Everything

nothing

If your reading this review, you are reading about a camera which does alot for a little. You see, this camera has all the features that a beginner needs like a built in light meter and auto exposure mode,and what a pro needs like high and low shutter speeds.

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Haven''''t had any problems.

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1.Durable 2.Many features 3.Great for anybody interested in TRUE photography and not snapshooting. 4.Has a built in light meter.

None really except for the weight but that dosen''t annoy me.

This is my first SLR camera, and all I have to say about it is that it is an amazing piece of work. Other SLRs I have tried felt cheap and "plasticky". But the Nikon FE is strong and durable. I believe this camera will last a very long time with me.

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totally controllable
stealthy black paint
accurate electronically controlled speeds

wish it had spotmeter

This is by far my favorite camera. It can use almost any Nikon lens ever made and is so easy to use that it makes the modern bodies look stupid for being so complicated. Afterall, aren't all cameras just light boxes? The only things that matter are amount of light and lens aperature. These cameras cost about the same as a new point and shoot, but allows you to control every aspect of the exposure. Looking for a controllable compact?-try an FE with a small 50 f1.8. It took a long time for me to find a black FE, but it was well worth it- having a stealth look to it even though it is practically 25 years old. The batteries last so long, I don't even consider it even using batteries. Try that with a modern AF camera. This is one of the only older Nikons that have both AE-lock and DOF preview, both of which elevate this body to better/match the usability with modern bodies. The only thing missing is spot meter, but that is ok- this wasn't meant to be a pro body or may not have been in the design books for Nikon. This body type is the most naturally easy to use, more than the other body types of the era. For sure, if you can find one, don't let go- it is easily worth its cost.

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One great feature is that when the self timer is activated, the mirror locks up. This will really improve sharpness when using a tripod. It's too bad that more cameras don't have this feature. Very sturdy lightweight camera. Will even work to some degree without batteries. Try that with an AF camera! Great for beginners and anyone else. Nikon got it right by making most of their older cameras and lenses compatable with the newer ones, even if you lose some of the features. You can use newer AF lenses on it (of course won't autofocus). I'll never sell this one even though I don't use it too often anymore!

Out of production, and I've heard rumors that replacement parts are getting hard to come by. I can't tell you for sure, mine's never needed to be repaired.

One of the legends of the Nikon line. Many people have learned on the FE and still use it today.

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Not needed. Get Moose Peterson's The Nikon Handbook, though!

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Pentax K1000, newer AF Nikons.

Great camera for a beginner.
The match needle exposure meter is great for exposing manually in mixed lighting conditions.
Cute & rugged look.
Strong shutter.
Light weight.

Dull viewfinder. But this can be improved by using focussing screens of FM2 or FE2.

If you really want to learn about correct exposing, Nikon FE is the camera for you.
For a beginner, it is the ideal camera.
I have it since last 13 years. I don't use it much, because I have more sophisticated cameras, which I have used and sold. But sell this one? Never!

Customer Service

Many can repair it. Easy to repair.

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Nikon F100, F90, F90X, FA

- compatible with a wide range of Nikon and 3rd party lenses from the MF of yesteryear to AF of today
- all the features one would need to take good pictures - light meter, shutter speed control (up to 8s), bulb mode, M90 mode (1/90s mechanical shutter when the batteries die), film speed control, exposure compensation by 1/2 stops, depth-of-field preview, mirror lock up when timer is on, aperture priority auto mode, exposure lock in auto mode, etc.
- good ergonomics

- MF and 1/1000s max shutter speed is limiting for action photography
- easy to forget to set film speed settings when loading new film (I'm too used to auto DX dectection)
- difficult to see light meter needle in lower light conditions
- incovenient to see the light meter when wearing glasses

I really like this camera. It was handed down to me by my father and it has all the necessary features one would need for most occassions. It does not, however, have the capability to adjust the shutter speed to anything less than 1 full stop.

Because it's manual, you can try and steal a few frames at the beginning or end of each roll of film. The mechanism for opening the camera back is also extremely secure and I cannot imagine any accidental bump that would cause the back to flip open.

The camera also has exposure lock in auto mode, which is wonderful for backlit subjects that are not in the centre of the picture.

Basically, this camera has an auto mode for when you get lazy, and full manual control when you want it. It's relatively light and very rugged. A great camera.

Customer Service

Not applicable.

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Canon EOS Elan II

Rugged - been to extremes of temperatures, from the Pyramids to the Tibetan plateau, with no problem. Great body to have for anyone looking to learn the basics - this is a camera with all the fundamental features: manual exposures up to 1/1000, auto exposure with aperture priority, flash sync at 1/125, bracketting at 1/2 stops up to 2 stops over and under, depth-of-field preview, exposure lock, multiple exposures. Fits all Nikon & 3rd party lens to date. This is also a good body for a back-up for those using an AF body. Great 2nd hand buy for all, including pros and casual shooters.

Prism absorbs a lot of light, as a consequent, view is very dim compared to other bodies like the FM2. Area outside the split-ring are matted, which makes DOF preview and action photography difficult, but since when has a MF body been suited for action photography? Also, dust gets into the prism easily, but I do a lot of travelling so that's to be expected. Having said all that, the FE still has a very rugged construct, mine never broke down at all since I got it 2nd hand in 1988.

A great 2nd hand buy, even for pros. Grab it if someone offers you. It's good enough to have been my flagship for more than a decade and has been the biggest factor for NOT getting an AF body all these years.

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standard in Singapore

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FM, FM2 - both great bodies, somehow, Nikon just don't make such great bodies anymore.

A camera is a light box- that said, the Nikon FE has all the basic functions that all cameras should have and then some. Automation is by aperature priority program and exposure adjustment of the program is great. You get both AE lock and compensation by dial- try to find that in a basic modern AF body. Also, DOF- something so basic (just a mechanical lever) that most manufactuers leave it out- for shame. The most important thing is that I can use ALL of my Nikon lenses, AF and manual for metering, not like the brand new N80. This old body is solid and all spanking brand new AF body may not take any better pictures.

No grip.
AE lock not visible like on FE2.
Flash system is arcane.

I have used all the modern AF bodies which are big and fancy with features, but the funny thing is, using all the lenses on my FE is a lot of fun.
Even though it doesn't have the fancy 10segment Matrix metering, with a little brain power and that fantastic feature called AE-lock (big + in my book), my brain+FE is almost as good as Matrix metering with my brain off.
Using the FE really makes me think why do I need all the new stuff (probably to pay Nikon employees a living wage).
SPEW: I can understand why Nikon doesn't want N60, N80 to use manual focus lenses (by not allowing metering), they can't sell any new AF lenses- the older manual focus lenses are often of higher build quality and optical quality. I can't believe that this actually makes the N70 a much saner buy than a fancy N80. Actually, the N90s should be a steal unless people spring for the N100. Heck, my FE is actually more usable 75% of the time than any of those and I don't have to turn my brain off of my subjects.

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Nikon classic bodies are GOOOOOD...

*Compatibility: the FE is compatible with nearly every lens Nikon has ever made including Manual and Auto focus lenses, not to mention several interchangeable screens.
*Durability: I have taken my FE on overnight canoe trips, on hot rainy photo shoots, below freezing hikes, and have dropped it several times yet it still functions flawlessly.
*Feature Rich: Includes functions that only "pro" cameras include these days: dof preview, mirror lockup (using timer), multiple exposures, exposure lock, full manual control.
*Very light weight when compared to other bodies with similar features.

*Dark veiw: The FE is rather dark to look through compared to many other cameras. In fact it is darker to look through than any other camera I've used (AE1-P,FG,N90s).
*No spot meter.
*No TTL flash control.

For someone who wants to shoot available light without too much flash the FE is a great camera. I would recommend it if you're looking for control at a reasonable price, durability, and compatibility with the Nikon system. The dark view is annoying but does not affect the final image. I'm currently using my FE as my primary body for nature, landscapes, travel, and family snapshots. I can't seem to get the performance I want with my current flash in auto/thyristor mode. I believe I would get better results with a TTL flash combination.

Customer Service

*Nikon has a wide selection from which to choose for nearly all of their products. The FE is no exception. I've purchased a number of parts including focusing screens and a viewfinder eyepiece.

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Canon AE1-Program
Nikon FG, N90s

Small, easy-to-use.
Solid feel, can take a beating.

None.

A great manual-focus camera. Bought it used for under $200, works flawlessly.
Old-fashioned manual focus, all manual control OR aperture priority.
I bought it for a back-up for my N70, and probably use it more than the N70!

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Not needed.

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Nikon N70
Canon AE-1P