Good basic fuctions

Poor body, cheap parts, malfuntions easily, light meter stoped working, all around poor constrution

This camera was my first one and gave me constant problems from the date of purchace. First the self timer broke unexpectedly, and then the light meter stopped reading below 1/8ths shutter speed. Quite a pain. I would recomend a used FM2 or an older manual body.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon EM, Cannon AE1

cheap
good for beginners
full manual control
can take most nikon lenses

plastic parts
no pc socket for off camera flash

I bought my FM-10 for my brother (fine arts student)two years ago. I used it for casual shooting and family events. Produced lots of good pics enough to be included in my brother's school photo exhibit. Been with me in two mountain climbs. Nice camera for low budgeted beginers. Won't dull your artistry and skill.Not meant for pros.

Customer Service

none so far

Similar Products Used:

none

Fully Mechanical Operation (Batteries for Meter Only), Depth of Field Preview, Nikon Mount, Light Weight, Glass Pentaprism

Meter doesn't stay on unless shutter is depressed slightly.

The FM-10 is a deal. For the price you get a camera that can use any past or present Nikkor lens. Take a picture with the right glass and you won't be able to tell the difference between an F5 and the FM-10. (Just ask Galen Rowell who uses the FM-10 for its light weight.) In college as photo editor I ran hundreds of rolls through my FM-10 without a single problem. Take care of your camera and it will take care of you. The FM-10 is the best pro-featured (DOF, Multiple Exposure, 1/125 flash sync) camera for the money. Buy two of them (with a lens) for the price of one FM2.

Customer Service

None needed.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon F2, Hasselblad,
N70

Extremely light and compact. It also has a nice little mechanism for opening the back, you have to pull the rewind knob up very high making it almost impossible to open the back by accident.

None that I saw.

I'd try it if I were you.

Similar Products Used:

Canon Eos IX, a Ricoh camera, Nikon FM2n

The camera is well built and very light with the 35-70mm lens. Total control over exposure which means that you learn fast. Depth-of-field, full film loading control so you can take a half exposed role out and reload it another time.

No flash, or autofocus and you have to take your eye away from the camera to advance the film.

The camera feels real good in your hand and it is sturdy. The center weighted metering and manual focus lets you have total and easy control over what you what to expose and where you want to focus. This camera forced me to learn the basics of shutter speed and apurture. Once learned I was taking great portraits, landscapes and even some artsy black and whites. The only problem I had was with sports photography because of the manual focus. you just have to focus on one point and then wait for them to cross it. The FM10 is a well built camera for beginers but can also be used as a backup because it is compact and very very light. This camera will never stay at home.

Customer Service

Have not tried

Similar Products Used:

Canon Rebel XS

Accurate center weighted metering, depth of field preview, quite shutter, B and 1 second to 1/2000 top speed adequate for virtually all needs, and a self timer, which is a bonus, another useful feature is the ease of use with which it is possible to do multiple exposures, there is a multiple exposure lever situated next to the film advance lever - very convenient. I still had a few Nikkormats lying about at the time of purchase, they work well, but this little plastic number is less than half the weight, has a brighter focusing screen than any of them, and offers better metering and shutter speed selection with the same flash sync, (relatively high for a simple camera of 1/125.) I kept the FM10 but just auctioned all but one of the Nikkormats off!

Yes it feels a bit plasticky, but its so light, and it allw orks well, so I can handle that. Not worried if it gets scuffed, and it will, because I prefer to take pictures rather than preserve the camera's appearance for aesthetics sake!

I was travelling light to Prague with just an F80 and a 28-200mm zoom, the F80 developed a logic problem and went haywire, I needed a Nikon body quickly and cheaply (I dont buy second hand). I know this camera is made by Cosina, but it carries a Nikon mount and that is what I needed at the time. It saved the day for me, and I'm grateful to it! It was an extremely cheap purchase complete with carry case and 35-70mm lens. Did'nt like the look of the 35-70mm zoom at all, shot three rolls through it, day shots, night shots, some with anciliary flash unit, could only rate it as a medium performer, also the standard zoom supplied is a rather old fashioned and clumsy design. I sold the 35-70mm zoom when I got back home (for $80) which made the cost of the body only ($190) a very good deal indeed. I tend to use the old F2 for precison work with the F80 for general purpose use. The FM10 however, has found niche, I fitted it with a 50mm f1.8 Nikon D lens and occasionally a 28mm f2(manually focusing of course) and a Sigma EF 430 flash unit, it has now become my standard party and family event camera, as the combo of fast, sharp and lightweight lenses with this manual camera body makes for exceptionally easy to carry kit. I would highly reccomend a mnual camear for those wishing to understand and grow their photography, autos are great, but contrary to popular belief they dont cause the photographer to think more about his/her compositions etc, they tend to engender a snapshotty laziness which ultimately downgardes the results! Get shooting with a manual sometime, its great to be in control!

Customer Service

Havent needed and have put 70+ rolls through it so far.

Similar Products Used:

Nikkormat FTn, FT2, FT2, Nikon F2, F2S, Nikon F50, F60, F80

Various Cosina/Vivitar camera

Inexpensive; lightweight; large easy- to-use controls; battery-independant for real use; button-batteries are cheap and readily availble; nice feel; great Nikkor optics at your disposal; enough useful features (1/2000th sec speed; multiple exp, d-o-f preview); 35-75mm lens equaly lightwight and had smooth positive operation.

not robust enough - mechanical failure (shutter) on me; polycarbonate body scratches easily; slow - motor drive not an option;

Cheap functional camera most suited to the absolute beginner and as an "ok- reliablity" body back-up.

Customer Service

Yes, sent to importer to 'unstick' my film advance lever/shutter-cocking mechanicals. Went kaput.

Similar Products Used:

Had an old 'museum-piece' Yashica FRi (1978) SLR, manual with aperture-priority until the electronics went on the fritz! (too exp. to repair)

This is a great camera. I have read all these reviews where people say they are cheaply made/not nikon. made by another compnany and you know what? That is true-if you bought the one made in Malaysia! That one is almost 50 bucks cheaper and made of plastic not stainless steel like the Nikon made in Japan. So stop whining and do research before you buy a camera. This camera does anything you need-manual that is. Remember not too many photographers are as good as the camera they own. Use an excellent lens-pro film and know what your doing and the FM10 will be your only camera.
"Autofocus means out of focus"

None.

Buy it. It's a great camera-just make sure you buy the one made in Japan-not Malaysia.

Customer Service

Not needed

Similar Products Used:

None

Crisp photographs
35-80 zoom lens
easy of use

None

Great control when looking for a manual with complete control

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Mamiya 35mm SLR as manual

Ease of use
Metering
Lightness
Price

Inoperable without the batteries which is a mistake for a mechanical camera, and can't stand harder weather conditions, but considering it is a low priced entry model, it's OK.

Classic camera, easy and intuitive to use.
Although the metering is center weighted, it rarely failed (only in extreme bright conditions). Light weigth, good if you don't wan't to drag a lot of equipment. It misses the robustness of a Zenith or Nikon FM2n, but is a good entry model, especially if one wants to learn the basics of photography without interference of automation, but stil get good and reliable results.

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Zenith
Nikon f70