It is a light, small, dependible camera that does not have a bunch of automated confusion on it. The TTL flash is very nice sometimes also.

I put my finger through the shutter 13 years ago (not good). Since then, beyond replacing foam and cleaning it out several times, it is fine.

How I wish it had a spotmeter in it!

This is a fine, lightweight slr. It allows ample flexibility for me and the Nikkor lenses are really special. It is not an F or an F2 or F3, etc as far as accessories and absoulte dependibility go but I love this camera. I got this one when I was 17 and worked with it professionally for a while and it is still my favorite 35mm slr.

Customer Service

don't know!

Similar Products Used:

other nikons (have a fe2, fm and an f), rangefinder and 6x6 stuff.

This is the bomb-ass'd camera of a lifetime!! Sure it has a few sucky points, but it has taken at least 1000 rolls of film with not a single problem. I have dropped it at least 3 times, and I poked my finger through the shutter loading a roll of IR film- NO DAMAGE!! (Ok, so I am not so bright, I now load in near-complete-darkness:) The 1/4000 shutter speed is more than I have ever needed. I have used the manual mode several times due to my complete stupidity of letting the battery die, and it has worked perfectly. I am buying a new AF this week and do not think I will sell this one... it is part of the family.
This camera with the MD12 motor winder, a Sunpack 555 (with Ballon type diffuser) and the Nikon/Sunpack TTL hotshoe cube produce near perfect exposes every time. It is the ultimate combo for manual focus.

Low light focusing and meter reading. You cannot see the d*** needle.

I do a lot of IR work, so I think I will keep this camera and get an N80. (N80 uses IR film transport so I would have to keep the FE2)

I could sell it today for twice what I paid for it new... need I say more?

Customer Service

Never needed it.

Similar Products Used:

Mamiya RB67ProS, Canon AE1Program, and of course... the Pentax K1000 I used when I was 8.

AN excalent peice of equiptment. Mine is 18 years old and I've never had a single problem with it. Light, accuret, dependable, rock solid. great for beginers and experts alike.

no spot meter, hand can get tired from holding it after long seeeisons, but you can buy aftermarkeet grips for it.

This is a camera I will keep until it die. THough I'll probly die before it does.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon N90s, Rollieflex TRL

I bought two of these cameras in 1984, since then I have owned another six Nikons. I have found the FE-2s to be accurate and easy to handle and relatively light to hold for long periods, the controls and reliablility have been as regular as clock work. The opportunity to expand and utilise the electronics in close up photography provide consist results. I use the FE-2s with auto ring flash and micro lenses with excellent results.

As already noted, the dark viewfinder and needle is difficult to see in poor light. The only problem with these cameras is that they tend to become prone to hard hits when used in outdoor situations such as at sea or when pplaced in hard working off road vehicles. The electronics have been a problem to replace and maintain now that the cameras are no longer made.
The camera is fine with a MD-12 motor drive, however the weight becomes a problem over a days work.
Alas, these cameras are now worth more second hand then they were new in 1984!

I only wish Nikon still made FE-2s, if they could be made with an auto focus option (with the same body), I would have the ultimate camera.
I consider the FE-2 a great camera to learn on and then master as the experience of the photographer increases. The ability to swap effortlessly from auto to manual and semi-manual becomes one of the greatest tools for the photographer that does not have to rely on a fully auto camera in tricky lighting conditions.

Customer Service

These cameras have been fairly reliable, although obtaining parts for the dinted FE-2s has led to some problems with LEDs not working after big hits or after being dropped in boats on in the bush.
Perhaps, I should only use Nikonos cameras when I am in the wild?

Similar Products Used:

I own or have used most of the Nikon range. I now use four FE-2s, which have been bought 2 nd hand. The most robust cameras I use are Nikonos IV underwater cameras, the electronic shutters appear to be similar to the FE-2s when left in auto mode and used in long time exposure situations.

-- small size and lightweight
-- very simple controls; depth of field lever is (along with the FM series) the most convenient design I've used
-- very durable; high quality construction
-- quite easy to use in manual mode, owing to the "two needle" readout
-- TTL flash metering
-- 1/250 mechanical shutter setting means it's still usable with dead batteries
-- 1/4000 top shutter speed adds to versatility (e.g. using a roll of 800 speed film for dark interiors and bright outdoors shots)

I agree with the comments others have made about the difficulty of seeing the viewfinder meter readout in low light. The LEDs in the FMs are much more useful in those situations. Also, as one who likes squeezing one or two extra exposures in at the beginning of a roll, the FE2's quirk of not having the meter operate until frame 1 is irritating.

This is the best manual focus autoexposure SLR I've ever used, and is particularly convenient in manual exposure mode. It may not have all the features other models have (other reviewers have mentioned the lack of more sophisticated metering modes, for example), but it has a fair number of desirable features and remains quite easy to use. It is utterly dependable -- materials and construction are of the highest quality. Finally, you have available all AI series Nikkor lenses, which offer image quality that's as good as any maker's; an unrivaled variety of lenses; and especially now, some real bargains, as others have pointed out.

Customer Service

no experience

Similar Products Used:

Nikon FM2n; Nikon F2; Minolta SRT 101; Canon EF and FTb; Konica T3

Tough, well made with every feature I don't even know I need yet.

As mentioned the needle is hard to see in low light.

I asked a friend who used to work in a camera shop to recommend a manual SLR to me, he said the Nikon FE2 or FA. I got the FE2. It must be 15 years old and came with a 1 year guarentee. I am very very happy with it for a lot of the reasons already mentioned. I do not have the experience to go on about technical detail but I carefully research all my purchases and am sure I got one of the best manual cameras ever made. If only my ability matched my camera.

Customer Service

None

Similar Products Used:

None (slr)
Point & shoot olympus

It is a very lightweight camera, unobtrusive, has elegant design, is equipped with multiple exposure lever, EV correction dial, DOV preview, interchangeable focusing screeens, B, T, 1/4000 sec. ergonomical film advance lever that fits to its user´s thumb

Needle of the metering system invisible in dim light or low light situations, awkward multiple exposure lever - difficult to handle while shooting, lacks mirror-up lock, bit too noisy shutter release (impossible to shoot in the theatre, in a church or anywhere You gotta keep silent, ISO setting dial not reliably lockable (could be easily shifted unnoticeably, accidentally), only some 93% field of view in the viewfinder, not very reliable centre-weighted metering system (prone to override), the metering system does not start working until you´ve fired three times in vain, thus wasting some valuable film stock.

Everything has just been said above - what annoys me most is the virtually invisible metering system needle, and highly unreliable center-weighted metering system which - as far as it seems to me - has no logic in showing the figures. I´ve learnt to get rid of one its drawback which concerns the metering system which does not start working until You´ve wasted some film stock. I´ve found out what it´s due to. So now I´ve got to open the back, grasp a razor blade (I mean the classic old one), push a small whatsjumagic on the top right hand side of the camera, then wind the advance film lever twice and firing at B, then loadind the cartridge, spooling the beginning of the film ( while all the time holding the tiny lever depressed with the razpr blade), carefully shutting the back and only then releasing the tiny lever (after the back clicks-in, not earlier). In this awkward way I can achieve the effect of not wasting any valuable stock and even getting some 2-3 extra frames to expose with each cartridge (so my originally designed 36frames rolls of films have usually 38 frames well exposed - of course provided the d*m*ed metering system does not fail, which it certainly often does). Try it and You´ll see how skillful and handy You´ve gotta be - it needs pretty lot of training so as not to mess it all up. Can you still wonder I send the Nikon manufacturers to hell every time I´m doing it? Of course, I can´t do it whenever I do need quick reloading and have no time and mood for this annoying activity.

Customer Service

No experience with this gear yet

Similar Products Used:

PENTAX ME Super, Nikon FG, Chinon CP-7m, Chinon CP-AF, Zenit, Flexaret VI

Tough, Fast shutter, accurate light meter, realibale.

Nikon stopped making it, meter hard to see in low light.

I have own this camera for 16+ years, It has never let me down, Mine is dented from being dropped and it just kepts working day after day. The light meter works great in 90%+ of the shooting situations, and when it dosen't it is consistant, I know how to compensate. The mirror lock up when using the timer is great.

To the guy who complains that it wastes film WAH! All cameras do that, 2 shots a roll is not that big a deal to me. And the light meter is inaccurate, it is an old camera you might want to take it in and get it checked out, you know that Nikon stopped making it about 15 years age!! I have mine bench checked every year and it has always been perfect!!

Bottom Line:

Great camera, you can't go wrong. It is a good beginner camera and is a great back up for a expert.

Customer Service

Nikon is great so far.

Similar Products Used:

FM-2e, F-3

Durable, light weight, TTL metering, exposure compensation, fast shutter when needed

hard to see meter needle in low light

This is by far my favorite camera to use. It has all of the features I need, and is easy to use. I wish Nikon still made this one.

Customer Service

None required

Similar Products Used:

pantax LX, K1000, Nikon FM2, N6006, N70

Superb construction, high quality materials, ruggedness, ease of use, TTL flash, synch speeds up to 1/250, high shutter speed to 1/4000, bright viewfinder, user interchangeable screens, compact size and accurate metering.

Meter does not engage until you advance to frame 1 but not a big weakness.

I bought this camera new back in August of 1984 and it is one of the finest cameras that I've ever used. I take it with me on trips as a backup to my N90s since it is compatible with all of my AF lenses. It takes great pictures and has never failed me. If I only can only have one camera, this would be the one.

Customer Service

Not needed

Similar Products Used:

Minolta SRT 201, Olympus OM-1, Canon AE-1P, Pentax ME Super, Nikon EM/FT3/FM/FM2/N60/N90s/F5