in the finder. The LEDs are in five combinations just like the F2AS Photomic. Using a pair of gallium photo diodes housed just beside the eyepiece, the system features the standard 60/40 center-weighted sensing pattern and has a metering capability from EV1 to EV18 (i.e. f/1.4, 1 sec. to f/16, 1/1000 sec. when using an f/1.4 lens and ASA 100 film). Easy and accurate viewing/focusing can be achieved by the standard type K matte Fresnel screen with a combination microprism/split image spot built into the fixed eye level finder. Others "master touches" include depth of field previewing, stop-down metering, multiple exposures and auto indexing, etc. Compact and reliable, the Nikon FM accepts almost all Nikkor lenses and most Nikon system accessories. Most of all, it is a pure mechanical camera and works even without any battery cell(s) installed in the camera.
From its very inception, it was designed as a flexible standalone system camera. The camera body incorporates all the controls, terminals, circuits and coupling devices necessary for accommodating, systematically and naturally, the vast array of accessories available from Nikon from the past and still able to tab in the current system dominated by AF design. These include attachments for flash, close-up and motor-drive accessories, as well as for remote-controlled shooting. The FM even has its own, compact and lightweight motor drive unit, the MD-11, which was developed along with it but it is compatible with the upgrade in MD-12, which is the current model. This patched the vacuum, where all along, the earlier Nikkormat's apparent weakness in lacking a caliber motor drive system. While there were upgrades along with the advancement in respective fields, backward compatibility were always there.
Because the FM (And all the other models within the FM series - A little reservation on the current FM10) is being built exceptionally rugged, enduringly reliable, uncompromisingly precise as evidenced by the million that were still in use today. Besides being lighter and smaller than the Nikkormat, its comes with an excellent human engineering design for positive, responsive and easy handling. Nikkor lenses' F-mount, a major strength and selling point for Nikon camera, has remained unchanged since its introduction that stretches back to 1959, these FM models work virtually with all Nikkor lens models past (Except the OP Fisheyes and Ultra wide Fisheyes Nikkor), present and even the latest AF-D lenses (The FM, FE (and the bulkier Nikkormat) are the only two such compact Nikon models that has a adjustable meter coupling lever to accept past and present Nikkor Lenses. However, started from the FM2 in 1982 (But Nikon EM was the first Nikon), all other Nikon bodies has a fixed, nonadjustable meter coupling lever that can only accept AI lenses (or modified) and the newer series. (Except the professional F4. However, the current F5 comes with a 'replaceable' fixed ring which can be altered based on specification).
It is simple, straight forward and no frills camera. Easy to understand and operate. This site will go from the utmost basic from preparation of the camera to shot, outline its various controls and features, explain what can the system accessories can help you to have a more creative, productive and responsive SLR photography with this jewel-liked camera from Nikon.
Detailing
its Basic
Camera Operations
(Instruction Manual)
Detailing
its Technical
Application of its features
(6 parts)
Index Page | Page 1
| Page 2 | Page 3
| Page 4 | Page 5
| Page 6 | Page 7
| Specification | Main Reference Map
| Message Board | for
your favourite Nikon
FM Series SLR models
| Message
Board | for your Nikon
Optics in a shared environment
| Message Board | Specifically for Dispose or Looking for Nikon/Nikkor
Photographic Equipment
Standard
production Nikon FM Series models:-
Nikon FM | Nikon FM2 | Nikon FM2n | Nikon FM10 | Nikon FM3a |
Known
variants:-
Nikon
FM Gold
| Nikon
FM2/T
| Nikon
FM2N Tropical Set
| Nikon
FM2/T Limited Edition
| Nikon
FM2N LAPITA
|
Nion
FM2n Millennium 2000
Shared
Resources: MD-11 | MD-12 | Focusing
Screens
| Titanium
Shutter
| Flash Units -SB-16 | SB-15 | SB-10 or other Options | Databack | Nikkor lens mount (related info)
Others:- Nikon
AF-TTL Speedlights | SB-20 (1986)
|
SB-22
(1987)
| SB-23 | SB-24 (1988) |
SB-25 (1991/2) |
SB-26 (1994)
| SB-27(1997)
| SB-28 (1997) |
Nikon
SB-29(s)
(2000) |
Nikon
SB-30
(2003) |
Nikon
SB-600
(2004) |
Nikon
SB-800 (2003)
Nikon AF-TTL Speedlight DX-Series: Nikon SB-28DX (1999)
| SB-50DX (2001) |
SB-80DX
(2002)
Nikon
BC-flash Series |
Original
Nikon Speedlight
SB-2
| SB-3 | SB-4
| SB-5
| SB-6 | SB-7E
| SB-8E
| SB-9 | SB-E
| SB-10
SB-11
| SB-12 | SB-14 | SB-140 UV-IR| SB-15 | SB16A | SB-17 | SB-18, SB-19 | SB-21A (SB-29) Macro flash | Flash Accesories | SF-1
Pilot Lamp
Instruction Manual:
Nikon FM (HTML | PDF) | Nikon FM-10 (HTML) | Nikon FM2n's
User's Manual
available only in HTML format (6
parts) | Nikon
FM3A
(HTML)
Specifications: Nikon FM, FM-10, FM2, FM2n and FM3A / Main
Reference Map: (HTML) Nikon FM, FM2, FM-10, FM2n (Applicable
to FM2T, FM2 "Year of the Dog"; Millennium 2000") and Nikon FM3A
 |
Nikon F | Nikon F2 | Nikon F3 | Nikon F4 | Nikon F5 | Nikon F6 | Nikkormat / Nikomat | Nikon FM | Nikon FE/ FA | Nikon EM/FG/FG20 | Nikon Digital SLRs | Nikon - Other models |
Nikon Auto Focus Nikkor lenses:- Main
Index Page
Nikon Manual Focus Nikkor lenses:- Fisheye-Nikkor Lenses - Circular | Full Frame |
Ultrawides Lenses - 13mm15mm18mm20mm | Wideangle Lenses - 24mm28mm35mm | Standard Lenses - 45mm 50mm 58mm | Telephoto
Lenses - 85mm105mm135mm180mm & 200mm | Super-Telephoto Lenses - 300mm 400mm 500mm 600mm 800mm 1200mm |
 Index Page |
Special
Application lenses: Micro-Nikkor Lenses - 50mm~55mm -60mm 85mm -105mm 200mm Micro-Zoom 70-180mm Perspective Control (PC) - 28mm 35mm PC-Micro 85mm Dedicated Lenses for Nikon F3AF: AF 80mm f/2.8 | AF 200mm f/3.5 EDIF Depth of Field Control (DC): 105mm 135mm Medical Nikkor: 120mm 200mm Reflex-Nikkor Lenses - 500mm 1000mm 2000mm Others: Noct Nikkor | OP-Nikkor | UV Nikkor 55mm 105mm | Focusing Units | Bellows-Nikkor 105mm 135mm Nikon Series E Lenses: 28mm35mm50mm100mm135mm | E-Series Zoom lenses: 36~72mm75~150mm70~210mm |
MF Zoom-Nikkor Lenses: 25~50mm | 28~45mm | 28~50mm | 28~85mm | 35~70mm | 36~72mm E | 35~85mm | 35~105mm | 35~135mm | 35~200mm | 43~86mm | 50~135mm | 50~300mm | 70~210mm E | 75~150mm E | 80~200mm | 85~250mm | 100~300mm | 180~600mm | 200~400mm | 200~600mm | 360~1200mm | 1200~1700mm
Tele-Converters: TC-1 | TC-2 | TC-200 | TC-201 | TC-300 | TC-301 | TC-14 | TC-14A | TC-14B | TC-14C | TC-14E | TC-16 | TC-16A | TC-20E
Recommended links to understand more technical details
related to the Nikkor F-mount and production Serial Number:
http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-153.html by: my
friend, Rick Oleson
http://www.zi.ku.dk/personal/lhhansen/photo/fmount.htm by: Hansen,
Lars Holst
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/nikonfmount/lens2.htm
http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/serialno.html
W A R N I N G: The New G-SERIES Nikkor lenses have no aperture ring on the lens, they CANNOT ADJUST APERTURES with any of these manual focus Nikon FE series SLR camera models; please ignore some portion of the content contained herein this site where it relates.
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History of Nikon SLRs
| Message Board | for your Nikkor optics ("shared" because I do wish some of you to expose to other's perspective as well. Isn't it a sad sate to see photography has to be segmented into different camps from the use of various labels)
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Credit: To all the good people who has contributed their own experience, resources or those who are kind enough granting us permission to use their images appeared in this site. Mr. MCLau®, who has helped to rewrite some of the content appeared this site. Chuck Hester® who has been helping me all along with the development of all these Nikon websites;LarsHolst Hansen, 'Hawkeye' who shares the same passion I have; Ms Rissa, Sales manager from Nikon Corporation Malaysia for granting permission to use some of the official content; TedWengelaar,Holland who has helped to provide many useful input relating to older Nikkor lenses; Some of the references on production serial numbers used in this site were extracted from Roland Vink's website; HiuraShinsaku from Nikomat Club Japan. t is also a site to remember a long lost friend on the Net. Note:certain content and images appeared in this site were either scanned from official marketing leaflets, brochures, sales manuals or publications published by Nikon over the years and/or contribution from surfers who claimed originality of their work for educational purposes. The creator of the site will not be responsible for may discrepancies arise from such dispute except rectifying them after verification."Nikon", "Nikkormat", "Nippon Kokagu KK" & "Nikkor" are registered tradename of Nikon Corporation Inc., Japan. Site made with an Apple IMac.